Franik pinched the point of hair on his chin. “You make a good argument. Okay, what you have is fine. But please select your finest clothes.”
That wasn’t difficult. I had a newer set, plain cotton, but embroidered with scrolls on the hems. I showed them to Franik and he nodded.
I dressed in the tunic. I favored the longer shirts because it helped hide my short torso. My trousers were similar in style and color, though without the added embroidery. I took a brush to my hair and combed out the tangles. I could never get my locks to do anything but lay flat; luckily, this style suited my oval shaped face. I glanced in the mirror, wondering how I’d even received Vulten’s admiration. Especially next to Franik, I looked plain and unadorned.
“That’ll do,” Franik said encouragingly. “Now here’s the plan; you are to spend the entire day with Yarling. Don’t leave his side, not even for a moment.”
“The whole day? I have research to do! I still need to find out exactly which potion cured the prince.”
“Carishina can handle that task.”
I gasped and went to my books on the bedside table, gathering them into my arms. Carishina wouldn’t know how to handle them. She’d rip their delicate pages or else drop them and break their spines. “No.”
Franik sighed. “Klint, you need to loosen up. Carishina is more capable than you give her credit for. She can handle this.”
I clutched my books tighter. “No.”
He growled. “Will you please act your age? Whether you like it or not, she is an Alma. You may never come out of your dungeon long enough to realize, but everyone there received the blessing.” He held out his hand and motioned for me to give up my books.
I surrendered them. Maybe the prince was right; my fellow Almas did intimidate me. I tried to act tough and in charge, but I wilted when challenged. What had Carishina said? I was a big softie. I slumped in defeat.
“Good. Now head upstairs. You have a date with the prince.”
Franik followed me out the door, his back bent slightly under the weight of my books. Out in the hallway, Carishina emerged from her room. She wore a gown of golden silk and black velvet. It looked grand enough for a queen on her throne. Her curls cascaded over her shoulders, and her smile widened at the sight of us.
“Hi, Klint! Hi, Franik!”
I mumbled a response.
Her eyes grew wide and she raced to my side. “Klint? What’s wrong?”
“I took his books away,” Franik said.
She shook her head in commiseration. “They’ll be fine. Franik will take good care of them.”
“Actually,” Franik told her. “You’ll be taking good care of them.”
A flash of panic shot across Carishina’s face. “Me? Why?”
“Klint has to be seen with the prince, which leaves you to do his research.”
Carishina mimicked my slumped posture. “I don’t want to.”
“You have to,” Franik informed her.
Carishina and I sighed in unison.
“Now get along,” Franik instructed. “The sooner you finish, the sooner we can go home.”
My eyes met Carishina’s and we shared a look of determination. I nodded to her, and she nodded back.
Franik dumped the books into Carishina’s arms, then gave me a little shove. “Good. Now I’ll be in my room if you need me.”
Chapter Thirteen
I FIDGETED OUTSIDE Yarling’s door. Last night, this had seemed a bad idea. Now, sober, it seemed catastrophic. Why had I let Franik bully me into dancing with the prince? My earlier determination evaporated. Apprehension filled me. The threat of Prince Yarling’s magic abilities made me want to run and hide in my room. The wine had tempered my fear. Now I trembled remembering his power.
“Here you are.”
I spun. Desian walked toward me, a happy stride.
“I wish you would have stayed at the banquet longer last night. I wanted an opportunity to speak to you.”
He reached me, placed an arm around my shoulder and led me to the next room down the hall. Desian waved his hand and I felt the rush of power leave him as he broke down the barrier. He pushed the door open and gestured me inside.
“W-what do you want?” I wished I’d been able to keep from stuttering. I had no reason to be afraid of a familiar.
“Just to discuss the details,” Desian answered with a smile. “Please, have a seat.”
