To Die, to Sleep by Stephanie Black

Author:Stephanie Black
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Covenant Communications, Inc.
Published: 2019-09-10T18:00:52+00:00

Chapter 20

“You should have slept in,” Natalie said as she and Gideon stepped out of the elevator on the lower level of the Keep, en route to Lily’s apartment. “You must be running on about half an hour of sleep.”

Gideon rubbed his bloodshot eyes. “I got at least forty-five minutes. You think I’m going to snooze while you get yourself in trouble? I’m here to keep an eye on you.”

“I’m having breakfast with my cousin. That’s not getting in trouble.”

“Uh-huh,” Gideon said. “Let me guess. You think this is my first rodeo.”

Natalie laughed, grateful again for Gideon’s equanimity in bizarre circumstances. She rapped on Lily’s door. The door opened.

“Good morning,” Lily said. “Come in. You’re sweet to meet me this early.”

They entered the apartment, which smelled of cinnamon and bacon. Lily extended her hand to Gideon. “You must be Gideon. Natalie’s told me awesome things about you.”

He shook her hand. “So Natalie’s making stuff up, huh?” As soon as he spoke the words, embarrassment flashed in his face. Natalie knew he regretted making a crack about untruths, given the situation.

“I’m glad you arrived safely. Your timing was perfect. A new storm is supposed to hit today.” Lily showed no sign of being bothered by Gideon’s joke. She was dressed in her scrubs, and her hair was in a smooth ponytail, but her eyelids were so puffy that Natalie guessed she’d spent a lot of time crying last night and not much time sleeping.

“Come grab some breakfast.” Lily led them into her kitchen. “The food arrived about thirty seconds ago. Let me move that . . . ” She picked up a houseplant that occupied a significant portion of the small table—lush green leaves interwoven with white, coral, and pink flowers.

“That’s a botanical wonder,” Gideon said.

“The flowers are silk.” Lily placed the ceramic pot on the counter. She lifted one of the flowers, and all of them came away from the plant. They were linked together, a circlet of flowers with two lines of flowers trailing from it. “It’s a headpiece. One of the Keep’s regular guests is an artist who makes them, and Soren gave me this to wear at the Keep summer ball. It was so gorgeous I wanted to store it somewhere that I could see it, but hanging it on the wall seemed . . . I don’t know . . . show-offy? I needed a practical way to display it.”

“It’s beautiful,” Natalie said.

“You have to see the dress I wore with it.” Enthusiasm sparked through Lily’s fatigue. She sped out of the room and returned carrying a pale-blue gown covered with plastic film. She lifted the plastic to display the gown—flowing chiffon with a rippled, multilayered skirt and delicate flowers embroidered on long bell sleeves.

Natalie lifted one of the sleeves to get a closer look at the embroidery. “I need to see you wear this. It’s breathtaking.”

“Looks like something out of a fairy tale or a legend,” Gideon remarked. “The dress worn by the fairy queen or what have you.

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