Page 10 of Crowning of the Sword

Ember sank down onto the blanket again, her fingers restlessly plucking at the fringe on the blanket.

“It’s too nice an afternoon to be spoiled by my cousin’s petulance,” said Cole gently. He picked up a bowl and held it out to her. “Strawberry?”

She took one automatically, but as she crushed the sweet tart berry between her teeth, she couldn’t help but linger over Ashe’s words. Humans are too fragile for fae. Be careful.

What did that mean? And what did that mean for her?

Chapter 10

They lay out on the blanket for a little while longer, talking. The brief glimpses into Ember’s life seemed to fascinate Cole, and his eyes rarely left her face. But she was reluctant to talk about her past. She didn’t have many happy memories and thinking about it caused her pain.

Instead, she talked about painting, how she loved messing about with oils and acrylics, and how she had once won an award at school. She told him with pride about the time her paintings had featured in a newspaper article for up-and-coming local artists. No matter that the paper was just a small-town rag, and the readership was in the low thousands. It had been a thrilling moment for her, and she still had a copy of the article stuck carefully between the pages of an old journal.

“The tournament will take up many days,” Cole said. “I’ll be occupied with training and with my team. But all my servants and rooms are at your disposal. Whatever you wish for is yours. Perhaps you’d like to do some painting to help pass the time?”

She gave him a grateful look. “Thank you, Your Highness,” and then, worriedly, “But… how many days?” If she didn’t show up to school on time, they’d give her place to someone else, and it wasn’t as if she could call anyone from here and inform them of her delay.

Cole gave a careless wave of his hand. “It doesn’t matter. You can go back to any time you choose—as long as it is within your natural life span, of course.”

“So, I can’t go back and see the dinosaurs?” she teased and was perturbed to see Cole’s face darken.

“No,” he said shortly. “You wouldn’t want to go back then. It was a terrible time for fae.”

She let this comment slide, but she couldn’t help but think of Bruno. If she could go back to the instant before Bruno died, she could push him out of the way or something. She loathed the man, of course, but no one deserved a terrible death like the one he’d been given.

“There’s a mirror in my room that shows Earth and anywhere else you want. Perhaps you’d like to visit it sometime?”

His voice had taken on a suggestive tone, and Ember shot him an indignant look.

He laughed aloud. “I do believe my cousin has scared you off.”

She shook her head. “No, I just … I shouldn’t have kissed you. I’m sorry.”

He looked perplexed. “But you wanted to.”

“Just because I wanted to, doesn’t mean I should.”

“But I wanted to. And so, I did.”

“That’s because you’re a fae prince, and I’m just a fragile human,” she said, with more than a hint of sarcasm.

“You’re much more than that, Ember Bailey,” he said, and taking her hands, drew her to her feet.

The blanket and cushions had vanished, the soiled plates gone as if they had never existed. Ember didn’t even blink. She must be getting used to this strange place, she thought, as they strolled up the hill and back toward the castle.

Spending time outside under the sunny fae sky had calmed her nerves—that is until Ashe had turned up and left her in no doubt that she still had a good while yet before she could return to her regular life. Once again, she had a longing for clean white sheets and perfect peace, but this time she wasn’t afraid to say it. Fae did what they wanted, didn’t they? Well, maybe for once, she should too.

“I’d like to rest now,” she said to Cole, disinclined to utter the more suggestive, “I want to go to bed” and he nodded and took her hand.

“Then that is what you shall do.”

“And … I think it would be best if I stayed out of your way for a bit. For Lissa’s sake.”

His head shot up at that and he gave her a piercing look that made her squirm.

“Lissa is my teammate, the captain of the Waves. During the games, my power will run through her veins like fire. We will be closer than family, closer than lovers. We’ve had a dalliance—a rather enjoyable one, as it happens. But I am the prince, and neither Lissa nor my cousin nor you have any right to take me to task.”

His brows drew together in a petulant scowl. The sky darkened and Ember blinked.

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