Page 59 of The Prince from a Cruel Summer
I take a deep breath, trying to steady my racing heart.
It’s too late.
My father was definitely the driving force behind any sort of magic-induced manipulation, and he’s dead now. Soon, she will be too.
If I’m under some kind of spell, it doesn’t negate my duties, and to postpone the wedding in search of lost, forgotten memories would only put everyone’s safety in jeopardy. An enchantment as strong as that could not be unraveled before I have to stand at the altar in an hour. I owe it to Heather, to our families, and to the kingdom to move forward, to let go of the past, even if it means living with this…black hole.
For now, at least, that will have to be enough.
Chapter 19
Night on Bald Mountain
SONGBIRD
Summerlands, Faerie, 100 years ago
Our small classroom on the fourth floor of the academy’s main building has six desks and chairs, one for each of the initiates. All lectures are held here, while the more practical lessons take us all over the academy and sometimes even into the new world. Since we often have to work in pairs and are encouraged to branch out and not always pick the same partner, we’ve become a tightly knit group in spite of all the…difficulties.
Too bad my fiancé still sets my teeth on edge.
Sean is the last to arrive to class on the final day before the first semester’s exams. The tall, brown-haired boy takes his seat up front and braces an arm to glance at Willow, sitting behind him. “Hey, Will! I saw Aidan in the dining hall this morning.”
My ears perk up, blood flushing my cheeks at the mere mention of his name. Despite his prolonged absence, he’s been on my mind non-stop. During my visit to the new world, my sleep was filled with dreams for the first time in my life. And Aidan had been a prominent fixture in those dreams.
“Yes, he just got back,” Willow replies without looking up from her book.
“Is it true that he and Devi got engaged in the new world?”
She scoffs. “Never. Who told you such a ridiculous tale?”
Sean grins from ear to ear but doesn’t answer, and I twitch in my seat, my mouth going dry. The academy’s rumor mill is always spinning, mixing as many truths with wild stories, but in this instance, I hope Sean is mistaken. It’s bad enough my head is filled with thoughts of Aidan. With exams looming, I’d rather not face news of his engagement.
Thankfully, the long break between the two semesters is coming soon, right after exams and the summer solstice celebration. My heart has been longing for a taste of home and a reprieve from all the grueling study sessions needed to get me up to speed.
The fear of being exposed for what I did—of dragging down my family’s name in disgrace—died down after a few weeks. The unease that had spiced up my blood during that first month has dulled into a lingering pang of imposter syndrome, but I no longer look over my shoulder everywhere I go, expecting a faculty member to kick me to the curb.
In all appearances, Aidan and I got away with cheating on the trials, but I won’t let my guard down. I can’t.
“Is your father coming or not?” Zeke asks with a huff from his usual seat next to Sean.
Willow waves dismissively at the Shadow Prince. “Don’t fret. My father is always late.”
Though it’s not her father who walks through the door, but Aidan.
The bane of my existence steps into the classroom with the same confidence I remember, his appearance fresh out of the new world. His gray trousers are cut sharp, high on his waist, held up by dark suspenders that somehow make him look effortlessly put together. A checked waistcoat peeks beneath his slightly unbuttoned jacket, and the collar of his shirt stands crisp and clean.
Though he’s been plaguing my mind with his haunting voice and his godly looks, I’d forgotten how enticing his bite of power felt. The tension in the room cranks up by a mile, and Zeke’s spine straightens. The two brawlers haven’t seen each other since the incident on the beach, everyone convinced Aidan had been forced to accept an off-world assignment to atone for his fiery assault. According to Willow, the Crown Prince had never been away from the Summerlands for so long.
It’s been months since I discouraged his advances, but if I’m honest, a part of me still mourns what could have been. He respected his promise to leave me alone, but his hurried departure robbed me of the chance to apologize for the harsh words I’d spoken on that horrible night. I wish I’d shut him down more gently, but I’d been too angry and scared to nuance my emotions.
When he speaks, his voice raises every hair on the back of my neck, and my heart throbs as if awakened from a long slumber. “I know you were all looking forward to my dad’s take on the Summerlands traditions,” Aidan says, barely veiling his snark. “Alas, our King had to step out this afternoon. He asked me to go over the basics of the summer solstice with you.”
He inspects the ebony chalkboard for a moment before turning away from it and hopping right up on the desk, his legs dangling casually from the ledge. “Alright. Who here knows the true meaning of St. John’s Eve?”
Zeke curls his fists, Sean and Iris drinking in his reaction as if they’re hoping for round two.
“No one? Really?” Aidan cracks. “I find that impossible to believe.” His astute gaze darts to his sister, and he motions for her to stand up. “Willow. Please enlighten them.”
