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She pauses with her glass halfway to her mouth before recovering and taking a sip. “His brother, the king, began hosting the winter ball and made it a mandatory event for all the gods.”
The way Kaia talks about the King of the Gods gives me the distinct impression she doesn’t like him much. I can’t say it really surprises me. The gods are known for their infighting and petty squabbles. Ones that seem to always spill over onto mortals in one way or another.
But Kaia strikes me as the kind of person who is good and kind to everyone. Somehow it makes me like her more to know I might be wrong.
“Why doesn’t Thieran just choose another time to host a ball?”
Sitting back in her chair, Kaia sighs. “The mandatory high court functions have put him off balls for the last few centuries. Celebrations entirely, really. He doesn’t even attend his own feast days.”
“He has feast days?”
“Of course he does.” Kaia flicks her wrist in dismissal. “Every god has feast days. But the living don’t exactly worship the God of Death. They’re celebrated here. In Videva.”
“When are they?” I ask, leaning back so the servants can clear the last of the dishes.
“They start tonight with a bonfire in Videva’s village proper.” She sits up straight in her chair, and a small smile flutters the corners of her mouth. “We should go.”
“What?”
I shake my head, but Kaia leans forward, intent on the idea now she’s had it.
“It would be fun. You could use a bit of fun. And so could I.”
I drum my fingers on the tabletop and stare out the window. I really should stay in and test my shielding ritual, but Kaia looks so eager. And she’s seemed a bit out of sorts these last few days.
Surely a few hours’ delay couldn’t hurt. Everything will be right where I left it tomorrow morning. And a bit of celebration and dancing, good food and wine, will be a nice ending to my time in the Shadow Realm.
I rub at the sudden ache in the center of my chest but give Kaia a wide smile. “All right. Why not? It does sound fun.”
Kaia claps her hands under her chin and laughs. Then her eyes drop to my corset and linger long enough to have me glancing down to make sure I didn’t make a mess of myself.
“You should let me dress you before we go.”
“Before you go where?” Thieran asks from the doorway.
He’s leaning his shoulder against the frame, arms crossed, and my mouth waters at the sight of him, my heart beating a little faster. A curious and unnerving reaction I’ve had to him since returning to the Shadow Realm after our little excursion into Acaria.
He’s fucked me every day since. Just this morning when he found me reading in the library. But none of it compares to the way he touched me in the sea, the way my body pulsed with need for him.
I wish I didn’t have the memory of that day seared into my memory. I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to purge it. No matter how far I go from the Shadow Realm. What’s worse, I’m not sure I want to.
“To your feast day bonfire.” Kaia rises from the table, and I follow her. “It’s tonight.”
“I know when it is,” Thieran replies, eyes on me over Kaia’s shoulder but not budging from his spot in the doorway. “Why are you two going?”
“We could all use a good celebration,” Kaia says, a pointed look passing between them with a meaning I am not privy to.
“You could come with us,” I add, pulling Thieran’s gaze to mine.
“I haven’t attended my feast day in a very long time.”
“A shame,” Kaia says.
“And maybe a little rude.”
Thieran eyes me, eyebrows raised. “Rude?”
“Yes. They’re celebrating you,” I remind him. “The least you could do is attend.”
