“What’s to stop you from rebuilding it, then?” I countered. I wasn’t sure why I was arguing, or even advocating for Collith. It probably had something to do with his mother’s last words, her voice weak and imploring. Have faith in him.
Unaware of the image in my head, Laurie raised his eyebrows. “Are you saying you’ve forgiven him?”
A bitter laugh caught in my throat. A moment later, I drew to a halt—we’d reached the dim entrance to the Unseelie Court. Apparently Viessa didn’t station Guardians in these woods anymore. “Touché,” I said.
Collith had yet to make an appearance, so Laurie and I waited just outside the tunnel. Icicles hung off the top of it, dripping in the sun. I lowered my gaze, following the progress of a drop that glittered like a glass bead as it fell. In doing so, I locked eyes with Laurie. A jolt went through me, and the expression on his face made it difficult to think.
He moved closer and bent his head. I felt his lips tickle my cheek as he said, the words hushed like a secret, “Come away with me tonight. After the opera.”
I swallowed. I told myself to move away, but my body wouldn’t obey. “You already know what I’m going to say.”
Laurie’s hand rose, and his fingertips skimmed the side of my neck. I almost leaned in to the touch before I remembered that Collith would be here any second. Laurie didn’t seem to share my concern. “Tell me you haven’t thought about it,” he murmured. “Tell me you don’t want me inside you.”
I finally managed to step back and put myself out of Laurie’s reach. “I think about a lot of things. Sure, I think about you every day, but I also think about death every day. It’s funny how often the two thoughts coincide.”
“All I heard is that you think about me every day.”
Luckily, Collith found us before I could kill Laurie, or maybe kiss him again. With him, those lines always seemed to blur. “Apologies,” he said.
As if using a magic portal could help me escape my thoughts, I hurried into the tunnel and through the Door.
The faerie males were close behind. Seconds later, we emerged from a Door on the upstairs level of a house. It was obvious that it had been abandoned, or this place was intentionally kept vacant. There was no furniture, and the floors and walls were outdated. The wallpaper was like something I’d see in an Audrey Hepburn film.
“Let’s go,” Laurie muttered, hurrying out of the room. “This house gives me the creeps.”
Collith and I followed him, and I fought another smile. “This is what gives you the creeps?”
He just went down the stairs, tailcoats flying. We followed again. The floorboards creaked with every movement. Laurie had left the front door wide open, and I stepped onto a busy sidewalk, adjusting to the night sky when the one we’d left behind had been bright. Collith and Laurie moved into my line of sight, and seeing his tuxedo reminded me of the pressing time. Once again, the three of us started walking.
After we’d walked a bit, I nodded toward a coffee shop on a nearby corner. “I’ll change in there. Wait here.”
Laurie promptly followed me as I started toward the entrance. I resisted the urge to ram my elbow into his gut and reached for the doorknob instead. Laurie beat me to it, and after he opened the door, he dipped into an elegant bow. I couldn’t tell if it was mocking or sincere, but since he was Laurie, I went with the latter—I ground my heel into his boot when I passed, and I heard him utter a low curse. I was smiling as I approached the front counter. A single employee sat there, and he couldn’t have been older than fifteen or sixteen.
“Do you have a bathroom?” I asked cheerfully.
The boy didn’t look up from his phone. “Costs to use it,” he said.
Laurie casually dropped a twenty dollar bill onto the counter. “Will that be enough?”
That got the boy’s attention. Sitting upright, he slid the twenty out of sight and dropped a set of keys in front of me. I picked them up and gave the boy a polite nod. Then I shouldered past Laurie and muttered, “Show off.”
“My wealth is the only thing I can flaunt without being arrested for public indecency.”
I didn’t bother acknowledging this as I hurried down the hallway, found the women’s restroom on the left, unlocked it, and closed the door behind me. I changed quickly, and in less than a minute, I moved in front of the small mirror to see how I looked.
For tonight, I’d chosen a dress that was the color of an opened vein or still-beating hearts. The bodice was hard and tight, like a corset, and the cut at the top pushed my breasts up—that was the part I’d thought Laurie would like. The skirt was long and frothy, its bulk perfect for hiding the weapons strapped to my thighs. It made soft sounds with every step I took toward my backpack. A moment later, I straightened, and I held a necklace.
The sapphire Collith had given me caught the light. I looked at it, and in an instant, I knew I couldn’t do it. Not even for a night of pretending, and no matter how convenient it might be for our ruse.
I tucked the sapphire away and pulled out a blue box instead. There was a creaking sound as I lifted the lid, revealing the diamond necklace Laurie had given me for my birthday. After another moment of debate, I lifted the piece of jewelry from its bed and put it on. The box went back into my bag. As a final touch, I put on the black heels I’d brought. They certainly weren’t as comfortable as boots, but they looked a hell of a lot better with this dress.
My makeup was still holding up, so I fluffed my curled hair, pinched my cheeks, and left the bathroom to find the others. Laurie stood at the other end of the hall, staring out a paned window. He turned as I stepped into the open.
“Excellent choice,” he said with an approving nod. “We’ll just be sure to get that horrible backpack checked.”
I pasted a confused look on my face and clutched one of the straps. “What? No, I’d planned to wear this all night.”
Laurie frowned. “You’re joking. Please say you’re joking.”
“Guess you’ll find out.” I smirked, enjoying his dismay. As I turned toward the door, I saw Laurie’s gaze lingering on the diamonds resting against my skin. But then I caught sight of Collith, and the comment I’d been about to make about the necklace faded away.
“Now there is a king,” Laurie declared.
While I’d been changing, he had been doing the same, apparently. Collith fussed with his cuff links, and that stubborn lock of hair slipped free of the gel he’d put in. My fingers twitched, instinctively wanting to fix it. Not so long ago, I would’ve given in to the impulse.
There was an awkward pause, and I quickly looked away, loathing the pang of longing that went through me. I forced myself to replay the clip of Viessa’s voice, something I’d been doing constantly since learning the truth. Every time Collith has sex, he takes a piece of his partner.
Completely unaware of where my mind had gone, Laurie looked at me sidelong and raised his eyebrows. “Fortuna, what do you think? Beautiful, is he not?”
“If you really want my opinion, I think you’re an insufferable bastard,” I told Collith with a sweet smile. Then, pretending to frown, I glanced back at Laurie. “Oh, wait, were you asking about the suit?”