A pang struck my chest at the thought of once again being alone. I’d miss them. Driscoll with his constant chatter and gossip. Leoni with her kind smiles and helping hand. And the prince. My heart squeezed. His brilliant smiles, his shameless flirting, his effortless conversation. The way he made me feel safe.
I glanced back at the inn. But I couldn’t stay stuck in that room, not when Gran was out there somewhere, sick and alone. Maybe even afraid. Though I doubted it. Gran didn’t fear anything.
I walked down the stone street that shot through the city. I’d walk to the center pavilion, then take a right out toward the highlands where I’d camp for a few days and make a plan.
The castle hung in the sky, gleaming and sparkling under the moon. I wished I could see it up close. Maybe one day. Maybe after I found Gran and finally got answers about who I was, I could learn how to fly up there, and I’d see it for myself.
The prince had told me the castle allowed visitors. It was such amagnificent piece of architecture that elementals came from all over Arathia to tour the castle grounds. Some humans even came too.
Giggles erupted in an alley that forked off the road, and I jumped, heart hammering, but when I looked over it was two sky elementals tangled together in the dark, kissing and laughing. His hands roamed up the side of her wings, and she let out a moan. My face flushed as I hurried away, not wanting to intrude on such a private moment.
My thoughts once again turned to the prince, his fiery gaze on my face as his fingers trailed over my wings. Just thinking about it now made that familiar heat prickle between my legs and burn up to my belly. He’d been about to kiss me, and I’d so badly wanted him to. If he ever did, I might actually combust. But he had the chance, and he’d chosen not to.
And now I was thinking about the prince. Again. Maybe it was my inexperience in the world, with men. Maybe any man would make me feel this way.
I still had so much to learn about myself. I couldn’t get involved in romantic entanglements when I couldn’t even trust my own feelings—and certainly not the man I was developing feelings for. He was a known heartbreaker. He as much as told me that he had a fear of commitment.
I darted to the edge of the road, two tall buildings on either side. There lay the pavilion with the fountain. I looked left and right before stepping out into it. No one was out at this time, the city silent and still. I’d just take a right and follow the road out the gates and back toward the highlands.
I hesitated. I’d run away from the prince once already and it hadn’t gone well, but I could do this. I had to believe in myself. I knew how to use my magic now, how to defend myself.
I wasn’t completely helpless, not like before.
“You were never helpless, Poppy.”
I straightened, surprised the prince’s voice had infiltrated my thoughts. It had always been Gran’s voice I heard. But if he were here with me, I knew that’s what he’d say.
I took a deep breath and started toward the road to the right when a rustle of wings sounded behind me. Great. Probably a few more lovers out in the city, unable to keep their hands from each other. My stupid throat grew thick as yet again the prince entered my thoughts.
Blood and skies. Would I ever be rid of him? Would that smiling face, those dancing eyes, ever fade from my memory? I wondered if every female he came across reacted to him like this. All the women he’d kissed, done more than kiss... how did they go about their lives like normal afterward? How were they not forever changed by his imprint? Maybe they were. Maybe he wrecked them like he’d very well wreck me if I ever let him do more than just flirt.
I took a step forward. It was fine. This was fine. I would stick with my plan, and soon enough, the prince would be out of my mind, my life, for good, and I could move on.
That rustling sounded again, and I whipped around but didn’t see anyone. An animal, perhaps? A rodent scavenging for food. That was most likely.
I took another step, but when I turned around, a sky elemental blocked my path to the street behind him, my way out of Winded. His dark blue tunic billowed in the wind, and he wore no wool-lined jacket, instead wearing a gleaming silver plate—armor. A royal guard, perhaps?
His black hair was slicked back, his brown eyes flaring as he studied me. “You look so much like her. I’ll give you that.”
A nervous laugh escaped my mouth. “Excuse me, sir. I’m just out for a night walk.” The tremble in my voice betrayed me. I tried to move past him, but he stepped in front of me once again.
Bloody skies.
“Can I help you?” I arched my neck to look up at him as he peered down at me.
“No,” he said, voice firm.
“Then, if you’ll just let me pass...” I tried to shift to the other direction, but again he stepped in front of me, blocking my path.
“No,” he said again.
My heart thundered, skin prickling. “What do you want with me?”
I stuck out my hands, wind picking up and swirling over them, ready to push into him. He sighed like he was bored and lifted his hand, swatting away my magic with his own burst of wind like it was nothing.
I backed away, stumbling against the fountain as more feet landed in the courtyard around me.
“Who are you?” I asked with a shaky voice. Icy cold crept over me as I realized the horrible mistake I’d made.
