on jeweled sandals and have fastened my curls back into something I hope looks passably elegant, when there’s a sound at the door.
“Five more minutes,” I say, figuring it must be Casem on the other side. “I still need to put on my jewelry.”
But the sound comes again moments later, so quiet I barely hear it this time, and I realize it wasn’t a knock at all.
Someone’s fiddling with the handle.
Immediately my thoughts jerk to the two men who’d attacked me in Kerost. I sweep Rukan from its sheath on my bed and clutch the poisoned dagger tight at my side, hating how fast my heart races. I creep toward the door, every hair on my body raised and alert.
I am Amora Montara, Queen of Visidia. Even without my magic, I can still fight. And with Rukan, all it takes is a cut deep enough for the blade’s poison to seep into the bloodstream to end someone’s life.
The thought gives me the courage to throw the door open with my dagger held at the ready. But as I raise it into the air and prepare to strike, Bastian stumbles back, throwing himself against the wall.
“Stars!” He chokes on the word, voice three octaves higher. “I thought we’d gotten past the stabbing phase of our relationship!”
Rukan turns to lead in my hands, and I sheathe the blade. “What are you doing? Why didn’t you say anything?”
“Considering our situation, I thought you would have felt me.” Righting himself, he smooths the wrinkles from his shirt with a grimace. “I know you’re not thrilled about our curse, but could you find a better solution than murdering me?”
I ignore him, anger hot in my throat. “Were you spying on me?”
“Of course not.” His eyes skim away, hands flexing at his sides. “I was just … Stars, I was putting a curse on your door, okay? After what happened in Kerost, I figured a little extra protection couldn’t hurt.”
I nearly lose my breath at those words, skin warming. “Why wouldn’t you just tell me? I’m fully capable of—”
“Of protecting yourself?” He levels his face to mine. “Knowing you’d say that is exactly why I didn’t tell you.”
At first I throw my shoulders back, defensive. But then I see there’s blood on his finger, and a bead of it has been smeared onto the door’s handle. Though I want to be mad at him, there’s nothing to be angry at. In fact, more than anything, it’s embarrassment that makes my voice quiet and my cheeks hot.
“Thank you,” I mutter, folding my arms around myself. “And … I’m sorry about the other day. I didn’t mean to lose my temper.”
He stills, nerves prickling the air. “You don’t need to be sorry. I should have known better.”
“There was nothing to know, all right? Just … come in and get washed up.”
Only then do I allow myself to fully look at him, and heat stretches up my neck. I’ve never seen him so polished. His shoulders are broad and his chest proud in a coat of rich onyx with shimmering gold buttons and trim. His hair has been smoothed back, and his warm golden-brown skin glows from the oils and creams. As he steps into the room, all I can think is that he looks like an entirely different man, handsome and self-assured.
He looks like a noble.
“Is that cedar?” I lean in and breathe the air around him, searching for the brine of the sea that belongs on his skin.
“It’s vetiver, actually.” He holds his chin high, as if proud I’ve noticed. “It smells good, right?”
I curl my nose. “It doesn’t smell like you.”
As soon as the words are out, I want to shove them back into my throat and swallow hard. The surprise that flickers in Bastian’s eyes heats my skin so fiercely I fear I might burn to ashes right here and now.
“Ah.” Bastian clucks his tongue, brow arching. “So you like the smell of fish.”
Gods, even his smile looks different. Brighter. Sharper. More cunning. It beams at me, glinting with mischief that has my heart stuttering. I’ve always thought Bastian was handsome, but seeing him so cleaned up, dressed head to toe in a rich, velvety onyx, is doing things to my body I’d prefer it didn’t.
This isn’t the Bastian I’m used to—the pirate with a crooked grin and mischief in his eyes.
This is Bastian Altair, the eligible Visidian bachelor who is here to make his presence known.
Unfortunately for me, it’s worked. My fingers ache with