17. Winter
The sky became a whirlpool of flapping wings. Likely crows, but they still pushed Winter’s thoughts toward Raven.
He enjoyed waking to the morning light with her limbs slung over his body. Time spent with her was the most delightfully spent time he’d had in ages. She came with a thousand and ten mysteries awaiting to be unlocked…and his delicious magic coiled inside of her.
Maybe…hopefully…she could help him forget. Get past the hurdle he struggled to clear. The aged and bitter ache.
His gaze drifted upward to the birds. Groups started to settle upon various rooftops, yet many continued to fly.
The large collection of birds was a curiosity that held his interest, and he would not hold an ounce of surprise if he were to discover the birds were somehow connected to Raven and/or her coworker, Ace.
He didn’t care much for Chace. He was an ass of a male, but he didn’t wish him harm.
And he most certainly didn’t want to witness Raven in further pain, emotional or otherwise.
So, for those reasons, he was glad Chace was free from whatever confinement had held him.
Although Winter probably should have told Raven about her coworker’s odd incident.
Or not.
Winter wasn’t sure what he should do when it came to Chace. The guy was clearly overbearing, and that kind of attitude not only put a damper on his flirtatious attempts with Raven but downright got in the way.
Still…should he have told Raven Chace had passed out?
He’s probably fine now.
But for Raven’s sake, he would pop in on Aoes for an update…after he checked in with Camilla. If Chace was fine, then he didn’t need to report anything. If not fine, well…
Tearing his gaze from the feathery creatures above, and returning his attention to the path ahead, Winter continued his trek to Camilla’s.
A full twenty-four hours had yet to pass since Camilla had gathered Raven’s measurements, not much time in the scheme of things, but he hoped an item or two might be ready so that he could surprise the dark-haired beauty after dinner.
He turned onto Camilla’s street and caught sight of Kira racing from the house and into the roadway. She raced up the street and disappeared down an alley settled between a couple of closed shops.
He called after her, shouted her name, even darted in her wake, but the girl moved quickly and was out of sight before Winter could grab her attention.
Shoving any frustration aside, he returned to his original course.
Camilla’s home was mere minutes away, and there he could ask the girl’s mother about Kira’s errand.
He rapped lightly on the wood and pushed the door open. “Knock. Knock. Hide your feminine goods. The winter prince is in the building.”
Camilla rounded the corner from the back sitting room, a delighted grin stretched across her lips. “Look at you, all frisky this morning. I haven’t seen you in this good of a mood in a long time.”
“Indeed.” He shut the door and stepped deeper into the room.
An unusually strong aroma of rosemary, mint, and sage hung in the air. Myla sat at the table with her usual pastime spread out before her, paper and color pencils for artful creations.
He tossed the young girl a wink. “Been sleeping well and waking up rested. Makes all the difference.”
Camilla smoothed her hand down Myla’s hair and glanced over her drawings. Patted her cheek. “And here I thought your good mood might have something to do with Raven. Especially now that you have her trapped up there at the palace.”
Winter’s chest rose with a strong burst of laughter. “She may have something to do with my uplifted mood.” He raised his hand, squaring two fingers an inch apart. “Just a tiny bit.”
He pressed a chaste kiss to Camilla’s temple and bopped his finger against the tip of her nose, then, with a jerk, he curled his hand tightly at his side. As of late, he’d become too lax with his physical contact where Camilla was concerned. He shouldn’t… He couldn’t…
Think of August. Her love for your brother.
“Mm-hmm.” With the hint of a frown tugging at the corners of her mouth, Camilla nodded once, sharp and slow, then turned to make her way toward the back rooms.
Winter followed, his brow pinching. Confusion and curiosity regarding her reaction nibbled at him as his gaze bored into the back of her skull then dropped down to her backside.
He quickly swung his attention back toward her shoulders.
“I know you find her intriguing,” Camilla continued. “That much was obvious when you brought her here in a broken-doll state. But you’d best be careful because Chace—”
“Spare me the Chace talk.” He held back a snarl. “That guy grates me the wrong way and is completely overbearing.”
She cast him a sympathetic smile as she stepped into her workroom, the space where her creations came to life. “There may be good reasons on both accounts.” She rested her palm against his cheek, her touch stilling his irritation. “I’m just telling you to be careful. That’s all.”
