The Stage is Set

The Inn

THE MUTED CRY of seagulls brought Zosia slowly back to consciousness. Loathe to leave the nest of warmth she was bundled in, she cracked open an eye.

The room was still dark; the sun was only just peeking over the horizon line in the distance, painting a trail of golden red across the water. They had forgotten to close the curtains last night.

Zosia groaned, grateful that there were still a few hours remaining before their ship departed. She closed her eyes and nestled deeper into the tangle of sheets. Tytania’s arm was there, just inches away, and all too appealing. Zosia cuddled closer to the other woman’s warmth.

Tytania, feeling Zosia stirring, stretched with a loud groan. Her long limbs went taunt and then relaxed beneath the sheets. She sat up slowly, keeping one arm around Zosia as she used the other to brush hair from her face.

Zosia watched her, fighting the urge to cling tighter and not let the other woman up.

Tytania looked disheveled, but not in the way that Zosia felt. Bathed in the first glow of a new morning, Tytania looked like one of the statues in the museum, with each feature lovingly chiseled into creamy marble. With her hair falling around her, chest bare and speckled with red marks from the night before, she looked like a goddess. She was infinitely prettier than the Crown Jewels.

Zosia wanted to hide her face in the pillows—or, better, Tytania’s chest—and not get up. Damn the police and the mayor, who, despite their incompetence, would probably find them eventually if they were to linger here. Damn the Under and their stupid, risky missions that kept them on the go. Damn the crystals, wherever Zosia had flung them the night before—damn it all. Right now, Zosia wanted nothing more than to stay here, warm and safe in this bed far away from everything, with this woman who had made her see more than stars last night.

Zosia peered up at Tytania from where she was nestled in the sheets, still refusing to budge. There was no more denying it. She could run to the ends of the known world, but she couldn’t run from what was inside her. Zosia was completely enraptured by the other woman.

A finger pressed to Zosia’s forehead, right between her eyes.

“I can practically hear your mind spinning around in there,” Tytania said. She turned her head, her long hair brushing across skin and blankets. Her eyebrows pressed together slightly. “Don’t tell you’re regretting last night…?”

“No,” Zosia mumbled, voice muffled into the pillow. Far from it. Last night had been amazing. Zosia had never had a night like that. Her few other partners in bed had been fine, but none of them held a light to Tytania. Then again, Zosia had never felt like this with any of them.

And there it is. Zosia shook off Tytania’s finger to hide her face in the pillow, shutting out the light that was beginning to spill through the windows. This is more than just a little crush, isn’t it?

With the heat of the previous night satisfied, Zosia had thought she might have gotten it out of her system. But the pull to the other woman remained as strong as ever. In fact, Zosia fretted, it might even be stronger than it was before.

She squirmed deeper into the bedding as if she could bury herself below these terribly deep thoughts. It didn’t work.

But if I do want… something more , Zosia’s traitorous mind continued, what if it was just a fling for Tytania? And now that she’s gotten what she wanted, she’ll be done…?

She resisted the urge to groan at herself. With stolen goods in their bag and a getaway ship about to whisk them away, they had way too much at stake to be worrying about feelings of this magnitude. She should not be sacrificing time and energy on this right now.

“Zosia?” Tytania’s voice came from above. She could feel the other woman leaning over her.

“Mmf.” Zosia said into the pillow.

“Not to interrupt… whatever it is you’re doing,” Tytania said, and Zosia could hear the amusement in her voice, “but breakfast is here.”

Zosia lifted her head. She blinked, her eyes straining against the light after the blackness inside her pillow. “Breakfast?”

“It’s at the door,” Tytania said.

“Then go get it.”

“I’m naked.”

“And I’m not?” Zosia said, gesturing vaguely at the sheets still covering both of them.

“You raise a valid point,” Tytania said, pressing closer. Beneath the sheets, Zosia could feel Tytania’s legs entertaining with her own. “Here’s an idea. Since we’re both already undressed, we might as well make use of the opportunity…”

A finger brushed against Zosia’s stomach, then slowly began to drag downward.

