Page 38 of The Winter Prince

She threw up her hands in frustration; it was easy to do, considering her frustration was very real, even if she was leading him along on ideas she didn’t really hold. “That doesn’t make any sense! Perhaps you didn’t use those exact words, but youdid.”

“I did?” His voice was incredulous, but then he froze, his entire countenance turning to stone. “DidI?” This time it came out as almost a whisper, the emphasis on theI. He didn’t even seem to be talking to her anymore.

She watched an entire play of emotions cross his face. Anger, disbelief, hurt. She bit her lip. Whatever realization her prince had just had, she could only guess at. Had he realized something about the other man’s role in all of this?

If only he’d share it with her, because she had no clue.

His movements abrupt, he turned toward the door.

“I must go.” He made it there in three strides, showing more energy than he had since arriving. He stopped with his hand on the door handle and turned back to her, his eyes seeking hers.

“Don’t trust your eyes,” he said. “Please. Please, trustme.”

A hysterical-edged laugh burst from her. This new world she found herself in was truly going to drive her mad. She’d gotten more reaction from him than ever before, but still he told her nothing. “You won’t even tell me your name. How could I trust someone who won’t trust me in return?”

Pain flashed in his eyes, and then he was gone. Kienna stood staring at the door long after he left, until she woke from her dream.

Chapter 24

Enlo

Enlowaitedoutsideofthe door to Revi’s quarters. He couldn’t ignore a summons from his cousin and prince, but he didn’t want to have whatever conversation they were about to have in front of the healers, so he waited.

He waited for them to fuss over Revi, to give him a mixture of their meager healing magic, tinctures, and herbs to fight back the poison, and only when those healers ducked past him from the room did Enlo step forward through the doorway.

Revi, in wolf form, lay on his side on the massive bed in the center of the room, bandages wrapped over his silver fur. He was still, so still that Enlo thought he was sleeping at first, until, without opening his eyes, he spoke.

“I was beginning to think you would lurk in the hall all day.”

Enlo gave a careless shrug, despite the fact Revi couldn’t see it. “Honestly, everything they’re using on you smells atrocious. I don’t know how your nose can handle it.”

Revi grunted.

Enlo entered the room a little farther, stopping well short of the bed.

Revi had been unconscious much of the past few days, and they hadn’t spoken since the forest. Enlo could guess what this meeting was about.

Except Revi seemed too calm. Revi didn’t do calm well, and Enlo found it more disconcerting than blustering anger would have been.

“How long?” Revi said. Enlo looked up to see one glowing blue eye fixed on him. “How long, Enlo, have you been going behind my back?”

Enlo stiffened at the implied accusation in those words. “I want the curse broken.”

“And so you sabotage it? You were the one who insisted I make this arrangement with the human man. You were the one pushing me to wooher.” Revi lifted his head from the bed, looking at Enlo straight on. He radiated with fury, but it was a still fury, quiet and freezing instead of Revi’s usual blizzard.

“I only want to help,” Enlo hedged.

“How was hindering me helping?”

“At least I was doing something,” Enlo snapped. “At least I wasn’t just sitting around scaring her, pushing her away. Your pride is going to get us all killed. The Winter Court can’t wait for you to abandon it when we’re all dying. You need to care about someone more than yourself!”

“I havealwayscared.” Revi rose to his feet for a second before collapsing back on the bed.

“Not enough.” Enlo threw out a hand. “You’ve never cared enough to actually try to break the curse in the only way possible without me pushing you. You are so tied up in the idea of fixing it all alone, content to let our Court suffer.”

Revi snarled. “I have never been content—”

“You did nothing useful for years!”

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