Page 54 of The Princes of Stone and Steel

“It is true, they do not like the Forfex… butdespisethe Vráchos, whose mining has so polluted their pristine waters.” My tree friend answered. “And it is now known far and wide throughout the outliers that the prince of Forfex has pledged himself to the flesh.”

“Mist, Olt Ellart make yout a tasty morsel.” My host stood next to me holding a glass platter overflowing with cheeses, grapes and crusty bread.

My stomach grumbled, but I could hardly eat with Steele at ground level injured and desperate. Still, I didn’t want to raise any suspicions, so when Ellard lifted the plate to me, I took it, keeping my other hand on the root to channel my thoughts.“Go to the lake. I’m begging you, Steele.”

“We won’t separate.”

“Please, once we leave, I’ll escape. I’ll run to you. Please.”

It’s known far and wide throughout the outliers that the prince of Forfex has pledged himself to the flesh...That was what the tree man told me.

Okay, so I might have possibly—totally—been an idiot. In this moment I wanted to lay the smack down more on myself than Mármaro. Two princes had offered themselves to me, but only one had shown he held my interests above all else. I couldn’t lose him. I wouldn’t lose him.

“I’ll make him think we’re together, then once aboveground, I’ll make my escape. The trees will lead me. You must go…Please, Steele,for me.”One could only hope he heard the desperation in my voice, even though I wouldn’t exactly call myself desperate. More like rejuvenated with purpose. But he didn’t need to know that, because desperation was my only chance to get him to agree—the stubborn man.

“I hate this,”he said to me in reply.

“I’ll be fine… and I’ll come to you.”

“The prince must go,” the tree man broke in. “The princess Congruis has not much time.”

“Dammit,” Steele spat.“I love you, Millie.”

“Go. And be careful,”I answered, because I couldn’t say any more or I might have lost the bravado firing up my veins. As the flesh, I needed that fire to make things happen. Time to tip the scales in favor ofme.

“Mist?” Ellard nudged me with the side of the platter still in his hands to help me keep it balanced in my one.

“Oh,sorry. Thank you.” I let go from the root to hold the platter in both hands. “Sometimes my mind goes far away.”

“Come, come…” Ellard pulled at my elbow. “Sit. Eat.”

I plopped down on the spot that I’d vacated to talk with Steele, placing the plate on my lap, and immediately turned to Mármaro. “I’m sorry I forgot.”

A brilliant smile spread across his face a moment before he dropped his head and chuckled, then turned his face up to look back at me. His eyes glittered, his smile touching their corners. The striations of his marble striping gave him a regalness I’d never noticed before. Aesthetically, he was beautiful. I could see in him the great statues of Greece.

Yet the harder I looked, the more I saw the man underneath, his beauty crumbling to show the jerkwad stopping at nothing to get what he desired most.

Not me. Not Millie. The flesh.

My fingers itched to kick his marble booty.

For now, I bided my time, giving the performance of my life. “How could I have ever thought he cared for me? The drugs in my system have thankfully been wearing off. It’s always been you… my first friend in this land.” And for emphasis, I plucked a couple grapes from their stems to pop in my mouth and chewed with relish.

We ate and I kept up my end of the conversation. Ellard refilled our teas. After some time had passed, Mármaro hushed us with a finger pressed to his lips. I nodded once. Ellard froze.

“No Forfex prince?” Mármaro asked the room at large.

I shook my headno, knowing that Steele had left, yet hoping to convey curiosity and concern.

“Ellard, check he’s gone,” ordered Mármaro.

“Certain, Ro. Right awayt.” Ellard shoved his plate off his lap and scuttled over to the wall, tugging on a thin cord made of vine, which caused a hole to open up at the base of the tree. Only a small hole. From what appeared to be an umbrella holder made out of a hollowed-out log next to the hole, he pulled a branch with mirrors attached to it in several spots. Each one positioned to reflect the image on the lower mirror until the world aboveground became visible to us below.

I’d wondered how he knew we were nearby. He used mirrors to search the dense area of trees and lush forest greenery for signs of man or animal. The coast was clear. That was actually clever. Don’t know that I’d have thought of that.

“Thank you, El.” Mármaro moved to the hole with sword in hand and turned to me. “I’ll go first.”

A harder tug to the vine and the hole opened up wide enough for us to crawl through once again. Finger and footholds helped us climb out. The forest appeared darker, which meant we’d been down there for a while. Not much natural light penetrated this deep in. These little wisps of green light that I didn’t remember seeing before popped off the bottoms of the trees like Fourth of July sparklers, lighting our path.

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