Page 15 of Treasured By the Fae Royal
There’s no denying the heat that flared in his eyes and the way his breath caught in his throat. And that sudden bulge in his tight leather pants sent a thrill through me.
Disbelief descends and I struggle to catch my breath.
My first kiss. My very first kiss was with a Summer Court prince.
Suddenly, I wish Mira were here. I could talk to her about this whole strange situation I’ve gotten myself into, and I could share my excitement as well as my worries. But she’s all the way in Trevos, a full two week’s wagon ride away.
Mama and I traveled by wagon most of the way, hitching a ride with a group of merchants headed for Sorsston. It wasn’t until the last day of our journey that we disembarked the wagon and set off on foot, as they couldn’t spare the time to take us all the way to Aunt Heather’s cottage.
A quick visit to Mira isn’t an option, though I hope to send her a letter soon. If I invite her to visit the cottage, will Warden Valloc permit it? My spirits sink because I’m not sure he would. He’s so protective of her that he doesn’t like being away from her side for long. Even though she’s part-fae and stronger than most humans.
Thoughts of Mira and Warden Valloc’s mating union give me pause. There’s no denying he’s downright possessive of her, and if another male showed interest in Mira, I have no doubt the warden would waste no time in slaughtering the man. Is Prince Lucas the same way?
My worries start to outweigh my excitement over the coming night.
I don’t want the sort of trouble that might arise if the prince becomes possessive of me. I think of Mama’s plan to take me to Sorsston at the start of spring for the purpose of finding me a husband. Over dinner tonight, she’d mentioned that we would travel there around that time, and Aunt Heather had chimed in that she thought it was an excellent idea. My aunt also mentioned a few local farmers’ sons she wanted me to meet. It would seem both Mama and Aunt Heather are keen to play matchmaker for me.
If I meet Prince Lucas tonight, am I leading him on? It feels wrong to do that, but at the same time, it’s not as though we could become mates. Somewhere out there, there’s a fae female who is fated to belong to him. Maybe he just hasn’t met her yet. It’s my understanding that sometimes fae don’t meet their fated mates until they’re over a thousand years old.
If I spend too much time with the Summer Court prince and he starts to feel possessive of me, will he interfere when I later travel to Sorsston to find a husband? My stomach clenches at the thought.
I’m tired of fighting, tired of war.
All the violence I witnessed during the fae’s attack on my home city was because of Prince Lucas. I shouldn’t forget that. It was his massive army that conquered Trevos and brought much bloodshed to the human kingdom.
I continue pacing the room and watching the clock, my thoughts in turmoil. Despite all that’s happened between my people and the fae, I can’t help but think I’ll regret not meeting the prince tonight.
If I don’t meet him, I’ll always wonder what we might’ve talked about and whether he would’ve given me another soft, perfect kiss.
Just before midnight, I stuff two extra pillows underneath the sheets and pull the covers up so it looks like I’m curled on my side fast asleep. Then, I crack the window. To my relief, it opens easily and doesn’t creak. I finish opening it and peer outside. I don’t see him, but then he probably won’t walk straight up to the cottage. He won’t want to risk being seen by my mother or aunt.
I smooth my hands through my hair, feeling a bit ridiculous for the long curls I set earlier in the night, but it’s too late to change my hair now. I take a deep breath and start climbing out the window. The cold night wind makes me shiver, and a wolf howls in the distance. Ugh, it’s still winter out here.
Until it’s not.
All at once, a warm breeze surrounds me and the sound of locusts and crickets fill the night, along with trilling frogs and other nighttime sounds I can’t quite identify. The nearby forest also illuminates with countless fireflies and other glowing creatures I don’t recognize. Exotic creatures that I suppose hail from the Summer Court.
My feet hit the ground, and I immediately close the window. I pray Mama or Aunt Heather don’t decide to check on me, but I also hope the pillows under the blankets trick works if they do. Satisfied by my escape, I turn and face the glittering darkness. I don’t see Prince Lucas, but I know he’s here.
I follow the garden walkway as my excitement mounts. Holy gods, I actually sneaked out of the house to meet a guy. Not just any guy, but a highborn fae male. A Summer Court prince.
I smell him before I see him. The scent of star jasmine and honeysuckle hits me hard, and a second later he steps into my path. My heart stumbles when I see what he’s holding. A single red rose.
The moment our eyes meet, giddiness swirls through me. I also become breathless even though he hasn’t said a word or touched me yet. It would seem the anticipation of what might pass between us tonight is enough to make me deliciously unsettled. An ache pulses steadily in my core, and I swear my nipples harden in the confines of my chemise. I’m experiencing the sort of physical reaction to a male that I’ve only read about.
Gods, it’s like I feel alive, truly alive, for the first time.
“Sweetling.”
“Prince Lucas.”
He hands me the rose, and when his fingers brush mine, the brief touch sends a fresh wave of sensation straight to my womanhood.
“Thank you for the rose.” I bring it to my nose. “It smells lovely.”
“You’re very welcome.” He clears his throat. “You may simply call me Lucas, by the way. There’s no need to be so formal.”
“All right.Lucas.” I don’t mean to say his name in a breathless, seductive tone, but that’s how it escapes my lips.
