Page 30 of The Winter Prince

She beamed at him. “That was marvelous.”

He rumbled an agreement in his chest, the sound familiar somehow.

“Can we go again?”

“I’m afraid my magic is limited. I can’t maintain this illusion for very long.” His mouth twisted down in a grimace at the admission, and his words doused her joy.

She looked around, seeing her surroundings in a new light. Remembering what they looked like in the waking world. Dusty and brown and barren, despite the frequent night rains. Nothing at all like this vibrant winter wonderland.

“What happened here?” The question tore from her. She ached for the loss of this beauty nearly as much as she ached for her own home.

As she watched, everything around them faded away, and suddenly they were by her cottage again, the blistering sun beating down on their heads.

Her prince turned around and opened the door to her cottage, not meeting her gaze.

“The beast did.”

Chapter 18

Revi

Revirakedhisclawsacross the paper, shredding it into ribbons that fluttered to the floor.

He was so,sotired. He’d thought he had dealt with thezruyeds. He always thought he’d dealt with them, but they always kept coming back.

Pushing to his feet, he stalked from the room, tail lashing. Better to leave quickly and get it over with. His steward would tell Enlo where he’d gone. Kienna…

It was better if he didn’t tell her. He needed to embrace his inner beast for this task, and she made him want to be… different. Better than a beast.

But he had to be a monster to fight monsters.

And he had to get there quickly. He considered his current form. Good for fighting and bursts of speed, but not his favorite for long treks. “Zeminy.”

A ripple of pain, and then he loped down the hall again, now a wolf. He’d run for days as a wolf. This form would get him to thezruyedsinvading his lands.

He made it to the entry hall before he was intercepted.

“Beast?”

He tensed at the feminine voice and reluctantly looked over his shoulder.

Kienna stood at the foot of the stairs, as radiant as ever. “It’s almost dinnertime. I was just headed to the dining hall. Are you...” Her eyes tracked over him, as if looking for some clues to his plans. “Are you leaving?”

“There have been reports.” He kneaded his paws into the rug beneath him. “Enemies have breached the borders of my Court. I must go protect my people.”

“Oh… When will you return?”

Did he imagine the concern in her voice? It was wishful thinking to consider that perhaps she might miss him.

He longed to cross the room and wrap his arms around her as he had in the dream. But he was not that man. He had claws, not hands, and today he had to go use those claws to be the beast his Court needed him to be. To protect their borders. No matter how weary he was of the fighting. He was the Winter Prince, and protection fell, first and foremost, to him. He had warriors he commanded, but they had to stay stationed where they were, at the border itself. Ifzruyedshad slipped by them, those nuisances were his task.

“I don’t know.”

“I see.” Kienna twisted her hands together. “Well… Be safe.”

He blinked. He was never safe when huntingzruyeds, but the fact that she gave him such well wishes at all locked around his heart. He inclined his head to her. “I’ll return when I can.”

When the enemy was vanquished, he added mentally. When his Court was safe.

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