“Noted.” His chest rose and fell as he did his best to ignore the tingle of his skin beneath her touch.
He shifted his gaze past her to the many in-progress garments cluttering the room.
Clipped over the top edge of a cabinet at the back hung the shell of a black gown in the makings.
Raven’s gown for his brother’s upcoming birthday bash, he assumed.
The whispered thought tugged a tiny smile to his lips, but it didn’t hold.
With a slight shoulder lift, Camilla turned away and started shuffling through a basket filled with rolls of lace. “You know, there was a time when you would have taken on the challenge Raven and Chace’s dynamics provide and tried to woo them both into your bed…together.”
Winter’s muscles tensed. “That Winter died long ago, and please do not turn my stomach with sexual suggestions involving that irritating male.”
“Sorry.” She didn’t sound the least bit sorry, and for some damn reason, her reaction warmed something inside of him.
“You never need to be sorry for such things. You’re a good woman, Camilla.” He reached for her but retracted his hand before making contact. “My brother was a fool for not making a full commitment to you and the girls.”
Camilla shook her head and waved away his comment, dropping the two of them into an awkward silence.
Winter scratched the back of his neck and drifted his gaze around the room. He needed to redirect matters and erase the unease.
“I saw Kira on the street,” he said, deciding they sorely needed a change in subject. “You wouldn’t happen to know where she was going or what she’s up to, would you?”
Camilla shrugged and shook her head.
“Really? But she’s your daughter. She’s just a kid.”
“She’s been just a kid for some hundred years now, Winter,” she countered. “At what point do you think she’s learned enough, experienced enough, to take some responsibility and make a few choices on her own?”
Winter jerked back. Camilla was right, 100 percent so. Despite their appearances, they had lived a considerable amount of time. He kept his mouth clamped because he had no response to the fat wake-up call she had just slapped in his face.
“So.” She dropped her fists onto her hips. “Did you come here to slow my work? Or is there something you need?”
“I surely don’t mean to hinder your progress,” he jested. “But I happened to be out and about today and thought I’d check in to see if you had anything ready for Raven yet.”
She frowned. “It’s been less than a day. Do you think I have the magic to whip things up instantaneously?”
“Well, no—”
“Then don’t be ridiculous! I’ve only finished a few small things. When I have the garments completed, I’ll want to schedule her for a fitting. That way I can verify if any adjustments are necessary before releasing the items. Plus, I want to see her. I miss her.”
Winter failed to hold the grimace from his face. “You hardly know her, Camilla. She was unconscious for most of her stay here, and since then, you’ve seen her, what, once?”
She crossed her arms and leveled a hard stare at him.
“Oh. Right.” He lifted his chin. Dropped it. “Your magic.” Not a question, but she nodded anyway. “She doesn’t harbor the same connection.”
Camilla’s gaze dropped to the floor, and guilt dumped over him like a pail of ice water. He needed to change the mood immediately.
“You said small things?” He raised an eyebrow as Camilla lifted her gaze. “How small? As in…”
He motioned to his chest and downward.
Her mouth dropped open. “You’re horrible. You know that?” She slapped his arm. “Yes, I have finished most of her undergarments. Those are easy to do, comparatively speaking.”
“I’ll take those. I know she could use them.” He grinned, and she looked like she might spit fire in his face.
She tipped her head to the ceiling. “Holy gods above.”
“And down below,” he added, his voice slipping into a deep baritone.
Camilla ignored him. “Are you sleeping with her?”
“Sleeping? Yes. Anything else…” He sighed. “Not yet.”
“Well…that’s something.” She grabbed several small sheets of fabric, folded them neatly, and placed them in a soft canvas bag. “I’d hate to see Chace kill you.”
“Kill me?” Winter chortled. “Please. He couldn’t if he tried.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure if I were you.” She shoved her hands against Winter’s back and pushed.
He allowed her to move him a step or two. “Why do you say that?” He couldn’t hold the teasing from his voice, even if his question came from a serious need to know. “Did you connect with him, too? Have you seen things?”
“None of your business.” She increased the power behind her push. “Now get out so that I can get the mountain of orders you placed completed.”