Something’s upset her. Slowly, I hover a hand above her back before stepping away. “It’s all right, Wren. We can figure out a safe space for you to stay.”
“Oh yes, you would say that, noble prince.” She falls to the bed in a flurry, wine goblet in hand.
Running my hand through my hair, I try to soften my expression, my words. “Tell me something about yourself. Something you’ve never told anyone.”
Wrenley stills, an animal in a hunter’s trap. She closes her eyes and breathes in a long breath. Then she opens her eyes and studies me, looking a lot more like the girl I’m used to. “I never knew I had magic, likerealmagic, until you showed me at the water fountain in Florendel. Now, I can feel iteverywhere.”
“The world is full of magic.” I sit down next to her and take her small hand in my own. “Anything else?”
“I always dreamed of living in the Summer Realm,” she says softy. “Growing up, it felt like a place where no one could ever trap you. Like the sea could carry you far, far away from your problems.”
“I know what you mean.” But right now, trapped in these clay walls, the sea feels very far away.
“Now you tell me something,” she says.
“Me? I don’t have any secrets.” I smirk. None that I think she would understand. “I once borrowed Kel’s jacket and ripped it on one of the castle’s thorns.”
“Prickly little things,” she says and downs the wine in the goblet. “I have one more. I’ve never … never donethiswith anyone before.”
I swallow. “We don’t have to—”
“No.” She turns to me, and in a flash, all her shyness seems to have disappeared. She tosses the empty goblet to the floor. “You’re my mate. I’ve been dreaming of this moment my entire life. We belong together. Do you feel the same way about me?”
“O-of course I do,” I say. The words taste like ash in my mouth.
Before I can think any more, her lips are covering mine.
“I’m sure we can figure this out,” she murmurs, tugging at the laces of my shirt.
Dozens of responses filter through my mind, from the humorous to the downright raunchy, but all I can gasp out is, “If this is what you want.”
“Of course it is. Who else would I want? You’re my mate.”
I’m not sure if I’m imagining it, but it almost seems like she’s trying to convince herself as much as me. I kiss her again, this time running my lips from her jaw to her ear. I glide one hand through her hair, gripping her waist with the other.
“You’re beautiful,” she says, pulling away from me to look at my face. “Everyone in the palace goes on and on about it. Strong and handsome and tall. Though not as tall as Kairyn. He’s—”
“A whiny giant, I know. Can we avoid talking abouthimright now?”
“Of course.” She flushes and touches my hair. “Such a bright golden color.”
“You’re beautiful too, you know,” I tell her. It might be the first truth I’ve said today. Her face, such a similar shape to Rosie’s, that if I squint, I could almost pretend—
But I can’t do that. It’s not fair to her, and not fair to me.
Or Rosalina.
I roll Wrenley to her back, wondering how much longer we can delay this. I’ve done this with so many fae, so many times. Why can’t I push my feelings away like I did with Fare for so many years?
Rosie brought those feelings to light, made me feel what it was like to love both of them. Anger courses through me. She shouldn’t have done that. She had no right. Rosalina knew she had a mate, and yet she tried to get me to love her too.
And stupidly, she succeeded at it.
It feels like I’m going through the motions on where to place my hands, my mouth. Will this be enough to break the curse?
Wrenley moves to undo the laces of her robes, fingers trembling.
“Let me,” I say, covering my hand with hers. “I have gotten you out of those robes before.”
