Page 18 of The Winter Prince

“What’s the rest of your name?” she asked, her voice small and nowhere near as confident as it had been a moment before. “Rev-what?”

Revi’s hackles were raised. He didn’t want to give her his name, either. “It doesn’t matter. You’ll not call me anything but Beast.”

Kienna grimaced and stood. She gave Revi a wide berth as she returned to her chair, closing her book. “As you wish. I think I’ll go rest now.”

Revi watched her flee and sighed. He might have ruined what peace they’d found, all because he couldn’t keep the beast within and out of sight.

Chapter 11

Enlo

Astheweekspassed,Enlo never approached Kienna, as promised. That didn’t mean he didn’twatchher, though. She was the first new, interesting thing at the Winter Court since the curse had begun. Revi could hardly expect him not to be curious.

And curious he was. Especially since she took to spending her days in the library, which meant Enlo couldn’t spendhistime in the library. When he wasn’t helping run the Court, he kept to his room—physically, at least.

Soulwalking didn’t break his promise.

So Enlo saw how Revi lurked in the library with Kienna, though he never used the time to ingratiate himself with her. Enlo saw their quiet days pass, each one wasted. He saw Kienna puzzle out that Elyri couldn’t lie—and Revi’s infuriating reaction to Kienna almost learning his name. He saw Kienna continue to study the Elyri language with Zoya and reach the point where she could carry a basic conversation.

He watched as she grew more comfortable at the Winter Court. She spent her days either with Zoya or with Revi, in the library or in a parlor, embroidering and sewing. Sometimes she’d visit the gardens, but that always seemed to leave her melancholy.

It grated on Enlo’s skin to watch Revi’s poor attempts at wooing. Nonexistent would be more accurate. Revi might as well have left her alone for all the good the days together did. Dinners were slightly more talkative, as if both silently agreed that was when they’d make more of an effort to converse, but even that rankled Enlo. Kienna put more effort into their conversations than Revi did. She had accepted her role in the Court for a year, and she was making the best of it. Revi was living life as he had before Kienna’s arrival—caring for his people, looking for a way to break the curse.

Ignoring the opportunity right in front of him.

Enlo’s resentment toward Revi grew with each day. Ifhe’dbeen in Revi’s place, Kienna would already be in love with him.

And of course, Enlo couldn’t pursue his studies of what little they knew of their curse while Kienna haunted the library. He was forced to take the one opportunity he had to study when he knew for certain the library would be empty. The dinners may have been short, but it was a guaranteed time when neither Revi nor Kienna would come to the library.

He turned the curse over in his mind, running his fingers over every individual word.Until the strongest of the weak a lifelong devotion does speak, and restores a Heart of Winter.

A, notthe. He tapped the single-lettered word as he weighed it in his thoughts.

An awareness pressed against Enlo, and he snapped the book shut, rising and returning it to the pedestal by the window. The awareness approached, expanded as a whisper of noise sounded from the hallway. Enlo returned to the sofa, a more innocuous book in hand. He had just opened it when Revi stalked in, as silent as ever. Enlo didn’t have to feign his curiosity as he glanced at his cousin. He hadn’t been listening in on Revi and Kienna’s dinner tonight.

“How was the evening meal?” he asked.

Revi only gave a low noncommittal growl, one that made Enlo want to growl back even though he wasn’t an animal like his cousin. Instead, he forced a smile.

“I take it she’s practically in love with you.” The words grated, but he managed to get them out, for it wasn’t a direct lie. Anything could have happened while he’d been preoccupied with his books tonight. He could hold on to the foolish, mad hope that somethinghad.

At least until Revi’s disbelieving snort filled the air. “No one could ever love me as I am, cousin. I’m a beast.”

Enlo tensed, then forced himself to relax. “But what about a charming prince?” he countered.

Revi’s growl rippled in the quiet room. “I am not the charming one here. And I have better things to do.”

“And I am not the prince,” Enlo snapped, frustration boiling over at his cousin’s pride.

Revi turned slowly, his piercing blue eyes cutting through Enlo.

Enlo held perfectly still, resisting the urge to run his hands through his hair. If his cousin suspected him for even a moment... Enlo could not allow that. He only wanted what was best for the Court, but would Revi understand that if he could hear Enlo’s thoughts?

No. Better to wait a little while longer, until Enlo knew for certain. Enlo forced a lazy smile to his face and threw a hand over the back of the chair.

“You’re thinking about this too hard, Revi. You need to stop thinking of yourself as a beast and start thinking instead as a man. A man singularly lucky enough to have the opportunity of a beautiful woman all to himself.”

Revi’s eyes hardened, and he jerked his gaze away as his tail started lashing.

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