I glanced around the room. Though the space reminded me of Roberta’s quarters, with books and magical equipment spaced throughout, it also had its own flair. A heavy scent of dirt and mud hung in the air. The den of a dragon, no doubt. Instead of a bed, a stack of pillows lay in the corner. He must sleep in his other form. Sunlight spilled in through the open windows, bringing with it the soft breeze from outside.
I sat at a table, Desian taking the seat opposite.
“So,” he said. He waved his arm and a pitcher and two cups zoomed toward us. He caught the pitcher, and the cups landed gracefully on the table. “Coffee?”
I shook my head. I didn’t want to drink anything this creature had to offer.
He poured a cup for himself, then took a slow sip. “Alma Klint, I know you are being coerced into this course of action.”
“It is pretty obvious,” I told him dryly.
Desian nodded. “My point exactly. You see, you are here to play a part—a potential suitor for the prince. Naturally, the whole palace is gossiping about your kiss. How you healed the prince with true love.”
I groaned and lowered my face into my hands. “I didn’t mean for this to happen.”
“I know you didn’t. Which is why I feel sorry for you. I will help, as much as I can.”
I looked up at him. “How?”
“Since everyone sees you as courting the prince, they will believe with little effort. However, Antonio is aware of the prince’s feelings for him. He won’t think Yarling capable of switching allegiances so easily. You need to be believable.”
“But, how? I’m an Alma, not a trained stage actor.”
“That’s where I come in. My dear Yarling informed me you know about me. I had thought something listening in on mine and Roberta’s conversation the other day. You’ll have to show me what you did.”
“Why should I?”
“Because I’m going to do a favor for you, so you can do one for me. As a familiar, my magic is a lot different from yours. But there are usually similarities. If you show me how to do the spell your way, I’ll be able to figure out how to replicate the effects with my powers.”
Could I trust this dragon? I’d been so sure he was a dark wizard. However, he could only be evil if his creator followed dark arts. And the more I thought about it, Yarling lacked certain characteristics of a dark wizard. For one, if he were corrupted, he’d have no qualms about slipping this Antonio a love potion. He wouldn’t sink to normal methods for making the guardsman fall in love.
The simple logic won me over. “It’s an easy trick, separating your consciousness from your body. The only difficult aspect is not letting too much slip out. If that happens, you pass out. It could take days for you to wake up.”
“I see. Separating my consciousness. And once it’s out, you can direct it?”
“Yes. Your body must stay stationary, and your consciousness can only stray so far. So, it’s important to be as close to your goal as possible before separating the two.”
He nodded. “Thank you, Alma. I will attempt it later. For now, let’s discuss Yarling.” The dragon sighed fondly. “You must realize how difficult your task is going to be. Antonio cares for the prince only as a friend. But Yarling is the most stubborn person I’ve ever encountered, and he won’t give up on this, no matter how hard I’ve tried to convince him. Besides, I want him to be happy. Though he is my master, he’s never treated me as less. He’s told me I could leave if I wished. The thought never crossed my mind. I want to spend all my life with him, and for him to have everything he desires.”
�
�I understand, Desian,” I said, swayed by the sincerity in his voice. I could easily see he cared deeply for the prince “You are truly a loyal friend.”
“Thank you for saying so.”
“Now, how will you help me convince Antonio I care for Yarling?”
He smiled, and I could see the hint of a pointed incisor. “I’ll tell you what to say and do, of course.”
Then his body shrank into the form of a tiny dragon, even smaller than before. He stretched his wings and flew to my shoulder. His neck craned out and looked down my chest.
“I can fit in your pocket,” he told me. “Be careful not to squish me.”
His talons sank into the cotton of my shirt and he climbed down into my breast pocket. He curled up inside, hardly even visible from the outside.
“Can you still hear me?” His voice echoed through my eardrums as if he shouted.
I clapped a hand over my ear. “Yes, yes! Not so loud!”
The dragon gave a laugh, serpentine and low. “I told you my way is similar. Separating my consciousness wasn’t difficult at all.”
