Lily of the Desert (Silver and Orchids Book 4)
Page 19
His words are a promise—a promise of love and family and plenty of future adventures.
“Let’s go home,” he whispers.
Home—what a beautiful word.
After spending several years searching, looking for my spot in the world, I’ve finally found it, right here with the pirate captain who stole my heart. There is nowhere else I’d rather be.
Silver & Orchids Bonus Chapter
***
Adeline
If I ever doubted Sebastian was in love with Lucia, that hope is gone now. He walks her down the short aisle, his face void of expression. But his eyes give him away. The man I love, the man I would do anything for, is destroyed.
I clutch my handkerchief closer, smiling through my tears. I smile for Lucia, for the happiness my friend has found with Captain Greybrow. I smile for myself, because, thank the stars, she’s finally out of my way. But I cry for Lord Thane, for the man who I desperately wish would look at me the way he looks at her.
Lucia’s a beautiful bride. My champagne silk gown fits well, and her chestnut hair falls down her back, looking like chocolate against the shimmering material. The captain gazes deep into her eyes—making my knees weak. A girl could get lost in that subtle smile.
Sebastian leaves Lucia with Avery and comes to my side. Together, we sit. He’s as still as a tree, his eyes trained on the couple. My heart aches for him. I want to soothe his pain, take it away. But he doesn’t want me, not like he wants her.
Lucia doesn’t realize it—she thinks they’ve moved on, that none of the love they had for each other endured this last year’s hardships. She’s wrong.
We sit through the brief ceremony, watching as Captain Greybrow and Lucia promise each other their hearts and their lives. Sebastian clutches his hands in his lap so tightly, his knuckles go white. I glance at him, so eager to give him comfort. But he’s drawn into himself, suffering in silence. I admire his quiet strength—I always have. But it must be lonely.
And then the ceremony is over, and Lucia’s laughs and smiles are all for Avery. And the captain—oh. His devotion is a beautiful thing. The two complement each other, fit perfectly together.
Lucia clutches the captain as she turns toward us, and Sebastian masks his heartache with a smile, pretending he’s happy for her—happy she married his cousin.
How it must sting.
He offers Avery his congratulations, and Lucia pulls me into a tight embrace. She’s giddy, and rightly so.
After several minutes of congratulations and well wishes, Captain Greybrow whisks his new bride away. As soon as they’re gone, the chapel goes silent.
The bishop comes to Sebastian. “It’s hard to lose a sister.”
Sebastian nods.
The man gives him a wry smile. “Even one who isn’t flesh and blood.”
My jaw almost drops, and I look at Sebastian to see how he will respond. Ever calm, Sebastian answers with a tight smile. “Sometimes those are harder.”
“Why did you do it?” I have to ask the bishop.
“Because Sebastian answered every question with sincerity. I knew he cared for Lucia as much as any family member. And if he was willing to give his approval, then so was I.” He glances out the door, almost laughing. “Besides, they were determined.”
He has no idea. Once Lucia sets her mind on something, there is no stopping her.
“You’ll be all right, young man.” Giving Sebastian a knowing nod, the bishop pats him on the shoulder and then goes through a door to the right with his wife, leaving us alone.
I dab at my eyes, suddenly conscious of my tear-stained face.
“May I escort you back to the caravanserai?” Sebastian asks, his voice distant.
“Of course.” I give him a sunny smile, but it does nothing to lift the dark clouds that have settled around him.
We walk through the streets in near silence. Stali is enchanting, and I want to see it all—want to explore the market stalls and buy bolt after bolt of brightly-colored fabric. I want to eat at all the restaurants, drink espresso under the stars.
But Sebastian doesn’t seem to be in the mood for sightseeing. He walks me to my room, and though he’s with me, his mind is far away. Before he turns to leave, I grasp his arm. “Are you going to be all right?”
He glances at my hand and then meets my eyes, his face carefully blank. “Of course. Why do you ask?”
“Sebastian.”
After several moments, he gives me a curt nod. “Have a good afternoon.”
I cross my arms as I watch him walk away. He’s in a strange mood, and I hate to leave him alone. But perhaps that’s what he needs.
