Page 34 of Prince of Blaze and Embers
Her thoughts showed in her gaze as it darted around the room. “Very well.”
Rosa left, leaving the door open an inch.
Moments later, Bella came in, closing the door behind her. Her face was stricken with worry. I could tell by her bloodshot eyes, puffiness under them, and her flat mouth choking back tears.
“Ash…” she managed to say as she ran to me. She scooped me up to a sitting position as we embraced. “You’re alive! I was so worried! Why did you go out there? What were you thinking?”
“I—I’ll tell you everything.” Which I did. I told her about Cornelius, who may have been in the room. I told her about Rone and the ogre, and my magic, and Cade and Hunter killing the monsters, saving my life.
She sat on the bed as I lay back, recanting the whole ordeal. A gamut of emotions showed on her face, with reactions of shock,bewilderment, worry, and triumph. But when I finished telling her everything, she instantly glowered at me.
I hadn’t gotten to the prince, but she knew I’d left out the real conclusion to the story. “What?”
“Don’t what me. I saw the expression he tried to hide when he left the room with you. And I see the same fucking expression on your face. Out with it!”
I sat up and grasped her sleeves. “I don’t know what happened. But my god, Bella… I think I’m falling for him.”
“What happened?” Bella pronounced the two words slowly, forcing me to spill our secret.
“He… he kissed me. He kissed me so intensely, I thought I was going to explode.”
“You kissed?” Bella’s eyes shot wide, and a huge grin grew on her face. “I knew something happened!”
“By Odiun, Bella. It was the hottest fucking thing I’ve ever felt. Nothing has even come close. My heart is so all over the place, I don’t even know what to think.”
“Well, slow down.” She raised her palms up toward me. “He’s still the Blaze Prince. You know, the most highly praised killer in all of Allovan. And, oh yeah, he’s a fucking prince. But…” She raised a sly eyebrow and patted me on my thigh. “You’re one lucky girl. He’s as handsome as the devil. And you’re getting feelings for him. I can tell by your voice.”
“I—I don’t know what to think. He bought me. I’m his property. He wouldn’t be the first slave master to kiss his property. But… god, I would’ve done anything he wanted me to. If only he would’ve tried.”
“I bet,” Bella laughed. “I’m sure you would’ve.”
I sighed, lying back into the soft pillow with a thud. “But you’re right. I’m a slave, and he’s a prince. Shit, he’s taking me to Emberveil, or at least he was going to. I don’t know why I’m getting my hopes up, or even thinking about what could happen. I’ve got bigger issues than thinking about him naked. That manon the ogre was going to take me to the Blaze Queen. He was going to take me to Cade’s stepmother.”
“Stepmother? She’s his stepmother? I thought she was his mother?”
“Me too. And I don’t think he wants to take me to her now, for some reason. I think… Oh god, what am I about to say? I’m such a fool…”
“What?” Bella’s expression pressed it from me forcefully as she dug her fingernails into my thigh.
“He said he liked me from the first moment he saw me…”
“Shut it!” Her fist slammed into my leg.
“Ow!”
“He didn’t say that…”
“He did. I promise.”
Bella sat up straight with a sly, proud smirk. “You bitch. You got the Blaze Prince to like you, and now you got to kiss him.”
“Bella… it was amazing. Absolutely amazing…”
That evening was so much less dramatic. It was pleasant, but in the most awkward kind of—we just acted like everything was normal, even though it was the complete opposite—way.
We ate a delicious dinner from Rosa, but it was just Bella and me. We didn’t hear or see anything of Cade or Hunter. The house was eerily quiet. We only heard the winds howl from the open windows as the fire burned in the hearth. Rosa worked with her back to us, laying platters before us, refusing to answer questions. She seemed to make her point clear enough not to leave the house again.
Bella and I talked about the prince in whispers.
