Total pages in book: 140
Estimated words: 132625 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 663(@200wpm)___ 531(@250wpm)___ 442(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 132625 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 663(@200wpm)___ 531(@250wpm)___ 442(@300wpm)
“Your smile. I forgot how much it lights up the room. It could light up the whole damn world if you wanted it to.”
My cheeks heat and I bow my head. “You’re the one with the dimples people swoon over.”
His mouth twitches, like he’s trying to keep those dimples from showing and failing. “Anyone in particular doing that swooning?”
I roll my eyes. “Are you fishing for compliments when I just gave you one, Kendrick?” I smack his chest playfully and he grabs my hand and holds it still against the steady beat of his heart.
He searches my face before letting his gaze fall to my lips. I tilt my face toward his, and he wastes no time lowering his mouth to mine, the warmth of his lips melting my already loose muscles completely.
“That will never get old,” he says, smiling against my mouth before tugging me out of the cottage and into the cool night air. With my hand in his, I realize, the dark doesn’t bother me much at all.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Felicity
Konner gave me riding pants and a tunic to change into since Sol’s dress wasn’t exactly giving me the room I needed to move freely, then we agreed to meet at Castle Craige at first light to convene with Sol. Konner said he had his own way of getting there, though he refused to divulge what it was, and Misha and I decided that using the Hall of Doors was still the fastest and safest way for us to return to Faerie. Much like the first time, I was ready to get out of the Hall the moment we stepped into it.
“Why are we heading back to the palace instead of going straight to Castle Craige?” I ask on our way back to the Midnight Palace. It’s past sunset, and I can imagine how irritated Sol is to still be waiting for Misha.
As soon as we stepped back through the portal and into the mountain ridge by the River of Ice, Misha let out a low whistle that brought a wild horse trotting up to us. He nuzzled Misha’s hand and patiently allowed us to climb onto his back. Misha explained it was one of his gifts, but when I asked why those gifts didn’t include the ability to call a horse for each of us, all I got was a wink and an extra squeeze from the arm he had looped around my waist.
“I have a standing portal between the Midnight Palace and Castle Craige that we need to use to get back.”
I crane my neck to look up at him. “You too, huh?”
“What?”
“My brother doesn’t trust goblins, but I didn’t realize you felt the same.”
His jaw ticks. “My goblin isn’t responding to my summons at the moment.”
I shift my weight to one hip to get a better view of his face. “Why not? Do you want me to call mine?”
“Do you want to call yours?” he asks, brushing his thumb across my ribs. “Because there was nearly an hour in that palace where I was pretty sure I lost you, and I’m enjoying the reassurance of having you in my arms.”
My whole body goes taut, then loose all over. “I was never truly in danger. Not from anyone but Shae, at least.”
“He’s the one who betrayed your friends, isn’t he? The one they believe called the wyvern’s attack?”
I give a jerky nod.
“How long have you known him?”
“Since I was a kid. He was one of Hale’s friends, but I . . .” I shake my head. “I fancied myself in love with him, but I realize now that I was in love with the idea of him. He was always a little edgy, a little dangerous, and because his parents were killed when he was young and he was brought up by a cousin of his mother’s, I thought he might understand me in a way the others couldn’t.”
“Did you feel misunderstood a lot?”
“Not exactly. Just a little out of place. I always felt like the Kendricks were doing me this big favor by taking me in.”
“Did they make you feel like that?”
“Never them. Neighbors said some things. And then when Erith found out about me and one of his sentinels killed my father—my adoptive father . . .” I draw in a steadying breath. “They didn’t have to say anything then. I knew what I’d cost them.”
“Did you and Shae ever . . .”
I cough out a laugh. “Are you kidding me? I was this wide-eyed little girl waiting for him to notice me, and he never did. At least not until I was in Jasalyn’s body.” I flick my gaze up to him and then away. “I won’t pretend I didn’t like the attention it brought me—being beautiful like her—but there’s a cost to attention you get for false reasons. I knew that before you, but what happened between us was a much-needed reminder that the life I live in someone else’s skin is never truly my own. Even if part of me longs for it to be.”