Page 4 of Dewitched

The princess laughed again. “I’ll tell you a secret.” She leaned close and lowered her voice. “I don’t tell anyone about him, either.”

Fenix Hohlt turned away to hide his smile. He had been Iliana’s Guardian since the day of her birth, and it had been the most enjoyable assignment of his long life. Not even a quarter of the way into her first century, she was still considered a baby among the fae, but she had more passion than anyone he had ever met.

And an endearing streak of mischief, despite the sheltered existence that had been forced on her.

Until recently, the vast majority of people hadn’t even known of her existence. While it might seem strange, maybe even harmful to outsiders, it had been a common practice in the Nightstar family for generations.

Unlike some other races, the royalty of the elvish court didn’t announce the birth of their children. They didn’t hold grand celebrations to introduce them to the world. Instead, their identities were hidden until they were deemed ready to enter society.

Typically, that happened around their sixteenth birthday. As the first female born in more than eight thousand years, however, Iliana had been safeguarded well beyond what logically made sense.

Given the current conversation, it seemed her brother had also been unwilling to speak about her, even with his friends. Fenix couldn’t claim to be surprised. More than two centuries her senior, Orrin had always been incredibly protective of his baby sister. He also doted on her, giving her practically anything she asked for.

Except the chance to travel with him.

From the time she had learned to talk, the princess had been precocious, curious about the world and her place in it. She was intelligent, loyal, and unfailingly kind, but because of her insulated upbringing, she could also be incredibly naïve. In Fenix’s opinion, she trusted far too easily, and she always looked for the good in people, even when they didn’t deserve it.

Now that she was next in line to rule the elven court, her training, along with her introduction to the wider world, had been fast tracked. After years inside her gilded cage, Iliana wanted to experience everything.

Orrin had been groomed to lead from an early age, and he’d done everything asked of him without complaint. He had never wanted the job, though, nor the pressures and responsibilities that came with the title of king. As such, his decision to abdicate the throne and relocate to the Underworld with his new mate hadn’t exactly been unexpected.

To be fair, he would have made an effective ruler, but the position hadn’t come naturally to him, not like it did to Iliana. With her sweet disposition and innate charisma, people gravitated toward her, and she met each of them with compassion and humility.

More than anything, she had a genuine desire to help her people, and Fenix felt honored to walk with her on this journey.

“Well, that was rude, wasn’t it?” The male took a couple of deep breaths and scrubbed a hand over his face. “I apologize. I was just surprised.”

“On the contrary,” Iliana assured him with a laugh. “I quite enjoyed it.”

Mirroring her smile, he took another deep breath as he visibly relaxed. “Welcome to Blackhaven Manor, Your Highness. My name is Simon, and if there is anything I can do to make your stay more enjoyable, please let me know.”

“Actually, there is something you could help me with.”

Simon’s eyes shined, and his grin widened. “Anything, Princess. What can I do for you?”

“I’m afraid I don’t have a costume for the masquerade ball. Do you know where I might find one?”

Some of his initial excitement faded, and Fenix could practically see the wheels spinning inside his head as he searched for an answer.

“Unfortunately, Echo Falls doesn’t have any costume shops, but I can get you a list of places in Colorado Springs. If you prefer to order online, the hotel will be happy to facilitate the delivery.”

Iliana pretended to think about the options for a moment before turning to Fenix. “What do you think?”

Clasping his hands together behind his back, he turned to face her fully. They both knew she wasn’t asking permission. If she wanted to travel into the city to shop for a costume, they would. As long as her requests didn’t pose a security risk, it really wasn’t up to him.

Instead, she wanted to know which one he thought was the better option.

“Shopping online will give you more options, but you won’t get to try it on.”

“True.” She stared at the floor, and her eyebrows scrunched together, a sign of genuine consideration. “I’ll look in the stores first.”

“Shall we go tomorrow?”

Her entire face lit up like the morning sun. “Yes, please.”

Even Simon seemed to find her enthusiasm endearing if his smile was any indication. “I’ll compile a list and send it to you this evening.”

“Perfect!” Iliana clapped her hands together and bounced a little on her toes. “Thank you, Simon. You have been most helpful.”

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