The Crown of Gilded Bones (Blood and..

them—at least a little bit before those creatures showed. I
also shared with him what I had confirmed with Kieran about
being able to communicate with him. Casteel…well, he took
in that newest development like he had everything else. He
was curious, awed, and completely unbothered by it, and
that helped me be somewhat unfazed by the fact that I had
done something that only Nyktos could.
Either way, it could’ve been one or all of those things
that’d made me feel prepared for everything Casteel and I
had to discuss and figure out.
I found the clothing Vonetta had given me in Spessa’s
End hanging among several other brightly colored garments
that her mother had given Casteel for me to wear. The only
visible white I saw in the entire wardrobe were two slips. A
smile tugged at my lips, and I didn’t stop it—didn’t even
have to think about concealing it like I had when I’d been
the Maiden.
Casteel.
This was all him. He’d made sure there was little white
to be found in my options.
Gods, I loved that man.
I started to reach for a tunic with frilly sleeves, but a
stunning, cobalt blue, buttery-soft muslin drew my
attention. The gown was simple, reminding me of what the
Ladies in Solis called a day dress but was far better suited
for the warmer climate of Saion’s Cove. The bodice was
layered and cinched, erasing the need for a slip. The nearsheer
gown was gathered at the waist and the hips by a skyblue
chain girdle, and the material bunched at the
shoulders. It was sleeveless.
My gaze shifted back to the tunics and the other dresses
that featured wide, elbow-length sleeves that offered a bit of
coverage. I hesitated. Normally, I preferred to wear
breeches or the lighter leggings and something that hid the
scars on my arms, but the color was beautiful. I’d never
worn anything like it. I’d never been allowed.