Page 28 of Between Realms

How does he know? He hasn’t even looked at me once.

“I didn’t cut her.” The prince’s voice is thick with confusion.

“This can happen with human females the first time they are…penetrated,” Oakes says with irritation.

“Yourfirsttime?” the prince asks, sounding shocked. He quickly moves away from me with a look of alarm on his face and indicates my discarded clothes. “Jaden, grab her dress and shoes. Place a guard outside. Oakes, deal with…this.”

The prince races out of the room with Jaden on his heels.

10

AFTERMATH

WYNSTELLE

Left alone with Oakes, I abruptly scoot away from him and pull the blanket up to cover my nakedness. I don’t think I can trust him anymore. He lied by omission during our time together.

Oakes frowns and scans my now covered body.

“What did he mean aboutdealingwith me?” My eyes widen in fear. “Are you going to kill me now?”

“Stars, no.” Oakes reaches out to comfort me, but I flinch, and he quickly withdraws. “Prince Eldrin wants me to console you so you won’t run away.”

“He’s not done with me? I let him explore me—allof me!” I pull myself into a ball. My anger rages that the prince isn’t going to hold up his end of the bargain. Fae are known for deals, and I believed I negotiated properly. But now, he wants more. It isn’t right.

I turn my frustration to the one I can yell at right now. “Why didn’t you tell me you worked for the prince?”

Oakes drags his large hands through his silky brown locks before answering. “He sent me to investigate you covertly and discover what you were like before you arrived.”

“This has been a game all along. Our friendship was never real.” My eyes narrow on him. “So you told him I would be a good plaything?”

“I didn’t want this for you!” Oakes shakes with frustration and his hands clench into fists. “When I arrived, I told him you werenotwhat we expected. I recommended he should allow you to stay with Merlara.” He turns away. “Humans have always fascinated him and I hoped he only wanted to ask a few questions. However, upon seeing you while you slept in the gathering hall, the prince decided he desired toknowyou.”

“Will he let me live after he’sdonewith me?” My demeanor wilts with the idea I might not survive the prince’s whims. “He was angry with me when he left.”

“He’s not angry at you. He’s angry with himself and probably with me.” Oakes frowns and says, “I’m sorry. I didn’t know you were a virgin. I just assumed you weren’t completely comfortable being in the bed with me, a stranger, while you were injured, not that you had never been in a bed with a male. Wyn, please know that I advised against his deal making even when I believed you had experience. Now he’s embarrassed that he pushed you when you didn’t fully understand what he wanted from you.”

I process his statements and wonder about Oakes’ concern. “When I met you on the road, you never really cared whether I lived or died, did you? I was just an assignment—a job. When you held me… I was just a joke to you.”

“Untrue! I care for you more than I ever expected. I want—” He stops, bites his lip in frustration, and then says, “I never want to see you hurt.”

I pull away further when he reaches out and looks as though he means to comfort me. “No. You already have hurt me by not telling the truth about who you are.”

Oakes sighs. “I never meant it to end up like this. Iwantedto tell you.”

I glare at him. Elves aren’t known for outright lies, though skirting or withholding the truth is another matter. Sure, maybe he wanted to tell me, but it changes nothing now. I am at the mercy of these elves and their whims. “How long will he keep me in this room?”

Oakes’ massive shoulder slump. “I don’t know.” His resigned demeanor makes me realize he really doesn’t want any of this to happen. He explains further, “The prince is only sixty years old. He’s young and brash.”

I snort derisively. “He would be an old man if he was human.”

“Perhaps that’s the advantage of a shortened lifespan. One matures faster. He is the equivalent of your age in Elven years, just coming into adulthood. Although I would argue you are still more mature from what little I know of you.”

I shake my head in disbelief. I’m naked in the prince’s chambers, arguing with his advisor. As much as I try to deny it, Oakes still has a soothing effect on me. But how can I trust him after he deceived me? “Can I have my clothes back? My things?”

“I will get them back to you.” Oakes rubs his face in frustration. “The prince panicked, but I will talk some sense into him.”

My forehead crinkles in puzzlement. “Why did he need you and Jaden as an audience?”

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