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“The Summer Palace,” Draven said, gesturing ahead. “Sephone rarely uses it, but it’s kept ready at all times. I’ve had suites prepared. I figured, if you decided to stay...”
I understood. It was a small gesture, but one I appreciated.
“What about Crescent and his family?”
“Since we don’t require Crescent’s services again this evening, I’ll have a message sent letting him know. There’s a suite prepared for them here as well, if they prefer to stay in the city tonight. But I suspect Taina will sleep better in her own bed.”
I followed him into a cool, dark marble hall and up a wide winding staircase to the second floor. Approaching a large set of heavy wooden doors, Draven pushed them open, revealing a large bedchamber where a regal four-poster bed dominated the space.
A balcony beside the bed looked out over the lake. Its wide windows had already been opened to let in a cool night breeze.
I sniffed eagerly, enjoying the fragrance of lake water and wood smoke drifting up from the bonfires that had been lit in the festival square.
“One suite,” Draven said quietly, looking at me as if he was waiting for me to lift the letter opener after all. “Two bedchambers.”
He led the way through the first bedroom and into a short hallway. Through an open door, I spotted an opulent bath chamber like the one in our suite in the underground palace. Mosaics portraying mermaids and seashells covered the walls, while a sunken tub of silver and white marble took pride of place in the center.
I followed him into the next bedroom. While the first room had been decorated in dark burgundy and gold, the second room was much more to my taste. The furnishings were fresh and bright. A canopy bed was hung with white muslin curtains and covered in a cascade of soft blankets and pillows.
Next to the bed was a small reading nook where pale silver brocade chairs had been posed next to low tables alongside a small library of beautifully bound books.
A huge fresco painted in light pastel shades depicting swimming sea animals covered one entire wall across from the bed.
“If it pleases you, this room will be yours.”
I crossed over to one of the low tables and carefully set down my letter opener. “It’s beautiful. And when we return to the court?”
“We’ll be sharing the same suite,” he said flatly.
I nodded. “I figured.”
“Perhaps you’d like to make use of the bath chamber? There should be clothes in your size in the wardrobe over there.”
I shook my head. “Thought of everything, didn’t you? Just in case I stayed?” I looked at him. “Did you ever have any doubt I would?”
He met my eyes and I felt a moment’s surprise by what I saw reflected there. “Yes.”
He pulled the doors to my room shut, leaving me alone.
I ran a hand lazily along the spines of the books on the shelves, doing little more than glancing at the titles. Then I opened the balcony doors more widely to let in the fresh air, and set off for the bathing room.
It was a relief to finally shuck off the gown I had been wearing for more than twenty-four hours.
A little while later, I returned to my bedroom, opened the wardrobe and pulled out a long robe of satiny blue embroidered with stars. Standing by the mirror, I started combing out my damp hair.
Belatedly, I realized I had left the doors to the bedroom partly opened.
I crossed over to push them closed, just as someone pressed against them from the other direction.
Draven won. The doors opened, nearly smacking me in the face. We collided.
“I’m sorry,” Draven said immediately, taking a step back. “The door was open, so I thought... I was just going to ask if you were finished...”
His voice trailed off and I realized he was looking at me. “Fuck.”
I looked down at myself, then moved to pull the robe closed, but it was too late.
Believing myself alone, I had left it unfastened.
