She nodded, her eyebrows furrowing.
“I know that’s not what you want, Ara. I know,” she said. “I will talk to Evander again. I will change his mind.”
And with that, she rose to her feet, placing her hand on mine for a moment, and left.
I stared after her, long after the door had clicked shut again, unable to pull my eyes away. While I loved her for trying, I knew nothing would come from that conversation, and that thought alone was gut-wrenching.
My father had set me down a path I would never get off of.
Taking a deep breath, I slowly shifted my gaze to the window just as the moon peeked over the horizon. It was full and bright, casting my room in a pale glow like it was watching me in return. The more I stared, the sadder it looked, and eventually, gray clouds swelled, rippling and enlarging until they engulfed the moon, saving me from my distant onlooker.
The breeze drifted in through the open window, bringing with it the scent of the blooms on the vine, and snapped me out of it.
Jumping to my feet and ripping open the doors to the armoire, I reached in to grab my classics—black trousers, a blue tunic, and my black fleece cape. Pulling the clothes on, I threw the cape over my shoulders, clasped it at the collarbones, and tugged my boots on, lacing them tightly. Reaching to the back of the cabinet, I grabbed my favorite dagger and slid it into the right boot.
I ran to the window, gave a quick glance below, and swung my leg over, finding traction on the vine. Climbing over the windowsill, I grabbed the thick vine with both hands and descended quickly. Near the ground, I released, landing with a thud, and sprinted to the treeline to trot along the pathway just out of view.
As I came upon the pub, the moon revealed itself again, lighting the small clearing. It was a small brown building with a straw roof, no windows, and grass sprouting at every corner, surrounded by a grove of mangled trees that grew up and out in every direction. Just a few yards behind the building was a small pond, rippling with the breeze.
As I stepped from the treeline, the door opened, illuminating the stoop. A couple tumbled out, clearly intoxicated, giggling and holding hands as they disappeared down the path.
People were happy here. The mead was good, but the company was always better.
Smiling to myself, I strolled to the door. Even from outside, I could hear the usual hum of chatter and laughter. The bell jingled overhead as I pulled the door open. Just as I stepped over the threshold, something tugged at me, demanding my attention. I glanced up and locked eyes with a devastatingly handsome stranger.
While I had never seen him here before, he seemed relaxed, reclining in the back corner with an ankle thrown over one knee and his arm outstretched over the chair beside him. I couldn’t look away, even as he stared back at me. Examining every inch of his face, I knew in my bones I would never forget it as it burned into my memory.
His hair was black as night, hanging loose waves to his shoulders, surrounding a tanned, chiseled face, and his eyes were a dark red-brown. Mesmerizing. Tilting my head, I noticed a scar just under his left ear, thick and jagged, that continued down his neck, disappearing underneath his black, unbuttoned tunic, and I suddenly found myself desperately wanting to follow it lower, lower, lower…
Someone tapped me on the shoulder, wanting to exit through the door I was blocking, and I jumped, snapping out of the spell this stranger had seemingly placed over me.
Forcing myself to look away, I made a beeline for the bar where Livvy, the barmaid, was pouring drinks. I sat on an old stool and it creaked under my weight as I waved my hand to her, nodding in greeting.
The skin on the back of my neck prickled with awareness.
He was watching me.
Normally, it would be alarming, terrifying even, to have a stranger staring so blatantly, but in all honesty, I struggled to not do the same. Something about him was so enticing, tempting.
Biting my lip, I relented, peeking over my shoulder. Just as I expected, his gaze was locked on me, his expression confused but intrigued.
Snapping back towards the bar, I was met with Livvy as she set the largest mug in front of me, full to the brim with mead.
“You look like you could use it,” she said, shrugging. Looking past me, her eyebrows furrowed and she leaned forward, resting her elbows on the bar. “You know that guy over there is staring at you, right?”
“I know. I’m trying to avoid any more awkward eye contact with him,” I said, raising the mug and downing its contents.
She lifted an eyebrow at me.
“Are you alright? You look like you’ve been through the wringer today,” she asked. Concern pressed between her eyebrows before she relaxed again, rolling her eyes. “Did you have to suffer through another delicious dinner with your parents and their friends?”
She didn’t understand why I hated them so much and I understood why she felt that way. Not everyone gets to indulge in a warm meal so regularly. From her perspective, maybe it seemed as if I was just ungrateful—and maybe I was—but it wasn’t the food I hated.
“Well, yes, but that’s not what brought me here today.” I chuckled weakly, setting the mug down, and held my hand out to her. On my third finger was my mother’s ring, given to me just after the announcement—a dainty, light blue diamond, bound by a silver band. Her mouth fell open at the sight. “It would seem I am engaged…” A shocked smile pulled at her lips. “To Finley. I was completely unaware until tonight, when my father announced it to meandevery other guest, including the king.”
The blood drained from her face, the smile disappearing as quickly as it came, as she reached out, placing a hand on mine.
“Oh, hun…”