Page 84 of The Prince from a Cruel Summer
“Oh, Songbird. I’m not getting married.” Our fingers still entwined, he kisses the back of my hand. “Unless you’re hinting for a proposal, because if you are, I’m in,” he adds in jest, the off-hand comment painting my cheeks scarlet.
“So it was all just a rumor? There’s no royal wedding in the works?”
He draws in a sharp breath, his jaw slightly askew. “Now, I didn’t saythat.”
I wait for him to elaborate, but his uncomfortable grimace doesn’t relent. “Willow?”
His relieved sigh confirms my hunch, and he nods.
“But she didn’t say anything about it.” I’m flabbergasted to learn this, truly.
“She doesn’t know.”
By Thanatos…
“What?” My mind flashes back to my best friend, the sweet pixie-like woman who’s been vociferating against the rules of high society for months now. Even though I agreed with most of her arguments, it was a bit jarring at times to hear about injustice from the mouth of a privileged princess. The threat of famine that would condemn most common Fae I’ve grown up with to work their fingers bloody in the mines in exchange for a meager salary was more vivid to me than Willow’s fear of destitution and having to live below a certain status if she chose to blaze her own path.
Sometimes, I couldn’t connect to her philosophical crusades, but this is different.
“How could you not tell her?” I blurt out without thinking.
“My father forbade it and sealed my promise with his magic, but don’t worry. Ezra is going to break the news better than I ever could.”
“Why would Ezra—” I pause, my heart in my throat. “Wait. Willow is engaged toEzra?”
“It’s not official, so please keep it to yourself, but yes.”
I would haveneverimagined.
“Are you…upset?” he adds quietly.
I shake off the dumbfounded look. “No, just surprised. Why would I be upset about that?”
He dips his head to kiss me again. “I’ll write to you.”
I open my mouth to argue, but Aidan tucks a strand of hair behind my ear.
“Don’t worry. I’ll use the same spell as before to conceal my handwriting. No one will be able to figure it out, I promise.”
He shouldn’t make such promises. Not in the world we live in.
I stop by the bibliotheca on my way out, my pen trembling over the parchment as I scrawl Devi a note with only Ezra’s name on it. She’s clever enough to piece together the rest. The scrap of paper weighs nothing, yet it feels like I’m writing a love letter to someone else.
I cheated my way into this school, and now I’ve betrayed Aidan.
Chapter 25
Message in a Bottle
SONGBIRD
“Tell me more! Please! How were the princesses? Are they as elegant and beautiful in person as they seem in the brochures?” My cousin, Marjorie, asks me, rummaging through my travel bag like a pirate scouring for treasure.
“Not at all. They’re just like us, really.”
Kiro snickers from the door. “Just more spoiled and snobbish. And rich enough to do whatever they want.”
“Shush,” Marge scolds her twin.
