Chapter 14 Sasha
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
SASHA
Igrabbed Dominic’s hand and pulled him toward the dining room door, laughter still bubbling up from my chest despite my efforts to suppress it. His fingers closed around mine as we stumbled through the doorway together.
“This way,” I managed between giggles, tugging him down the corridor toward the back entrance.
The uncontrollable laughter was uncomfortable now, more irritating than amusing. My stomach muscles ached from the constant spasms, and frustration built with each involuntary chuckle. This needed to stop. We needed to figure out what was causing this and end it.
Dominic’s hand tightened on mine as I stumbled over my own feet, his strength keeping me upright when another wave of giggles threatened to send me sprawling on the floor.
Even impaired by whatever magical contamination we’d consumed, he moved with an awareness that protected me from obstacles, guiding me around a corner, steadying me when I wavered.
Even this simple touch sent sparks of awareness up my arm that had nothing to do with magic and everything to do with the man himself.
We burst through the back door into morning sunlight, the fresh air hitting my face like a blessing. I pulled him deeper into the gardens, past beds of wilted flowers and ornamental shrubs, until we were far enough from the manor house that I felt I could breathe.
The laughter began to fade, slowly at first, then more quickly as it had left our systems. By the time we reached a stone bench beneath a flowering tree, my giggles had subsided to occasional hiccups.
Dominic dropped onto the bench beside me, his breathing heavy.
“This is horrible,” he said, running his hand through his hair.
A fae gardener worked nearby, directing small sprites through weeding tasks with gentle gestures.
The tiny magical creatures darted between plants, their luminescent wings catching the light as they worked.
Gardening tools floated beside the gardener, moving in response to his subtle commands.
Pruning shears trimmed deadheads while watering cans tended to thirsty blooms.
The casual display of magic that permeated every aspect of fae life still fascinated me. At home, witches used magic deliberately, with intention and focus. Here, it was as natural as breathing.
“I tested my food before I ate it,” I said. “I swear.”
“I did as well. I found no hint of taint.”
I glanced his way. “Someone in the kitchen may have added something. They refilled our tea. My primwort. I didn’t test again because I felt confident.” My sigh whooshed out. “A big mistake on my part.”
“I’m sorry. I should’ve kept testing myself.”
“It’s on us both.”
Savory landed on my shoulder, her black eyes taking in our joined hands.
Interesting how the crisis has passed, yet the hand-holding continues, she said.
Heat flooded my cheeks. I pulled my hand from Dominic’s, immediately missing the warmth. We were just catching our breath.
Of course. I’m sure proximity was purely medicinal.
The plants around us had begun responding to something, their leaves unfurling more fully, a few late blooms opening. I tracked the changes with my emerging plant sense, realizing they could be drawing strength from the emotional energy between Dominic and me.
If so, our partnership was affecting the gardens. The connection we’d been building over the past few days had created some kind of magical resonance that the emotion-responsive plants could feed on.
My mind kicked in, cataloging the observation for later consideration. First, we needed to address the food and drink contamination problem.
“We were safe while we ate carefully selected food,” I said. “The moment we dined with everyone else and didn’t continue testing, we receive something tainted.”
Dominic rose and paced in front of the bench. “Someone is doing this, but who?”
“The pattern is too consistent,” I said. “Multiple people were affected after eating and drinking in the dining room, but no one was experiencing symptoms before consuming anything.”
“Which means someone with kitchen access.”
“Or someone who can bypass normal access.” I looked up at him as he stopped pacing.
“What are you thinking of for surveillance?”
“The spice room off the kitchen has a good vantage point of the main preparation area, and there’s enough clutter that two people could hide without being immediately visible.”
Dominic’s expression shifted, something heated flickering through his eyes before he schooled his features. “Two people.”
“We’ll need to watch in shifts, which means we’ll both need to be there.” I tried to keep my voice analytical, as if I hadn’t just suggested we’d be pressed close together in a small, hidden space for hours. “One of us watching while the other rests, then switching off.”
“That’s practical.”
“It’s the best option. We’ll need to bring food and water with us, untainted supplies that we’ve personally tested. And we’ll need to be there for much of the night.”
