Page 35 of Madness

“You think you can do any better than last night?” I challenged. “You never did get around to what motivates you. Since apparently, you are in better control of your emotions than I am.”

I’m a wreck,I thought to myself.

“Well, we can see how I do these first few times, and if I don’t get any better, I’ll let you in on a little secret.”

“Okay then, get to slicing me up some apple.” The apple in his hand did look rather nice and I remembered how juicy the last one he brought me was. Where was he getting these apples from? My mouth watered, my stomach rumbling in anticipation. “If you tried to bring me a cup of water, would it cut the cup long ways or up and down? I could really use a glass of water.”

“Um, maybe let's not try that one just yet. I’m not trying to get glass shards on my clothes.”

“Okay, here it goes.” The apple hit the ground and rolled around where his feet had been. If he did this too many times my breakfast was going to get awfully bruised.

The air by my door shimmered for a moment and then he reappeared, already walking toward me with the slice. “Does it look any bigger?” he grimaced.

I took the chilled slice from his hand and looked it over. It was not any bigger. “Uh, maybe just a hair?”

“Are you feeding me bullshit so I don’t feel so bad that you made progress a lot quicker than me?” The tilt of his chin made the cut of his jaw extra sharp.

“Yeah, you really suck at this.” I took a bite. Talking through the food in my mouth, I continued, “You sure you don’t want to tell me how I could motivate you to do better? Honestly, I think pissing me off is what did it so well for me.”

Though today I could tell my magic was tired. Sore, like a muscle, it ached at the thought of being used. But I would have to, I needed to make it stronger, build it up so I could be fast, smart,anddeadly.

“Let me try again.” He backed up from the bed, scooping the apple up, and disappeared without another word. The majority of the apple bounced off my floorboards. But he reappeared again by my bed holding out the same portion of apple as before.

My eyebrow ticked up as I took it out of his hand. “Not any better. Guess you’ll have to fess up now.” I leaned into my pillows, propping my head on my arm and popping the apple slice into my mouth. My fingers already felt sticky from the juices.

The mattress dipped as Dace sat on the edge of my bed. He pulled his legs up straight in front of him and leaned back on his arms, looking at the canopy above us. Small wavy strands slid across his forehead as he tilted his head back and forth.

“Well, seeing as punishment has never worked on me, ask my mother, I can easily tell you that I work a lot better if I’m being praised and given rewards.”

“Aren't you already praised and given enough as a prince?”

“I don’t know what to say. I want it all.” He cracked a sly smile.

“Okay, so you want treats and a pat on the head. Like a dog?” I snorted. Dace seemed less amused at my comment as he rolled his eyes and rolled onto his stomach.

“I think you should come with me, Ryker,” he said seriously.

“Come with you where?” If he wanted to use me as the apple to transport, it was going to have to be a firm no. I wasn’t getting my arm shaved off as an experiment of what he could or could not do.

“Come with me back to the Twinity Court. Come back for the formal they’ll throw to give me my crown back.”

“I can’t just leave, Dace.” I scrunched my nose, confused at the turn of the conversation.

“If I do better. If I can get a bigger slice, will you come? Call it my treat,for being a good boy.”

Humor rattled my chest with a light laugh as I rested my body flat against the bed. I could never guess what Dace was going to say, though I certainly never imagined it would be that.

“Do you really think that will help you get better?” I asked.

“I really, really do.” He paused, then stood and retrieved the apple again. “Say you will.”

“Dace, that’s a lot you're asking of me.”

“Oh, come on. Just say yes,” he practically whined as he playfully stuck out his bottom lip. “Say it. Say yes.”

“I’ll say maybe. If you can get more of that apple to go with you, then I’ll think about it.”

“That’s good enough for me.” And he was gone. The still nearly-whole apple thudded to the ground. His boots hit the floor at the foot of my bed. He reached and handed me the slice, still the same size as before. He shook his head and darted back to the apple.

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