7. Chapter Seven
Chapter Seven:
~Melrose~
This was a bad idea. I’ve had worse but THIS was a bad idea.
I grimaced as the queen nearly walked in on me and the second highest cleric in the kingdom having a moment of delusion.
I was still furious with Keida! And yet, kissing her felt right.
In the moment I’d do it again, only, maybe I’d finally get to show her even an ounce of what she was missing.
I’ll make you regret lying to me, Keida of the Frost.
“It’s a very intense ritual, your Majesty,” I bowed my head to the queen.
“Ah, Miss St. Augustine,” Queen Erinnessa beamed one of her renowned, all-knowing smirks.
The queen stopped everyone in their tracks on a regular day.
For the holiday, however, she was gobsmackingly gorgeous.
Her deep, umber brown skin accentuated by an elegant updo of curls, made her crown of jewels twinkle with a head tilt.
Magic wind curled around her long, pointed ears.
She’d worn the emerald gown I suspected she would choose when I happened to see what the tailor was bringing up to the castle the other day.
One of the few abuses of power I allow myself…
knowing what the queen and princess wear is a must. I didn’t twist anyone’s arm, but definitely insinuated that I should know what gowns the designers were presenting for research.
Of course. Queen Erinnessa spoke with a soft, raspy voice that floated on the wind she created. “How goes your Wintersdark?”
“Wonderous as always,” I giggled.
“I adore that dress on you. Though, it can’t be warm,” Erinnessa teased with a singular hand motion at me.
“Thank you!” both Keida and I blurted out in unison.
Instantly, we glared at each other while the queen chuckled.
She was complimenting my dress! But I knew that Keida was only going to use warm comment to further berate me with demands to dress thicker next time.
What part of fur covered legs and hooves did she not understand?
Unlike a certain frost fae, I was always warm.
“I came to ensure the blessings were set, but as you both are already cleaning up from the final ritual, I won’t keep you longer.
The candle lighting ceremony starts soon, and it’ll take you all the time you have just to get back to the Cathedral.
Thank you both, again, for assisting in these matters.
” Queen Erinnessa gave me a nod of her head before motioning for her queen’s guard to continue moving.
Keida and I bowed deeply until she passed us.
Then, like her words finally dawned on us, we both yelped out loud and sprang forth into action. Shit! Shit-shit-shit! Running was not my strong suit, but I could beat hoof when needed. Arms pumping at my side, skirt hiked up, we flew through the castle’s exterior walls into the city proper.
“She thought my dress was pretty,” I confessed with a giddy hop in my step as we flew around a building corner.
“She was trying to be nice—”
I tossed a nasty glare over my shoulder at Keida. “The queen wouldn’t lie about my clothes!”
“I think your gown is lovely too, but it is simply not warm enough!” Keida barked.
I threw my hands up in the air as I finally slowed to a trot.
My hands eventually dropped to my hips to help open my lungs.
I sucked down air greedily. Ow. Shit. I need to run more frequently.
The stitch in my side threatened my livelihood.
Speaking in between puffs of frustrated air, “I! Am plenty! Warm!”
“Say that to your frosty fingertips,” Keida grumbled.
“And what would you know of my frosty fingertips?” I rebutted, a sliver of fury pumping through my veins with the help of my rapidly beating heart. “I’ve yet to touch you with them, but I could sing songs about yours.”
Keida blanched, her eyes wide as she stared at me.
My cheeks roasted, two bell peppers I pressed to the flames and left to burn.
I felt like I’d thrown myself onto one of the torches lighting our way back to the cathedral.
Stomach in knots, the rest of me turned to stone, we lingered in that limbo.
The sun dipped another inch lower behind the mountains, draping the kingdom in Avaris’ embrace.
Staring at Keida, I forgot how to breathe.
Why can’t I say no to you? Why can’t I stop myself? Why can’t I…
“Keida,” I whispered her name, stepping toward her.
Her eyes darkened in response, a blown-out expression that made me shiver.
Keida closed the space between us, pressing my back against the side of the patchwork stone wall.
Darkness made it feel intimate as my fingers ran up the front of her robes.
I tugged on the fabric, winding it around my fingers.
She inhaled sharply. Her arm pressed over my head and caged me in.
It looked like she might say something only the bells rang over our heads and we both jumped out of our skin.
Flying over the cobblestone, we continued our dead sprint back home.
The bells beckoned all those who desired blessings from the goddess into her temple.
There was a small crowd lingering by the front doors.
They were steadily let in by clerics who didn’t spend the day dancing around the object of their attraction at the festival.
Stepping through the side entrance into the small, cozy nook of cloaks for leaving the cathedral was suffocating.
Especially as I scraped my hooves off on the mat, watching Keida dunk her hands into the cleansing pool.
