But her.
The Seer with the gray eyes that reminded him of storm clouds took his mind off of what was to come.
Aric was drawn to her.
He had to be near her.
Chapter 15
RAINA AND ALLAN waited for Errison outside the banquet hall in the wide corridor.
“I’m going to check on Olia,” Allan said. “I can’t believe she couldn’t dine with us.”
Raina nodded, grinning. “Someone is smitten.”
Allan’s face turned serious. “Don’t be ridiculous. I just want to make sure she is okay waiting at the inn with all of those strange men.”
“Of course,” Raina said.
“Just wait here for Errison,” Allan said.
“Sure,” Raina said to herself. “Go make sure Olia is safe with all of those strange men. Leave me here with all of these strange people.”
Allan sucked his teeth. “Really, Raina. You don’t need my protection anymore than I need you to tutor me in history.”
“I was only joking,” Raina said. She folded her hands before her and tilted her head toward the exit. “Now go. You don’t have to pretend that you aren’t attracted to her. I won’t tell.”
Allan searched her eyes in silence.
Raina could see that he really cared for Olia. She found it remarkable how quickly feelings could develop between strangers. After all of her training, she wished someone had taught them about this type of thing.
“Thank you.” Allan gave her a quick hug and turned to leave.
A smile lingered in Raina’s lips as she watched her brother leave.
“So,” a male voice said from behind her.
Startled, Raina turned to face Prince Aric.
“He must be your brother. The other Cloak,” Aric said.
Raina nodded, her eyes widened.
“I figured as much. You two look remarkably alike.”
“Yes,” she said. Her mind raced to think of something else to say, but as her mouth parted, words refused to form.
What do you say to a man that you find attractive? Back in Latari, Raina was kept isolated in their manor. She could count only two times when she’d even seen men her age back home.
The corners of Aric’s mouth lifted into an amused smile. “Are you blushing?”
Raina straightened her back, trying to hide her embarrassment.
She was a god.
Gods don’t blush.
“No.”
Aric chuckled. He ran a thumb across his bottom lip as he looked at her.
Raina’s ears started to grow hot under his intense gaze. It was as if he undressed her in his mind. She crossed her arms across her chest.
“Did you need something?” Raina had to remember what they were there for. They were to be of service to the royal family.
“Come with me,” he said, reaching a hand out.
Raina stared at his hand. Then she looked at her own gloved hand, not understanding.
“Why?”
Aric took two steps forward and took her hand into his. His clasp on her hand was firm, sure of himself.
“You’re not going to deny the future king your charming company, are you?”
Raina’s brows furrowed. “Where are you taking me?”
“Always with the questions,” he said. “Patience. You’ll see soon enough.”
Raina didn’t fear for her safety with the prince. She could break him in half, after all. Besides that fact, he intrigued her, and she desperately wanted to go wherever he led her.
She quickened her pace as Aric led her down the corridor and up a flight of carpeted stairs. Everyone that they passed bowed and made room for them to walk past. Soon they were farther and farther away from other people. Eventually, they were all alone in a tower.
Raina’s eyes widened in wonder when she saw the open arches all around the tower’s circular wall. She stepped to one of the arches and looked out upon the entire city.
“This is incredible,” she said as her eyes took in the wonder before her. “Rhene is so vast.” She could see far over the capital city, and even past it where the mountains stood in the distance.
The silence behind her made her turn around.
Prince Aric stood right behind her. She took a step back, her bottom pressed against the wall, the cool breeze from outside billowing her cloak.
His eyes.
They were green.
Hooded under dark blond lashes and eyebrows mixed with brown, she could get lost within them if she allowed herself to.
When he reached out to touch her, she tensed. It was as if her body refused to move, and so she stood there as he brushed her bangs from her eyes.
“Precious fates, you’re beautiful,” he said.
Her heart thumped when he narrowed his eyes to get a better look at the tattoo on her forehead.
“Interesting,” he said as he traced the symbol with his finger.
Tears stung Raina’s eyes. Panic filled her. She gripped his shoulder.
“Please,” she whispered. “Don’t tell anyone.”
Aric’s brows furrowed as he looked down at her face. “What is there to tell?”
He doesn’t know what it means.
Relieved, Raina turned away and wiped her eyes. For a moment she remembered the horrors of the Vault, and what Litha could do to them if they were found.
She and Allan couldn’t afford to grow complacent and forget their goal.
Home. They had to get home.
“Nothing,” she said, sniffling. She worked to compose herself.
Aric’s voice came out a bit gentler than before. Less suave. Genuine.
“I didn’t mean to frighten you,” he whispered, moving to stand beside her.
Raina glanced at him. She struggled to make sense of why he paid her any attention at all. Didn’t he understand what she was pretending to be?
“It’s fine. There’s no need to apologize.”
“No,” he said. He looked out to the city.
All of the lights left Raina spellbound as she followed his gaze.
“I had no right to touch you. I really don’t know what came over me. I assure you I didn’t bring you up here to seduce you. I simply wanted to learn a bit more about you before I leave.”
