She laughed some more, and he dried off a trickling tear from her face. ‘There you go. You know, your face’s much prettier when you smile,’ he murmured.

  She shyly let the corner of her mouth stay up.

  She’d always made sure to keep a smile on her face whenever August was around since. Eager to please him in any way she could. This time, it had cost her. Her reputation. August. Thornfell. Everything.

  Despair filled her chest once again, chasing concerns around in her mind, questioning what would become of her next. But the answer did not come to her in the bath, and neither had it occurred to her by the time she moved her tired limbs over to the bed – and stayed there.

  Night out, day in, she watched the shadows shift across the wall, burrowed deep underneath her duvet. Now and then, Elijah would find his way up to her room, always sporting a different face than the time before, and let out some form of leer or jibe from the doorway. Never did she respond. Never did she move a muscle, except for the first couple times, when the unfamiliar appearances startled her. Soon, however, she came to learn that his voice was constant. No matter what face he wore, his voice remained the same. Soft, like curling butter, colouring it in a gentleman’s accent.

  ‘You know, if you’re going to spend all this time in bed, you might as well have a man in it,’ he said one day, tossing himself onto the bed beside her. Her skin prickled at his close proximity, but she did not stir.

  ‘No man would want me.’

  ‘You’re rather obstinate, but I’ve seen men bed women with far less to their credit.’

  She glowered at him.

  ‘Come now, not even the tiniest of smiles?’ he hummed. ‘I can’t have you moping around if you want my assistance.’

  She rolled her eyes and exhaled. ‘What if I don’t need it? What if I’ll just…go to Faerie and find someone there?’ Maybe she’d have some faerie wine and forget all about her existence at the same time.

  Elijah snorted. ‘You wouldn’t last a day in Faerie.’

  Scowling at him further, Keira merely turned her back on him.

  The djinn sighed. ‘Alright then, tell me about it. What happened the other night?’

  She opened her mouth to answer, but as the image resurfaced – as she pictured how Miles and the others had picked her up and leered, the freezing cold of the lake, and her panicked seizures as dirty water trickled down her throat – the words clogged up and turned her tongue into a knot. ‘It impresses me that you think I’d confide in you when you’ve shown me no reason to trust you.’

  No answer. She swallowed. Fighting the rising unease, she pondered whether he would get up and leave. Pondered whether her unease was due to thinking he wouldn’t – or that he would.

  Although she’d never admit it, there was some comfort in having him there still. Knowing that she wasn’t entirely left to herself.

  ‘Trust, I’ve found, works both ways,’ he said eventually. ‘You’ve not given me any reason to trust you either,’ he continued, and she felt his weight shift as he kicked one leg over the other. Staying it was then. ‘You called upon me to grant you a wish, one that involved altering the course of another, and yet you’ve not shown me any proof that to do so wouldn’t be villainous.’

  She turned. His hair was a mop of light brown today, with fine strands shimmering as the sun fell upon him through the window, softening the hard lines of his features. His eyes met hers and held them. Keira inhaled deeply.

  ‘Some of the boys called me a whore and threw me into the lake.’

  ‘Why?’

  She looked down, studying the cotton threads of her duvet. How they weaved in with one another. How the eggshell white lit up like snow where daylight hit it. ‘They saw August and me. When I…when I took August in my mouth.’ Her voice broke and she hid her face so he would not see the tear sliding down her cheek.

  ‘And this…August, was it? Was he there? What did he do?’

  ‘He told me he could not marry a woman that so easily defiled herself before marriage. But I don’t understand. I did it for him. I—he assured me we were as good as married.’

  Elijah said nothing. Was he judging her? She did not think she could take it if he did…and yet she looked up. To her surprise, his face was wrought with darkness.

  ‘I stand corrected,’ he muttered. ‘You’d be fine in Faerie. Why do you still desire to be with him if this is his true nature?’

  ‘Because it is not. You don’t understand.’

  ‘Enlighten me, then.’

