Page 42 of Once Upon an Enchanted Kiss

Rosamund considered this as they continued to ride through the trees down a well-worn path. She had thought it was strange the night before. There was something that didn’t sit right with the entire encounter with the old woman. Something that made her senses tingle.

“I have no answer to that, but I think you were right to question it,” he added. “You’re also right not to go after the treasure.”

Disappointment flooded her. It had taken a great bit of courage for her to admit she wanted to go after the treasure. The grand adventure was slipping away from her.

“You said you wanted to be a hunter,” she reminded him.

He nodded. “I did. I do.”

“And now you think we should forget about it?”

“Perhaps we should,” he said.

She bit her bottom lip to keep from crying out with her objections. Last night, when she was sitting at the table with the bowl of soup, she felt there was something awry about the whole situation. But there was such a light of excitement in his eyes. It left her wondering what she was going to do to live out her days as a peasant since she wasn’t planning on returning to her life as a princess.

“Where are we headed?” she asked, abruptly changing the subject.

“Northwest. I thought once we were out of the Mystwood Forest, we’d continue onward to Rothbridge. There are a few towns in between here and there where we can find food and rest.”

If she recalled her geography correctly, Rothbridge was a kingdom northwest of Stonebridge.

“All right,” she replied.

And though she didn’t say it, she decided she would find a way to stay behind in one of those towns and start her new life.

It was near midday. Their conversation had gone to almost nothing except for a few comments here and there. She noticed he had stuck the rolled-up map in one of his saddle bags. It was slightly smashed, the end peeking out.

Rosamund found she could not stop thinking about the dragon’s treasure. Perhaps there was a way for her to take the map and, once they split up, double back to find it herself. She hadn’t totally given up the idea.

Likely she was crazy to even think about it, but since she’d made up her mind to go, she couldn’t let it go.

“Ho there!” A voice called out.

They both twisted in the saddle to see two riders trotting toward them. It was two men. One waved in greeting, a big smile on his face.

“Bollocks,” he said under his breath and came to a halt.

She, too, halted her horse and watched as the men came forward. One was strikingly handsome with blond hair and bright blue eyes that twinkled with mirth. The other man, who looked quite similar to the first, had a serious expression on his face.

“You’re quite cunning, my prince,” the man with the serious expression said. “We thought we’d never catch up to you.”

“Prince?” She snapped her head in his direction, peering at him as question flooded her. “You’re a prince?”

“Rose—” he began.

But the man cut him off. “He is, my lady. How fortune for you to be traveling with him. I’m glad to see his reputation as a rogue continues.”

Rosamund sat rigid in the saddle as she gaped at him. Color rose high in his cheeks. He narrowed his gaze at the man, his brows drawing together in consternation.

“What are you doing here, Jeffrey?” he demanded.

“I’m here to do what I promised your mother I’d do. Take to you Myst Hall,” Jeffrey said.

A gasp exploded from her. “Myst Hall?”

A flush crept up Edward’s face as he gave her an apologetic glance. Then her eyes widened as understanding dawned. She was right to believe he was more than a peasant. She suspected a noble of some sort but she did not suspect he was Prince Phillip, her betrothed. Fury erupted through her. Fury along with a healthy dose of embarrassment.

“Prince Phillip, is it?” she asked, her tone laced with acid. “You lied to me.”

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