Having lost the man she loved to the cold clutches of suicide, Amara's impulsive decision to join him leads her to accept the marriage proposal of a mysterious stranger she shares a drink with at a bar.
Xelan's weddings were an awful affair, with ea...
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The rest of their time at the store went smoothly, save for when Rumi offered to show them their nightwear catalogue for their 'passionate nights'. It took everything in Amara not to cackle at Xelan's bright red face even with her own mortification. In the end, she had picked a few options—excluding the lingerie for obvious reasons—feeling rather sorry to think of how such pretty clothes would waste away when she left.
The green dress had been among the options, as she had been unable to fight the image of Xelan's stunned face on seeing her in it from recurring in her head over again. The mode of payment had been made with a wave of Xelan's hand over a considerably large crystal ball on the counter. It turned bright gold in response and Rumi tapped on the ball with the satisfied smile of a well-compensated salesperson.
"A full vat. I take it you're pleased," she said, fitting the clothes into floral bags that matched the aesthetics of the store.
"They are lovely, as always. My regards to your mother," Xelan said.
"She'll hear, though she isn't going to be too happy to know you came in her absence. She had been so eager to meet your new wife."
There seemed to be quite a number of people who wanted to meet her, though their reasons were not as friendly.
"I hope she isn't too disappointed," Amara replied. It was quite a shame she didn't get to meet the brilliant mind behind the clothes.
"I think this should make up for it," Rumi said, gesturing to the still glowing ball as she handed the bags to Xelan.
"I would like it delivered to my home if it's not too much trouble."
Amara turned her attention from Rumi to Xelan, her brows raised in line with her confusion. "We're not going home?"
He held her gaze. "I was hoping we could continue our exploration."
His request had come off all so courteous and formal. Yet his best efforts and cool gaze could not mask the slight flutter of anticipation she could immediately sense.
"I would like that," she said, shutting out the Aftermath's tattling in a bid to respect his privacy.
"If you're looking for some entertainment, there's going to be a show later this evening by the Glass River," Rumi suggested, before turning to inspect her outfit. "How about a new outfit for the occasion?"
"Oh, but I..." Amara began but Rumi was already headed back into the store to find something new. She returned almost immediately with a flowy midnight blue long coat with large bunched-up sleeves and stars powdering its lapels. Underneath was a muted gold bodice and formfitting pants with matching embellishments.
"Here it is," she called proudly, spreading it out for Amara to get a better look at it. The ensemble had received an equal mix of appreciation and uncertainty.
