Georgyanna’s death glare finally left me when Meegana and I stepped outside.
A light dusting of snow fell from the sky as the warmth from the dining hall faded behind us. Below us, the icy topiary maze gleamed in the moonlight. Beatrice and her date were long gone, but a tittering of laughter came from the dark garden stretching in front of the balcony. I could only guess that was where they’d disappeared to.
Concentrating on what Matron Olsander had taught me, I called upon my fire magic to keep me warm. I pictured a small kernel of flame gliding through my limbs. A second later, the goosebumps that had erupted across my skin vanished.
Meegana wrapped her arms around herself and headed toward one of the fire pits on the balcony. When she reached it, she held out both hands. “How’s your date been with Lord Waterline so far?”
I forced a smile and joined her, letting the natural fire call to my own. “Honestly? Awful. He keeps touching me and has no interest in actual conversation. Instead, he keeps staring at my breasts while telling me how magnificent he and his family are. What about you? How’s Nuwin been?”
She laughed, the sound genuine. “He’s quite funny, actually. I like him even though I know he charms all of the females.”
I grinned. “I like him too. He’s only been nice to me since we met.”
She fanned her hands more in front of the fire. “Do you like him in that way?”
My eyes bugged out. “No, oh no, not at all. More like in a brotherly way.”
She smiled, her shoulders relaxing.
“Does that mean you like him in that way?” I teased.
She laughed. “Maybe?”
I laughed with her, and the sound was so natural from both of us that I relaxed even more as the fire’s heat warmed us.
“Prince Norivun seems to be quite protective of you,” she said after a moment of easy silence.
“He is.” I frowned and nibbled my lip. “He’s been that way since we met. Apparently, I’m a valuable commodity that he enjoys owning.” My response was so easy, so automatic, because until tonight, that was what I’d always thought, but the prince’s comments earlier had given me pause.
“My mother warned me to be careful around him, even though she also said to do everything in my power to marry him.”
My stomach clenched. “Oh? Why did she tell you to be careful of him?”
“Because of his reputation. He’s not very forgiving, and he’s so dangerous. You know, with how easily he’s able to kill fae.”
“Are you worried he would harm you?”
She cocked her head and rubbed her hands more in the fire’s heat. “When I first arrived, I would have said yes, but now? I don’t know. Sometimes I wonder what he’s truly like. I mean, if he’s as awful as everyone says he is, or if it’s all a misunderstanding.”
I nibbled on my bottom lip more. “I’ve wondered the same,” I admitted.
“Some say he’s the reason behind the disappearances in the castle, though. So maybe I’m being foolish to think he’s anything but terrible.”
My spine snapped upright. “Who did you hear that from?”
“Michas Crimsonale.” She nodded her head to the balcony doors, to where Michas stood inside with the other nobles. “But others are saying it too. They’re saying that the crown prince is silencing anyone who brings forth concerns about the crops.” She shrugged. “But I don’t think it’s the prince. Michas hates him. Everyone knows that, so of course, he would spread rumors.”
My eyebrows rose, and not from Meegana also thinking the prince was innocent, but because she’d just spoken so easily of the crop failures, as though it truly was becoming commonplace knowledge among the Solis that the orem was dying.
I was just about to ask her what else she’d heard of the crops when the door at the end of the balcony opened.
Lord Waterline stepped out. “Lady Ockson? I think Nuwin is looking for you.”
“Oh?” Excitement danced in Meegana’s eyes, and she gave me an apologetic look.
“Go.” I swished her away. “Enjoy the rest of your date with him.”
She smiled and squeezed my hand before sashaying away.
Alone on the balcony with Lord Waterline, I tried to stop my skin from crawling as he neared.
“And what about you? Are you ready for our date?” He sidled closer, and his breath reeked of alcohol, but more than that made me wary. A foggy gleam coated his eyes, the expression almost dopey, as though he’d also partaken in some kind of illegal substance only sold in the ostracized markets.
“I suppose,” I forced myself to say. “What did you want to do?”
He inched even closer, and a pulse of heat undulated from him. It hit my Shield, and the potency of it nearly took my breath away.
Carnal lust coated my Shield, and with a start, I realized the male who held the seduction affinity that I’d detected on my first training day was Lord Waterline.
Shivering, I flamed my magic inside me, concentrating on not letting my Shield slip, but my attention was so fixated on my Shield that I didn’t realize he’d moved so close. A shriek of surprise released from me when his arm snaked around my waist, drawing me to him even though I tried to pull back.
“There’s a nice view from my chamber. I was thinking I could show it to you.”
I recoiled when his hot breath hit my neck, and his affinity rose even higher.
Hot, pulsing need coated every line of my Shield. Concentrate. Don’t let it down, not even for a second.
“No, I don’t think so.” I tried to extract myself from his arms, but his hold tightened, and a flare of anger pulsed from him.
“Why are you fighting this?” He grinned, the expression looking unhinged.
“Because I don’t want my mind fogged by a male forcing his affinity on me.”
“Even if I could use my affinity to pleasure you like you’ve never been before? I could have you throbbing, begging for it, you’d be so hot.” He moved like lightning. In a blink, he had me pinned to the balcony’s railing.
I swallowed a yelp when he bent me backward, my spine arching painfully. I frantically pushed when he roughly grabbed my hips. Images of Vorl’s attacks reared in my mind, and a moment of panic consumed me. Not again. Not again.
But just as that age-old feeling of helplessness threatened to swallow me, I forced myself to remember that I was no longer weak or magicless. My Shield was strong. I was resisting his affinity, and I had power now. Immense power.
If only I chose to use it.
A maneuver that Sandus had taught me barreled to the front of my thoughts, and just as Lord Waterline tried to force his mouth to mine, I ducked and hit out, wrapping my fingers around his forearm before shoving and spinning as a rush of fire erupted across my skin.
Lord Waterline yelped in pain when I bent his wrist back and burned him at the same time, but I didn’t stick around to see what he would do next. I fled from the balcony and burst inside.
The door slammed closed behind me, and all eyes turned on me.