The Golden Bell by Autumn Dawn Read Free Book Online Page B

“We are
very sorry the one you admired is not in your size, but we would be
happy to have one made for you, or to offer you a look at our other
inventory.”
    “Oh, this one is beautiful, but…” she looked
around and tried to catch Fallon’s eye. He allowed her to hold it
for a moment, smiled slightly, then turned his attention to the man
he was speaking to, a different one than last time.
    Rolling her eyes at his generosity, she
accepted the clothing with shy thanks, going behind the curtain in
the back of the tent to change. There were even matching sandals.
Wondering what she looked like, for she’d yet to see a mirror, she
drew back the curtain.
    Fallon glanced at her and froze. Very slowly,
he inhaled, his eyes wandering from her head to her feet. By the
time they met hers again, they were a glowing, brilliant green.
    Beaming, the shopkeeper took her arm and
pulled the breathless Rain in front of a full-length mirror. Rain
gasped.
    That had to be her, but she couldn’t believe
it. Her hair was prettily braided and swept up from her face in a
princess’s coronet. She hadn’t paid much attention when the
shopkeeper had applied makeup, other than enjoying the attention
and praying she wouldn’t look like a clown when she was done.
Instead, the woman had used a light hand to highlight and conceal,
achieving an exotic, ethereal effect. Rain touched her rouged lips,
startled by the jewel effect of her silver and gold nails. The girl
in that mirror was lovely, and this had to be a dream.
    Fallon hadn’t planned on giving Rain the vine
necklace until later, but she was so breathtaking that he couldn’t
resist. Her lips parted when he removed it from its velvet pouch
and clasped it around her neck, and her breath came faster as he
slipped in the matching earrings. Then he drew back a few inches
and admired her glowing skin and ruby lips. It was her eyes that
gave him pause, though. The shining green hinted of tears, an
emotion he hadn’t meant to invoke.
    Slowly, she reached up and closed the
distance. A kiss like a soft summer breeze brushed his lips,
hesitated, was gone. It shook him more than he expected.
    She lowered her eyes. “Thank you,” she
whispered.
    Unable to bear the currents between them, he
raised her face. “The least you deserve.” Vaguely aware of the avid
curiosity of the others, he lifted his head and offered his arm.
“Are you hungry? There’s a restaurant in the Citadel I think you’d
enjoy. I’m starving.” Arranging for her clothes and his other
purchases to be sent to her quarters, he led her from the shop,
keeping the conversation light until she’d recovered.
    It was mildly embarrassing and satisfying
that he’d been able to move her so deeply. While glad she was
enjoying herself, he was a little worried. Turning her head with
gifts hadn’t been his plan—he was surprised he’d managed to spend
what little he had on her so easily. Perhaps the shock of her
surroundings had thrown her off enough to make it work, but it had
been easy enough to pamper her. Would she grow used to it? Demand
it? Needy women made him ill, and he prayed that he hadn’t just
created one. On the other hand, she needed clothes, and creating a
pleasant mood on her first day had helped immensely.
    He hadn’t been wasting time while she
shopped. He’d summoned his personal secretary to him the moment
they’d entered the market and caught up on events in his household.
He had a suite of rooms next to the vast Citadel gardens, and had
arranged for Rain to occupy the room next to him. Security would be
easier, and she’d have easy access to a familiar face. The idea
that he’d like having her close he ignored.
    Rain tensed as they neared the massive
Citadel gates, currently raised for the day. It was not the sight
of the multiple rows of iron gates or the long tunnel cut from the
blue mountain that was the Citadel that made her stomach flip,
though. Guards stood at the gate…Haunt guards. Fully