“Well, aren’t you a tough sell?” I muttered under my breath, hoping he didn’t have superpower hearing.
“The gift basket of snacks from your planet are a good idea,” Thadron decided. “Lucian enjoys being the first to try something new.”
I nodded as I went to gather the porcelain planet set and gift basket. “I’ll get these wrapped for you.”
I left him to browse the front of the store while I disappeared in the stock room to wrap the gifts for the royal family. My hands carried a small tremor as I folded the wrapping paper and measured the red ribbon. I had to get this right. The reputation of the Wanderstar Fleet just might rest upon my gift-wrapping skills.
As I tied the last ribbon, I realized that I needed to pick out something to give Thadron for the gift exchange. What would make a great gift for him?
I carried the wrapped gifts to where the prince stood. While Thadron surveyed the merch lining the shelves of my shop, I could see his shoulders relax ever so slightly. “You can have a seat on the armchair. It’s really comfy.”
“Thank you, but I don’t need to sit.” He viewed the neon lights outside, squinting as a rotating sign bathed him in fuchsia pink light. “We need to leave soon for dinner.”
"Give me a couple more minutes, please. I still need to get ready.”
With a sigh, he settled down on my favorite armchair. His knees went almost to his chest as he sank into the cushion. “Very well, but we need to hurry.”
“Good things take time, you know.” I might be polite, but I wasn’t about to let him order me around. I met his frigid gaze. It panned from me to sweep across the entire shop.
“You may have designed your shop for people to get comfortable and settle down, but I don’t have the luxury.”
The nerve. I almost blurted out that I just found out about this whole dinner and gift exchange thing, but kept my mouth shut. It might look bad on the Fleet if I revealed just how last minute these change of plans were.
“Be back soon.” I hurried to the back of the store and up the stairs to my loft on the second floor. Before I set my foot down on the first stair, my eyes latched onto a particular book nestled on top of a nearby stack I had yet to inventory and put on the shelf. It was an old volume, its white cover shimmering like a fresh blanket of snow under the soft lights. I lifted it, and glanced at the title.
The Book of Frost.I flipped open the pages to see a collection of fairy tales. Tales of medieval European hunters, Aesop’s fables, mythological gods and goddesses filled its pages.
“Yes, Cryostrum, we are on the way.”
I turned to see Thadron speaking into his com link to someone. He continued to grumble about the impending dinner.
“I already agreed to the glimrin berry trade...No, I’m not bringing that up to the city’s financial minister, either....”
I returned to the book. I flipped through the rest of the pages, seeing the illustrations of crystalline forests and silver-winged creatures.
This book might be a good way to show Earth’s literary tradition to Thadron and his people. Or he might think it could be completely childish. But these stories stood the test of time. "Sometimes," I said softly, closing the book, "even kids’ stories could tell deep truths.”
ThisBook of Frostmight make a good gift. Thadron looked like he could use a little time to kick back with a book and cup of something hot. Of course, all that ice armor had to go.
I imagined how he looked without the armor on while I carried the book upstairs to put in my suitcase. I'd have to pack after tonight's dinner. And I still didn’t know what I was wearing.
After thirty seconds of rummaging through my closet of comfy hoodies and cardigans and joggers, I grabbed hold of the one nice dress I took here with me. It was a simple sheath dressin cream, probably not formal enough, but it was much better than what I had on. I guess the color could be holiday-ish with a few sparkly accessories. I removed my green dress and put on the nicer one, along with a pair of nice black flats. Hey, better than cross trainers.
I didn’t have time to regret donating all my nicer work clothes. I gathered my hair in a high bun, pulling out some curls with a bit of gel. Then I grabbed a bottle of gingerbread body spray from my dresser and spritzed a cloud in the air before stepping through it.
Downstairs, I found Thadron unexpectedly engrossed in an antique edition of Javorian poems. A smile crept onto my face at the sight of him getting comfortable.
"Enjoying yourself?"
His head snapped up, and he stood, abrupt, placing the book back onto the shelf with care. His eyes scanned me from head to toe. "You look...”
Hovercraft vehicles hummed as they zoomed past the shop in the street outside. I stood in the shop with Thadron, feeling odd little sparks of warm and cool dance up and down my body under his gaze.
“You look ready.” He finished his sentence. “Are you ready to go to the dinner?" His tone regained its coolness.
I rubbed my arms as the invisible sparks receded. "We can go.”
Thadron led the way outside to a waiting vehicle. His two guards waited for me to close the shop before I got into the vehicle. The prince settled in beside me, his long frame easily taking up most of the space in the backseat. The rich velvet of his cape brushed against my bare arm. My heart fluttered with a mix of anticipation and anxiety. There was something thrilling about the idea of attending a diplomatic event alongside a real-life prince, even if he was the epitome of a cold shoulder.