Page 80 of Beneath a Shattered Sky
And if she doesn’t like it… Nope. Not going there. She’ll love it because I don’tdoinferior gifts.
Twenty-Four
Rhoswyn
Caed finds us just after the darkness has begun to truly set in, and the small box clutched in his hand draws my eye like a magnet, distracting me from the stage and the fire dancers twirling on it. My own gift for him is nestled in a flat case in my pocket, and nervous butterflies of self-doubt have been eating at me since I purchased it.
Will he like it?
His return is a relief. Prae and her prince have been getting subtly closer to each other ever since Gryffin’s return over an hour ago, and despite the barbs between them, the sexual tension they’re both throwing off is undeniable.
And uncomfortable.
Fortunately, after that first flying lesson, Prae hasn’t come to any of the others, which means I haven’t had to endure…this. The two of them are exchanging heated looks, and I’m still not sure if it’s anger or arousal that’s flickering between them. I’m pretty sure it’s both.
Prae might not be convinced about mating him, but she’s clearly interested in fucking him. And that leaves me in the world’s most awkward position, caught between them.
Caed says nothing as he takes his place by my side, staring up at the dancers. It takes him all of a handful of minutes to catch on to the situation I’ve been dealing with, and when he does, he snorts.
“Have they been like this the entire time?” He jerks his head at the bickering couple, as if he could be talking about anyone else.
“Pretty much.” I sigh. “I half expect they’ll miss the lantern lighting because they’ll be too busy searching for a quiet room…”
His soft laugh tells me I’m right.
The performance winds down in a kind of companionable silence, and I smile as children start weaving through the crowd, dispensing bright red paper lanterns and urging the gathered fae towards the upper branches of the trees.
“Shall we?” I ask, noting that Gryffin and Prae have already disappeared.
That didn’t take long. Silently, I wish the fae prince luck. His week is up now, and I honestly can’t tell if Prae will kill him or accept the mating bond. The two of them are just one more problem in a long list of things to deal with, and I sigh again.
“Am I boring you?” Caed asks, a smirk playing on his lips.
“No! It’s just… heavy thoughts, I guess.”
He follows my line of sight to the spot where his cousin was a moment ago and shrugs. “Prae can handle herself, even if he does have his aunt’s gift.”
Humming a half-agreement, I reply, “For all that my Guard loses control of their powers almost daily around me, they’ve never harmed me. I’m not sure if it’s possible. I’m more worried about what could happen if he loses control here. There are children…”
Caed’s mouth thins into a line, which quirks a second later. “He could try getting cursed by Danu. It’s a hundred percent effective at eliminating errant magic displays.”
I can’t help it, I snort. “Yes, well, he’d have to be a little more…”
“Finish the sentence, little queen. I can take it.”
My tongue stalls, mouth opening, then closing as the laughter in those turquoise eyes steals whatever I might’ve said.
“You don’t have to worry.” He spares me the indignity of answering. “I think Prae’s decided. She wouldn’t have gotten dressed up if she thought there was a risk she’d get blood on the dress.”
“She’s a warrior,” I reply. “Surely blood on her dress isn’t a concern.”
He shakes his head. “Ordinarily, yes, but sometimes she can be really girly.” He shudders like the idea is horrifying. “She likes that dress. Besides, we’re on your side now. She won’t kill him and add a political shitstorm to your list of problems.”
I wouldn’t be so sure. Prae was adamant that she wasn’t my friend earlier, and I get it.
“Gryffin would be lucky to have her,” I say, meaning it.
Thinking about it now, I can easily see how both princes match her personality. Gryffin has her playful sarcasm and easy banter, and Florian’s fierce loyalty is a match for hers.