Her heated look, so dark and hungry that encompassed me back against that wall was gone.
Instead, her features were cool, serene, back to center with herself.
As I stepped up beside her, a long slender sink full of purified water that never needed to be drained or refilled, she glanced up.
She dabbed a slightly damp rag across my face and I felt the purification of the day settle into my skin.
While the magic water could remove the dirt on my cheek or the gravel under my nails, it couldn’t remove the imprint of Keida on my skin.
She dried her hands and bowed her head to me. “I’ll meet you in there.”
My frosty cleric disappeared into the cathedral, leaving me in the small, wool-heavy room.
It smelled of worn leather and damp fabric in desperate need of drying.
And as I dunked my hands into the purification pool, watching the stains on my hands and knuckles disappear, I couldn’t help but think back to the garden, to Daphne’s study, or even to the tree where she kissed me. Keida’s touch was seared into my brain.
She wants to pretend like this isn’t real…
but I don’t want that. As much as I wanted to be the high and mighty Melrose ‘never chase a person who won’t chase you’ St. Augustine, I felt weak to Keida?
Maybe she was the exception to my one rule.
I swore I’d never beg to be loved but I was feeling like my knees on the cathedral steps wasn’t a bad idea.
My ego wasn’t in the picture in the least. I wanted her so bad it hurt.
My eyes trailed up the two wooden steps into the building, following a darkened hallway toward the source of the joyous ruckus. I considered how much I was willing to do…to get Keida to at least admit she wanted me.
Even if she couldn’t commit to it, even if she couldn’t give in, I deserved the truth.
And that’s how I ended up in the front row of the cathedral, staring up at the massive altar, watching Keida stand behind it.
Imagining what I’d rather have draped over that stone slab than candles kept my mind busy as all the pews filled beyond capacity.
An elbow into my ribs that was followed by a remorseful ‘sorry’ whispered in my ear from another cleric woke me from my trance.
I searched the room for Leonardo and found only Keida leading the ceremony.
There was no time to ask one of the other clerics, as Keida proceeded to call upon the crowd to join in the sermon.
As much as I hated to admit it, Keida commanded a crowd.
Her stony exterior was never due to her inability to relate to people.
As she wove through the story of the six candles, reminding the kingdom of the importance of our goddess and her worship, I swooned like a fool.
Memorizing the shape of her face while she spoke of how Avaris held the world in her embrace during winter.
Dreaming of her mouth against mine as she explained the moon and sun chasing each other in the sky, two lovers sworn to each other but never together much.
Fantasizing of those fingers as they drew sigils in the air.
Sparks of lightning filled the air shortly before magic soaked into the room.
“Melrose?” Keida turned to face me, and my body stilled into a statue. My thighs clamped together with a hard knock of my knees. She took the three steps down the stage and extended a hand to me. “Will you join me? A St. Augustine should still light the candles.”
My palm fit into hers perfectly. As I rose to my hooves, a shiver ran down my spine from the way her fingers curled around me.
She led me up to the altar where a long match was placed in my hand.
One palm to the crook of my waist, another guiding my palm, the match was lit with a snap of her fingers.
“First we pray to Avaris. For the blessing of a good rest. May the crops return in the spring and may the cool of her embrace hold us safely.” She led my match down to the first candle and my heart skipped a beat.
The fingers at my side dug in. I shifted in her touch and felt them press harder into the fabric of my dress.
My match neared the second candle. With each name and prayer, the congregation murmuring their part to the ceremony, all I heard within my own heart…
Goddess, please, all I wish for is her. I do not need riches or fame.
I do not desire good business. The only thing I need is Keida.
I nearly swallowed my tongue as she plucked the match from my fingers.
Lifting it above us, the room full of faceless people bowed in prayer.
My eyes were on Keida as she finished reciting the prayer to the gods.
Illuminated in dancing candlelight, her face was cast in beautiful amber.
Then those frosty blue eyes flickered my way and as she blew out the match, my lungs cast out all oxygen.
Her fingers bruised against my waist, and I thought for a moment she might kiss me.
Only for the room to fill with glowing magic as the blessing lifted off the candles.
A blessing was bestowed upon every person in the room.
I stepped in closer to her body, stifling the shivers from her cold touch.
Keida dropped the match down into the minor bucket of water at the edge of the altar.
It hissed, a plume of silvery smoke dancing off its surface.
Keida’s gaze locked with mine as I whispered in her ear, “I am in need of a confessional, pardon me.”
My heart thundered as I gave Keida a low bow. Stomach in knots, nipples hard as rocks, and thighs trembling, I felt her following me with the same dark eyes from before. Hungry orbs of crystal blue that told me she wanted to devour me. And I needed her to do it. Goddess preserve me.