I’d read countless tales of chivalry and romance, and I knew the repercussions of my curse…but this was something altogether different than my expectations. The prince had shown no hint of desire beyond abducting me for marriage; the telltale stares of yearning, the whispered poems of tender promises, all signs of the heart’s presence were utterly absent.
The confirmation of my curse’s effects settled into my stomach like a stone. Perhaps some small part of me always wondered if it was really true, or simply words spoken to strike fear into my father for scorning the witch Laetitia at the stake. This was one way to find out. The worst possible way.
Horror and confusion were undoubtedly written across my face, but no one was paying me any mind now. Only the queen and the prince held the floor, and the prince had a perplexed look of his own, as if he’d spoken without registering his own thoughts.
He pushed his hair back, then held fast to his statement.
“Supper is forfeit,” Queen Adelaide announced, briskly moving back from the table. “You’re all dismissed until we break our fasts. Nicolas, you and I shall speak on this another time.”
The scent of roasted meats and unfamiliar vegetables taunted me. The room’s inhabitants all stood from their seats with equally forlorn expressions for the meal they would miss. I licked my lips and considered going in for at least an apple, but the atmosphere dictated I should starve instead.
Just as well; my heart had dropped into my gut. For the sake of my nerves, I departed, hoping at least that I could find Winnie and be sent along to wherever I was to sleep. I found her waiting not much further down the corridor, and she didn’t appear too surprised by the early dismissal.
“Well... Come along. I’ll take you to your chambers.”
Chapter 4
My new bedroomwas twice the size of the woodland cottage.
It was on the second floor of the palace, located in the south wing. I had my own area for bathing and a section for getting dressed and prepared, but those parts of the room were small in comparison to the amount of space taken up by the bed. It could easily have slept six of me, perhaps more if we snuggled together.
Winnie helped dress me down into a cream nightgown and pink robe impossibly soft to the touch, and then she was gone. A subtle perfume lingered on the garments. I inhaled it repeatedly, attempting to decipher its notes, but the smell was as unfamiliar and overwhelming as everything else within Castle Altaigne.
Too much information had come down on me in such a short span of time; all at once, I wanted to lie down and cry. I barely made it to the edge of the bed when the tears spilled over, and then a faint knock rattled the door.
Wiping my face, I found I couldn’t halt the procession just yet, no matter how I tried. Another knock, somewhat louder. I groaned and stomped over to answer it; it wasn’t like I hadn’t already made a fool of myself today. What was one more blunder?
The prince stood before me with a silver platter, the dome reflecting my sad face back at me.
“I thought you might be hungry, since…” he trailed off, lifting his focus from the covered plate to my tears. His brow furrowed. “My lady?”
I scowled, then looked down at the tray. The tears worsened as I stepped back.
Prince Nicolas battled his confusion for a moment, then came inside, leaving the door open behind him. He sat at the marble-topped tea table, lifting the lid to show what food he’d snuck in. There was a small assortment, as he had no way of knowing my preferences; I recognized only a few things regardless.
I sat across from him, again wiping my cheeks, and picked up a red apple. Giving him a brief look of appreciation, I took a bite, then rolled my head back as the day’s hunger returned in full.
“I wanted to apologize for the scene with my mother,” Prince Nicolas said, watching me eat in a way that made me highly conscious of my manners. I knew to chew with my mouth shut, but were there other rules I wasn’t aware of? “I also wanted to assure you that I’m serious. After that commotion, you must think I’m using you as an act of rebellion against the Crown’s responsibilities.” My head tilted.
“Don’t get me wrong, it was convenient to have met you now. There has been a years-long struggle to pair me off with someone, and it’s only grown more intense since my last name day, but it didn’t feel quite right with any of them.” His words were polite enough, but I noticed the hint of a sneer as he remembered. “I met you, and…it was strange. Keep it between us—as if you’d be able to tell anyone, right?—but when I first met you, I felt this instant…attraction. I’ve never felt anything of the sort, really. It’s remarkable.”
I wasn’t sure how to react to his revelation, but he was watching me for a response.
Well, I’d already spoken with him once, what was one more time? I drew a quick breath, preparing myself to break that lifelong rule another time. “You said there were snakes in your court?”
The prince’s nails scratched the tabletop. His cheeks flushed as if I’d kissed him, but he quickly managed to compose himself. “Serpents, rats, and vultures surround me. Perhaps it’s not a safe place for you.”
“Sounds no different from the woods,” I half-joked, though I would have liked nothing more than to return home and knew I was doing nothing to help my cause. “But we also had bears and wild boars to contend with. Perhaps my plight was greater.”
“Then we have saved each other and can call it even,” Prince Nicolas joked back, but he hardly cracked a smile. “Your father said you couldn’t speak, yet you’ve a skilled enough tongue to amuse me.”
“Fathers will say anything to turn away a suitor,” I replied, thinking of my father back home. He’d have to break the news when Mother returned, and she was never a calm woman. The apple crunched as I took another bite.
Prince Nicolas scoffed, then reached for the ewer atop the table. As he picked it up, he paused to gander at its remaining volume, then poured a share of wine for himself. I blinked, surprised to see there was anything inside; had I known it contained alcohol, I’d certainly have helped myself after the disaster at supper.
The prince drank quickly and quietly, then poured himself another helping, as well as one for me. I took it and sipped, tempered by the rich, unanticipated sweetness. Meanwhile, Prince Nicolas grew more serious with each swallow.
He looked into his maroon reflection. “Not once in my life have I cared for such things as I desire from you.”
