Page 101 of A Veil of Gods and Kings

By the time we made it to my room, I’d wrung out most of my thoughts. I clicked the door in place. “Thank you for listening.”

“Cyn,” Apollo whispered, curling his fingers over my neck. “You’re a good brother.”

I took a deep breath.

I’d needed to hear those words more than I had realized.

Apollo leaned in until his lips tickled against mine. “Now, do you wish to show me those fantasies?”

I parted his mouth with my tongue and tugged his hips until every inch of our bodies pressed against the other.

“Yes.” I breathed against his cheek. “I do.”

35

Epiphany

I smoothed the rippling silver of the skirt of my dress down and then tugged at my hair, loosening a braid.

“You’ve stared at yourself in the mirror for fifteen minutes,” Luelle said before resting her chin on my shoulder. “You look gorgeous, and that hasn’t changed in all this time.”

“I know… I mean”—I shook my head—“that sounds conceited. I know that I’ve been staring is what I mean… and…”

Luelle wrapped her arms around my waist and stilled my words. “You’re nervous, Epiphany. It’s okay.”

I squeezed her arms back. “You’re right. But standing here putting it off won’t change anything.”

She gave me one final hug, and then I took a deep breath and walked out of my dressing room and into the palace hallways. Sunshine backlit flags that hung over the stairwell, making them glow a cerulean blue.

My steps came hesitant, my slippered feet pressing divots into the carpeting. My breathing ached through me as I forced a slow inhale through my nose and attempted to keep myself from shaking.

This was my future.

And this was okay.

I knew it was coming.

But—

No. There was no room for buts.

I entered the dining room. Hyacinth and Emrin sat at the head of the table in conversation with a man with a mop of pale hair and dressed in a jacket in the royal jade colors of the kingdom of Segion. He swept his gaze up to me, his eyes widening, their bright green color shimmering. He rose to his feet and bowed. “Lady Epiphany.”

I curtsied. “Lord Galeson, it’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”

He grinned, a little too brightly, and pulled the chair beside him back. I sat and smoothed the dress again. Hyacinth studied me, his brow wrinkled, his lips pinched as they seemed to always be when I drew his attention lately. He rose and cleared his throat. “Forgive me, Epiphany, but I have meetings I must attend. And Emrin”—he nodded to him where he already stood—“has an appointment with his tutor.”

“Of course,” I said.

They ambled out, Hyacinth throwing me another glance over his shoulder before stepping through the doorway.

And then I sat alone with Galeson. He parted his lips like he might speak but then turned back to his breakfast where figs and strawberries piled next to a slice of toast. He lifted his fork, his fingers trembling, before he seemed to think better of it and set it back down.

I smiled and gestured to his plate. “You must love fruit.”

“I do.” His voice came high and rushed, and he cleared his throat. “Segion doesn’t have the variety you do here.” His expression crumpled. “I suppose that isn’t me doing a good job of selling it. I mean, it has its own charms of course, and… and—”

He trailed off, color swelling across his nose. I dolloped honey onto my bread. “I’m sure it’s lovely, especially in the winter. We rarely get snow here.”