Page 22 of The Princes of Stone and Steel

“Thenunfortunatelyis right. Her feelings around you aren’t enough. She has to remember. Millie, my father will dispose of you if you don’t. You told me you understand what that means.”

I nodded as I totally understood what she meant. It was kind of hard not to understand ‘dispose of you.’

“Kori. I will not let that happen,” said Steele. “Nobody is taking her away again. Nobody.”

“Hey, I’m on your side,” said Korrigan. “She’s my best friend. You never had a true mate before, I never had a best friend. That’s why I’m out here. Father is looking for you.”

Prince Steele actually grumbled while sitting up. “Duty calls, Mils. Can’t I abdicate right now?”

“I suppose you could, but doing so would probably defeat the purpose of what you want me to remember,” I teased.

“I’ll make sure she gets back all right,” Korrigan replied.

“She goes to a room…” Steele ordered. “With a bathroom and closet and clothing to change into. Not that cell.”

“I’ll take good care of her, brother,” Korrigan reiterated, and this statement finally got him moving.

Then as he stood, the prince bent over, pressing one last hard kiss to my forehead before taking off back to the castle.

Eleven

Millicent Merchant, 1820s

ELLARD KEPT THEM SAFELY HIDDEN UNTIL THE ROOTS began to whisper of the warecats’ departure. They tracked their direction so Millicent and her companion could navigate away from the danger.

“Whert you be headtin off to now, young Ro?” Ellard asked.

“Probably safest to get her back to Vráchos lands,” Mármaro answered.

“Can we not travel underground?” Millicent asked the men.

“Oh, Miss Millie. Afrait dese here tunnels runt too small fort da likes er ya.”

“Thank you for everything, El.” With a nod of his head, Mármaro began the steep climb back up the hole he had come down, with Millicent close on his heels. She held back at the foot of the hole, waiting until he could do a quick sweep of the area.

After a few tense seconds of silence, he called, “All clear,” back down to the waiting Millicent. She turned to thank Ellard one last time before reaching her arms up the hole. Mármaro grabbed hold of both her hands, yanking with so much force, she popped out of the opening, spilling on top of him.

The pair laughed through the awkwardness of the situation before he dragged his finger, the lightest touch, across her cheek. She stared at him, taken by the tender moment. No man, aside from her father, had ever touched her so tenderly and Millicent had the feeling he didn’t mean it fatherly.

Silence filled the woods again before she pushed up off her friend.

“We should head back,” Mármaro said, standing still just a few moments longer, holding her hand before starting off in the direction they’d come earlier.

At least Millicent could have sworn this was the way they’d come. Yet nothing looked familiar. None of the trees. No fairyland.

“The forest has shifted,” he said, more to himself than Millicent. But if it were true, it hadn’t only shifted, but turned darker, more ominous than it had been before. The green leaves shadowed to appear almost black, curling up on themselves as if trying to protect themselves from some yet unseen evil. It didn’t make sense, yet it felt the only explanation to make sense to Millicent’s apprehensive mind.

“How is that possible?” she asked, not caring that he hadn’t addressed her directly.

He looked her pointedly in the eyes before answering, “How is any of this possible?”

Millicent had no idea what the man referred to, but this was his land. He should certainly know more about the possibilities of the place than she.

“Come.” He tugged a little harder on her hand. “It’s not safe here.”

“Do you know where we are?”

“Not anymore.”

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