Page 32 of Charmed

He tilted his head in surprise, but obediently plucked a large leaf and used a rock to smash the chestnuts into small enough pieces that would be easy for me to consume as well as more gentle on my stomach.

“Why don’t you use magic?” It seemed like a lot of unnecessary effort to expend.

“Food tastes better when it’s prepared without it.”

“You’d go so far for a mere frog?”

He shrugged and laid the leaf on the ground in front of me. Though I knew the chestnuts would be better eaten hot, my attention remained eclipsed by the man before me. He noticed my gaze and glanced over in silent question.

“If you’re worried human food won’t agree with you, I would be happy to prepare a stomach tonic.”

He gave my head a reassuring pat and turned back to the fire. Concentration lined his brow as he cooked, his movements more fluid and practiced than I’d expected from a prince who had servants to wait upon him, which just showed how often he insisted on his own independence despite his elevated station.

In addition to the chestnuts, he roasted some mushrooms he’d foraged before gathering berries from a nearby bush and mixing them with some greenery for a salad, completing the meal with bread from his provisions that he toasted over the flames. With each thing he prepared, he divided it evenly and presented each morsel on a leaf, until I was surrounded by a several-course meal, far more than my frog stomach could likely hold.

We enjoyed a moment of comfortable companionship as we savored his food before he next spoke. “I’ve been curious about something.”

“Hmm?” My mouth was rather full of the delicious meal, which somehow surpassed anything else I’d ever eaten, even Mother’s cooking.

He chose his words carefully, as if worried he might offend me. “You’re not a real frog, are you?”

As tempted as I was to deny it, he spoke with too much surety for me to even hope I could get away with it…not that I had any motive to do so. “What gave me away?”

His lips twitched. “Your human tastes in finding the thought of eating flies vastly unappealing. Not to mention I sense magic about you that acted as a base for my communication charm, making it easier to apply.” His mouth twisted in displeasure at having used such an advantage for his spell. “Not to mention you can read. I’m not so naive as to believe that’s my doing after I cast such a simple spell. While magic isn’t limited to humans, it’s far more likely that you’re a human who’s been transformed into a frog rather than a frog who happens to possess magic. The only natural conclusion is that you’re not truly a frog.”

My heartbeat quickened as I met his gaze, hope rising that he had guessed who I truly was. To my surprise I found a trace of reluctance mingling with the anticipation; I realized that my anonymity had given our relationship a fresh start, one more open and easy than it had been as his apprentice…and one that had allowed me to see and appreciate him in a new way. Additionally, I cringed at the thought that he would realize I’d been the one commenting about his handsome appearance.

“I—”

“I know it’s likely a delicate matter you can’t discuss,” he hastened to add. “Especially due to the conditions of most curses.” He bit his lip and looked intently into my eyes. “Something is so familiar about you. Your magic…I can’t help thinking I’ve sensed it before.”

I sat up straight, willing him to recognize me.

“Kai?”

My shoulders slumped in disappointment. “No. I don’t know who that is.”

Alden shook his head.

“No, I knew the magic didn’t feel right, not to mention I thought I saw him at the entrance challenge when you were with me. Kai is a close friend of mine and we’ve frequently worked on spells together. He’s the only one I confided in that I planned to enter this competition. For a moment I wondered if he’d spelled himself to join me and provide his aid, though I persistently told him I needed to do this alone.”

He gave me another intent stare, then sighed and shook his head.

“I’m sorry; I have no idea who you are. It’s tricky with the curse; I wouldn’t want you to be punished from trying to help me guess.”

Apprehension tickled my warty skin. “Would a curse prevent you from helping me?”

“I didn’t say that.” He arranged some chestnuts on his toasted bread and took a bite, expression thoughtful as he chewed. “Admittedly it’d be better for me to avoid becoming involved, especially if you were cursed by someone vengeful; with my aspirations, it wouldn’t be in my best interest to acquire an enemy.”

I knew the best option would be to tell him the truth. While confessions of this sort had never been difficult for me before, my new awareness of him and my desperation for his companionship made me hesitant.

I silently scolded myself. While it was embarrassing to admit I’d done this to myself, it wasn’t as if he knew it was hisapprenticewho’d been so foolish, which meant I had no reason to fear losing the good impression I felt strangely possessive of…at least until the full truth came out.

He prodded me with his gaze, his invitation for me to speak. “There’s no need to worry; I wasn’t cursed by anyone of that nature.”

His brows drew together. “Then how did you become a frog?”

Now came the moment of truth. I took a wavering breath. “I cursed myself…accidentally, of course.”

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