Page 22 of Tower of Tempest
The trio looked at each other before Prince Lochlan finally nodded.
He and I settled on the bench, while Leoni and Driscoll stood before us. They all stared at me expectantly.
“I’m sorry I ran away.” My hands twisted together in my lap. “I was shocked that it was your shadow who took Gran, shocked that you didn’t have your shadow. I don’t trust easily, and it seemed like you’d withheld information from me.”
“I didn’t,” Lochlan said.
“I know.” I tugged on my braid. “You couldn’t have known. I realized that after I’d calmed down enough to think clearly.”
He turned toward me, his knee brushing against mine. That smalltouch made my pulse jump. I wasn’t used to physical contact with people. Anyone, really. Gran hadn’t exactly been the touchy-feely type.
He gave me a lopsided grin. “So I’m not Prince Lochlan, huh? That’s what you told all those women.”
My face flushed. “I thought maybe it was my turn to rescue you.”
Driscoll laughed. “You should’ve seen their faces. The disappointment. The horror that they’d been clawing over an imposter.”
“It was clever.” Leoni smirked. “I’d even say you did a better job rescuing the prince than he did you.”
Lochlan rolled his eyes. “It’s not a competition. But if it were, I’d remind you that she was locked in an impenetrable tower. That’s like comparing the sea to the river.”
“At least I didn’t yank you out a window and then try to kiss you,” I said.
Leoni turned her horrified face toward the prince. “You did not.”
He rubbed the back of his neck.
“Oh, he did,” Driscoll said.
The prince shrugged, not an ounce of shame in his expression. “I’d just survived almost falling to my death. I was high on adrenaline.”
“And something else,” Driscoll muttered, which made me smile.
Leoni tutted. “Please forgive him. He’s used to women throwing themselves at him.” She cupped a hand over her mouth so that the prince couldn’t see and whispered, “Gives him an inflated sense of self.”
“I heard that.” Prince Lochlan glared at her, then asked me, “So is that what all of this was about? Returning a favor?”
All gazes once again turned on me. I picked at a thread on my dress. “Not exactly. I rethought your offer, and I want to accept.”
“Actually—” Leoni started, but the prince cut her off, and I wondered what she’d been about to say.
“Okay,” Prince Lochlan said simply.
Too simply.
My eyes bugged. “Okay? That’s it? You really will help me? Why?”
“Yes, why?” Leoni’s voice had an edge to it. She clearly wasn’t happy about the prince agreeing to help me, but I wasn’t sure why.
“You already have your answer.” His gaze was so intense it made me want to squirm. “I spent months dreaming of you, hearing your screams, your pleas for help. I can’t get your voice out of my head. Idon’t think the dreams will stop until I’ve helped you complete this mission.”
That made more sense. He was helping me, and in turn, I could help him. But it didn’t feel like enough. “I can cook and build fires. I can clean our clothes.”
“Perfect,” Driscoll said.
Prince Lochlan elbowed him. “No, she’s not here to be our servant.”
“I’m helping,” I insisted.
