Page 60 of Bound By Honey

No one spoke until Colby finally broke the silence.

"So," he said. "What are we going to do about Owen?"

Everyone’s heads swiveled to the prince, who looked back at them expectantly.

"What do you mean?" Sage asked.

"I mean for the night. If he tries to escape while you're watching him, you might end up burning the entire place down," Colby teased Prince Finn.

"I'm not sure," he said.

There was a pause. "Why don't Colby, Asher and I have him stay in our room? We would be much more useful against him if he tried anything," Sawyer said.

"You would never do that, would you?" Asher teased with a poke at the crown prince's shoulder, which he quickly responded to with a growl.

The others all nodded, and Sage smiled. "Then that's what we'll do," Sawyer said. "Previous sleeping arrangements, then?"

Sage tried not to look too nervous as Prince Finn nodded to Sawyer's suggestion. She had romantic feelings for him now and was sure he had his own for her. She had figured she would have to sleep in the same room as him again, but this time it would be different.

She took a deep breath, working up the courage to accept, and then finally nodded, a small smile appearing.

"Alright," she said softly. Her friends all looked at her with smirks, teasing her but supporting their decision simultaneously.

The innkeeper returned with their stored items, and the group gathered their belongings and made their way up the stairs to their rooms. Asher, Sawyer, Colby, and Prince Owen entered the largest room, while Asher closed the door with a wink, leaving Sage and Prince Finn alone in the hallway. Prince Finn cleared his throat and opened the door to their room.

Once inside, he paused, silently gazing around the room.. "Are you sure you're alright with this?" he asked softly over his shoulder.

Sage nodded as her dragonling curled up under a small table with a vase of yellow flowers, her heart pounding as she took everything in. It was the same small room as before, cozy with a small bed pushed against the wall and a single window looking out into the night sky.

"Yes," she said finally, her voice barely above a whisper as she moved closer to him. "This will be okay."

Prince Finn smiled at her warmly before gesturing to the bed. "You're not going to try and sleep on the floor again, are you?"

Her heart beat faster as Prince Finn moved about the room, preparing for bed. He stripped off both his under and outer shirt and boots, revealing a sculpted chest that made her face flush even more.

She quickly unlaced her boots, crawled into bed, and buried herself in the cover, trying to compose herself. She heard him crawl into the other side and felt his warm presence beside her.

The room was quiet as they lay there, neither willing to break the silence between them.

Finally, Sage could take it no longer, and she cleared her throat softly. "Do you ... like me?" she asked tentatively.

Prince Finn gave a soft chuckle before turning onto his side to face her in the darkness. "I think it's obvious, honeybee," he murmured as he brushed a strand of hair away from Sage's face, their eyes meeting in the moonlight streaming through their window.

Sage’s heart skipped a beat as their gazes locked, and she smiled shyly before looking away. Neither spoke for what seemed like an eternity, leaving only the sounds of their breathing.

"You're brave and strong," he said, breaking the silence with a compliment that made Sage blush even more than before. He felt for her hands before taking them as he gazed into her eyes with admiration shining in their depths. "You care about helping those in need and somehow decided that I was also worth helping. You have such an amazing soul, and the best thing that has come out of my curse."

Sage felt her face flush as she looked at Prince Finn. His words filled her with warmth, and she smiled shyly.

"You're an amazing leader," she said softly, "but you still know how to listen to others. You have such strength and courage, even when faced with insurmountable odds."

She paused, looking deep into his eyes. "When I first met you, you seemed so difficult, but now I've come to see that you're one of the kindest people I've ever met underneath it all."

Prince Finn brought it to his lips and gently kissed her knuckles.

"I'm glad fate let our paths cross," he murmured.

He pulled her to him until their faces were only inches apart, and their breath mingled in the darkness around them. She could feel the heat radiating off him and they both knew what was about to happen.

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