Chapter 22
TWENTY-TWO
It was fully dark by the time we finally made it to the Citadel. I was shocked to find the stone towers intact. I was sure I’d heard crumbling stone when we’d fled.
Mistral took my hand as we all looked up at the towers like they couldn’t possibly exist. “The land has given us a wedding present.”
My cheeks heated. A wedding present. While I wasn’t married according to human law, according to magical law, I was, and I wasn’t sure if it was just to Mistral after what had happened with the ritual.
But that was what we were going with, for now.
Especially considering Crispin and I had never even agreed that we were dating.
“We should find Eva something to eat before we head to the Silver Quarter,” Gabriel said behind us, always concerned for my neglected stomach.
“Food!” Ringo squealed from my shoulder.
I was glad he sounded happy. He’d fled into the forest with the other creatures when things had turned… carnal. I was ashamed to admit I had forgotten about him.
I also should have been dreading the visit to the Silver Quarter, but I felt entirely renewed, sleep and food be damned. Plus, since we hadn’t seen Lucas again, we’d probably find him there, and I was antsy to learn the exact plan my mom had in store for her grandfather.
“Food, then the apartment,” I looked down at what remained of my dress, “then the Silver Quarter,” I agreed. I glanced back to see if Sebastian or Crispin had anything to say about it, but Crispin wasn’t quite meeting my eyes.
I patted Gabriel’s arm. “You head in. I’ll follow shortly.”
Gabriel seemed unsure, but following my gaze to Crispin, nodded. He took Ringo, and the rest of the guys left us, closing the door to the main tower behind them. Of course, I wouldn’t be surprised if they had all stopped just on the other side.
Crispin seemed startled to find he and I alone. I turned and walked back toward him. “Everything okay?”
He blushed. “I’m not sure.”
I felt my encouraging smile falling before I could help it. “Do you regret—”
He lifted his hands. “No!” He took a breath to compose himself, then more evenly repeated, “No. I was just worried… Well, that was all quite magical, wasn’t it? And the Bogs had a large part to play. I was just worried that maybe you weren’t quite yourself? That you might regret—”
I stepped closer, tilting my head to meet his eyes. “I don’t regret it, but I know it’s a weird situation. The other guys, well, Sebastian and Mistral are both old as hell. They aren’t terribly concerned with societal norms. And Gabriel and I have established our own boundaries. But you and I…”
“We haven’t really spoken about any of this,” he finished for me.
I narrowed my eyes playfully. “Not for lack of trying on my part.”
He lowered his chin, smiling apologetically. “Yes, well, I have a history of not wanting to get attached. It has never ended well for me. I thought it better to spare us both from that issue.”
“And what do you think now?”
His eyes lifted to mine as he reached out to touch my cheek. “I think that you’re lovely, and I’ll gladly stop pretending I don’t have feelings for you as long as we can be open to figuring things out along the way.”
“Oh, figuring things out along the way is my specialty. Or didn’t you realize I’ve just been winging all of this?”
He laughed, his other hand going to my waist to pull me close. “Now that we’ve established that, there’s one more thing you should know about me.”
My brows lifted. “Oh?”
He leaned closer, his lips almost touching mine.
“I may be younger than the others, but I grew up at the elven court, and some habits die hard. It may be a bit backwards, but I still intend to woo you, Eva Nix. So I hope we can have a redo of our date, you know, after we’ve killed your grandfather. ”
I grinned. “It’s a—”
He kissed me before I could finish, and I melted against him.
I was maybe a bit embarrassed by what had happened with the ritual, but if I had learned anything over the past couple of months, it was to just go with it.
Even when you were caught in a dangerous game with mortal peril around every corner, things seemed to work out for the best if you just let them.
Or maybe I was just lucky.