I marveled at how rapidly Desian achieved something so challenging. And he’d been able to activate his voice while out of his body. I practiced every day for a year to achieve the same results. Desian’s magic mirrored his master. How powerful was Yarling?
“Let’s go now,” Desian said, his voice much softer this time. “I want you and Yarling to have breakfast together. The guards should be changing shifts and it would be good for Antonio to see you first thing.”
I opened the door and walked the short distance to Yarling’s room. I knocked and the prince pulled it in almost immediately.
“There you are!” he growled. “Did you plan on sleeping all day? You do have a task here, Alma. Do I need to constantly remind you that you are in my service, doing as I say?”
Oh, Myl. This wasn’t going to be easy.
“Now, now,” Desian’s voice said, drifting through the air between us. “Do you need to be so cranky in the morning, my dear Yarling?”
The prince’s face flushed.
Desian continued. “I gave our friend here a few pointers. If he’s late, it’s my fault.”
Yarling pinched his lips. “The important thing is you’re here now. We need to get going.”
I fell in beside the prince. His strides were long and confident. I needed to double my steps to keep up. This morning, he wore dark sage silks, complimenting his skin. He even wore a cap with a small feather poking from the top. He looked dashing, as if he planned to go rushing off to rescue a prince.
I attempted small talk. “How did you sleep, Your Highness?”
“Fine.”
“And, uh, how are you feeling this morning?”
“Fine.”
Desian tsked but said nothing. I fell silent. Mingling was not my strong suit, and if he wanted to be difficult, I’d rather not even try.
We walked down the stairs to the ground floor. Here, servants dashed about, ministers lounged on benches to the sides of the corridor, even young Panpir raced by, followed by his tutor and attendants. Activity filled the areas. The palace seemed to be alive. How different from the Alma Palace. There, we kept to ourselves. We didn’t interact unless we had to. And I was usually the one forced when Carishina or Franik showed up. The atmosphere here felt better, healthier.
Now, Yarling put his mask in place. He smiled at everyone we passed, waved at the ministers, patted his little brother’s hair. He even slipped his arm into mine, giving the impression I escorted him.
One of the ministers greeted us with a bow. She stood in front of us, blocking our path. Yarling and I stopped. “Your Highness. Alma. Tell me, are you any closer to finding the culprit who tried to poison you?”
Desian’s voice floated to my ear, softly. “Repeat after me, Alma. ‘Good morning, Minister Barethna. We are conducting an investigation and will soon discover who is behind this dastardly deed. We will find the person responsible, no matter how high they stand on the council.’”
I repeated exactly what he said, exactly as he said it. The nuisances of his speech, the way he emphasized certain words. Everything.
The minister’s face blanched. “You suspect a member of the council?”
Desian whispered, and I voiced, “No other would have the ease of access to the prince. We will be in touch soon.”
Minister Barethna nodded slowly. “I see. I must hurry for a breakfast meeting with Lord Parnish. Please excuse me.”
Yarling and I lowered our chins slightly as she all but ran down the hallway.
“What purpose did this serve?” I asked quietly. “You know it wasn’t anyone on the council.”
Desian answered. “It’s best to keep them off balance. They are very conniving and use any advantage to climb within the ranks. Each has plans for ruling one day.”
“They won’t take the throne away from Panpir,” Yarling growled. “It’s his by right.”
The nation’s constitution said otherwise, but I didn’t voice my opinion aloud.
We continued walking. We turned down a corridor, heading toward the front entrance of the palace.
Desian’s voice spoke suddenly in my ear. “Alma Klint! This truly is a remarkable piece of magic. Already it’s become more useful than I imagined.”
“Why? So you can use me to threaten ministers?”
“No. I can see Antonio walking behind you two. As long as you keep your eyes forward, he has no way of knowing he’s been spotted. It’s best to act now.”
“By doing what?”
