The Fae King's Dream (Between Dawn and Dusk #2) - Jamie Schlosser Page 0,95
putting his arm muscles on display. With the warm light behind him, he looks like an angel. It reminds me of the first time I saw him in my dream when he came to my rescue.
That feels like a lifetime ago. We’ve been through so much together, and the love I felt in my premonition—I no longer get the lingering sense of it.
It’s here.
It’s real.
I love Damon more than I ever thought possible. He’s everything to me, and that’s how I know our destined meeting with the witches will be soon. Our time is running out.
With a thoughtful twist of his lips, Damon cocks his head. “That doesn’t make any sense. How can you enjoy my leaving but also hate it?”
Giving him a small smile, I wave a dismissive hand. “It’s a human saying.”
“I’ll try to remember it.” He grins, then he’s gone.
A guard outside closes the canvas doorway, shutting out the light. Candles flicker on a small table next to the feather-filled mattress. Some of my luggage has been brought in, along with a pile of clean sheets and blankets. Not that I’ll need a lot of heat. Compared to the other realms I’ve been in, it’s warm here. It’s not unpleasant, though. In my opinion, the weather is perfect, like a late spring day.
There’s a splash in the bucket, and Astrid uses a butter knife to shave off a chunk of soap before tossing it into the water with Maisel.
Without a word, she comes over to help me make the bed. She’s silent as we tuck the white sheet in.
“You’ve been quiet today,” I observe.
“Just thinking.”
“About?”
She sighs, glancing at the doorway before lowering her voice. “I asked King Zander for some Glow.”
My hope lifts. “And?”
“I figured if anyone knew how to get it, it’d be the creator himself.”
“So you got some?” I sound desperate and impatient, but the suspense is killing me.
Wondering if Astrid’s hesitant to speak around Maisel, my gaze goes to the bucket.
“Don’t be mysterious on my account. I love secrets.” Maisel’s head pops out, and she taps her temple. “This is a fortress of iron. No one can get in. Not even you,” she snarks to Astrid, playfully flicking a few drops of water in our direction.
With my mouth hanging open, I pause.
Oh my shit.
That’s right—Maisel’s immune to the witches. I could spill everything right now, and no one would be able to touch the information. Even under the threat of torture and death, she wouldn’t betray me.
Astrid harrumphs, seeming clueless to my epiphany. “He refused. Wouldn’t even consider the idea.”
I deflate. “What? Did you tell him what it’s for?”
“No. I couldn’t. If he knew, it would jeopardize everything. Besides, he wasn’t willing to hear it. He shut the conversation down pretty fast. I even offered my services to sweeten the deal. Promised to help him when he finds his mate in the future, and do you know what he said to me? He doesn’t bargain with witches.”
“That’s ridiculous.”
“And a lie,” Astrid grits out, steaming. I’ve never seen her so angry. “I know for a fact he gets portals regularly. How else would he send the abducted humans he saves back home?”
“Doesn’t that hurt him, though? To be untruthful, I mean.”
“Not that I could tell. For all I know, the man has no heart. He’s a sourpuss.”
“Can I get a towel over here?” Maisel starts to climb out of her tub, and I toss a washcloth her way.
Once she’s wrapped, I lay her tiny clothes out to dry. Then I pick her up and place her on the bed next to me. Patting her hair with the towel, she keeps sending me the most adorable side-eye, like she’s expecting me to spill every secret I’ve ever kept. It’s almost flirtatious and definitely charming.
When she bats her lashes and twists her lips in my direction, I finally break.
Laughing, I say, “Okay, okay. To start, what do you know about Glow?”
“Everything.”
“Everything?”
She looks insulted by my skeptical tone. “Yes. While the messages we deliver are confidential to anyone outside of our kind, we share gossip amongst ourselves. Our survival depends on it. It’s imperative for us to know where the distilleries are so we can avoid them. We know our enemies well, and Glow is one of them.”
Excited, I bounce a little, causing her to almost fall over.
“Sorry.” I steady her by the shoulders. “Would you be willing to answer some questions for me?”