“You’re leaving?” Why should she care? He was a human. He had nothing to do with their plan.
Except…Raina remembered Errison mentioning that the prince needed their protection. He did have god-like power that made him a target from others as well.
Raina couldn’t tell if she was rationalizing being alone with the prince for his sake or her own.
He nodded. “Yes. I start my travels in a few days.”
“Travels?”
“Yes. Every future king must travel the world to learn and explore the different cultures. It’s a means to develop alliances, foster treaties, and to also potentially find a queen.”
Raina swallowed. She wasn’t sure she liked that last part. She was kidding herself, she barely knew him but the thought of him paying attention to another woman annoyed her.
Raina was set on making Aric her own.
She always knew that when she found the man for her, it would feel right, that they would just know they were meant to be together. She hid a grin, wondering if Aric thought the same about her.
“How long will you be away?”
He sighed and leaned his shoulder against the wall. “The journey takes three years.”
Three years?
Raina tried to hide her disappointment. She looked down at the wooded area to the west.
“That’s a long time.”
“Will you miss me?”
“I don’t even know you.”
“True. But I’d like to change that,” Aric said. “If that is all right with you.”
Before she could stop herself, Raina nodded. “Yes.”
“There’s something about you. Something draws me to you. It’s like we’ve known each other much lon
ger than just today.”
“I feel it too,” Raina whispered.
Her heart thumped in her chest as Aric moved closer to her again. He took her hand in his. His grip was firm and unyielding, yet tender.
Oh, my. What is happening, Desi?
Get out of there, Raina. Desi’s voice seemed to come from far away. Stay focused.
“Can I get to know you, Raina?”
Involuntarily, she nodded.
Desi’s voice faded. Or perhaps Raina simply stopped listening. She hoped the fairy wouldn’t be cross with her.
He put an arm up above her head, steadying himself as he leaned down to her. He tilted her chin with his finger.
“Can I kiss you?”
Kiss?
The thought made her hands grow sweaty. Her breaths quickened.
“Yes.”
Her eyes fluttered closed as his lips pressed against hers, sending electric shocks more powerful than the harnessing of lightning bolts.
Pure magic.
The kiss deepened, and Aric caught her in an embrace, holding her tight to his hard chest.
Raina couldn’t breathe. She didn’t want to. All she wanted was to kiss Aric into the late hours of the night and never leave his side. The heat from their kiss made her want to rip her Seer uniform off and let the breeze cool her.
The thought made her blush. No man had ever seen her nude body. Aric could, though.
If he wanted to.
Something told Raina that he wouldn’t protest. The way his tongue explored her mouth caught her off guard, but Raina was a quick leaner and focused on the sensations, mimicking the movement of his tongue with her own.
When he pulled away, he lingered, pressing his forehead to hers.
“Seers aren’t supposed to kiss like that,” he breathed, stroking her cheeks with his thumbs as he held her face in between his hands.
Raina tensed. “I’ve never kissed anyone before tonight.”
Together they caught their breaths.
“Raina,” he said.
“Yes,” she replied, desperate for more of his mouth upon hers.
“Meet me tomorrow night in the gardens behind the palace.”
“Why?”
“Like I said, I have three days to make you remember me.”
Raina cracked a smile. She nodded.
“Tomorrow then.”
Chapter 16
WAS IT NORMAL to stay up all night daydreaming about someone?
Raina left her room at dawn, excited for this new adventure masquerading as a human, but exhausted from lack of sleep. Even gods needed rest, and after traveling for days, Raina regretted staying awake all night.
The palace was a maze to her. There were countless hallways, crowded meeting areas where the lords, ladies, and foreign royalty looked at her with interest. Despite the winding staircases that all looked the same, and led to similar-looking landings, Raina managed to make her way to the dining room where the servants gathered for breakfast.
Allan motioned for her to sit beside him at the long wooden table that stretched from one end of the chilly room to the other.
Raina scooted beside him on the bench seat and scanned the others that assembled beside and across from them.
“Morning,” Allan said. He sipped dark liquid from a small cup. He grimaced.
Someone poured the same, strong-smelling liquid into Raina’s cup. She sniffed it and gave Allan a perturbed look. “What is this?”
“Brew,” the young man that poured the liquid into each person’s cup said.
Brew? Raina scrunched up her nose. That still doesn’t tell me anything.
“Just try it,” he said with an amused look on his face.
Raina noticed that everyone stopped what they were doing to watch her.
She cleared her throat. “I’ve never had a brew before,” she said, taking the warm cup in both hands.
An older woman that looked to be in her thirties, in a dark blue uniform reached over the table to hand Raina a dish of sugar cubes. Her blue eyes were friendly, and her bright red curls seemed to fight for escape from under her bonnet.
“Well don’t try it without a little sugar and cream, love,” she said before plopping two cubes into the liquid.
Raina smiled at her as she poured white cream into her brew.
“Give it a stir and then try it,” the woman said.
