Page 84 of The Abandoned Princess

“I can see you again.” His voice was full of wonder.

I smiled, feeling warmth creep up my cheeks, and angled my face toward him.

Somehow the light in his eyes grew even stronger, burning now as it reached out to consume me too.

“Are you sure?” he whispered in low, teasing tones, as his arms came around me and he pulled me against him. “I wouldn’t want to surprise you.”

I shivered. “I’m sure.”

He lowered his head toward mine, pausing just before our lips made contact. “You have no idea how I’ve been holding myself back.”

I reached my arms around his neck, pushing onto tiptoes and staring into his eyes. “If you don’t hurry up and stop talking, I think I’ll know exactly how hard it was.”

He chuckled, the rumble in his chest flowing into me as he finally pressed his lips against mine in the most delicious second first kiss I could have imagined.

CHAPTER 25

By the time we joined the festivities, the crowds were already flowing back toward the main palace. William was leading them, the jewel glowing brightly on his chest and his wife and daughter at his side.

I’d managed a glimpse of the new queen’s face, but I was probably imagining the joy and relief in her eyes. The spymaster Aurora was an expert at hiding her true feelings.

I wasn’t attempting to hide my own overflowing joy, however. I wasn’t even bothered by the crowds pressing me on all sides, the total opposite to my years of isolation. After everything that had just happened with Eulalie, I reveled in the contact and the new future it represented. I had spent so long cut off from the world, but now I was swept into the center of it, caught up in the celebrations of the Northhelmian people.

And at my side was the man who had rescued me. Not from the tower—I had climbed out of that myself—but he had reached into my solitary life and made me part of a team. And I never wanted to lose that connection.

Xander’s hand rested in mine, solid and warm—like a promise that he intended to hold on just as hard as I did. He turned his head and smiled down at me, his eyes twinkling, and the rest of the people faded away.

A strident neighing brought me straight back to reality, though. I rose onto my toes to peer over the crowd.

“Is that a horse?” I asked. “Over there by the doors to the throne room?”

A strange sense of familiarity gripped me at the sight of the animal’s golden coat. He appeared to have a strange, pale-colored saddle, but he had no bridle or halter, and there didn’t seem to be a groom in attendance.

A fanciful thought drifted through my head. It was like he was here as a guest instead of someone’s mount. And he was accompanied, of all things, by a large cat. The ginger feline sat upright on the horse’s back, surveying the crowd with an expression I could only describe as displeased.

“Where?” Xander asked, following the direction of my pointing finger. As soon as his eyes reached the animals, he stopped, pulling me to a halt with him and forcing the people behind us to dodge out of the way with muttered complaints.

“Puss!” he exclaimed and started moving again, this time tugging me forward with him.

“Puss?” I cried. “You mean Kali’s cat? The one from my dreams?”

Xander snorted. “I wouldn’t let him catch you suggesting he’s a pet. He has strong feelings on the matter.”

I grinned, caught up in the magic of finding myself in the world of my dreams. While asleep, I had watched the adventures of a talking cat, and now I was about to actually meet him.

“But what’s he doing here?” I asked. “And with Arvin too.” I had finally remembered why the horse looked familiar. “Why is Giselle’s horse in Northgate?”

“That’s Arvin?” Xander increased our pace. “I’ve heard a lot about him.”

“You have?” I gave him a sideways look. “Why have you heard a lot about Giselle’s horse?”

Xander grinned. “I understand he has an interesting personality.”

I chuckled as we finally reached the two animals, remembering some of Arvin’s strange behavior back when I’d traveled with Giselle. “I suppose you could say that. I’d forgotten what he looked like but seeing him brings it all rushing back.”

So the missing girl really is here, Arvin whinnied. I was starting to think it was yet another elaborate scheme from those gray-haired women.

I nearly tripped over my feet, and I wasn’t even moving.

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