Page 56 of Edge of Wonder

“Are they saying what I think they’re saying?” I asked, angling my head to try and make out the word.

“Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!” the crowd chanted.

My face heated, which was an impressive feat in the sweltering sun.

“You don’t have to do that,” I said, attempting to laugh it off.

They kept chanting; the words swirling in the air, gaining momentum. I tried to signal them to stop, but Sebastian caught my hand and slowly placed it on his shoulder.

“You’re famous now, Alice. You can’t disappoint your fans.” He lifted my chin with his thumb, tilting my head back until our lips met. The crowd went wild as he cupped my face, his mouth moving over mine with raw intent. When he drew back, his eyes blazed a path across my skin, and I had to remind myself that this was an act. We were playing a part. Giving the people what they wanted.

He wasn’t staying.

And I was still going to end up alone.

Chapter 20

Alice

Flickering torches surrounded the perimeter of our camp. A selection of guards kept watch while the rest were still riding high from my victory in the challenge.

We’d left the arena immediately and were on the road before the cheers had even finished. There hadn’t been time for celebration, but now, days later, and secured deep in the forest, it was impossible to contain the excitement. Food and drink passed around the camp with revelry, and one of the men even plucked at a lute. The rich, warm sound bathed the night in merriment.

I finished my meal and leaned back against a tree trunk. Tomorrow, we’d continue on to the next challenge. Shire was being evasive as to what it entailed, only hinting that I’d know it when I saw it. Which was as daunting as it was mysterious.

But that was Shire. Only doling out information as she deemed it necessary, leaving us to ponder what she was holding back.

“Alice!” The sly sprite's sing-song voice vibrated in the air next to my tree. A tsking sound followed. “Why are you sitting here all by yourself? You’re supposed to be celebrating. Collecting your first key is a huge achievement. Look around you. We’re having a party. Small as it is, it’s still in your honor, and you should be in the middle of it.”

A cheer rang through the camp as a trio of guards tipped their mugs together in a toast, then drained the cups and flipped them over onto a stump. Another group was huddled in a circle of torches, reenacting the croquet game, play-by-play, using branches for mallets. They’d already asked me twice to show them how I’d completed the last shot, but I had waved them away, feeling awkward from their praise.

“You’re doing it again, Alice.”

“What am I doing?”

“Reverting to your ghostly tendencies, sitting on the sidelines watching while everyone around you has fun. And I know we already established that in certain circumstances, watching can be fun too, but you also need to live a little. Go flirt with one of the guards again like I suggested the other day. You were doing great!”

My lips curled into a snarl. “Absolutely not. I had to pretend I didn't know how to hold a mallet. I felt ridiculous. Why bother if I can’t be myself? I shouldn’t have listened to you. It did not go well.”

Shire giggled. "That's debatable. You made Sebastian jealous.”

“He wasn’t jealous. He was annoyed that someone else might know more about croquet than he did, and now Peter runs to the other side of the camp if I look at him.”

“That's a good thing! You don't want someone who's easily intimidated. Sebastian did you a favor. And speaking of Peter’s tormentor, where is our other champion?”

“Taking a turn on the watch. But in truth, I think he’s avoiding me. Things have been awkward the last few days. I don’t understand it. It’s like he’s reluctant to be around me. I thought we’d grown closer, but now I think he wishes he never volunteered to be my partner in the challenge.”

Shire scoffed. “Volunteered? Is that what he told you? Try he snuck into the arena and incapacitated the vile criminal who you were supposed to be paired with.”

I sat up straight, surprise wrenching my features. “He did what? I mean, I figured he didn't just raise his hand to play, but why would he take a risk like that?”

“I don't know, Alice. You tell me.”

I wasn't sure how to answer. Sebastian's actions contradicted his intentions. But the way he'd helped me through the challenge, his concern for my safety, and his kiss on the winner’s platform were enough to set me up for heartbreak. He was so confusing. I didn’t know what to make of it.

“Have you asked him to stay?” Shire questioned softly.

My head fell back against the tree trunk. “It's not that simple. Our history is complicated. I don't want to be the choice someone has to weigh the pros and cons for. I want to be someone's certainty. And right now, he's only certain about the life he built without me.”

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