As she tucked herself back into bed, she discreetly covered her face with the woolen blanket. Only once her face was covered—and out of sight of the sprites—did she take another glance at the crystal.
Its energy continued to glow and buzz inside her. It almost felt like a part of her now. And it still reminded her of Brannick. Maybe that meant something. Maybe it didn’t.
Either way, she knew one thing with complete certainty. This crystal was hers. Even when Brannick forced her to return to the mortal realm, even if she never learned to fly properly, she’d still have this crystal.
It was the one thing from Faerie that she’d keep forever.
And maybe someday, she’d know why she had been drawn to it.
NINE
▲▼▲
AFTER A BATH WITH soaps of honeysuckle and lavender, Elora tucked the green crystal under her black leather corset. Faerie had many delights, but the stone seemed extra special. Perhaps it was because she had discovered it all on her own in a moment that felt like a dream. Upon waking, she had assumed it was a dream. But the existence of the crystal proved otherwise.
One it was secured under her corset, she went for her sword and sheath. She had to pat the area under her mattress several times before her hand hit against the invisible sheath. Buckling the clasp without being able to see it always caused her to grunt a few times.
As she worked, she remembered when Brannick had given it to her. There was something tender in the way he did the glamour. Or maybe it was only concentration, not tenderness. Considering he ended their training session by saying his feelings for her were an inconvenience, it was probably not tenderness at all.
That small memory was enough to set her blood to a low boil. Now the clasp of her belt became difficult but only because her fingers had too much tension to move right. With a loud huff, she finally managed to secure the belt around her waist.
The moment she finished, the sound of snapping twigs interrupted the usual forest sounds outside her window. Sucking in a breath, she crept toward it. Another kind of tension rocked through her fingers as she gripped her sword hilt.
Her feet shuffled as she edged herself toward the window. Though she had complained about the enchantment that went over her window at night, she found herself praising it now. The enchantment kept her from sneaking out, but it also kept anyone else from coming in.
Twigs continued to snap. By the sound of it, someone was just outside her window. Her fingers gripped tighter on her sword. Brannick insisted she was safe inside the castle, but where was her safety now? The enchantment would vanish soon, if it hadn’t already.
When she finally reached the stone wall just next to the wide window, she leaned her head out a smidgeon. Just enough to peek outside but hopefully not reveal herself to whoever was out there.
She had to look down since her bedroom was on the second story, but she could still see the person clearly. Scoffing dramatically, she shouted down to the forest floor. “Why are you sneaking around outside my window, Brannick?”
The prince’s head snapped upward, causing his hair to whip back. At his side, Blaz let out a delighted yip. Brannick had one toe digging into the ground. The moment her voice hit the air, his foot pulled back, and he clasped both hands behind his back.
With a carefree shrug, he glanced upward. “I have business here, never you mind.”
Her hands curled into fists. She would have leaned out the window to get a better angle for glaring at him, except the shimmery gold enchantment held her inside.
Did he always have to act more important than her?
Rolling her eyes, she settled herself onto the ledge of the window, while staying inside the protective barrier. “Let me guess, you were so overcome by your feelings for me that you had to hide just outside my window.”
The prince wrinkled his nose, clearly attempting to appear as disgusted as possible. “No. That is not correct.”
Since fae couldn’t lie, it must have been true. Her fists clenched, which didn’t help her ignore the sinking in her gut. He considered her an inconvenience. She had no business being disappointed about him not wanting to be near her.
Pressing her back into the stone edge of the window, she turned her nose into the air. Another quippy remark would have left her lips. It should have left her lips. But Blaz caught her attention.
The wolf’s ears bent as he nuzzled his nose into the prince’s leg. The gesture caused Brannick’s face to fall. His shoulders hunched while he took in a shallow breath.
Something etched across Brannick’s face. Something Elora knew well.
Pain.
Just like that, her fists relaxed. She sat up straighter, searching for clues to explain the prince’s demeanor. Nothing obvious revealed itself.
Did it feel colder now? Blaz rubbed his head against the prince’s leg. Brannick patted his wolf’s head. The gesture didn’t have the same vigor as usual. It had to be his essence. Probably. Whatever it was, it was making him miserable.
Elora brushed a finger over one of the feathers in her hair, already regretting the words she hadn’t even said yet. But they came out of her mouth anyway. “What’s wrong?”
His face twitched as he narrowed his eyes at her. “Why do you believe something is wrong?”
“Really? You need me to explain?”
Now his eyes narrowed tighter.
It seemed like a good moment to shake her head. “You look as grumpy as Soren.”
“I am not grumpy.” The words would have been more believable if he hadn’t spoken them through a grunt.
She raised both eyebrows. “Stop being difficult. Just tell me what’s wrong?”
He responded with a razor-sharp chuckle. “Do not ask me such a question. I will not answer.”
“Fine.” She lifted her chin and turned away from him. “I won’t offer my suggestion then.”
He turned away from her. “I do not need your suggestion.” With his hand on the wolf’s head, he lifted one foot to walk away. But before he stepped, both he and the wolf glanced back at her. The prince opened his mouth but didn’t speak. He didn’t have to. She knew his question anyway. He wanted to know the suggestion.
Gesturing to the tree a few paces away from her window, she said, “Climb that tree. It will lift your spirits.”
At the sound of those words, he glanced down at Blaz. Skepticism trailed across both their faces. Brannick flicked his hand, as if waving her off. “I have matters to attend to.”
She leaned back into the stone again. “Fine. Ignore my advice if you want to keep getting worse.”
One of the prince’s feet hung in the air as he went to step away. His foot hovered as he glanced up at her. Light and swirls shimmered in his eyes, causing her stomach to flutter. But it wasn’t his eyes that did her in this time. It was his action.
Letting out an annoyed sigh, he stomped over to the tree. He ran up its trunk much faster than she had ever done. Blaz sat at the bottom of the tree, looking far more relaxed than he had only moments ago.
With the strength and reflexes of a fae, Brannick reached the top branches of the tree in almost no time at all. Running one hand through his long hair, he glanced back at Elora. Showing off. “I did it. What is supposed to happen now that I am up here?”
Grinning, Elora tipped her eyebrows toward her forehead. “Now look around.”