“Uh, well, it had something to do with…”
I trail off as the familiar tugging at my sternum starts, distracting me.
“I have to go.”
“Oh, come on. Don’t run away because I called you out.”
I shake my head, the tether pulling taut, and the opulent sitting room wavering before my eyes. “I’m serious.”
Rhys sighs. “Fine. I didn’t want to spend time with you anyway,” he huffs. “Good luck. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”
He fades away as I’m sucked into Ada’s dream before I can get out my retort that his warning doesn’t leave much of anything off the table.
As my surroundings come into focus slowly, I drag in a steadying breath.
Okay. I’ve got this. As long as her dreams haven’t gone back to the full murderous monster mode, tonight is another chance to push back the tide of the darkness in her mind. Focus on making Ada happy however I can.
To my surprise, I’m not in the forest outside her cabin orlurking in the shadows of some back alley. There’s golden late afternoon light spilling in through a thick-paned window, and a crackling stone fireplace trimmed with holly. Tapestries in rich golds, crimsons, and greens decorate the stone walls, and there’s a large canopy bed made of intricately carved wood.
I’m in a… castle?
Elation surges through me as the confusion wears off.
I’m in a castle!
My hands reach up to feel around the top of my head, and a gleeful laugh bursts from me when I feel the cool metal circlet.
I’m in a castle, and I’m wearing a crown.
I did it. I fucking did it. My message worked!
Another slightly manic laugh spills from my lips, but I place my hand over my mouth to smother the sound when I hear approaching footsteps. My excitement sputters out as the familiar chilled ceramic of the mask brushes against my fingertips.
Cursing under my breath, I move over to the window and turn my back toward the door into the bedroom I’ve found myself in. In the brief moments I have before she enters, I search for that scarred crater in my chest that’s been ever-present as an actor in her nightmares, trying to determine what role I’m to play in this new scene. My breath hitches as I feel the darkness weaker than the last time we were together.
It’s working.
There’s barely a second to process that new information when the door creaks open, and Ada’s familiar gasp sounds behind me.
“Prince Seth! What are you doing in my bedchambers?” Her breathy voice sends a shiver down my spine. Fuck, I love it when she sounds like that. Shocked, but secretly pleased. Scared, but aroused.
I desperately want to turn and lookat her, but I keep my gaze steady out the window. “I would have thought that would be quite evident, Princess.”
Her nickname is more than that tonight. We spent so many nights in the past with her playing that role. Sometimes I’d be her faithful knight. Others I’d be a prince in need of her magic. It seems tonight is a twist on one of my favorites—betrothed in childhood to unite two kingdoms and made to marry when we’re of age.
Unlike in those dreams though, I’m not the shy, slightly bumbling Prince professing his desire to do everything he can to be a good husband to her.
No, the darkness is still there. I’m here to take what’s mine. To shatter the princess’ illusions that she’ll have a fairy tale romance, and awaken the twisted, lustful cravings that she tries to hide.
A grin splits my lips as she closes the door behind her rather than running from her fate. “We may be bound together now, but that doesn’t m-mean we’ll share a bed,” she protests, her voice wavering in spite of her determined words.
I let out a cold laugh, turning slightly to try to catch a glimpse of Ada in the reflection in the panes. The dream has set the sun and brought on night with her entrance into the room. It takes all my willpower to stifle my groan at the distorted image of her in a gossamer white dressing gown made indecently sheer by the firelight. My leather breeches grow uncomfortably tight as my cock swells.
The urge to turn and grab her rises, thick and mind-fogging, but the past violence is absent. I suppose her dark prince isn’t a true monster.
The relief of that makes me giddy, and I laugh again. “Oh, Princess, you can stop pretending now. We’re alone.”
She huffs indignantly. “Do not mock me, my lord.”
