Page 58 of Chess

This time when she blinked, it was rapid. But then a huge grin took up her whole face. “The heartless prince somehow found a heart.”

“Well, let’s not go getting crazy now,” he said with a raised brow. “I’m leaving for Scarlet soon, so I wanted to ask you to stay with her. I know you’ve likely got your own life to start now that my mother isn’t holding Mouse hostage and—”

“I’m not going anywhere,” she interrupted. “This was my home long before my cottage was, though I’m keeping that too.”

Chess set the book down and held his hands up. “No one will touch it.”

“Good. I had to leave behind many hats.”

“I’m sure.” He chuckled. “Ever is lucky to have you. All of you.”

“We are lucky to have each other.” Maddie waved a hand in the air and studied him. “Fine,King. You’ve talked me into it. We’ll be friends.”

“We’ll be … friendly,” he amended. Though he hadn’t asked for friendship from her, he found he didn’t entirely hate the idea.

She stood and offered her hand. “Ah, once you’ve had my special tea, you’ll change your mind. Friends, it will be.”

Tea sounded horrible, if he was being honest. It had never tasted good to him, but especially as a vampire. Still, he smiled and shook her hand. “Make sure your male gets the memo, yeah?”

“I’ll pass it along, but I make no promises.” She pulled her hand back and adjusted her hat. “Now if you don’t mind, we were having a bit of a romantic evening.”

Chess spun on his heel and slinked away.There.That was settled. He grinned at Noah on his way out of the room. “Do continue, lover boy.”

A featherlight touch along Chess’s nose woke him. He grinned, knowing without opening his eyes that it was Ever. “You should do that a bit lower,” he breathed.

“Hush you.” She laughed and playfully smacked his shoulder. “It’s morning.”

“And I must leave,” he said, voicing the unspoken part of her sentence. He opened his eyes and stared up into hers. His reluctance to leave her was mirrored in her expression. “Though I’d much rather stay right here.”

Ever smiled. “I’ll keep the sheets warm for your return.”

Chess rolled on top of her and kissed her fiercely. He really did need to get back to Scarlet but the longer their lips touched, the harder it was to pull away. In all honesty, he shouldn’t have left immediately after Anna murdered Rav, and it was imperative he get back to stake his claim. Weed out traitors. Set new laws. He was exhausted just thinking of it all.

“I’ll miss you,” he mumbled against her lips. “But not for long.”

She sucked in a breath.

“Because I’ll be back before the sheets even have time to cool.” He pressed a quick kiss to her forehead and slid from the bed before he could talk himself into staying alittlelonger.

“We’ll both be kept quite busy,” she offered. “Which means we’ll be preoccupied.”

Chess buttoned his trousers and swiped his vest off the floor. “Not preoccupied enough.”

He put one knee on the bed and leaned over for one last kiss. Their lips touched, lingered, caressed, for only a moment, but Chess committed the entire feeling to memory. “You taste sweet,” he said as he leaned back. “Stay here and rest. Don’t see me out or I might change my mind about going.”

Ever settled back into the soft pillows, only a sheet covering her naked body, and studied him. With her white hair tumbling over her shoulder, she looked every bit the goddess she was. “Be safe and hurry back.”

“One week,” he vowed. That was as long as he thought he could manage without laying eyes on her again. “Even if it’s for one night, I’ll be back next week.”

Ever’s eyes lit up. “If not, I may have to take another journey to the Ruby Heart Palace.”

Epilogue

Ever

Ever paced back and forth in her lily garden, the trees around her blooming with bright silver and white flowers, as she glided her bow across the viola’s strings. This time, she chose to play a modern song she’d heard in the mortal world at a club once, letting the bow kiss and meld against the strings, the deep notes surrounding her while she got lost in the melody’s richness. She smiled at the way she was changing it to fit her own classical edge.

Two weeks had passed since a Scarlet vampire had ripped out her brother’s heart, two weeks since Ever had realized she loved Chess, two weeks since they’d last brought each other to bliss, two weeks since he’d left the Ivory Palace, and two weeks that she’d missed the damn princeling with every aching fiber in her… Kingling just didn’t have the same ring to it, so he would just have to get used to the nickname.

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