Page 52 of Of Song and Scepter
“The one where she looks at you and just sees your throne?”
I nod.
“Ah. You were hoping it’d be different with a princess, no? Someone already used to the power.”
“Are my standards really that high?”
She sighs. “Probably. You may be a hopeless romantic, Soren, but you’re still the prince. Have you ever had a choice?”
I close my eyes. “No.”
“If you did have a choice, what would you be looking for?”
“Someone worthy. Not some pretty thing to… gods, what was it you said? Bear my royal guppies?” I flex my jaw. “I want an Amura to my Eero. Someone intelligent. Interesting. Challenging.”
It’s my best secret, pretty prince. What right do you have to uncover it?
When Enna’s voice sneaks to the front of my mind, I suck in my lip and gnaw on it.
“And Aris is boring, then?”
“She’s less interesting than a pile of sand. Hell, her handmaid is more interesting than she is.” I open my eyes.
Nara sucks air into her cheeks, then blows it out. “Ah. Your little beach dancer.”
Aside from the captain, Enna may just be the one female that doesn’t have thatlookin her eyes. And she’s funny. Stunningly beautiful. Smart. Quirky. Unpredictable.Interesting.A witty conversationalist who’s unafraid to fight with me.
I shouldn’t be thinking about her so much. She’s a handmaid; I’m a prince. Anything more would be impossible. Inappropriate. Not to mention those poisonous Abyssal spines and set of fangs. Herclaws.Gods, what would those feel like running down my back? Would she draw blood? Would they leave me itching, too?
And yet, warmth churns deep in my gut, and I bring her face back to the forefront of my mind once again. There’s something I cannot pin down, despite my scientific study of her. And after an entire evening with her, I’m no closer to finding my answer.
I’m not even sure what my question is anymore.
“Never mind,” I say and nod toward the key. “I need to sleep.”
Nara levels me with a look, her amber eyes worried. “All right, but only because you look like you’ve been hit by a fleetwhale.”
She retrieves the key and lets me into my room. I walk into the cool air of my bedchamber and sigh. “Nara?”
“Hmm?”
I smile over my shoulder. “Thanks.”
She touches her hidden gills in the sign of respect and dips her head, closing the door. “Get some sleep.”
Chapter thirty-one
Enna
I flinch awake, wildlysnuffing out the remnants of my dream. My skin is sweat-soaked, sand clinging to me after tossing and turning all night. After another sleepless night of wandering the keep, I’d curled up on the beach next to these rocks instead of on top of them. Turns out to have been a shit idea.
I shake out my hair, flinging sand. Growling, I drag my claws over my scalp. The sting sharpens my focus, distracting me from my greatest discomfort—the pool of wetness between my thighs.
I’ve never had a sex dream in my life. I’ve had plenty of sex, but it’s never been good enough to filter into my dreams.
Last night, I had three, and they all starred the cocky Coral Prince as he took me three different ways—across that taverntable, then in his bathtub, then again on the goddessdamn kitchen floor.
Had it been the ale? I didn’t even get drunk. The conversation, perhaps? I knew it’d been a bad idea, sitting alone with him like that. I should have gone with Odissa to relieve herself. That would have prevented any and all sex dreams for the rest of my life.
