AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Eat your sandwich and then we’ll go watch the boys. We can test your magic afterwards,” Princess Jolie said. “Good things come to those who wait.”
“Says the most impatient person in the world,” King Katar of the Elves, Queen Kara’s husband and Prince Foxfire’s father, teased.
Jolie shook her head. “That’s Fox, not me.”
He laughed. “Very true.”
They teased each other while I silently watched and ate the sandwich.
“Did you grow up with them?” I asked Princess Jolie.
Everyone turned to look at me.
She shook her head. “No, why?”
“You all seem so … happy and comfortable together.” Nothing like me or my life.
“I’ve been with them for decades now,” Princess Jolie said with a soft smile. “My life before meeting the princes was … eventful.”
King Daniel scoffed. “Cursed by witches. Father, who was later found to be adoptive father, became a vampire and tried to use you to kill the princes. Memories blocked due to being banished by biological father because he thought you didn’t have powers. Yeah, quite the beginning of your life.”
She laughed and shrugged. “It is what it is. I’m just glad for the life I have now. I wouldn’t change a single thing because I know it would have changed where I am now.”
I frowned and looked down at the last piece of sandwich as I thought over her words. That was a sentiment I didn’t feel right now, but perhaps was a good one to try to accept.
I had never wanted to leave my cabin in the woods, but perhaps this new direction in my life was exactly what I needed. Perhaps this was the path I needed to go in to try to find ahappily ever after, whatever that looked like for me. It definitely wasn’t isolated in a cabin. I craved companionship, comradery.
Princess Jolie walked over to me and hugged me, patting my back gently.
I tensed, but after a breath relaxed and hugged her back.
“You looked like you needed a hug,” she whispered. “I hope you don’t mind. After being around shifters for so long, I’ve learned the signs.”
“Thank you,” I whispered and felt tears in my eyes as I realized I had never been hugged by my adopted parents and being in her arms felt like being in a mother’s arms.
She leaned back, keeping her hands on my upper arms, and smiled. “If you ever need a hug, you just come up and ask, okay? I don’t know what your life has been like, but you’ve obviously been a little physically neglected. I can tell since you are like I used to be. Touch is important to not only shifters, but everyone. Don’t be afraid to ask for a hug if you need it. Understand?”
I nodded and wiped at my eyes. “Thank you, Princess Jolie.”
“Just Jolie,” she said with a shake of her head. “Now, let’s go watch some sexy men fight each other shirtless.”
We grabbed a cup of hot chocolate, linked arms, and walked out to the front lawn where the sparring was going on.
At the edge of the lawn were several lawn chairs, and we sat to watch.
At the moment, Prince Rhys was sparring with Caleb, both in dragon warrior forms which had dragon scales along their necks and stomachs, protecting their vital organs and throat, their hands were transformed to have dragon’s claws at the tips, and their eyes were slitted.
I sipped on my hot chocolate and watched with rapt attention as they fought. They moved so fast sometimes that I couldn’t tell what they were doing, only hear the sounds of fists or feet landing punches and kicks.
The fight ended with Caleb on his back and Prince Rhys smiling proudly over him, both panting from exertion.
“You’re getting better,” Prince Rhys praised and reached down to grab Caleb’s hand to help pull him up to his feet.
Caleb dusted himself off. “I keep missing the shift in your stance and get caught off guard no matter how much I try to watch for it.”
“It just takes practice,” Prince Rhys said and shrugged. “You’ll get there eventually.”
Caleb’s eyes darted towards me before going back to his father. “I need to get there sooner than later.”
