Speaking of guards, this one’s silver leathers are going to stick out like a Scathian tower in a Tuath town. The last thing I need is to be recognized by the other fae attending the festival. Luckily, Aeron suggested I bring a change of clothes in case it rained. I grab the extra black cloak and hand it to the guard. “Here. Put this on.” The man scowls down at the garment. “That is an order.”
Although his scowl remains, he does as requested and changes. With the cloak drawn, maybe no one will notice the swirling designs on his leather trousers. There is an extra pair of wool ones in my bag, but I draw the line at letting another man wear my pants.
“Do you have a spare mask?” he asks with a huff.
“It just so happens, I do.” I’ve packed plenty of gold, snacks,andAeron’s red devil mask that will suit this man down to the ground.
He doesn’t immediately don the mask, instead letting it dangle around his neck.
When Allette emerges from behind the stone wearing a gray dress, my breaths falter. And I thought she looked stunning in her leathers. The way the bodice hugs her slim waist and the skirts flare over her hips makes my body heat all over. But then she dons a black cloak and covers it all up. Probably for the best considering my guard hasn’t taken his eyes off of her since she stepped out.
Even with the top half of Allette’s face concealed by the peacock mask, I’d know my girl anywhere. From the moment her golden eyes first met mine and those perfect lips lifted into a soft smile, my heart has belonged to her.
If only the world didn’t insist on getting in our way.
Seeing her black hair reminds me to glamour my own. Dark brown should do the trick. Back to being the potato. I send my wings away as well, missing them the moment their weight vanishes.
Allette’s friend Wynn has changed into a black dress and cloak to match, her silver hair hidden under a mop cap. Allette helps her tuck a few stray strands beneath the white fabric and re-ties the cat mask in place.
The guard shifts on his feet, his hand clinging to the pommel of his sword. “We’ve wasted enough time. Let’s get moving.”
His tone could use some work, but he is right. If we want to see the festival, we really should be on our way. I start down the path, following the trail of footprints left in the frosty mud. Allette falls into step next to me, her fingers grazing mine as we walk. The trees around us claw at the midnight sky like enchanted beasts out of a wicked fairy tale.
“What do you think?” Allette whispers, fluffing the ends of her onyx waves. “Would you still love me if I were human?”
What sort of question is that? Of course I would. “I’d love you even if you were covered in spots and had no neck.”
She snorts as if she doesn’t believe me, even though it’s the truth.
Behind us, Wynn’s attempts to strike up a conversation with the guard are met with irritated grunts. Eventually, she stops trying.
“Do you always walk this slow?” the guard grumbles when he catches me glancing at him.
“Are you always this pleasant?” I shoot back. What a prick. When we get home, I’m requesting he be reassigned to my younger brother Rhainn.
Allette bumps her shoulder against mine. “Be nice. He let you stay.”
I’m the one in control of this situation. He didn’tletme do anything.
She steals a glance at him from over her shoulder. “Are all the royal guards’ wings as impressive as his? I think they might be bigger than yours.”
Excuse me?She did not just say his wings are bigger. I stop dead. “You take that back.” Mine are clearly larger than his. If it wouldn’t waste magic, I would drop my glamour to prove it.
Allette’s lips curl into a cheeky smile. “I could. But that wouldn’t change the fact that his wings are sooo huge?—”
I lunge, catching her off guard and pinning her to the nearest tree. Her laughter envelopes me in joyful warmth. Gods, I love her laugh. “If they’re so impressive, then why are you here with me?”
Her eyes widen behind her mask. “Because I didn’t meet him first.”
She is joking. She must be. “You take it back this instant, or I’ll bind you to this tree and leave you to be eaten by wild beasts.”
Her hips buck in a pitiful attempt to free herself. “You’re the only beast I see.”
“Exactly.” I nip at her ear, making her cry out. That delicious sound sends desire humming through my veins. My body molds to hers, and her breath catches when my hand finds the swell of her hips, buried beneath far too many layers. If we were alone, I’d lift them and?—
The guard clears his throat. “You’ve now wasted twenty minutes of your allotted three hours.” He and Wynn wait on the path, their masked faces trained on us.
My forehead falls against Allette’s. The noses of our masks bump and slide. “I despise him.”