So—not done after all. Feelings or not, it seemed Tytania was still interested in Zosia. A small piece of the iceberg weighing heavily in Zosia’s chest broke off and floated away.

She wiggled out of reach, trying to keep the smile off her face. “No chance,” she said as she rolled over, tugging the blankets with her as she flipped away from the other woman. Everywhere Tytania had touched felt warm in a pleasant but dangerous way. “No more sex until the ship. I don’t want to miss our boat.”

Zosia could feel Tytania jump up on the bed next to her.

“Did I hear that ship sex is on the agenda?” The other woman pressed excitedly over Zosia, pushing her weight onto the bundle of blankets Zosia had gathered around herself in a big cocoon. “Now that’s worth getting up for.”

Zosia deliberated her mistake—if it had been one—as Tytania hopped off the bed. There were shuffling sounds, likely Tytania hunting for her clothes, along with the humming of a song that Zosia recognized from ‘The Lady’s Gain’ .

The loud slide of the deadbolt joined the symphony, followed by the click of the door handle. The sounds reached a finale with an appreciative whistle from Tytania.

Zosia, lured by curiosity, rolled back around, maneuvering herself and her blankets so she rested against the headboard.

Tytania, fully dressed and somehow immaculate, was returning to the bed. In her hands was a large tray with several small dishes and a basket. As Tytania set the tray on the bed, Zosia saw freshly buttered rolls and two mugs holding dark drinks. Tendrils of soft steam rose from the tray, curling temptingly into the air.

Tytania sat down and immediately reached for a roll, picking it up carefully. It was halfway to Tytania’s mouth when Zosia reached out to pull a strand of hair away from her lips.

Zosia lingered, sliding the hair between her fingers. She loved the feel of it, loved touching every part of Tytania, actually. It was startling how much she wanted to grab on and never let go.

Tytania lowered the roll and reached out to press a kiss against Zosia’s knuckles. She pulled back with a smile. “What’s this? So touchy feely. And here I thought you didn’t want to play again until the boat.”

Zosia twisted the strand of hair, looping it around her fingers. “I’m not playing,” she replied, her voice quiet.

Tytania cocked her head, a question in her eyes.

Zosia swallowed, suddenly not interested in the delicious-looking breakfast. Her earlier thoughts returned, digging into her defenses and leaving open doors in their wake.

“Tytania,” she started slowly. “If I can ask… what is this—” she gestured between them “—to you?”

Tytania’s eyes widened. Then she started to laugh lightly. It was usually such a nice sound, one that Zosia liked to hear, but right now it caused her heart to plummet. She schooled her features in the way she imagined Tytania would, trying to keep the sheer disappointment contained.

Of course. It’s just a funny game to her, isn’t it? I was stupid to think otherwise and, worse, to want more.

“Are you not a detective?” Tytania laughed.She turned away from Zosia to reach for her roll.

“I am, in fact, a detective,” Zosia said coldly. This was such a bad idea. She cursed herself and her stupid feelings. Why did she have to be such a fool for the other woman?

Tytania was still laughing as she picked up her breakfast. Zosia couldn’t be less hungry despite the fact that she felt completely empty inside. Her stomach was sinking deeper than rock bottom.

“Then you really ought to put two and two together,” Tytania said, her shoulders still shaking slightly with mirth. She brought her roll to her lips.

Yeah, I guess I should have. Zosia wanted to bury herself in the bed sheets. This time, she wouldn’t come out. She’d stay in the bundle until the innkeeper threw her out into the streets. Or better, into the sea. Tytania could take the stupid gems and go.

“I love you,” Tytania said, right before she took a bite.

Zosia watched blankly as Tytania tore off a piece of the still-steaming roll. Tytania’s words must have echoed at least ten times through her mind before she could form words of her own. “What?”

