Lifting his brows, he hovers his hand over the bowl until steam rises from the surface.
“Are you showing off for your human princess?” she asks, more than a little impressed. It didn’t occur to her that he can heat things with his fire magic.
Other than her.
“I refuse to answer that.”
She smiles at his words, and he sighs and lifts the spoon again.
And stares at it.
To most people, it would just be stew, but the battle behind his eyes reveals that for this prince of hers, it’s so much more than that.
Quickly, he shoves the spoon in his mouth, and relief fills her. One bite. That’s all he needed. And he did it.
Before she can say anything, though, he drops the spoon back into the bowl and gags.
Stars above.
She grabs the vase off the mantle and dumps the flowers in the hearth, and just as she shoves it his way, he heaves into it.
For a moment, neither of them says anything as she stands there holding the vase with the rejected glop, and he lifts horrified eyes to her.
“I think we’ve reached a new level in our relationship,” she whispers.
At least she’s not squeamish.
He opens and closes his mouth a few times, but no words come.
As she sets the vase on the table, she offers him a smile. “It’s all right. We’ll just avoid the stew from now on.”
He leans back in his chair with his hands over his face. He must be mortified.
Before she can reassure him, someone knocks on the door, and she frowns. “Who is it?”
She should probably go answer rather than yell across the room. Mother would be horrified.
But she doesn’t want to leave Cerian.
“Arisanna Montarac Westaria, what in the world happened to your manners?” a familiar voice calls through the door.
Arisanna looks at Cerian with wide eyes, and his expression immediately shutters.
Stars above. Mother is here.
Hiding in the Shadows
Episode 74
Theurgetorunfills Cerian, and for the briefest moment, he eyes the window.
Whistling wind. He can’t do that.
It’s Arisanna’s mother. He can handle her mother.
He glances at the window again before forcing his eyes away.
“My hair!” Arisanna whimpers as she combs her fingers through it.
