Page 40 of To Wake a Kingdom

Instantly she transformed, a smile lighting her face as she clapped her hands and returned to the wardrobe. The truth was, I missed my beautiful clothes. It was the one perk of being a princess I’d never minded. Silk and jewels, and always the latest fashions right at my fingertips. Always the best things money could buy. None of it had seemed important lately, though, when so many other things were competing for my attention. Besides, it was harder to kill a man while wearing a skirt.

Kianna pulled out a bright red dress, and I started to protest, but shut my mouth. Once in a while, I could accept what was in front of me. When no objection came, she clawed at my offending garment, and I slipped it off to replace it with something far bolder and more festive.Snug around my waist, the skirt flared into a cascade of red bits of silk and chiffon and lace, layer upon delicate layer. The neckline sat low, exposing the top swell of my breasts, framed by a soft trim of red petals.

Kianna led me to the dressing table. “Sit down.”

With a wave of her hand, my hair twisted into a thick braid, loosened strands carefully framing my face. Scarlet flowers bloomed from her fingertips, and she wove them into the plait. Cherry-red lipstick and a swoop of black around my eyes completed the look. I had to admit, the dress was perfect with my brown skin and midnight hair.

“So much better!” Kianna declared, her eyes shining.

I smiled at her through the mirror. “It is. Thank you. But am I allowed to wear my boots?”

Kianna nodded. “Yes, a lady still needs to manage through the snow.”

I laughed and donned my black wool coat with its wide collar of silver fox fur.It was sunny, so I left it unbuttoned as we made our way to the stables. The others were already waiting with their horses. I scanned the forest, wondering where Slumber, the horse, had ended up after I’d left him in the trees.

Ronan had his back to us, arms resting on the saddle of his mount. I bit the inside of my lip, staring at the way his pants stretched over the molded lines of his ass and his shirt skimmed up his sides and broad shoulders. Noah let out a low whistle as we approached, severing my single-minded thought.

“Look at you two. Don’t you clean up nice?” He regarded me and Kianna with an approving nod.

Ronan turned, my cheeks flushing as he stared at me, those evergreen eyes focused on my mouth as he lifted a hand to rub his chin.

Stepping forward, I patted Ronan on the cheek. “Stop staring. You’re making a fool of yourself.” My tone was light and teasing, but I’d be lying if I said his reaction didn’t please me.

He blinked and then grinned as he stepped back, an arm sweeping out to his horse.“Your carriage, Highness.”

Damn.

There were four horses and six of us. A conflict of emotions bound me in hesitation. While being so close to Ronan wasn’t an unwelcome thought, the conversation I’d overheard surfaced to the top of a weed-clogged lake, reminding me of Lady whatever-her-name-was, and I wasn’t eager to put myself in a vulnerable position.

“Kianna can ride with you.”

“Too late,” she said, already sitting with Em, her slender arms wrapped around the other woman’s waist. “Besides, I could fly if I needed to.” She twitched her wings as if to illustrate her point.

“I’ll ride with Noah,” I said, feeling a little crazy.

“Your Highness,” Ronan said, leaning down as if to ensure no one else could hear. “Between you and me, he is not as skilled a rider as I am. He is liable to let you fall and break that enticing neck.”

Conscious of everyone watching me, I hesitated. I looked like a fool making such a big deal about this. I could ride with Ronan. This was for the sake of convenience.

“Fine.” I threw my bag at Ronan’s chest and then grabbed the saddle, pulling myself up and arranging my skirt around me. As he joined me, I felt every whisper of his hard body against mine scattering my pulse in a thousand directions.

“An excellent choice, Your Highness,” he said right in my ear, so close his lips ghosted my skin. His bottomless baritone trickled down the exposed lines of my throat and the top of my breasts before a shiver ricocheted down my spine. “I’ll try not to be too distracted by how good you smell.” His words tightened every inch of skin like the tuning pegs of a violin.

I glimpsed him over my shoulder, and our eyes held for a prolonged breath, a flare of heat singeing me between my thighs. A moment later, the horse sidestepped, jolting us both, and the connection broke, much to my relief and disappointment.

As we rode for Tenby, I did my best to limit contact between Ronan and me, while also acknowledging I didn’t really want to. The task was futile, anyway, because the pace of the horse made it impossible, and I suspected he was moving with me to ensure we remained in contact.

Maybe I didn’t mind though. Maybe Ishouldhave minded remembering all the reasons this was a terrible idea. But the feel of him pressed to my back was thrilling, and it was hard to remember why I should put a stop to this. When his hand slid to my hip, fingers digging in with the slightest pressure, my thoughts jumbled like pieces on an upended chessboard.

Soon, entirely too soon, if I was being honest, we saw the lights of Tenby. We entered the city and headed for the Whitefeather. The celebration was already in full swing, festivities spilling into the streets. White lights and red paper hearts hung across streetlamps while flowers in shades of pink and red burst in every direction. Silently, I thanked Kianna for insisting on the red dress.

We dismounted at the inn, where tables sat arranged on the cobbles. More garlands of lights and red hearts hung overhead. Small lamps flickering with flames lined the perimeter, warming the air and chasing off the chill.People filled the tables—laughing, drinking, and eating. Thankfully, Maida and Alban, the blood Fae, were nowhere to be seen. We sat down as Gideon went to secure our rooms.

“Welcome to the night of love!” Verna bustled over, dropping tankards of ale in front of us. She looked at Ronan and me and winked. Bowls of venison stew materialized, and Noah and Em attacked them with relish.

“What exactly is Valentus, anyway?” I asked.

“It’s a very old Fae celebration,” Kianna said. “Intended to celebrate love, fertility, and all the things that go along with it. It’s held at the start of winter as people tend to spend more time indoors.” She gave me a coy smile, and I became increasingly aware of Ronan’s ever-distracting and heart-fluttering presence.

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