  Keira turned to him. ‘His parents…they’re not good people. Once, his father caught us kissing in the stables. He gave August such a beating for fooling around with the help that his back still bears some of the scars from it. Still, he didn’t keep away.’ Instead, he had come to her cottage in the night, and laid down upon her floor before the fireplace while she put healing balms over his wounds. Like that first time they’d met, she would never forget the sheen of the fire playing across his skin, his hair, and the heat that curled in her veins at their close proximity.

  She had felt things then. Thought things. Things she wanted to do with him, that she wanted him to do with her; things she’d not been able to make herself utter. What had happened in the fisherman’s hut…it had been similar to those things, but not like that… Not like⁠—

  Her throat tightened at the memory of the pressure, the force of him against it. Tears pebbled in the corners of her eyes, and she wiped them away.

  ‘He loves me; I’m sure of it,’ she croaked, more to herself than to Elijah.

  But the djinn didn’t look convinced, his expression of skepticism reminding her of Isolde’s. ‘Then why did he say the things he did? Why didn’t he stand up for you?’

  ‘He must be confused. Afraid even. He was pressured to say those things, I am sure. His mother and father don’t approve of me. My family owned Thornfell before they reclaimed it, and his mother hates that we did. She would do anything to keep me from becoming the mistress of it again. His mother…’ She paused, and something clicked into place.

  ‘She knows,’ she whispered.

  ‘Knows what?’

  ‘After we were caught, we feared Lord Thornfell would tell his wife.’ Lady Thornfell had not spoken about marrying off Keira after that first day they met – perhaps realising that she proved too useful as a servant – but neither Keira nor August doubted that she would make good on her threat if she ever discovered them. ‘When she never said anything – when she never sent me away, we thought he’d kept our secret.’ And the sneaking around had continued.

  Elijah raised a brow, shifting in the bed to make himself more comfortable, his leg nudging against hers. ‘But now you think he didn’t?’

  Keira swallowed and nodded, realising how naïve they had been. Of course, Lord Thornfell had told his wife. Of course, she had known. But instead of marrying off Keira— ‘She must have married off August instead,’ she murmured.

  Hurting Keira in the worst way she could, without releasing her from servitude.

  August would know by now of course, that their sneaking around had been for nought – perhaps even been told to adhere to his parents’ arrangement or see her shipped away. And he would keep his end of the deal, and Thornfell Manor would have a new mistress. Someone who wasn’t her.

  Keira turned to the djinn and grabbed his hand, tears filling her eyes. ‘You have to help me. Help us.’

  The djinn’s brows furrowed. ‘With everything he has done and said, you still want to spend your life with him?’

  ‘I, more than anyone, know what he has endured with his father. How hard he works at pleasing his mother. It must be pretence. With me, August would be free, for once, and I…’

  ‘Would become mistress of Thornfell?’

  ‘And wife to the man I love.’ She allowed her gaze to meet Elijah’s again, hoping it would convey the burning passion she felt. ‘Now all of that is lost. Because of me. Please,’ she pleaded. ‘Help me return home. It is the only way for me to correct my mistake.’ Something startled in his expression, and she could only hope it was her determination moving something inside him. ‘I will not give him up.’

  Elijah looked away, his features now fully cast in the sun coming in through the window, contemplating. She braced herself for him to turn around and say no again. To reveal that he had only humoured her by listening in jest. But he didn’t.

  ‘Fine, I’ll help you in this quest of yours. If that is truly what you want.’

  She sat bolt upright, relief exploding across her face.

  ‘But,’ he warned before she could speak. ‘There’s one condition. You’ll owe me a favour. This is not a wish fulfilment, but a favour for a favour, and I can cash in on it whenever and in whatever way I’d like.’

  She bit her lip and folded her arms around herself, her newfound hope doused. Elijah tilted his head, a question on his face.

  ‘I will agree to your terms, if I can make but one condition of my own.’

  His brows raised with surprised anticipation.

  ‘You may not take or ask for my body. It is for August only.’

  At this, Elijah threw his head back and laughed. ‘Whyever do you think I would ask for your body?’

  ‘My nan told me djinns would take—never mind,’ Keira spluttered and snapped her mouth close, mortification coursing through her.