Alone. Together.
The words hung between us, loaded with implications neither of us acknowledged directly.
The hunter who stalks with a trusted partner catches prey the solitary hunter never could, Savory said.
I shot her a look. “Great insight.”
She preened. Thank you. I’m noticing something interesting about your magic lately.
I pretended not to know what she was talking about. What might that be?
It strengthens when you lean into trust rather than away from it. She groomed one wing with her beak. Some gardens bloom best when tended by two sets of hands.
The blossoms around us had opened fully, and the wilting had reversed in this immediate area, new life replacing the earlier decay.
Because Dominic and I were here together. Because whatever connection had sparked between us fed the emotion-responsive magic in a way that solitary effort couldn’t match.
Morning light caught his hair, turning the dark blond strands golden. Our gazes locked. Heat flickered through his leaf-green eyes before he glanced away, but not before I’d seen the want there.
It was all I could do to take in a breath.
“We should plan the logistics,” I said, my voice unsteady. I leaned back onto the bench and he sat beside me, close enough I could feel his warmth but not quite touching. “Remind me of what time Alaina typically begins morning preparations?”
“A few hours before dawn.” His attention remained focused on my face, tracking my expressions as I spoke. “She likes to have things ready well before the household stirs.”
“Then we’ll need to be in position by…” I calculated quickly. “Two hours before that, to ensure we don’t miss anyone who might arrive even earlier.”
I reached for the small notebook I kept in my gown’s pocket, pulling it out along with a pencil. Years of planning had taught me the value of written documentation. “We already learned who has regular kitchen access. Alaina and her core staff, obviously. But also—”
“Servants who deliver supplies,” Dominic said, leaning closer to watch me take notes. “Gardeners bringing fresh herbs and vegetables. My mother’s personal staff when they prepare her specialized teas. Pretty much everyone.”
“Which will make it a challenge.”
His shoulder brushed mine as he shifted, and electricity sparked between us. I struggled to maintain focus on the investigation rather than his proximity, the way his sweet scent made me want to lean into him instead of away.
I built a comprehensive list of potential suspects. Dominic contributed details about schedules and routines, his knowledge of the household’s daily operations complementing my systematic approach.
We worked well together. Our methods and perspectives meshed in a way that made problem-solving feel natural, almost effortless. Where I provided structure and analysis, he offered intuition and intimate knowledge of his people.
“This is remarkable,” he said after we’d filled three pages with notes and diagrams.
“It’s just basic strategic planning.”
“No.” His hand covered mine on the page, stilling my writing. “You’re smart. I love how your mind works.”
“Thank you,” I said.
“I mean it. Watching you work is… Well, it’s distracting in the best possible way.”
I should pull my hand away from his and focus on the investigation. But his touch felt too good, too right, and I found myself turning my palm up instead, letting our fingers tangle together.
The flowers around us bloomed more vibrantly, responding to the emotional current flowing between us.
“I’m not losing focus,” I said, the realization startling me. “By caring about you, I mean. I thought falling for someone would make me less effective, would distract me from my responsibilities. But I’m actually sharper when we work together.”
Dominic’s expression shifted, vulnerability and hope mixing in his eyes. “Falling for someone?”
Heat flooded my face. “I just meant as a general observation about—”
“Sasha.”
I met his gaze, seeing the question there. The same want and uncertainty that churned through me was reflected in his leaf-green eyes.
“We should finalize the surveillance plan,” I said, deflecting because admitting how much I wanted this marriage to be real made me feel vulnerable. “Make sure we have everything we need for tonight.”
Disappointment flickered across his features before he masked it. “Of course.”
But he didn’t let go of my hand.
We spent the next hour mapping out every detail of our stakeout.
What supplies we’d need, how we’d position ourselves in the spice room, what signals we’d use if one of us spotted something suspicious.
The planning gave my mind something concrete to think about, though I remained acutely aware of Dominic sitting beside me.
“We’ll need to bring untainted food,” I said, making another note. “Enough to last us several hours, maybe through breakfast service depending on what we observe.”
