“What does yours look like?” I peeked through my lashes and saw the tender look on his face as he held me with his eyes.
“Mine is like the sands of the desert blowing in the hot wind toward the tumbling ocean,” he whispered.
Giant raindrops began to fall. My clothing was dry though, and I wasn’t sure if it was because of the magic woven within it or because of the prince’s promise to take care of it.
“Can you see it?” he asked, pulling my thoughts back to my own magic.
“Maybe it was a fluke and I don’t have any.”
“It’s there.”
“I can’t do anything with you looking at me like that,” I whispered, hoping only he could hear me.
“I’m sorry,” he answered, turning away.
“I wasn’t complaining, Prince.”
He looked at me again, with a roguish smile that melted me entirely. “Be careful how you taunt me, Princess.”
“If that was supposed to be a threat, you failed miserably.” I stepped closer, knowing it would rattle him.
He leaned down until his mouth was inches from my ear. “I’ll try harder next time.”
The vibrato of his deep voice sent shivers down my body, and my core tightened. “As will I, Prince,” I answered, letting the seduction of my voice unnerve him as he had done to me.
“You will be the death of me,” he whispered.
“Probably,” I answered, quite seriously.
A crack of lightning filled the grey sky above, and thunder rumbled somewhere in the distance. One moment we were safe and dry, the next we were completely drenched.
“I thought you were supposed to be handling the rain.” I laughed.
“I got distracted.” Those damn eyes locked on my wet body.
“Let’s go find the others. We can practice magic again tomorrow.” I turned to see everyone staring at us in the rain. I guess they hadn’t gotten far. We joined them, but I kept my face to the ground. I blamed the water wraith for getting me all worked up.
“Well, this isn’t awkward and feels totally normal,” Kai said.
Wren burst into laughter, and even Lichen laughed. Fen looked at me, and I nudged him.
“Help me with the fire, Greeve?” he asked.
As soon as they turned to walk away, Kai bumped his shoulder into mine. “Are you our mommy now?”
“Careful, Kaitalen,” Fen growled over his shoulder.
“Fen, we talked about this. You can’t just go around telling people my full name.”
The prince walked away, grinning like a young child, leaving us to stand in a scattered circle while we waited for their return, the ground too wet to sit on.
“Hey, new mom,” he whispered. “I think Dad has a crush on you.”
“How does anyone ever take you seriously?” I laughed, though my thoughts were far from jovial. His joke didn’t make me want to puke, which was a problem. I didn’t want that attachment to Fen. I wanted mutual respect and honest friendship. It had to be that way.
“I honestly have no idea.”
“We don’t.” Lichen took an eager step in my direction. “Ara, I’ve been hoping to ask you some questions, if you don’t mind?”
