Page 89 of The Prince and the Ice King

Heatwavewas the only book with a red spine on the shelf he came to, and a couple pages just past 120 came a very romantic andgraphicdepiction of a songstress teasing her warrior love. The scene made Reardon blush like no other he had ever read, because he knew he’d have to be the one leading to make the seduction work.

And he had to do it blindfolded.

“I remember that one.”

Reardon’s head snapped up from the pages, and upon seeing Josie floating before him at the end of the stacks, he clutched the book to his chest as though it were a lewd painting.

“One of Branwen’s steamier ones.” Josie smirked, ever the breathtaking statue come to life. “Don’t be bashful. I’ve used those books for encouragement myself, but not every evening should be spent in one’s bedchambers. Mostly. Tonight, I’d like you to have dinner with me and Barclay.”

Reardon’s embarrassment faded to confusion. “I will always happily sit with you.”

“I mean privately, in my rooms. I hardly get any time with you alone—when I don’t have to keep my distance.” She looked down at her shimmering form with a sad wilt of her smile. “Unless you were planning on using your…encouragementtonight?”

“Oh, I’m not quite ready, I… I don’t think….”

“Then it’s a date. Please?” Josie had a subtle hypnotism about her, sweet yet dangerous and impossible to say no to.

“A date.”

Jack

Jack had been debating following Reardon less frequently. He couldn’t use the excuse of keeping an eye on a potential traitor anymore, and itwas obvious that Reardon knew Jack was watching, making it all seem pitiable and needy. Jack didn’tneedReardon. It had just been so long since he had something worthwhile to occupy his time.

Earlier, Reardon had promised to still see Jack for their nightly audience but had informed him that he would be late, taking dinner in Josie’s chambers. Like any other night, Jack should have stayed in his rooms. Sneaking out after nightfall was risky. Anyone might see him, even in the tunnels, but curiosity won out in the end, and he found himself as drawn to knowing more about Reardon as he’d been when he snuck into Reardon’s room that one night to placePillars of Virtueon his bed.

They only had a few chapters left before the end.

Vulnerability hollowed out Jack’s stomach as he slipped into his icy throne room and scurried for the door to the tunnels like an anxious rat. At least Zephyr couldn’t suddenly appear as he often did during the day, but Jack still listened with cloying paranoia before turning any corners on his trek to Josie’s room.

He made it without incident, the only voices he heard being those of Josie, Barclay, and Reardon once he removed a stone to steal a peek.

They had already eaten, only Reardon left picking at a last crust of bread and drinking from a goblet of wine, while Josie gave a beginning trill on her lute. They had set up a small table to dine, Josie having pulled her chair to the middle of the room to sit while she played and Barclay turning his chair around to join her in song, as Reardon watched.

“Beyond the dense, dark wood

Lies lands forever night;

Shadows fall—and claw—and rend

To see to travelers’ end.

“Oh lands possessed by demons’ thrall,

The Shadow Lands take all.

“The king once sold his soul

To rule forevermore;

Twisted form—he stalks—and lures

To further grow his horde.

“Oh lands possessed by demons’ thrall,

The Shadow Lands take all.

“Beware beyond the wood

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