Page 11 of Snow White

When we arrive at the stables, I dismount as the cold seeps into my bones. It is something that tends to happen after a swim, not to mention that my emotions are low.

“I don’t have a good time near water,” Azura finally says, breaking the silence. She dismounts her own horse and leads him into his stall. “If I seemed harsh. It wasn’t my intention.”

Her words flood my chest with warmth, and I feel that comforting fuzzy sensation in the pit of my stomach. Warm. I feel the heat from her simple words and it chases away the cold.

“I am so sorry,” I say, chewing my lip. Then, without overthinking it, I walk over to Azura and brush a soft, quick kiss against her cheek. “I still had fun.”

The blush on her porcelain skin returns. I let out a sigh of relief and give her a small smile. It is nice seeing her warm and alive like this.

“I did not mean to ruin it,” she says.

“It is alright. I hope we can spend time together again during the week.”

Azura looks at me, her eyes scanning my face. My heart flutters. I want her to always look at me like that. It is as if she actually sees me when she looks at me. I enjoy how it makes me feel, the flutter in my stomach, my heart racing in my chest, and the heat tingling my cheeks. It feels good.

“I would like that, Snow,” she replies.

Maybe I truly have a chance with her.

I smile brightly. “I’m glad. Will I see you at the feast?”

She nods. “You should run inside. There are beasties out after dark.”

Head inside without her?

“Then we should hurry,” I say, holding my hand out for her. She threads her fingers through mine, making my heart pound. I giggle, pulling her from the stables and toward the castle. My hair is still soaked from the swim, and it is starting to freeze over, making me even colder.

We climb the front steps together, and just as we reach the top, a princess pushes open the doors. Tears are streaming down her face, and the sound of her sobs makes me flinch. What could have happened that has her in this much dismay?

My eyes narrow on her, and I notice it is Drizella. The woman's words seeped into my skin like poison. I know that I probably shouldn’t care that she is crying, but my heart wrenches in my chest.

I pull away from Azura and cautiously approach the princess. “Are you all right?”

She nods, her eyes glazed over. “I’m needed in my homeland, Your Highness. Unfortunately, I cannot stay. Goodbye.”

I study the young woman. She can’t just go. There must be something I can do to help her. Everyone who comes here needs to have a fair chance at this. If her homeland is in trouble, they may need help. Who am I to deny them assistance if they need it?

“Is there anything I can do to help?” I ask.

The princess shakes her head before hurrying down the stairs. She doesn’t glance back as she enters her carriage. I can’t seem to pull my eyes from where she stood. Is this a sign of what is to come? I wrap my arms tightly around myself, trying to keep it together.

Chapter Nine

Azura

My lips twitch, and I smother a smile at the sight of the dazed princess making her way out of the castle. I forgot I had spelled her to make herself scarce while I was off at the river with Snow. It was a good opportunity to eliminate some of the competition.

I was completely focused on Snow out at the pond. Nothing else mattered, not even my terror at being so close to the dark water. The only thing that held my focus with such intensity before Snow was the never-ending need for power. It was necessary for me to feed the insatiable hunger that began as a child, fill the hole within, and always seekmore. The dark magic satiates it for a time, but it is never truly satisfied.

The princess sniffles again at the base of the steps, but I don’t even glance at the source of the sound. Instead, I keep my focus on Snow. I’m surprised it took so long for my spell to take effect. I was waiting for it to activate on this little princess, and now that it has, she’ll be long gone. She fancies herself in love with her next-door neighbor, the boy she grew up with, but she will be married to some lecherous fool before the spring. She was planning to kill the king, not that I can really blame her. I have my own plans for the king, and I wouldn’t be surprised if it ended with his death as well. At the moment, his future is undecided. If he is easy to manage, he’ll live. If not, well, accidents happen.

I wrap my hands delicately into each other, my fingers locked. “Snow?”

Snow’s gaze remains on the spot where the carriage once was. As if the rude princess who plotted her and her father’s demise actuallymeantsomething to her. She seems perturbed by the sudden departure of that bitch. Why does she care? The girl was rude and planned to harmmylittle princess, so I disposed of her.

“We should go inside,” I whisper, barely audible over the slight breeze.

My little princess?

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