***
I scan the tavern, frowning. Finally, I find the dark-haired man I’m looking for. Sebastian’s by himself, drinking alone in the corner. With his menacing expression, and his dark, brooding eyes, he looks dangerous—the exact kind of man you don’t want to interrupt.
“Sebastian.” I set my hand on his shoulder, but he doesn’t flinch. “It’s three in the morning.”
In a painfully cordial voice, he calmly answers, “I am aware of that, Adeline.”
To prove it, he tosses his pocket watch on the scarred table.
Irritated, I take the seat across from him. To my surprise, his tankard is full. When he catches me giving it a quizzical look, there’s a flicker of morbid amusement in his eyes.
“My only one of the evening, in case you’re about to ask.” He shoves the tankard away, spilling some of the liquid over the side. “I’m not drunk. Unfortunately.”
“Come back to the caravanserai—get some sleep.” I lean forward, urging him with my eyes. “Things will look better in the morning.”
“Things are fine now.”
Stubborn man.
“Then why have you hidden yourself in a seedy tavern and stared into a full mug of ale for hours?”
His eyes meet mine, and he watches me for several long moments. We’ve become close since last autumn. Not as close as he is to Lucia, but we’ve forged our own sort of friendship. At one time, I had hoped we could be more, but I’m beginning to think that’s folly on my part.
“What hurts worse? That you lost her?” I ask, needing to coax him out of this melancholy mood. “Or that you lost her to him?”
He winces, and I know I hit a nerve. “You’re making something out of nothing. I’m sitting here, in this smoke-filled, dark tavern because I have nothing better to do at the moment. Lucia’s off with Avery, Gorin and Yancey have gone to Kysen Okoro. I have no business associates in Elrija, and there is no time to take on a scouting job on the side.”
“Fine. Come sightseeing with me. I need a chaperone anyway.”
Finally, I’ve shocked him enough to bring some life back to his face. “Adeline—it’s the middle of the night.”
I angle my head, challenging him. “What’s the problem with that? You’re not asleep.”
He looks at me as if I’ve gone mad, and then he shakes his head, almost as if he’s trying to clear it. “All right.”
“All right?” I parrot, genuinely shocked. I never thought he’d agree. I assumed he’d tell me it’s late, and then his manners would get the best of him, and he’d escort me back to our rooms.
After tossing a few coins on the table, Sebastian stands. “Unless you’ve changed your mind.”
I leap from my chair, looking a bit too eager. Silently chastising myself, I run my hand over my skirt, smoothing an imaginary wrinkle. “No, I’d like to see the city.”
He holds the door, and I breathe in a lungful of clean air, happy to be away from the stale smoke. The desert smells different from my home in Grenalda or anywhere else I’ve known. It’s the scent of the land, of dirt and sand and sky—a blank slate, beautiful in its emptiness.
At this time of night, there aren’t many people about. We find ourselves walking aimlessly, neither of us truly choosing a destination. We end up at the botanical gardens in the very middle of the city. It’s lush with tro
pical flowers and thick, heat-loving foliage. Lanterns burn down the pathways, making the garden easy to navigate, even at this late hour.
It’s romantic and lovely, and I almost wish we hadn’t come this way. It’s too easy to pretend that we’re together, that Sebastian returns the feelings I harbor for him.
I stop at a pond. A path leads right to the water’s edge, sheltered in the protection of Elrijan hibiscus and palms. I rest against the iron rail and watch fish swim amongst the lily pads in the shallow water. They are beautiful with purple and red scales and long, veil-like fins. If fairies lived in the water, this is what they’d look like.
As I watch them, I imagine a gown in the same colors, with the same graceful lines. It would be too bold for Kalae, but a girl could get away with it here in Elrija.
I feel Sebastian’s gaze on me several moments before I look his way. My heart is tired, and I don’t trust myself—not around him. Especially when his dark green eyes study me with an intensity that makes my stomach flutter. I glance away and remind my heart not to get its hopes up.
“You’re very beautiful, Adeline,” he says quietly, almost as if it’s a discovery he’s just made.
I look back at him, stunned.
His eyes flicker with confusion, yet he takes a step closer. “Your hair—it’s mesmerizing in the firelight.”
