A Rivalry of Hearts

Chapter 40

The next day, I get to collect my auction prize—my date with William. It also means I must part with two hundred sapphire rounds, which is practically everything I have on my person in that currency. At least it’s for a good cause, serving not only the Faerwyvae Literary Society but also keeping William all to myself.

However, he insists on delivering the date exactly how he’d planned if I were a stranger. I’m even required to sign an agreement when I hand over my funds, promising not to engage in a number of behaviors with my chaperone, including kissing, hugging, or any form of touch outside of that between a proper escort and his charge.

Furthermore, he refuses to ride with me to our meeting place. Instead, I hail a hansom outside the hotel and give the coachman the address. As unfamiliar as I am with Darlington Hills, I haven’t a clue where our date will take place.

My cab heads in the opposite direction from where Cassie is staying, taking me down roads I haven’t traversed yet. There are more storefronts and lovely buildings with those sloped tiled roofs, more flowering trees. Then the buildings become sparser, the plant life more plentiful, and I catch sight of crystal-blue water in the distance.

The coachman lets me out before a gated sidewalk lined with swaying willows. I can’t see what lies beyond the gate or the trees, but many of the pedestrians around me carry picnic baskets and blankets. I follow their lead as they head through a towering archway in the gate, composed of latticed wood sprouting tea roses. As I cross under the arch, I find a sprawling green lawn surrounded by more willows and a wide rippling lake at the center. A promenade circles the lake, and all around it are the most beautiful blossoming trees in the most stunning pink hues, casting shade over the walkway.

I lightly lift the hem of my blue walking skirt as I make my way down the stone staircase that leads to the promenade, awed by the beauty around me. The water is as clear as the sky, dancing beneath the most perfect gentle breeze. Swallows swoop from flowering branches, chirping and chittering. Lovers stroll arm in arm or lounge on picnic blankets. It’s not unlike a public park in Bretton, yet it’s somehow a thousand times more dazzling.

“Love at first sight yet again?”

I’m so distracted I momentarily forget why I’m here. But now the sound of William’s voice has me shivering with joy.

I whirl around and find him with a sly grin on his face. He’s dressed in the same ensemble I first saw him in, an emerald-and-sage suit with a cream cravat. Just like that first glimpse I had of him, at his table in Flight of Fancy, I’m struck by his beauty. Will I ever not be struck by it?

With a shake of his head, he dons a more serious expression. “Pardon me, Miss Danforth. That was a brash thing to say to a stranger.”

“A stranger?” I echo with an arched brow.

He holds out a gloved hand. “Allow me to introduce myself properly. Greetings, Miss Danforth, I am William Haywood, the poet you have so kindly bid to date for an afternoon. Thank you for taking the time out of your day to enjoy the Darlington Hills Promenade with me.”

I place my own gloved hand in his. “Are we acting?”

“A little,” he whispers with a wink.

“Pleased to meet you,” I say in a formal tone, though I’m sure my smile betrays my shoddy efforts.

He releases my hand and proffers his elbow. “Shall we?”

“We shall,” I say, placing my palm at the crook of his arm.

We keep a chaste distance as we stroll along with all the other proper couples around us. The promenade seems to cater mostly to humans or seelie fae, as everyone maintains the formalities I’m used to seeing back home. It’s a strange blend of familiarity and novelty, and I’m enjoying it.

William guides us to a food stall, much like the vendor we bought Lumies from in Lumenas. This time, the treat is one of those doughy bean-filled confections Cassie and I had at the café.

Cassie came to visit us at our suite this morning, proving she’s fully recovered from yesterday’s debacle, much to William’s relief. She apologized for not sending word to him and promised to be more transparent in the future. She said this while giving me a knowing look, demonstrating that she is taking my advice.

I almost wish she was here with us now, for I’d like to get to know her better. But I can say the same for William—there’s much about him I want to know. As we continue our walk, we ask questions between bites of our sweet treat. I learn more about his childhood, how he moved from city to city both before and after his father met Lydia. Before Lydia, William’s father was always chasing the arts and following a revolving cast of muses. After, they lived wherever Lydia’s career took them. Most recently, William and Cassie lived in the Earthen Court, as that is where Lydia chose to settle down during her final years for medical care.

I collect every story he tells me, treasuring the sweet and bitter alike. Every new fact fills in the fabric that is him, and I’m hungry for all of it. We may have fully fallen for each other, but there is still much to know about one another. It’s the opposite of how it was with Dennis Feverforth. With Dennis, we got to know everything about each other via letter. Then we fell in love. Then we met. And it all fell apart.

With William, neither of us were looking for romance. If anything, we sought the opposite with each other. But our attraction was inevitable. As I learned more about him, saw new sides of him, I fell in love. Now I get to learn the beautifully mundane details that make this fae male who he is.

We circle the lake slowly, stopping often, and by the time we reach where we started, William faces me with a formal bow.

“We must part ways,” he says. “Thank you for your company.”

My heart sinks, swept up in his act, until I remind myself I’ll see him back at our suite. I sink into a curtsy. “Likewise, Mr. Haywood.”

“I bid you a good day. Though I suggest you visit the bridge before you leave.”