  Still chuckling to himself, Elijah shook his head. ‘Very well, I will not ask for or take your body, only a favour. That said’—his voice lowered to a husk and a smoulder curved his eyes and lips—‘You may soon wish that I would.’

  8

  PROMENADE

  ‘So, how does this work exactly?’ chirped Keira as she came downstairs on her next day off, dressed in a set of her favourite stays and skirts, with a leather belt around her waist and a French braid running down her back.

  Elijah, who sat by the kitchen table, one ankle resting upon the opposite knee, lowered his newspaper with a gaze that lingered a little too long on her get up.

  ‘How does what work?’

  She rolled her eyes, forced back a pleased smile, and picked up a piece of toast. ‘This making August come back to me. Making him ask me to marry him instead of Gianna. Do we make him jealous? Will you make me prettier? Will you teach me how to please a man⁠—’

  ‘Am I to be the test subject if so?’ Elijah cut in, his eyes gleaming wickedly.

  She narrowed her own at him. ‘Or can you simply snap your fingers, and it is done?’

  The djinn, his skin a dark, luscious brown for the day, reached out for his morning coffee. ‘I sorely wish so if it would put an end to this painful affair. But since I cannot’ – he paused and took a sip – ‘let’s start with a stroll.’

  ‘A stroll?’ Keira frowned, glancing out the window. Beautiful morning light fell over the trees and their leaves starting to change colour. Everyone would be out today, and everyone would be able to see them if they⁠—

  Realisation dawned on her.

  ‘To make him jealous! Splendid, I’ll go get my walking shoes.’

  ‘You do that,’ Elijah said, having once again disappeared behind his newspaper.

  E’Frion looked particularly darling in the late summer sun as they promenaded down the road, winding its way between the quaint stone houses and thick plains of grass. Beyond them ran the river, floating by foxgloves crowding the feet of trees and growing up the sides of birches.

  E’Frion was covered in flowers, adorning every path, every staircase, every nook and cranny with pink and white, purple and yellow. A flowerbed nestled beneath a window, and Elijah reached down, popped a flower off its stem, and proceeded to tuck it neatly behind her ear. The brush of his fingers left a trace of heated skin, and she bit her lip, shyly diverting her eyes to the passersby.

  They were already gathering some attention, although Keira suspected that was more due to curiosity over seeing a new face amongst them than anything else. Even if E’Frion hadn’t been small enough for everyone to know everyone, the deep brown skin of Elijah’s appearance today was rare even in E’Frion. She remembered her father garnering the same looks, and then her light-skinned mother would, for being upon the arm of her father. Keira cast her eyes to her own skin and the warm undertone underneath it. It had always been darker against August’s, but against Elijah’s current colouring, it seemed pale. Almost like her mother’s against her father’s. Nervously, she bit her lip, wondering if they would gather looks for all the wrong reasons, but Elijah merely tightened his hold on her and muttered through the corner of his mouth.

  ‘The need to appear superior is always rooted in a sense of inferiority. True superiority is not so easily rattled by others.’

  Keira scowled at him. ‘Are you talking of me, or them?’

  Elijah nodded his head forward. ‘It remains to be seen.’

  Coming towards them were August and Gianna, her petite arm upon his, out for a stroll of their own. Spotting them, August’s casual expression changed into a glare, gleaming as brightly as his auburn lock of hair amongst the white.

  ‘Miss Keira!’ Gianna gasped once they reached them, cutting August off from his own greeting and surprising them all with her vigour. Keira could not ever remember Gianna having addressed her before. ‘How good it is to see you up and about. We were quite worried that you had taken ill after that night you–you…’ She stuttered for words.

  ‘Took a dip in the pond?’ Keira offered, her eyes narrowing. Both Gianna and August seemed to have the decency to blush, although she suspected for two wildly different reasons.

  ‘Y-yes,’ Gianna stammered. ‘My apologies. I did not mean to bring it up again.’ She looked to August, clutching his arm. ‘My sweetheart told me you were most upset, and understandably so. I don’t know what goes through the minds of those young men at times.’

