I eyed him carefully, because my heart was suddenly beating much too fast. “But that is how I feel. Whenever you remind me that I’m powerless to resist your wishes, my anger toward you returns.”
His nostrils flared. “Ilara,” he said so gruffly that my breath stopped. He cupped my jaw, and the feel of his fingers on my skin made a thousand nerve endings come to life. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to do that. It’s a habit, but I’ll try to be better.”
For a moment, I couldn’t breathe, let alone reply. The crown prince of the Winter Court, the heir to the throne, the next king of the Solis continent, was apologizing for commanding me. On top of that, he was telling me he would try not to order me again. It was his birthright to command others, yet for me, he was saying he would give it up. Or try to.
“Please accept my apology.” He ran his thumb lightly along my jaw, and a shiver worked up my spine. “Please let me try to make it up to you.”
My heart beat harder and harder. It was now a galloping beast in my chest. The prince sounded sincere. He looked sincere, but why would he feel such remorse for something he was ultimately entitled to? Even if it made me hate him?
My thoughts were spinning again, and my insides were warming. This male held such power over me, and it wasn’t all related to my imprisonment.
I took a step back, anything to break our intimate contact that was messing with my mind. “All right. I accept your apology.”
His hand fell as he searched my expression. “You do?”
I took a deep, steadying breath. “Yes.”
He smiled, and his sheer beauty threatened to overwhelm me. Blessed Mother, what is it about this male?
He stepped closer, and his snow and cedar scent hit me. Mother, he always smelled so good.
His lips curved more. “Now, I believe I promised you a drink.”
I gripped his arm again as we resumed walking. The prince propelled me along until we reached the wine table.
The servant standing behind it straightened and began stuttering, “Sir, sorry, Your Highness. What can I get you? Is the wine at the table not to your liking? May I—”
“It’s fine. All’s well, but if you would please grab a bottle from Lumalisbee, specifically the eastern plain label, I would appreciate it.”
The servant bowed. “Of course, my prince.”
I tapped my foot as I scanned the room, my thoughts still reeling from the prince’s apology. A hum of conversation drifted in the air as the servant pulled out a stepstool to reach the bottle on the top shelf. Most of the females and males in the Trial had heeded Prince Norivun’s suggestion to stand and mingle.
Lady Leafton and her suitor for the night had already slipped outside to the topiary maze while Meegana and Nuwin had joined a group of six males. All of them were laughing intermittently as they spoke, and Meegana was practically beaming at the younger prince. But while Nuwin was a gracious date, as he always was, his actions toward Meegana seemed more polite than actually interested.
Of everyone present, only Lady Endalaver looked vexed. She’d moved to stand by Lord Waterline and was whispering to him. The young lord nodded, his smile turning dopey.
“Has your date been enjoyable this evening?” the prince asked, an edge to his tone, as the servant grabbed a bottle, then put it back when it wasn’t the correct label.
I snorted. “Enjoyable? No, I wouldn’t call it that.”
“Has Lord Waterline touched you anywhere other than your arms and shoulders?” The edge in his tone turned razor-sharp. “Is anything happening under the table that I can’t see?”
“No. Why do you ask?”
The prince’s jaw flexed. “Because even though you’ve been doing an impressive job of ignoring me, I’ve been doing the opposite with you. I couldn’t help but notice that Lord Waterline’s been touching you all night. I wanted to ensure he hasn’t been doing more under the table that you don’t welcome.”
I fluttered a hand nervously through my hair. “No, nothing is happening under the table.”
“Good.” Some of the aura pounding from him dimmed as the servant finally located the right bottle.
The servant poured generous portions of the southern wine for both of us.
The crown prince clinked his glass to mine. “Solls.”
“Solls.” I took a sip, and a burst of berry flavors and wood smoke nestled over my tongue.
Savoring it, I wandered back to the group standing near the dance floor and inched toward Meegana. Considering a very powerful and masterful aura beat into my back, I knew the crown prince was right behind me.
When I reached my friend’s side, she smiled and made room for me, so I sidled up next to her as Nuwin began telling a story about his time at the Academy of Solisarium, when his tutor had accidentally ingested one of the potions he’d been instructing his students to make. The tutor had sprouted horns that lasted an entire week.
A tittering of laughter followed, then a female purred, “Prince Norivun, there you are.”
I stiffened when Lady Endalaver bumped into my side, sloshing wine out of my goblet as she pushed me forward in the group. Taking my spot, she stopped beside the prince.
“For a moment, it almost looked as though you’d forgotten that you’re my date tonight,” she continued in that silky tone.
The prince brought his goblet to his lips and took another sip. “I haven’t forgotten anything, Georgyanna.”
My heartbeat kicked up a notch at hearing her name on his lips, and a flare of unwanted jealousy fired through me. Breathing harder, I tried to stem my ridiculous response, but a heavy dose of magic zinged out of Georgyanna, directed entirely at the crown prince.
That oily feeling slithered through the air, making me want to retch, and I clutched tightly to my magic, doing as Matron Olsander had instructed me so my Shield stayed up and didn’t allow others’ magic to affect me. After the debacle on the balance beam the other week, I’d spent hours learning to control my Shield better.
A soft growl worked up the crown prince’s throat, and he said in a low tone, “Really, Georgyanna . . . such an amateur move. Are you unable to charm any male without forcing your affinity upon him?” He took a step away from her and brought his glass to his lips.
With a suck of power, that oily feeling vanished from the air. Meegana and Nuwin both laughed, along with the other males around us, as Georgyanna’s lips parted. A fierce burst of color worked across her cheeks.
She glared at me, her expression so vicious that any relief I’d felt at the prince being too strong to fall prey to her antics vanished. The look she gave me indicated I was to blame for the prince’s reaction as an uncoiling angry energy vibrated the air around her.
I set my wine glass down. “I think I’m going to step outside. Do you want to join me, Meegana?”
Meegana bobbed her head and held her glass out to Nuwin. “Do you mind holding this?”
Nuwin took it easily as he continued talking to another male in the Trial, a tall and thin fairy who was also from Prinavee Territory.
Meegana looped her arm through mine. I smiled gratefully at her as Prince Norivun watched us over the rim of his glass.