Page 40 of Between Sun and Moon

Excitement coursed through my veins. This was it. I was finally going to get a chance to speak with Arkyn and possibly find a way to save Von.

But that was just it, wasn’t it? I had tospeakwith him.

A sense of dread filled my belly, the weight of it sloshing from side to side. I was not looking forward to seeing him inperson, not in the least. Especially after he tried to light me on fire. But it was a matter I had little choice in—I needed to talk to him about Soren and discuss striking a new deal. Despite how uncomfortable it made me feel, I would gladly do it for Von.

Aurelius’s brows knitted. “Is something wrong?”

“No, not at all,” I lied poorly. In an attempt to cover my elephant-sized tracks, I changed the subject and gestured to the door. “I’ll walk you out.”

He searched my face for a moment, before he said, “Alright.”

I fell into step beside him, his knee-high leather boots as silent as my bare feet.

“I won’t be able to go to the library with you today, as I expect the meetings to be rather long. I will make it up to you though,” he said as we reached the door.

I leaned against the frame of the doorway, looking up at him.

I would be a liar if I said feeling his gaze on me didn’t conjure some type of feeling to my flesh, some type of yearning within. He was, after all, someone with whom I had been thoroughly intimate, once upon a lifetime.

As if on cue, a whisper of a forgotten kiss brushed across my lips.

Aurelius reached out, as if he were tempted to touch my cheek.

On reflex, I pulled back. I opened my mouth to speak, but he beat me to it.

“I know, I know. You can’t,” he said, dropping his hand. If my reaction made him feel some sort of way, his schooled features did not let on. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

I nodded. “Tomorrow then.”

When he was gone, I closed the door softly and turned back inside.

Brunhilde was busy making the bed—that woman pulled the covers so tight, you could bounce a coin off of them. While shedid that, she barked orders at Cataline and Naevia—something about going to see if some of my new dresses were ready.

I walked over to the window and looked out, surveying the foot of fresh snow on the balcony. I wondered if I carefully dusted off the top layer of snow, would I find little chicken tracks packed beneath?

I smirked to myself.

But my smile didn’t last long when I spotted what sat on a canvas of white—a small, single, black feather. Even though it was small, the color reminded me of Von.

My stomach flopped. I felt homesick.

Not for Ezra or the cottage, but for the dark-haired male with the obsidian, starless eyes. What I wouldn’t give to be back in his arms.

I pulled away from the window, a thought occurring. “How far is Belamour from here?” I asked Brunhilde.

“About an hour by carriage.” She stopped fussing with the sheets and looked up at me. “Why?”

I leaned against the wall. “Would it be possible to go there?”

She gave me one good, hard look before she nodded, to my surprise. “I suppose a trip to the city wouldn’t be a bad thing. Besides, I wouldn’t mind paying my sister a visit. I’ll have a carriage arranged to take us there.”

Excitement swelled within me. I offered her a smile. “Thank you, Brunhilde.”

“Of course, my lady,” she replied kindly, before clapping her hands at the girls. “Alright, ladies, let’s get a move on. The day is not about to look after itself, now, is it?”

Sage

Clacking hooves and churning wheels sounded against the snow-packed road as the coachman clicked his tongue and the carriage pulled away, taking Brunhilde with it as she headed off to see her sister, while leaving me and the two guards behind, standing in front of the winding path that led up to the beautiful, gothic manor. Towering and powerful. A dark, ancient splendor.

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