Page 55 of Enchanted Heir
He smirked. “Easton is last only because he is newest to the group. So Emric, Apollo, Anderson, and Easton.”
“How is it possible both of my guards were part of your six?”
He squinted. “There are very few people in this castle you should fully trust with everything. That was intentional.”
And yet he trusted me with the knowledge of his son. “I may not be part of The Six, but thank you for trusting me with some things.”
“Most things,” he amended. “And do you trust me? Even after seeing what my magic can do? What I will do to my father when given the chance? And however many guards stand in my way?”
“Your darkness doesn’t scare me, Prince. I know where it stems from. And I know what it’s protecting too.”
He swallowed. “Was that a yes then?”
I smirked. “Of course. I don’t give magical hugs to just anyone, Krew.”
“Noted,” he stated. “This is pretty deep pillow talk, love.”
I laid my head back down. “I don’t think I can help you much with your cause, but I do think my being informed will only help us both get through our ruse as smoothly as possible.”
He laid back onto his own pillow and put an arm lazily over his head. “I think you help more than you know.” Then after the longest pause he added, “This cold and cruel castle? It doesn’t deserve you.”
I swallowed hard. “One more question.”
“An easy one or a hard one?”
“Easy. I think.”
He looked over at me, waiting.
“What were you reading earlier today when we came in?”
He smiled. “A journal of my mother’s. She has tons of them filled with mostly nonsense about her days. But I like to read them and be reminded that there’s some of her in me too. And actually, I’ll ask Keir if you can read some. It might help with your wanting to know who’s who as a lot of the women she casually mentions. I just read them to remind myself that though I might have to think and act like my father to dethrone him, I don’t have to entirely become him.”
I closed my eyes to hide the emotions rolling through me. “You won’t.”
CHAPTER14
Two days later I was still tired but getting used to my new routine. I was showered, sore, and lying on Krew’s bed, rubbing some sort of ointment Silvia had given me for sore muscles along my calves, when I heard numerous voices just before Owen came in and put up a sound barrier over the door to Krew’s wing as soon as the door shut.
He poked his head around the corner at me. “It’ll get better with time,” he told me, no smirk or jest, just genuine honesty.
I wasn’t sure I believed him. Maybe this was my penance for the hell I put him through when I disappeared that night a few weeks ago. I wasn’t sure. But I didn’t like it.
Getting in shape was a chore. One I was neither emotionally nor physically prepared for.
That done, though I didn’t want to move, I grabbed my book and a heavier blanket from a basket by the fireplace, and I waddled out to the veranda to read.
It was cold today, but the sun was shining, and it felt good on my face. That was the one part about these sessions with Owen I did like. I had to breathe in the fresh forest air in order to survive them.
I got settled in the lounge chair while looking for Rafe for a few minutes. I hadn’t seen Rafe in a while, though the food was always gone, and I was beginning to worry a little. While I ran and walked the forest with Owen, I was constantly looking and checking. But we still hadn’t seen him in a while.
I reminded myself Rafe was the alpha of a pack of wolves and was probably busy, and settled into my book to read.
I didn’t even hear anyone approach or realize I was no longer alone until he sat down at my feet. Obviously my self-defense training was going well.
“Yes?” I asked Krew.
He cocked his head. “Come sit in on the second half of this meeting.”
