Page 56 of Shadow Wings
Did I know how to reject someone nicely, orat all? No, but I couldtry.
“No,” Iblurted.
He pulled back, hurt flickering across his face. “What?”
My jaw dropped.Mistress moons, did I just say that out loud? “Uh, what I mean is this situation that you spoke of is, uh, dousing my, uh, fire.” I squeezed my eyes shut. “I don’t want to think of bindings and stuff rightnow.”
I didn’t expect his quiet chuckle or for Kamoi to take my hand. “Ryn, you’reblushing.”
I sniffed. “You’re not supposed to call me out on that. It’s manner rule numberone.”
“I apologize again then, but I find the color enticing. You are young; I forget, and maybe you’ve not had a man come to you as I amnow.”
I gave him a shy smile, my cheeks still burning. “I haven’t, but that doesn’t change my answer, Kamoi.” He’d put himself out there, so he deserved an honest answer. “Recently, I fell in love and was hurt. I’m not past thatyet.”
His violet eyes softened. He raised my hand and kissed the back of it. “Then I will be content to wait until your heart is healed. Though you should know, Phaetyn are rather good athealing.”
He winked, and I blushedagainas I slid my handfree.
“O-okay?” I said, feeling a pleasing coolness where he’d kissed myhand.
Kamoi bowed. “There is to be an evening meal tonight,” he said, speaking as if our conversation had never occurred. “My mother believes a gathering of the Phaetyn will help to calm frayedtempers.”
Relating this civil war to frayed tempers was like calling a Drae akitten.
“I hope you and Dyter will join us at the royal table,” he said after a briefpause.
I’d just rejected the guy, so I practically tripped over myself as I answered, “Yes. Ofcourse.”
He leaned toward me and asked, “Will you sit besideme?”
“Kamoi . . .” My heart pounded in mychest.
He smiled. “Just asfriends.”
I’m not sure his people would interpret the seating plan that way. “I’d appreciate if you cleared up the rumors of our binding first,” I said. “As long as it’s clear to everyone we’re no more than friends, I’ll sit besideyou.”
“Ouch,” he said. “You know how to wound aman.”
I reached behind my back to open the door and backed into the room as a grin bubbled up. “Lucky you’re a good healerthen.”
I winked and closed the door in hisface.
* * *
Istaredat the flower crown and the other . . .thing.
“Does that top lace up?” Dyter asked, peering over my shoulder. “And where are thesleeves.”
I used the tip of my finger to pick up one of the drooping sleeves. “There.”
The ‘lace up top’ was a silver corset with green vines embroidered intoit.
Dyter’s face was turning purple, and he shook his head violently. “Completely indecent. Not happening. I’ll be having a word with Kamoi. I heard some of your conversation. I’ll be darned if there’s any Phaetyn binding goingon.”
“Dyter, can we never speak about binding, ever?” I asked, staring at the bottom half of the dress. Alternating lengths of wispy green and silver material fell in a curtain from the lower end of the silver corset. I’d never seen anything like it inVerald.
He spluttered. “I don’t want to speak about it either, but the males are closing in, just like your mother and I always knew they would with you being so pretty. We’d hoped your independence and bad sense of humor would scare them off until you were ready to choose a partner. I thought she’d give you the talk about binding, but I guess I better step up since she’s in the starsnow.”