Page 17 of The Forgotten Princess

“Nope,” she answers. “I know you hate cooking. Besides, all that is left to do now is wait anyway.”

“You know I hate cooking?”

“Dev mentioned you don’t know how to cook,” she says. “I just assumed that meant you don’t like it.”

“I don’t know if I like it. In the castle, we had a chef that lived with us. He didn’t like anybody in the kitchen. He wouldn’t even let me use the microwave. But it might be good to learn how to cook. I can’t just show up at your house when it’s time to eat.”

She grins. “Well, Dev can cook.”

“Really?” I raise an eyebrow. “How did I not know that?”

“I taught him,” she says. “He may not be a gourmet chef, but he can follow a recipe. If you can read, you can cook.”

“Really? It’s that simple?”

She nods. “I can give you some simple recipes to cook if you want.”

“Yeah. I’d like to try,” I admit. “I want to learn before Devin and I get married.”

“Damian and I have a rule that whoever cooks doesn’t have to do the dishes. He thinks I love to cook, but really I just hate doing dishes.”

I laugh. “I’ve never washed dishes before either. Or even done my own laundry. I’m not even sure if I could run a washing machine.”

“I guess living in a castle has its advantages,” she muses.

“And disadvantages,” I say, thinking about all the times I hid in my room to avoid my father and brothers. “I love your home in Alaska. It’s so warm and inviting. The castle that I grew up in was cold and cruel. It’s not the stuff of fairytales. It was my own personal nightmare.”

The smile slips from her lips. “Oh, Tori, I’m sorry.”

“It’s okay.” I smile, trying to lighten the mood. “I’ve survived a lot. It’s only made me stronger. I have a feeling I’m going to need that strength with whatever my father has planned.”

She nods. “You’re probably right.”

“Do you think you and Grant should leave?” I ask.

She lifts an eyebrow. “Why?”

“Because of me.”

She shakes her head back and forth. “I’m not following your logic here.”

I take a deep breath before answering. “Well, I’m dangerous. I have these elemental powers that I have no idea how to control. Aren’t you worried that I could hurt you or the baby?”

“No.” She puts both hands on her hips as she looks at me. “I’m not scared of you. Even without knowing how to control your powers, I trust you. You’d never hurt us.”

“Not on purpose.” I worry my bottom lip between my teeth.

“Not at all,” she says. “I’ve seen you with Dev. He’s your anchor and I know that everything is going to be okay.”

I consider her words and think maybe she is right. Every single time I’ve caused an earthquake, Devin has been the one to pull me back in. He helps me focus. As long as he’s by my side, I could never hurt anybody.

“Thank you for believing in me.” Tears press against the back of my eyes when I think about how much she trusts me. “I’m not sure your mate feels the same way as you do.”

“He’s an alpha. You’ll have to forgive him. He’s overprotective of me and sometimes he doesn’t see logic. He’s got a very one track mind—a lot like Dev.” She gives me a pointed look. “But I know my husband. He loves you. You’re his little sister. And if he truly believed you were a danger, I wouldn’t still be here.”

Her words cause my heart to stumble in my chest.

She’s right. Deep down, Damiandoestrust me.

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