Chapter 37 #2
Aurelia smiled. “Velenshire has known our family for generations. A few proper garments can be arranged.”
“Without paying?” Cillian asked.
“Without paying immediately,” Aurelia amended.
Alaric spread his hands. “Then it is settled. We return properly dressed, and bring the others in as respectable citizens instead of suspicious wanderers.”
“You are enjoying this,” Kaldrek said.
“Immensely,” Alaric said, brushing a kiss to Heidara’s cheek before offering his arm to Aurelia. “Shall we, my lady?”
Aurelia took it at once. “Oh, I have dearly missed a proper shopping excursion.”
“Wait,” Evelyne called after them. “What if things are no longer as they were? What if the darkness has already reached our homeland? I cannot allow my sister and my dearest friend to walk into Velenshire believing it safe. We were only just taken, Aurelia.”
“My love,” Kaldrek said, a teasing smirk tugging at his mouth, “were you not just insisting it was safe here?”
Evelyne gave a small huff and folded her arms. “Yes, well, your warning compelled me to reconsider.”
His smirk only deepened.
The edge in Aurelia’s expression dulled.
“You are right to be cautious, Evelyne. But I was held for only a week, or close to. And though I have not often returned to Velenshire since Leopold cast me out, I can tell you this much with confidence: no one here has the faintest notion what lies beyond our territory.” She paused.
“I do not know what keeps them so sheltered,” she said more quietly, “but magic does not exist here—or at least, it is not believed to.”
Evelyne bit her lip and said nothing. For now, she would have to trust her sister. It was all they had. Then Aurelia’s words fully settled.
“You were alone in the tunnels for nearly a week?” Evelyne’s voice shook. How was her sister still standing? Evelyne and Holden had endured only hours—perhaps a day—and that alone was enough to haunt her for the rest of her life.
“I am all right, Evelyne,” Aurelia said as she cupped her cheek and drew her into a warm embrace. “Let us hold to that for now. It is all we can do.”
She kissed Evelyne’s cheek, then skipped ahead to rejoin Alaric.
“This is either a brilliant plan,” Heidara muttered, “or a terrible one.”
Kaldrek folded his arms. “Either way, I should like to see how it ends.”
“It is worth trying,” Evelyne said. As they waited, she settled into Kaldrek’s lap and let her eyes fall closed against his chest.
***
They returned two hours later wearing bright, triumphant smiles and carrying armfuls of clothing.
Aurelia was already modeling a new cloak and hat with unmistakable delight, turning ever so slightly as though expecting admiration.
Beside her, Alaric looked equally pleased in a freshly fitted tailcoat, its buttons fastened neatly across his chest, his new boots creaking softly with each step.
Evelyne blinked at the sight of them. She had not expected them to find suitable clothes so quickly, much less return looking so thoroughly pleased with themselves.
They dropped the bundles into the grass and began sorting through them.
For Evelyne and Heidara, there were fitted dresses with narrow waists—mercifully without corsets—along with new shoes and warm coats.
For Cillian and Kaldrek, there were tunics and trousers far better suited to Velenshire’s streets than their worn travel leathers.
Unfortunately, the problem became obvious the moment Alaric held Kaldrek’s clothes up for comparison.
The trousers would not even come close.
Kaldrek stared at them. “Do you honestly believe I’m going to fit into that?”
Alaric lifted his hands defensively. “It was the largest size available, and I regret to inform you I do not travel with a measuring tape like a tailor. You’ll simply have to do your best.”
“At least try the tunic,” Evelyne said.
Kaldrek gave a low, unimpressed growl but snatched the clothes from Alaric’s hands anyway. Evelyne watched, thoroughly entertained, as he stripped off his leathers without the slightest hesitation, revealing the broad lines of his bare chest.
For a moment the world seemed to narrow around him.
“Oh, heavens!” Aurelia shrieked.
Kaldrek paused mid-motion, glancing up with open confusion. “What?”
“You cannot simply remove your clothing in front of everyone,” Aurelia said, her cheeks turning a delicate shade of pink.
He shrugged, as if unconcerned. “I’m a wolf. Most of these people have already seen me naked.”
Aurelia placed a hand to her forehead. “Evelyne, how are we possibly meant to bring him home to Mother?”
Evelyne laughed and waved the concern away. “Mother will probably think he’s quite handsome.”
Cillian cleared his throat. “Perhaps we should spread out a bit and change. For Aurelia’s sake.”
The suggestion was accepted at once.
Heidara stepped into her dress with visible reluctance, tugging irritably at the fitted waist as she adjusted the neckline. “How do you wear things like this every day?” she muttered.
Despite her complaints, the deep green suited Heidara beautifully, setting off her golden hair and eyes even in the fading evening light. Evelyne did not miss the quiet admiration in Alaric’s gaze.
Kaldrek, meanwhile, managed to force himself into the trousers, though they remained absurdly short on his long legs.
In the end, he abandoned them and kept his leather pants.
The tunic fit no better, stretched taut across his shoulders and chest, its seams threatening surrender with every movement.
Even so, Evelyne had to admit the effect was… impressive.
“I do like seeing you in that,” she murmured.
He drew her gently against him, his mouth brushing the edge of her ear and sending a shiver down her spine.
“Enjoy it while you can,” he whispered. “The first chance I get, this fabric is coming off.”
“Even better.”
He answered with a playful nip at her ear before stepping back.
A moment later, the others finished dressing, making their final adjustments to coats and belts.
They were ready.