With wide eyes she doubled over, hands outstretched.
“Okay that was weird…” And then a new pair of hands had clasped hers. Righting herself she was turning in circles with the man from the village, the man who had watched her watch Faye dance, a familiar man. Dressed once more in a costume mash up of Errol Flynn and D’Artanagn, she knew instinctively this must be the one Emrys called Grimwich.
So this is Morcant’s lap dog.
Blue eyes laughing and shining with an elderberry wine glaze, he exclaimed, “Pardon the intrusion my dear, but you are just too irresistible!” Linking their gloved fingers, they each stepped back in time to the music. During which time, his eyes spent the vast majority roving over her outfit. “This creation is simply too divine!” Flashing her a devilish grin, his glance then turned predatory. “I realize this may seem sudden, but no other lass has been able to hold a cup to you, dearest. I do hope you’ll consider my proposal.”
“Proposal? Are you kidding me? We don’t even know each other!”
That I can recall at the present anyway…And from the smile Grimwich gave her after bringing her back into his embrace, she could tell his thoughts were steered the same way. Amie turned to the rapidly crowding dance floor in her search for her missing partner. Where had Emrys gone off to now?
Grim’s laughter interrupted her concentration, “Oh slippers of glass! This is just too rich!”
“What are you talking about?” Amie grumbled upon spotting Emrys flirting with a new, bejeweled partner.
“You are completely unspoiled by the ravages of your human life. Don’t look so surprised, dearest. I know everything that goes on in and out of the Borderlands. I make it my business to know the affairs of every House, particularly.” He smiled again and she saw through his pleasant, blonde and blue-eyed mask of perfection, to a darkly appealing creature beneath.
“I don’t know what you mean,” she said, averting her gaze and trying desperately not to give away her surprise. He wasn’t supposed to know she was half human, none of them were.
“In spite of meself, I like you Jessamiene Wenderdowne. It is for this among other reasons we are protecting the estate from those wild rebelling murderers outside.”
Had she not been diverted, Amie might have paid more heed to his words. But she was too busy currently aiming daggers at Emrys’ partner, after the woman leaned in to kiss him softly on the lips. Morcant Hogswillow was the most beautiful creature Amie had ever seen. Her brown eyes burned yellow as candlelight, her voluminous curls were the luster of chestnuts and piled high on her head in their sapphire net. Peacock feathers sprung from this nest of hair and adorned her tightly bound dress. Skirts of purples, blues and greens swished around her tiny frame in sync with every musical sweep of strings.
“Jealous are we?” Grim followed her line of sight and slowly turned back to face Amie. “But that will never do my dear bauble. He can sense your dark emotions, is drawn to them like a troll to unicorn scat.”
“Are you sure you aren’t the jealous one?” Even though Amie knew Grim spoke the truth it still hurt. But she knew enough about Rumplekin’s to know one must always keep a step ahead. “Morcant must be a kind mistress, but I have heard of her fickleness,” she said, hinting of what Emrys betrayed to her.
Grim’s eyes lit blue as the summer skies, delighted rather than repulsed. “Oh they really have you on a leash don’t they? Feeding you lies of my mistress’ affections? Have you not noticed the intent of her eyes this night? Fantasies of him make her live and breathe, and he gives into her mad cravings just to appease her appetite for destruction.”
Sure enough, Morcant was staring at Uncle Henry as he spoke to…oh crap…
Jennifer Silverwood 