Page 29 of Prince of Never

‘I wasn’t sure if you’d be in there,’ she said, a strange mixture of emotions on her face.‘What happened?’

She looked as if she was hoping I’d tell her that I didn’t even try to escape, but lying wasn’t something I’d ever really gotten the hang of.Religious parents made for strict and virtuous role models, whether it was convenient or not.‘I ran into some will-o-wisps,’ I admitted.It seemed stupid now to have followed them so willingly, like a toddler following a trail of candy someone had conveniently laid out for them.And yet, I’d been powerless to turn away.

She gasped, a hand covering her mouth.‘I should never have let you go out there alone.The master brought you back, didn’t he?’

‘How did you know that?’

‘Lord Vesryn is less than subtle.Madam Hetia is furious.’

‘I’ll just bet she is.’

‘Well, maybe I shouldn’t say this, but I’m glad you’re back.I kind of like having you around,’ she said with a warm smile.

‘It would be a lot less manual labour if we hung out in the human world, though,’ I teased.

She eyed me as if she was thinking more than she was saying, but then she opened her eyes wide as if she just realised she’d left the stove on.‘We’d better hurry before Madam comes looking for us.’She led the way and I resisted the urge to sigh as another day of ridiculous work hours began again.They really needed a union in this place.

Sarah tried to talk to me as we went about our tasks, most of which I was completely useless at.I wasn’t exactly a slob, but technology was a very nice thing when it came to say, cleaning dishes, heating rooms, and washing clothes.My lack of skill combined with a lack of sleep, and an inability to keep my thoughts from wandering to a place they definitely shouldn’t, meant that I could hardly concentrate.

‘I think you need a break,’ she said finally.‘Why don’t you go and get some air?’

‘You’re trusting me to go outside alone?’I teased.

‘I am.Because remember, if you attempt to escape this time, it’ll be me who gets in trouble.’

Guilt washed through me.‘Lucky I’m not exactly keen to have another run in with a pixie swarm, then,’ I said.And I meant it.The whole point of escaping was so I couldlive.No, if I was going to escape, I was going to have to be smarter about it.She nodded, satisfied with my answer, and I headed outside, more than ready for a break.

It was nice to be outside in the day, even if I wouldn’t be able to stay for long.The sunlight warmed me, gently caressing my skin like a lover, relaxing the tension in my muscles and washing away my exhaustion as I leaned against the boundary wall and turned my face to the sky.

‘You always were like a lizard seeking a sun rock,’ a familiar cooed.

My eyes flew open and I looked around, but I couldn’t see anyone.Had I imagined it?I could have sworn I heard Ethan’s voice.

‘Up here.’

I looked up and there he was, sitting atop the wall, his platinum blonde hair shining in the sunlight.My heart leapt at the sight of him.‘Ethan!Surely, that can’t be you.How are you here?!What are you doing here?!’There was something odd about him, more apparent the longer I looked.His smooth skin was flecked with what looked like gold scales here and there, and his ears were longer andpointed.But his earrings remained, though his clothes were definitely not from the human world.‘Ethan?Are you...fae?’

He ran a hand through his hair sheepishly.‘I suppose I have some explaining to do.But that’s going to have to wait.How the hell did you end up as a servant in the Unseelie Prince’s household?’he asked, eyeing my uniform.

‘He’s the one who took me from my apartment,’ I said, but the words lacked the anger they should have carried.Ishouldbe angry that he’d taken me, but the way my heart raced when I thought of him didn’t feel like anger.Memories flashed through my mind of the spring beneath the castle, the way his skin had looked as water shimmered across it, droplets running over taut muscles in the steam-tangled air.

Ethan’s brow furrowed.‘The prince came for you himself?What did you do?’

‘I didn’t do anything.Although apparently I will do something, not that anyone has told me what exactly.’

‘Then why hasn’t he killed you?’I had expected to see relief, not concern etched into his flawless skin.

‘He tried,’ I admitted, that bitter taste returning to my mouth.That’s right, Imogen, the man who tried to kill you, and successfully kidnapped you, isnota viable romantic option.

‘But?’Ethan prompted.

I shook myself out of my thoughts.‘It seems like something is preventing him at the moment, some kind of spell or...I don’t know.’I paused then.‘Wait a minute, are you telling me that fae just go around killing people for things they haven’t even done yet?’

He shrugged.‘The high fae can be a cold and ruthless bunch.’

‘High fae?’

‘Yes, like your prince.Pure blood, high fae,’ he said, rolling his eyes dramatically.

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