And though I want him, though I’ve wanted him for almost a year now, I set my palm on his chest, holding him back. “Sebastian.”
He licks his lips and steps closer, breaking the flimsy barrier I put between us. My back is to the railing, and there’s nowhere for me to go. My heart beats a mile a minute, and I can’t catch my breath. He’s in a strange mood, far too pensive. I must end this, but every fiber of my being wants him closer.
His breath is warm against my lips, and the hot, perfumed air surrounds us in our secluded nook. He lets his hand drift to my shoulder. “When’s the last time you were kissed, Addy?”
I stutter and shake my head.
He raises an eyebrow, startled by the revelation. “Never?”
“I’m a lady,” I whisper. My hands are wrapped around the cool metal rail behind me, and I squeeze. I’m dangerously close to letting them drift, and who knows where they would end up. In his hair? On his shoulders or chest?
“Do you want to be?” he whispers low, his voice tugging at the knot in my stomach.
Not like this.
No, exactly like this. There could be no more romantic spot, under a velvet night sky, in an exotic garden of massive blooms. But not when his mind is elsewhere. I have no desire to be a distraction. I want to be everything, and I won’t settle for less.
His hands settle on my waist, making me question my decision, but just as he moves in, I turn my head to the side.
He pauses, his breath on my cheek, and then he rests his forehead against my temple. “I thought…” He inhales, thinking his words through. “I’m tired of playing the part of a gentleman, doing everything except what I desire.”
I angle my face to look at him, desperately trying to keep my wits about me when I meet his mesmerizing eyes.
“I want this.” Softly, he brushes my jaw with his knuckle. “I thought you did too.”
“Only if you’re not mourning the loss of a different girl at the time.”
Regret flashes over his face, letting me know I’m at least partially right. “Adeline…”
Unable to look at him any longer, I wrap my arms around his neck, yanking him close. “I am here for you, Sebastian, now and always. But if you kiss me, it had better be me you want.”
His arms come around me, pulling me against him, holding me as if he desperately needs the comfort. It’s a chink in his armor, a flicker of vulnerability, and it makes me want to weep for joy. For the first time, Sebastian needs me.
“My future with Lucia was a given,” he murmurs into my hair after several long moments. “Something I always assumed would come to be, despite my grandfather and the nobility and everything standing in our way. I don’t know if I’m grieving losing her, or the future I constructed.”
There’s something about him admitting his pain that makes me tingle. Sebastian doesn’t speak of his feelings, not ever. This is significant—I don’t know how exactly, but I feel change is in the air.
He holds me for several more minutes, and I drink him in, revel in the feel of him in my arms and me in his. I wonder if he feels it too, the rightness of it. I hold back a regretful sigh when he shifts away. His hands are still on my back, his touch lighter now, and he studies my eyes. His gaze is so intense, my mouth goes dry.
“I’m not going to kiss you tonight.” He leans in so close, his lips almost meet mine. It’s the most delightful torture. “But when I do, rest assured, you will be the only girl on my mind.”
He said when, not if.
“Well,” I say lightly, trying my very best not to swoon in his arms. “You had better make it memorable.”
His lips twitch with humor, and he steps back, promises in his eyes. “You have my word.”
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About the Author
Shari L. Tapscott writes young adult fantasy and humorous contemporary fiction. When she's not writing or reading, she enjoys gardening, making soap, and pretending she can sing. She loves white chocolate mochas, furry animals, spending time with her family, and characters who refuse to behave.
Tapscott lives in western Colorado with her husband, son, daughter, and two very spoiled Saint Bernards.
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Books:
Silver & Orchids
Moss Forest Orchid
Greybrow Serpent
Wildwood Larkwing
Lily of the Desert
Fire & Feathers: Novelette Prequel to Moss Forest Orchid
Eldentimber Series
Pippa of Lauramore
Anwen of Primewood
Seirsha of Errinton
Rosie of Triblue
Audette of Brookraven
Grace of Vernow: An Eldentimber Novelette
Fairy Tale Kingdoms
Puss without Boots: A Puss in Boots Retelling
Contemporary Fiction
Just the Essentials
Glitter and Sparkle
Shine and Shimmer
Sugar and Spice