“You have a funny habit of sneaking around,” I say.
That stops him in his tracks again. He turns around, sighing as if I’m keeping him from important business in the woods. “I have to if I’m to get anything done. See, that’s the problem with being a prince. I’m recognized wherever I go.”
The rain batters harder and soaks into my only pair of leather shoes. “But where in the forest are you going, exactly?” I ask, even if it isn’t any of my business.
“Now that is privileged information,” he says, wagging a finger.
I scoff. This playful charm of his is starting to grate. Even that annoyingly symmetrical face of his seems a little less handsome. “If you’d tell me where you’re going, I could help. Otherwise, you’ll get lost out there, I promise you that.”
The prince looks at the forest and then turns back to me. He licks his lips, and his eyebrows pull together as he contemplates my offer.
Meanwhile, I’m going to die of a chill. If I’d known he was going to detain me, I’d have put on my cloak.
Finally, he steps closer to me, coming into the glow from the tavern. Rain coats his face, his skin gleaming in the soft light. I stand up a little straighter. Damn if I’m going to look small in front of him. Why is he so irritatingly tall?
But the way he looks at me doesn’t make me feel small. His eyes dance merrily as he gazes down at me.
“If I told you, then I’d have to kill you,” he whispers.
His tone is playful. It sure doesn’t sound like the type of threat he made to the marquis last night.That, I believed. But something about him still bothers me.
“No, you won’t,” I say. “Kill me, I mean.”
He laughs again. He has a nice laugh, rich and warm with amusement. “I suppose not.”
“Come on, I won’t tell anyone. I promise.”
He looks me in the eye and holds my gaze. I can’t breathe for a moment.
“Right. I think you are quite good at keeping secrets,” he says, as if coming to a conclusion.
I wait, but when he says nothing more, I ask instead, “Why did you rescue me last night?”
He could have just walked on by. Princes don’t put themselves in danger for other people, especially nobodies like me. For a prince to go out of his way was an act of kindness I would never have expected. He got his knuckles bloody for me; I noticed when he handed me the washcloth.I’m beginning to believe that he wouldn’t break my sisters’ hearts after all, if that is what they choose.
His eyes gleam, and he clears his throat. “It’s a little thing called chivalry. You’ve heard of it?”
“Yeah, I’ve heard of it.” And there it is. It doesn’t have anything to do with me at all. Just duty. Just a man who isespecially goodat being a prince, even when nobody is watching.
I try to thank him but can’t form the words. My cheeks burn despite the cool rain against them. “I can take care of myself. I could have handled it.” It’s a lie, one even I don’t believe, but I’d rather throw myself from the roof than admit it to him.
“Obviously. But it’s nice to have some help occasionally, no?”
He’s still standing way too close, and his singsong Loegrian accent is making my heart race. Maybe it’s a good thing he’s a gentleman. A chivalrous prince would make a good match for one of my sisters.
Maybe not, if he’s fool enough to go tramping into the woods late at night. “You’re going to see that sorceress, aren’t you?”
He silently raises his eyebrows, hesitating, looking shifty again.
“If you knew anything about Evandale, you’d know it’s not a good idea to walk that forest at night. You don’t know what’s out there, especially these days. You could get eaten by a bear, or something worse. I hear there are all manner of creatures out there.”
“Oh, I don’t plan to die before my engagement, don’t you worry. There’ll be an announcement soon,” he calls, walking backward.
So, hehaschosen a bride.
Surely, it’s Sonja or Ophelia.
Maybe that’s why he came to my rescue, to play the noble hero for them. The thought stings for a moment, but I find my tongue just as he turns forward. “Is this what you’ll do to your wife? Sneak away in the night and never tell her what you’re really up to?”