“The bridge?”

He points not far down the promenade, near a heavily forested side of the lake. “Take the walking trail there and you’ll see it.”

I squint to where he’s pointing until I spot the trail in question, but by the time I glance back at William, he’s gone. Quiet bastard. When did he sneak away?

I’m too curious about this bridge he’s mentioned to ignore his advice, so I march back down the path until I reach the walking trail. I note several more on the way, but I stick to the one he pointed out. The trail leads me through more swaying willows, between flowering hedges, and finally to another paved path. A beautiful garden stretches before me, filled with miniature trees, weathered statues of forest critters and fae creatures, water fountains, and several ponds. It’s empty compared to the main promenade, with only a pedestrian or two in sight. I wonder if few know about the hidden garden.

I follow a winding path through fragrant hedges until a red arched bridge comes into view. It’s suspended over a trickling stream, and a figure already waits at its center. My lips pull into a grin as I quicken my pace and meet William on the bridge.

“What are we doing here?” I ask as I close the distance between us. “You bid me good day.”

“William the Poet bid the auction winner good day,” he says, pulling me into his arms at once. “Now it’s just us.”

I encircle his neck with my arms, tilting my head back to meet his eyes. “What was that all about? Were you trying to prove something with that act?”

“Yes,” he says without shame. “I wanted to prove you had nothing to worry about, even if you hadn’t won the auction. I created that form you signed from the start. Before I had any inkling that you might forgive me.”

My heart falls. “I’m sorry I ran the other night. I’m sorry it took me a while to come to terms with my feelings.”

“No, Weenie,” he says, and I realize it’s been quite a while since that nickname irked me. Now it only sparks warmth. “You’re allowed to take your time when you’re upset. However much you need. You came back, which gives me hope that you’ll come back again and again, even if conflict arises between us.”

I recall what Cassie told me. About the promise I made to her, that I wouldn’t let him lose himself in me. About his guilt over Lydia’s death. About the pain he must have felt when he discovered her health had deteriorated after his father left her, and that she’d suffered while William was gone.

“I will come back,” I say. “I will always come back. It’s safe to let me go a little, and it’s safe to follow your dreams as well.”

I don’t know if I’m making much sense to him, but I don’t know how else to put it. Our love is still too new for bold promises and lifelong commitments, no matter how my heart beats for him. We still have careers to enjoy and goals to pursue. I want to pursue them together, but independently as well. We can forge strong pillars of love without collapsing into each other.

To reach that place, we’ll need to learn from each other. Build trust in each other.

William must learn we can depend on each other without growing dependent. And I’ll have to trust that he won’t suddenly change his mind about me, even when I show the worst sides of myself.

“I love you,” he says, holding me tighter. “I want to experience everything with you, no matter what happens with the contract.”

Another sinking of my heart.

There’s still no getting around the inevitable. One of us will win the three-book deal. One of us won’t. But one thing is for sure. I will love him and support him no matter what happens, and I know he feels the same about me.

I pull back slightly. “It’s time, Will. Let’s dissolve our bet.”

His eyes widen. “You’re sure?”

“I’m sure.”

“Then let it be done. I hereby revoke our bargain, dissolving every condition of the bet we agreed to, including all amendments and additions verbally agreed, and now deem it null and void.”

I expect a shudder of magic to wash over me, or some tangible sign that our magically binding bet is no more. Yet there’s nothing. “That’s all? It’s done?”

“It’s done.”

“Then it’s a fight for sales from now on.”

His lips quirk in a sly smile. “A fight to see which of us is really the most popular.”

Our competition has never felt as good as it does now. His taunting grin sparks only excitement in me. Because I know we’ll be all right no matter what happens. Cassie too. Should I win, I have ideas of how we can all benefit. And I know—without him saying a word—he has ideas of his own, should he come out the victor. We’re in this together.

Yet rivals nonetheless.

And I wouldn’t have it any other way.

I want to compete with him all the way to the end.

Lifting my chin, I mirror his teasing fa?ade and release my hold around his neck. I press one palm to his chest while I tap the tip of his nose with my forefinger. Just like he did to me the day we met. “I hope you don’t cry when I win, Willy.”

His arms remain around me, and he pivots until my backside presses against the side of the bridge. Then he plants his hands on the railing, bracketing me as he leans in. “Hey, Weenie.”

“What?”

“Free pass.”

I scoff. “We don’t have a free pass anymore.”

“Maybe not officially, but I still like the game.”

The heat in his gaze has my chest flipping. “All right. What do you want to do with your free pass?”

“Kiss. Touch. Fuck you right here on this bridge.”

I bite back a whimper at those words. My rational side has me casting a glance around the garden. It remains as empty as it was when I entered, not a soul in sight. “What if someone comes?”

He brushes his mouth over the corner of my jaw. “What if you come?”

“I thought you didn’t like doing intimate acts in public,” I say, my voice already breathless.

“There are a lot of things I don’t like to do with anyone else but you. What do you say, love?”

Heat pools between my thighs, an ache I can’t suppress. I tug the front of his coat, pulling him against me. “Free pass accepted.”

He lowers his lips to mine.