Tears sting at my eyes and I press them with my palms to stem them from falling. I really miss her.
A warm feeling fills my body, peace and contentment overwhelming my previous despair, when suddenly, Baldar is twining around my feet. He climbs me and nestles himself in my hair.
“You will not believe the portals I had to go through to get here!”
I jump, pulling him from my head and holding him close to my body. “Where have you been?” I whisper. Baldar has been gone since Sam walked off with him the second day we were here. I was starting to think I would never see him again.
“Everywhere!”he squeaks.
“What?” I look at Baldar dubiously, tears momentarily halted.
“You heard me! Like I said it has been crazy trying to get back here, but I did it,”he preens.“Now, unfortunately this slight delay has cost us valuable training time and we are dreadfully behind. We must get started post haste!”
“More training?” I groan, my muscles giving another ache of protest.
“Yes, but do not worry, there will be no sword swinging involved… well at least not the normal kind.”The ferret makes a sound disturbingly close to a snicker.“Now move your ass and grab your men. Meet me in the back forest this afternoon, twicepast the sun’s highest point. Oh and…”His squeaky voice turns serious.“Try not to alert Sam.”
I furrow a brow. “Why is that?”
“Why do you question me?!”Comes an exasperated squeak.“He is not a marked one!”he says, as if it is obvious.“…and, well, I am not particularly pleased with him at the moment.”His tone turns sheepish.
“You and me both,” I sigh.
“Great! Now please follow the instructions! I will be napping on the recliner.”With that, he jumps from my arms and skitters out of the room. I hear a crash on the other side of the door then silence. I stare at the door for a moment, but honestly, I really do have no desire to argue with the little creature, especially after he has been gone for so long. It is not like he will bother anyone with his shenanigans here.
The prince has already left the room, likely sometime after I went out to train with Sam this morning. He too has been more hands-off these last two weeks. His gaze more observant. I would find this worrisome, but this nature seems to end once we reach the threshold of the cottage. Once we arrive back to the room in the evenings a switch seems to flip in him. He becomes more relaxed and mischievous, using that silver tongue of his to coax a reaction, any reaction, he can out of me. Once we both decide it is time for sleep, he pulls me into his arms and commands me to close my eyes.If I question his motives, he makes some comment about the ridiculousness of him allowing me to be uncomfortable if comfort is easily provided.It is downright confusing.
I have awoken in the prince’s arms every single morning, my back pressed firmly against his front. It has taken a lot of willpower to pry myself away from him and go out for training with Sam, but it must be done. By the time I get back he is always gone, and I do not see him again until the end of theday when we once again get ready for bed. My attraction to him has not waned in the slightest. Not that I am surprised. Sleeping snuggled in a man’s arms does not exactly cause feelings to wane, but it does not feel right to act on anything, even if he is my betrothed, with things so tense between the four of us.
Sorin has not really been around either and I cannot help but be upset by that fact. Our time in the dark lands alone meant the world to me. I feel like some piece of me is missing without him around and yet it seems he has no trouble being apart from me. He is usually at breakfast in the mornings and dinner in the evenings, but otherwise I do not see him for the entirety of the day. When we are at meals, he stands behind me and guards my chair, his fingers brushing my shoulders while I eat. He always appears deep in thought but has not elected to speak to me in order to share any of those questions I can see racing across his features. He does not seem upset per se, just preoccupied with something.
The change is causing me to go slightly insane. I do not understand the men’s sudden distance. Something has awakened in me and with every day that goes by without my continued interaction with them, I grow more and more on edge.
This longing is not helped by Sam’s continued contact with me either. His coldness does not negate the closeness training has encouraged. I never thought Sam was interested in me, but his anger with me as well as his body’s signals from training have been telling me a different story. It takes everything in me to force myself to grab my blade and try to defeat him instead of begging him to explain to me exactly what he has run out of time for and what all these riddles mean, but I know that it is smart to prioritize my training, and I do not want to push him farther away.
I splash cold water on my face and make my way towards the main cottage for breakfast. Hauling myself up the ladder toSylvie’s cottage, the voices of all three men filter through from the kitchen. I creep towards the door to catch Sorin speaking.
“Are we understood?” Sorin’s tone is unyielding.
Something creaks and they all turn in my direction.
The prince smiles. “Ah, perfect timing.”
Chapter thirty-one
Negotions
Sorin
Sam has been fucking annoying to deal with over the past two weeks. He had not taken the news of Lace and I well.
“You interfered,” he growled at me.
“We were already interfering by following her to Helomasi! And then I had to save her from that guard and things just… happened. I didn’t fuck her.”
“You unlocked her powers! Before the prince could! Do not bullshit me. Whether it was your fingers or cock does not matter. It is basically the same thing. Now everything is out of order.”
“What are you talking about?”