  ‘One might wonder if they are men at all,’ Elijah shot in, eyes on August.

  August cleared his throat uncomfortably. ‘Miss Keira, who might this man be?’

  ‘Oh, but of course!’ Keira breathed, turning to Elijah. ‘Elijah, may I introduce Mr August Thornfell and Miss Gianna Melroni? August…and Gianna, this is Elijah—’ Keira was about to stumble on his last name, realising Elijah had never introduced himself to her with one, but Gianna blessedly cut her off.

  ‘Elijah! What a pleasure to meet you. We were just wondering between ourselves who this tall gentleman could be. We felt quite certain, didn’t we, my dear, that we’d never seen you in our village before?’ She turned to August, whose scowl etched deeper into his features.

  ‘Indeed, we have not.’

  Keira turned to Elijah, his eyes sparkling with wicked amusement. The two men were about the same height, and still it seemed as if Elijah towered over August.

  ‘How about we amend that and get better acquainted?’ Elijah suggested, taking Keira by surprise. Even more so as he gestured towards E’Frion’s Ice Cream Parlour, a tiny shop, squeezed in between two buildings, from which the merchant sold ice cream through the window. ‘What do you say, my ladies, care for a sundae?’

  ‘Oh, yes, please!’ Gianna beamed and hurried ahead, shortly followed by Keira throwing Elijah quizzical frowns. He merely winked back at her, while taking up the rear was August – looking as if he’d had a taste of the dirt his mother kept under her nose.

  Elijah bought both women an ice cream, leaving August to get his own, before they strolled a little aside to enjoy their new delights. Except, Keira forgot all about hers as Elijah tilted his head to the side and licked his in a way that drew all their gazes, erasing all other thoughts and words from her mind. Her mouth dropped ever so slightly and so did Gianna’s, while August seemed, if possible, more affronted.

  ‘Oh, my!’ Gianna exclaimed, turning excitedly to Keira. ‘He wouldn’t be the source of all the…talk about you of late, would he?’

  Keira’s cheeks burned so brightly she did not dare glance at August.

  ‘He’s a family friend, come to visit,’ Keira blurted, her words turning into a murmur as she felt August’s eyes burrow into her. This was such a bad idea. With her hands shaking, she dropped the ice cream. Beside her, Elijah’s eyes followed it to the ground. ‘A distant cousin!’

  No sooner had the words been said than a carefree wave smoothed out August’s features. Elijah looked at her with incredulity, and Gianna smiled sweetly.

  ‘How lovely. I’m so glad you have someone who can look out for you, Keira. August tells me you’re like a sister to him, and we so often worry about you, don’t we, dearest?’ Gianna said, turning to August, her ice cream melting over her glowed hand.

  ‘We sure do.’

  ‘Young ladies living on their own can so easily be taken advantage of.’ Gianna sighed and waved her free hand as if she were banishing a curse.

  ‘They can indeed,’ said Elijah, eyes like lightning upon August. The latter swallowed and finally hooked his fiancée’s arm under his again.

  ‘Come, my dear; your parents expect us.’ With one last glance at Keira, August steered the petite blonde away. Both Keira and Elijah watched them leave in silence before Elijah rounded on her, his brown eyes full of sarcasm. ‘I guess we might as well go back too, now that you’ve butchered our plan.’

  ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘What do I mean?’ He sighed with exasperation. ‘Keira, he was jealous for five seconds before you went and assured him I’m family. Which, you know,’ he murmured, ‘speaks more to how well he’s bothered to get to know you after all these years, if he so readily believed it.’

  Keira did not pay these last words any attention. Instead, she looked past him at the retreating figures of August and Gianna. ‘Was he truly jealous? What does that mean? Does he want me?’

  Elijah scoffed and turned on his heel, heading back to the cottage whether she planned to follow or not. ‘He wants you, all right,’ he said darkly.

  ‘Then I am right! He was forced into this,’ Keira breathed, relief flooding her system. Elijah said nothing while she kept on and merely steered her home.