Page 46 of The Mirror and the Curse

To Eddi’s relief, blended with disappointment, Kai hadn’t returned. The rest of that day turned out better than she had expected. Along with studying maps and setting up a possible training schedule, she and Fidelio ate both lunch and dinner together in the dining hall amid friends, then joined a group for table games—an amusement Eddi hadn’t indulged in for many years. Laughter and friendship restored her spirits and banished the lingering awkwardness between her and the sweet clumsy prince.

Occasional twinges of worry about Kai interrupted her fun, yet she deliberately smiled as she climbed into bed that night, recalling one sweet little exchange during the games when the look in Fidelio’s big brown eyes had transformed from laughter to a hopeful, questioning look that made her breath catch.

Raquel would be away for an entire week. Who knew what might happen in that time?

She drifted off on a happy cloud until her eyes popped open. All evening she had blocked memories of dancing in the gazebo—any thoughts of Kai—but suddenly they came flooding back, making her heart pound and her cheeks burn. First thing in the morning, she needed to talk with him and maybe try to work out this . . . this . . . whatever-it-was.

The most likely time to catch Kai on a weekday was early morning, while summer staffers fed and groomed the riding horses. Eddi dressed hastily and hurried down the hill—no makeup, her hair pulled into a low ponytail. He had to be there today. She needed to see him. She needed to know . . .

She couldn’t put that part into words, but the need was so real that she found it hard to breathe until she found Kai with his toolbox at the wash rack in the courtyard, flat on his back beneath the pipes. He wore truly grubby jeans and that familiar holey shirt. He didn’t shift or turn as Eddi approached, yet she suspected he knew she was there.

“Good morning, Kai.” She dropped to her knees beside him and peered under the pipes. “Is it part of your job to repair equipment? Seems to me you do just about all the work around this place.”

“Hardly that.” His face looked pale in the morning light as he offered a guarded look and a nod. “Good morning, Your Highness.”

Formality again. Ouch. “Did you have a pleasant outing yesterday?” she asked, striving to sound casual while her innards churned. “I heard you were visiting family.”

His arm muscles flexed, although as far as Eddi could tell, he was merely holding onto two pipes with a wrench of some kind gripped in one hand. “Yes. It was an anniversary celebration for my grandparents.”

“How many years?”

“Fifty.”

“Wow, that’s special!”

With a little huff of resignation, he scooted out from under the pipes. Eddi carefully shifted her gaze when his shirt hiked up a little, but her traitorous face went hot anyway. His looked equally flushed as he sat up and gave her an enigmatic glance through his lashes. “They’re an interesting pair. Argue almost every time they speak to each other, yet they both seem to enjoy it.”

Eddi chuckled, feeling more hopeful now that he faced her. “Was it just family or a large crowd?”

“Even ‘just family’ involves a horde when it comes to my mom’s relatives, but they invited a lot of friends too.”

Something in his tone aroused her curiosity. “Was it fun? You don’t sound particularly enthusiastic.”

He leaned back on his hands, still holding the wrench. “It’s difficult to have a real conversation with anyone in a crowd that big. And my mom was—” He paused. “Never mind. It’s no big deal. I’m just not into large social events.”

Before Eddi could evaluate his words and tone, he gave her a direct look that sent a small shockwave through her heart. His face was now pale, and his eyes appeared almost as cool as the sapphires they resembled. “Good thing you stopped by. I need to tell you . . .” His voice cracked.

He paused, swallowed hard, and tried again. “I’ve taught you everything I know about connecting mentally with your fterotó, and you’ve achieved that goal. All you two need now is practice. As far as preparing for the Cup, you’ll soon have the other racers to fly with, so White won’t need to race with Flurry. She’s not in his league anyway. All this to say . . . you don’t need lessons from me anymore.”

He dropped his gaze and fiddled with the wrench. The muscles of his forearms corded, and tension radiated from him.

“Kai . . .”

“I thank you for offering me that opportunity,” he added gruffly. “It will look good on my résumé.”

“Résumé? Are you already applying for other positions?”

Without looking up, he gave a short nod. “Soon.”

She felt as if the earth had shifted beneath her, preparing to dump her off. “You will leave Faraway Castle?”

“I never intended to spend my entire life here.”

Her limbs felt detached from the rest of her. “I wish you well,” she managed to say. Tears pressed at the backs of her eyes. “And I thank you for your services.”

Rising, she turned her back to him and walked blindly away. He didn’t call after her, although she thought he might be watching her walk away.

Back in her room, she dropped on the edge of her bed and stared at the floor. Now that she had the privacy to cry, tears refused to come. She’d been fooling herself these past few weeks. Kai had never been romantically interested in her. He might melt her with a glance, but it didn’t mean anything. It wasn’t his fault. He was just being friendly. After all, he could be thinking about the most mundane things and eyes like his would still look devastatingly romantic. He probably left behind a trail of broken hearts everywhere he went, totally unaware.

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