Page 67 of Bride of the Fae Prince

Perhaps he’s just paranoid.

I draw a deep breath and follow him out of his quarters, through the beautiful gardens and out through a gate in the hedge.

“Is this a secret exit?” I ask, panting a little to keep up with Ash’s long legs.

“No palace exit is secret. The High King always knows when people come and go, as his wards get disturbed. This, however, doesn’t have guards since it’s a servant’s exit. He’ll know that we left, but he won’t know it’sus.”

I follow him, drawing my cloak tighter around my shoulders. “Is it within walking distance?”

“On a Path, yes,” he says, giving me a quick wink before taking my hand and drawing me to the right, away from the golden glow of the palace and the sparkling water toward the same forest we traversed yesterday.

The forest that urged me to flee.

I swallow my premonition, unable to help the way my other hand wraps around Ash’s arm, as if being closer to him will somehow protect me from what he could do to me.

Order a white dress.

“Here’s the Path.” Ash marches straight into the forest, me in tow, and I see no path as he picks his way between trees and low shrubbery, matting pine needles deeper into the ground. His grip tightens on my hand. “Can you see it?”

He’s staring down at me. I swivel my attention to the ground, to the very distinct lack of path before us. I shake my head.

“I didn’t think you would.”

Is that just a smidge of disappointment lacing his words? Something urgent bubbles up within me, the need to shrivel inside myself. I let go of Ash’s arm, but don’t dare pull my hand from his. It would be too obvious. I let my steps flag just slightly and fall a little behind him.

Of course he’s disappointed.How could he not be when I am a human, and he is a fae? Perhaps he lied to me this morning when he said he could never be disappointed in me.

No, he couldn’t have lied. Hylath was there, and she didn’t react.

Then perhaps he merelythoughthe couldn’t be disappointed. It was an honest statement at the time, proved false in new circumstances.

“Tell me one of those thoughts in your brain,” says Ash abruptly. “They seem to disturb you.”

I blink, looking up at him. “My lord?”

“You’re thinking things. Tell me.”

Absolutely not. He cannot know what I was thinking just now. It would be—

He lets out a great sigh, and I falter. “Oh Stella, must you insult my courage so frequently? It’s quite wounding.”

Is that true? There’s no one here to help me tell if it is a lie. I chew my lip, and something fiery and bitter builds up inside me. Perhaps Ishouldtell him what I’m thinking, and justseeif it would make him angry. Maybe it’ll make him stop asking about my thoughts.

Ash stops abruptly, turning back toward me. I don’t have time to think before he’s caught my chin, tilted it up, and pressed a swift kiss to my cheek, dangerously near my lips. “If you delay much longer, I’ll be forced to kiss that mouth of yours. And when I do, it won’t be short and chaste.”

Every thought eddies from my mind. I can think of nothing but howhotthis cloak suddenly is, and the looming presence of my husband before me.

He ducks in again while I’m still frozen, kissing my other cheek. I suck in a shallow breath when he draws back a few inches, his mouth hovering over mine. “Last chance, my darling.”

“I c-c-c-can’t th-think,” I gasp, twisting slightly. My lungs scream for air. Why is breathing so hard suddenly? Even if I knew what to say, I could hardly get it out now!

“Then tell me what you feel,” he murmurs gently.

“F-flustered.”

“From me being close, or the thought of me kissing you?”

“All of it!” I burst and wrench free of him, stumbling back a few steps. Surprisingly, he lets me go, and I don’t know what that expression means on his face. I gather the scraps of my composure back together, straighten my spine, run my sweaty hands over my skirts, and set my shoulders back. “Ash,” I say, lifting my chin.

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