“I can prepare something from my private stores again.” He shifted closer. “I’ll use the same precautions I did for our meals over the past few days.”
“The spice room isn’t very large,” I said, my voice not quite steady. “We’ll need to be pressed fairly close to both fit and maintain a view of the kitchen.”
“I’m aware.”
His gaze dropped to my mouth, lingering there long enough that it felt like a physical caress. I wanted to taste him again the way I had outside our bedroom doors. But we were in a public garden with a gardener working nearby and sprites flitting through the flowerbeds.
Savory watching us with knowing black eyes.
You move in sync now, she said. Have you noticed? You unconsciously match each other’s gestures.
I blinked, pulling back slightly to assess.
She was right. Dominic and I had shifted closer and closer as we’d worked, our bodies angling toward each other in mirror positions.
When I’d gestured to emphasize a point, his hand had moved in echo.
When he’d leaned forward to examine my notes, I’d leaned with him.
You’re right.
Always.
Not quite always.
I would swear she lifted eyebrows she didn’t possess. Just as the roses coordinate with the morning glory, and the oak coordinates with the climbing ivy.
Are you comparing us to plants?
I’m observing that some things grow better when allowed to intertwine rather than being forced into isolation.
“What’s she saying?” Dominic asked.
I shared.
His soft laugh vibrated through where our shoulders still touched. “I like your companion more every day.”
“She’s very opinionated.”
“She’s wise. We do move together naturally. I noticed.”
“You did, huh?”
He nodded.
I looked at our now joined hands, the way my fingers had curved to fit perfectly between his.
“It’s partnership,” I said. “The kind I didn’t think I wanted, but…”
“But?”
I almost said it. Almost admitted that I was falling in love with him.
But the vulnerability required for that admission still felt too risky.
“It’s effective,” I said. “For solving the investigation.”
“Right.”
We sat in silence while the gardens continued responding to our emotional state, flowers opening and unfurling.
“We should get ready for tonight,” Dominic finally said, though he made no move to stand. “Gather supplies, test them for contamination, plan how we’ll sneak into the spice room after midnight.”
“Yes.” I reluctantly pulled my hand from his and stood. “We’ll need to be thorough.”
“Sasha.” He looked up at me through his incredibly long lashes. “Whatever happens tonight, I want you to know that these past few days have meant a great deal to me. Working with you. Getting to know you. I feel like we’re building something together.”
My throat tightened. “They’ve meant a great deal to me too.”
“Even if we don’t catch whoever’s behind this tonight and it takes longer to solve these mysteries…” He paused, choosing his words carefully. “I’m grateful to fate or politics or whatever brought us together, because I can’t imagine going through this with anyone else.”
The honesty in his voice and the vulnerability he was offering made my chest spasm. This man who I’d married as a stranger had become essential to me in the span of a few days.
I wanted this marriage to be real. Not just a political alliance or a crisis-management partnership, but an actual relationship built on connection and mutual care.
“I’m glad too,” I said. “More than I can properly express.”
His smile transformed his face, making him look young and hopeful and absolutely beautiful in the morning light. “That’s enough. For now.”
The promise in those last two words sent heat through me. For now implied a future where we’d have space and time to explore everything building between us. When the investigation would be solved, and we could focus on each other without the pressure of court crises demanding our attention.
Some gardens need both sun and rain to truly flourish, Savory said from where she still perched on the back of the bench. Constant sunshine produces shallow roots. It’s the storms that drive growth deeper.
“Are you suggesting we need more problems?” I asked after sharing with Dominic.
The challenges you’re facing together are strengthening what’s growing between you. She ruffled her feathers. The flowers that bloom in easy conditions are beautiful but fragile. The ones that bloom despite adversity last.
I looked at Dominic, seeing understanding in his eyes. We were blooming despite adversity, or perhaps because of it. These issues could’ve driven us apart. Instead, they’d pushed us together, forcing us to rely on each other and creating space for a genuine connection to develop.
“Tonight, we’ll solve this mystery and stop all the forced giggling.” I said pulling him up to stand with me.
“I’m looking forward to it.”