Chapter 6 #2
His soft chuckle came from the other side of the door. “My mother and brothers have lectured me for half the day that tonight is to be a completely formal event.”
Aurelia lifted a brow, managing a carefree air that she was desperate to make genuine.
Be normal. Pretend this is a meeting at the stables. Fancy clothing shouldn’t make this difficult.
Kayce was her best friend—
When she opened the door, that carefree air evaporated to the mist above the kingdom.
A bronze tunic embroidered with sapphires and copper cut close to Kayce’s chest. The lion pommel of his family sword rested at his hip, and his hair was held back with a leather tie.
Two emblems shone on his chest: a bronze medal with the Ranger’s Guild sigil and a golden one bearing the Weatherstone seal of a longsword flanked by roaring lions and cresting waves.
A single, dark strand of hair fell forward into his eyes, their amber irises dark. Her fingers itched to tuck it back.
Gone was the rogue smuggler. He was every inch royalty personified.
And your best friend, she had to remind herself.
But the humor drained from Kayce’s face the longer she stared. His eyes held hers. Dipped. Lingered. After an unbearably long moment, Kayce finally dragged his gaze back to her own. He opened his mouth, but no words left until he finally managed, “You look…beautiful.”
Aurelia’s cheeks heated, but she ignored the sensation and fixed her skirts. Snark would disguise the wobble fluttering in her stomach. Maybe it was indigestion. “That’s the infamous charm I’ve heard so much about?”
His chuckle, a low rasp of waves over the shore, didn’t help. “You need to learn to take a compliment, Lady Aurelia.”
That did the trick. She glowered at the title. She really did hate it. Both of them had taken to the Rangers because they wanted to elude the propriety of court. For Aurelia, it was namely because of a pervading sense of imposter syndrome she couldn’t seem to shake.
On a night like tonight, she was sure he would use it any chance he could. Good.
“Thank you, Your Highness.” She curtsied low to add insult to injury. “I must say, you clean up rather well yourself.” It was the understatement of the year, but he didn’t need to know that.
Kayce brushed an invisible speck from his chest. “Well, I’m glad you find my attire suitable. I spent two entire days at the mercy of that ornery seamstress. She threatened that if I didn’t remain still, she would make a pincushion out of me.”
“After you hightailed it out of Luddeck’s attack?” She still was a bit annoyed he wasn’t more concerned about the water cannon she took to the back.
“Seagrove got you to cover just fine.” He frowned, taking a step closer. “I’d never abandon you, Aurelia. Smuggling innocent creatures or not.”
Aurelia swallowed as he towered over her. He was right. It wasn’t his fault her memory was faulty. Pieces missing. An ache flared in her head. She brought a hand to her temple. “I think I may have taken the hit harder than we thought. My mind’s foggy.”
Concern shadowed Kayce’s tanned face. He reached for her temple, fingers gently prodding, mindful of her curls. He watched her eyes closely—for signs of a concussion, obviously. She chewed her lip. He held her gaze a beat longer. “Maybe a little off, but no signs of harm.”
“I’m sure it’s nothing.” Heat flamed her cheeks. Several strands of her hair slipped through his fingers as she took a step back to ease the distance between them.
His nearness hadn’t affected her like this before. She had to get it together. Maybe she was concussed.
Kayce coughed, his neck reddening. “Allow me to fill in the blanks. The flitterbirds made it safely to our contact. Had to pay the gate guard double the normal fee to pass. Seems the inauguration may cause some inflation for bribes, at least for a few days. Harder to let contraband slip by unseen when every eye is out but…” He fished out a small pouch from his belt and handed it to her. “Here’s your half.”
Taking the payment, she tossed it into her drawer for safe keeping.
His words clicked the pieces together, easing her frazzled mind.
“The dwarves below Fealtek will treat them well until we can get them back on a ship to the Southern Isles. That much I remember.” It was her favorite part of the smuggling—the liberation of new and exotic creatures from nefarious hands.
“I hope the captain is on his best behavior tonight,” Kayce said as Aurelia stepped around him for the stairwell.
“I doubt he would recognize us, but it may be time to adjust our disguises soon. We’ve been using the same ones for over a year now.”
Kayce watched her, his brow furrowed. “Are you certain you’re all right?”
Am I? She gathered her bearings before nodding.
“I’m fine. Now, shall we go make a mockery of those we swindle from under your parents’ noses?
” Even saying it with a warm smile in place, she couldn’t help the gnawing sensation—that ache growing at the back of her mind—that she was missing something.
Something important.