“I said,” Tytania repeated, “I love you. Can’t believe you couldn’t figure that one out. I thought it was crystal clear.”

“Wha—” Zosia shook her head, staring at Tytania in shock. Forget whatever warm fuzzy feelings Zosia had been swatting around all morning— love?

The past cycle of the sun had been a busy one, sure, but this time yesterday morning they hadn’t even been… whatever they were now. It had only been one night together. An excellent night, sure, and Zosia herself had been melancholy over wanting more. But now they were rocketing all the way to love?

How can she say it just like that, all of a sudden? And so casually!? There was only one logical answer.

“Are you—”

“No,” Tytania cut in. “I’m not lying. Not that I’m not a good liar. I’m an excellent liar and thief and actress.” She stopped to pop the remainder of her roll in her mouth before narrowing her eyes and pointing a buttery finger at Zosia. “But I don’t lie to you, so stop asking me that. It doesn’t inspire much trust.”

Zosia sat still, watching Tytania pick up another roll. Her heart was picking up speed of its own accord, and her mind was spinning hard but no thoughts were forming; only Tytania’s ‘I love you’ going around and around between her ears.

Tytania lifted the next roll, then paused. Her mouth closed slowly, the corners of her lips pursed tightly. She didn’t take her eyes off the food when she asked, “What about you?”

“Me?” Zosia replied, barely able to keep up with the conversation. Tytania really, truly liked her, more than like—apparently, she loved her. Zosia just couldn’t get her mind around it. This was all happening extremely fast.

“Yes.” Tytania blinked down at the roll. “Do you… also...?”

She trailed off, twisting the baked good in her hands as if it required a very thorough examination.

Yet another layer of shock was smothered onto Zosia when she realized that Tytania was being shy. She had never seen the woman without her cloak of confidence. This was entirely new, though not in a bad way. It was like a star had fallen from the sky, only to reveal that it was just a human draped in sparkly gold.

Someone who shines brightly, seeking love.

Zosia’s heart clenched around a myriad of emotions. Whatever shock she was swimming in right now, she knew she had become fond of the other woman—as more than a co-worker and more than a friend. The thought of being something even more than was not an unappealing one.

Zosia reached out, placing her hand over Tytania’s.

Tytania finally looked up, her features soft and unsure. There was pure vulnerability in those intense green eyes that pierced Zosia’s already fluttering heart, sinking in like an arrow.

“Let’s just say,” Zosia whispered, “you stole more than the crystals in Partyn.”

Tytania blinked at her, then away. “A... aha.” She looked as delightfully lost with herself as Zosia had felt earlier.

Zosia held back her smile, not wanting to push the other woman. This was an adorable side of Tytania and she wanted to savor it. Besides, the other woman had swung hard with her confession earlier. It only seemed fair that Zosia got to enjoy a turn at discombobulating Tytania the way she so often did to Zosia.

“But you can’t just give this treasure away on a whim. You need to hold onto it. Got it?”

Tytania met Zosia’s gaze, her eyes alight. “To steal a heart! Oh, oh! I really am a good thief, aren’t I.”

Zosia whacked her. So much for savoring the moment. “Promise me!”

“I promise, I promise!” Tytania laughed, her face flushed and eyes sparkling. She flung her roll, and it bounced somewhere past the bed just as their clothes had last night. Tytania lunged forward to clutch Zosia’s hands in her own. “I’ll take good care of your heart. That’s a treasure worth keeping.”

Zosia finally gave in, shifting Tytania’s grip to reach her arms around the other woman and pull her close. Tytania fell against her easily, the mugs on the tray clicking as the bed moved beneath them. Zosia was sure the other woman could feel Zosia’s skin burning, but she didn’t care.

“Good,” Zosia said. Her heart felt ready to burst with joy and her cheeks were going to start hurting from how wide she was smiling.

Tytania might have gotten away with a heart, but I caught myself a thief. The most beautiful, wonderful, infuriatingly gorgeous thief in the world.