Page 7 of The Winter Prince

They stood at the gate for a moment before the man dismounted and approached, walking forward and shaking the obsidian bars with one vigorous shove.

“Beast!” he called. “Prince!” Revi didn’t imagine the way the man’s lip curled up at the word. “We have come as per our bargain.”

Revi prowled forth from the shadows of the tree. The instant the young woman laid eyes on him—a feline as tall as her waist—her beautiful golden skin blanched. Good. At least she wasn’t a fool. She knew a predator when she saw one.

He moved closer, and though her lip quivered for just a breath, she mastered herself and clenched her jaw, tilting it up and staring at him with a serene expression. Not quite defiance, but there was steel there. He couldn’t help but admire that.

She slid from her horse and stopped before the gate. Her father shifted, partially blocking Revi’s view of the woman as if that could stop Revi from taking her.

“I have adhered to my end of the bargain, Winter Prince,” the man said, his voice deep and scratchy. “I have brought my daughter, Kienna.”

“And I will honor mine.” Revi shifted his gaze to the woman. This close, he could better discern her scent. Floral, almost like his frostroses, with an edge of spice like pepper, as well as a hint of spring—turned earth and new growth. She smelled delectable. Revi clamped down on his thoughts again. “She may enter,” he said flatly, his tail lashing behind him as he turned away from the gate. “You may not. Come back in a year and a day to fetch her.”

The father started to protest. “I can’t just abandon her at the gate—”

Revi whipped around and growled. “I saidgo.”

The man flinched back, and Kienna watched Revi with wide eyes. If Enlo were here, he would be giving Revi a look, quietly mocking and chiding him simultaneously for losing his temper. He huffed, trying to regain a sense of equilibrium. “I will honor my word that she will be safe, but no other humans are welcome in the heart of my realm. Leave now before my patience runs out.”

For the first time, Kienna spoke. “It seems it already has.” She smiled at her father in what Revi could only describe as a mollifying sort of way. “It’s all right, Papa,” she murmured. “He won’t hurt me, according to the conditions of his own bargain.” She cast a glance in Revi’s direction, though she didn’t quite meet his gaze. “Isn’t that right, Winter Prince?”

“As I have already said.” He grew weary of placating these human feelings, but he tried to keep his tone even. “You will be safe here so long as you maintain your side of the bargain.”

Her mouth creased down into a frown. “And what does that entail?”

“Stay here, at the Winter Court, for a year and a day.” His tail flicked. “Don’t touch my frostroses.” His tail flicked back the other way. “Don’t harm any of my people.” His tail flicked back. It felt like the slow dripping of his patience as it ran thinner every moment.

She placed a hand on her father’s arm. “See? Nothing so terrible.”

His expression softened as he looked at his daughter. He turned back to Revi with fierceness burning in his eyes. “Keep your promise. Protect her with your life.”

Revi just stared at him. He’d already said he would. The man was lucky Revi wasn’t taking insult to the man doubting his word.Again.

Kienna tugged on her father’s arm, pulling him away from the gate. Revi edged away as they embraced and murmured to each other. He could hear them, but he had no interest in human sentiment. It was bad enough he’d have to endure her for a year to appease Enlo while he continued to look for his own way to break the curse—even if she was beautiful and had a steely determination.

After several minutes, Kienna turned back to the gate. Her green eyes shone with unshed tears, but she looked at Revi with a steadiness he envied.

“I’m ready.”

“Okryno,” Revi murmured. The gate swung open on silent hinges.

He moved to the side as she stepped forward, a saddlebag in her arms. As soon as she was clear of the gate, he spoke the closing word. It swung shut behind her. The crashing sound made her jump, and she looked back at it with wide eyes. Her hands tightened on her bag. She stared at her father, who gripped the gate with white knuckles, before she turned and started with hesitant steps toward Revi.

He turned toward the castle. He had no desire to walk at her pace. He’d find her new maid and send her for the human.

To his surprise, she caught up to him after a moment and matched his pace. His head reached a little higher than her waist; she was not a slight human, but she looked like she’d still break if he so much as batted at her.

They’d reached the front stairs leading to the doors when she cleared her throat. “I brought the rose with me.”

He ignored the instinctive anger at the idea of a human possessing his rose. “Keep it until our bargain is complete.”

She was silent only another two breaths. “Is there anything else I should know living here? Any other conditions to the bargain? Or… not formal parts of the bargain, but rather, anything that would make this stay easier on everyone?”

Revi missed a step. He had expected her to put on a brave face in front of her father. He had also thought that once she was alone with him, she would want nothing more than to retreat to her own space. Not to look at him. Not to speak to him. Certainly not to ask questions on how best to collaborate for the duration of her stay. Her bravery ran deeper than he’d expected.

Enlo’s needling voice came to the back of his mind.

“It would be in good form if we—” He hated how uncertain his voice sounded. The rest of the words came out in a growl. “If we dined together every night. And spent time together during the days occasionally.”

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