“Raise your hand and run your fingers through Yarling’s hair.”
“What?”
“Just do it,” Yarling hissed.
I sighed. I slipped my arm free from Yarling’s and slid it up his shoulder, sinking my fingertips into his hair. The strands were soft as water. I nearly gasped as the silkiness rubbed against my skin.
“Now grip the roots,” Desian commanded.
I hardly hesitated.
“Lean over and nibble his ear.”
I started to object but knew my words would do no good. I complied. Holding firmly to Yarling’s hair, I moved my mouth to his ear. I slipped his lobe into my mouth and bit down slightly. I felt a tremor pass through the prince’s body. My own body quivered at the nearness. I retreated, sucking as I pulled my lips away from him.
An unmistakable moan escaped the prince’s lips.
“Perfect,” Desian said.
No, not perfect. My heart thudded frantically. My breathing became shallow. The intoxicating smell of the prince, the sensual softness of his skin, the sweet noise that left his mouth, all threatened to drown me with desire.
Yarling turned his head slightly and the darkness was mirrored in his eyes. He’d liked the sensation as much as I had.
All thoughts of Desian and the guardsman left my mind. I only saw those brown eyes narrow and a flash of lust deep within. My fingers tightened in his hair. I pulled his head toward me and he offered no resistance. I crushed my lips against his. My mouth worked feverishly, trying to taste him before he pushed me away. To my surprise, he mimicked my desperation. His lips parted and his tongue darted out to taste me in return.
His mouth was hot and his tongue quick. His fingers reached up to grip my forearms. My free hand snaked around his back, pulling our bodies closer. I groaned at the intimacy of our actions. A haze filled my brain, the only focus being the prince and his allure.
We shifted sideways, our bodies struggling to touch everywhere. The back of my head hit the wall on the side of the corridor. I hardly noticed. The prince pressed against me so hard, I was afraid he’d push me through the stones. His hips nudged against mine and I could feel the beginnings of his erection.
I was a heartbeat away from throwing him to the ground when a low voice interrupted my thoughts.
“Uh, Alma? Antonio is already gone. You can stop now.”
The words flashed through my mind like ice water. My logical si
de resumed control. I pulled away from the prince, my breath heavy and ragged. Yarling looked disheveled, his hair a mess, his face flushed and splotchy. He seemed on the verge of joining our lips once more. But then something passed over him, maybe the realization we were getting very thoroughly aroused in the middle of the hallway, maybe the realization I wasn’t Antonio. Because no other explanation fit for what had transpired. He’d been thinking of the guardsman while he kissed me.
I swallowed. “Were we convincing?”
Desian was silent for a moment. “Very.”
“That was the point,” Yarling said. He was still in my arms. Still inches away from me. “We had to convince him.”
“I think you did,” Desian supplied. “It was…good acting.”
Yarling took a step back and I wanted to cry out in protest. The heat of him had been so welcomed. Now I felt cold as a sunless, winter day.
“Breakfast,” Yarling said, his eyes still locked on mine. The darkness had lessened, but a seed of desire still hid within. “We should go eat breakfast.”
I nodded. “Of course, Your Highness.” I cleared my throat and then ran my hands over my clothing, straightening my shirt and my trousers. I walked forward and offered him my arm. He looped his hand through.
We set off down the hallway.
“I hope I didn’t harm you, Your Highness,” I said lamely. “I wanted to appear adequately invested in the endeavor.”
“No, I’m fine, Alma. You did your part well.”
I smiled at the hidden compliment in his words. See, Franik? I’m not a bad kisser.
As we walked, I tried to keep my awkwardness in check. Though, luckily, Yarling had interpreted my actions as serving the plan, though at the moment it had been farthest from my mind. Even my fear of him and his magic had evaporated. Nothing had remained but passion. It had screamed from within me, dying to be released. That made sense; it’d been at least a year since I’d had a lover. Naturally these feeling had to be expressed every now and then.
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