“Thank you,” Raina said and stirred the concoction. Her first taste was a pleasant surprise. Unknown flavors mixed and warmed her from the inside out.
The young man that poured the brew set the pot on the table and sat beside her.
“What do you think?” The woman smiled as she waited for Raina’s reply.
“It’s quite good,” Raina said, taking another sip. She closed her eyes and sighed. “Delicious, actually.”
“Good,” the woman said. “I’m Hattie. That’s Logan that was going to let you drink brew straight from the pot,” she said with a smirk.
“What?” Logan shrugged his shoulders. He held his bowl out as a girl went around the table ladling out a thick porridge of some sort. “Some people like their brew straight from the pot. How was I supposed to know?”
Raina glanced at Allan, who seemed to enjoy his straight from the pot.
He put his empty cup on the table.
“It’s okay,” Raina said. “I’m Raina. This is my brother, Allan.”
Raina motioned to Allan, who already had a journal open as he poured more brew into his cup.
“We don’t have that where we’re from,” Raina said.
“And where is that, love?” Hattie’s blue eyes examined Raina and Allan.
Allan nudged Raina’s leg under the table, making her smile drop.
“Far east,” Raina said, hoping the questions would end there.
“Ah,” Hattie said. “A lot of things are different in the east. No matter. Seers are always welcome in Rhene.”
“No, they aren’t,” Logan said.
Hattie shot him a warning glare.
“Well,” Logan said, lowering his voice. “Not everyone likes being told what to do by holy people.” He turned to Raina, his bushy blond brows rising. “I'm just being honest. But, Seers are all right by me.”
Raina smirked as porridge was ladled into her bowl. “Thank you,” she said, eyeing the delicious smelling concoction before her.
“The same can be said for insolent barbers,” Hattie said.
Logan scoffed. “That’s ridiculous. Everyone loves a good haircut.” He nodded to Hattie. “You certainly could use one.”
“What do you do, Hattie?” Raina took a bite of her porridge. The flavor was entirely unexpected. Rice mixed with small chopped vegetables and sausages in a savory dish that she knew she’d want more of.
“I’m the palace herb-mistress. With all of the illnesses going around in the Lower City, I make sure the royal family stays healthy,” Hattie said.
Raina nodded. “Interesting.”
“Not really,” Logan said. “All she does is boil flowers and call it healing.”
Raina giggled.
“Insolence,” Hattie said, shaking her head.
Bells went off and everyone groaned.
“Better shovel it in,” Logan said to Raina before taking a large bite of his porridge.
Hattie sighed. “He’s right. You never know when you’ll get a chance to sit down and eat again before supper.”
Raina glanced at Allan, who had finished his bowl and a second cup of brew. Raina took as many bites as she could before the next bell rang.
The bells continued to ring two more times before everyone abandoned their meals and started for the two arches that led to the staircase.
Raina and Allan followed the others but were stopped by a small woman with brown hair cut short to her jaw line, and thin brown eyes
“Good day, Seers. I am Joleen. I will show you to your posts,” she said.
“Lovely to meet you,” Raina said.
“Likewise,” Allan said.
Joleen smiled. “Seers are always so polite. I am pleased that the palace finally has someone of your rank here to bring a little religion to this place.”
Raina and Allan followed her up the stairs that led up to the main floor.
“It will take you awhile to learn the layout of the palace, but soon you’ll be experts in its many twists and turns,” Joleen said.
“I hope so,” Raina said.
Raina examined the paintings on the walls of the corridor when Joleen stopped and bowed.
Her eyes rested on Prince Eryon as he stood before them.
For a moment, he simply watched them, as if waiting.
Raina realized that she’d forgotten to bow, and she did so, Allan following her lead.
“Good day, Prince Eryon,” Joleen said.
Eryon nodded. “I’ll take the Seer to my sister,” he said.
Raina swallowed as he folded his hands behind his back and looked her up and down.
He was a complete opposite of his brother, a few years younger, but the exact same age as Raina and Allan. With dark hair and bright blue eyes, he was handsome in a different way. One that Raina noted as innocent.
“I will see at supper then,” Raina said to Allan.
Allan nodded and gave Eryon a look.
“See you then.”
Raina watched Allan and Joleen take a different direction to the vaults where the ancient texts were kept.
“You two must have remarkable minds to be made Seers at such a young age,” Eryon said.
Raina nodded. “I suppose so.”
Eryon smiled at her. His eyes were soft and sincere. “Maybe you can teach me some things as well.”
“Depends on what you need to learn,” Raina said.
“I’m sure I can think of something,” Eryon said, leading her through a room filled with guests of the palace enjoying cups of what smelled like the brew from earlier.
“I’m a lover of history myself,” Eryon told her.
“Then my brother would be the better teacher for you.”
“But your brother doesn’t have eyes like yours.”
Raina paused, giggling. “Yes, he does. Our eyes are identical.”
Eryon smiled. “I admit that I didn’t notice.”
“You and your brother are almost too much,” she said. “You’re both way too charming to be taken seriously.”