“Prim, stay there,” Kole growled. “I’ll mistphase to you.”
“No need!” Nathaniel responded just as fast. “You can find your own way out. Or better yet, take the night off. I’ll ensure the princess returns safely to her chambers.”
I was about to tell the lordling that he would be doing no such thing, but he clamped a hold of my hand and once again, yanked me forward.
I tried to wrench my hand free and plant my feet, but all that did was pitch me off balance since my heels sank entirely into the soil. It didn’t help that Nathaniel was bigger and stronger, and unless I used my magic on him—which the cuff supposedly prohibited—it was either follow him or face plant.
Huffing, I debated my options and tried to think of a way to slow him or stop him without revealing that I had full access to my magic. But before I could, Nathaniel pulled me around several more corners. In the process, my heels fell entirely off, leaving me to run barefoot behind him.
“Stars Above, Nathaniel, this isridiculous. Kole!” I called over my shoulder as wind once again blew across my cheeks.
“Stay put!” Kole’s call sounded distant. “I’ll mistphase to where I think you are.”
But Nathaniel managed to wrangle me around more turns before I finally wrenched my hand free without the aid of my magic.
Fingers numb and my hand sore, I glared at him. “Enough, Nathaniel. This is beyond rude.”
I shook out my hand, trying to get feeling back into it, and Nathaniel’s expression cleared slightly. “Stars and galaxy, did I hurt you?”
“Yes, you did. I’ll likely have bruises from your grip,andI lost my shoes.” I was about to turn around and retrace my steps, but the hedges abruptly moved again. The path that had led to where Kole and I had been separated was now blocked. Totally and completely blocked. Even though Kole could mistphase, it would take him longer to find me if he was guessing where I was.
“I’m sorry, Primelle,” Nathaniel said, shaking his head. “Truly. The alcohol’s gone to my head. I didn’t realize what I wasdoing. Truly, I humbly apologize. I shall find your shoes and help you return to the ball.”
I huffed, but I had to admit his apology sounded genuine. Sighing, I replied, “All right, I accept your apology. As long as you never do that again.”
“I won’t, on the queen’s honor.” His lips lifted in a tentative smile. “Truce?”
I blew a strand of hair from my eyes. “Fine. Truce.”
“Now, shall we try to find your shoes and our way out?” he asked in a hopeful tone. “This time without me pulling you anywhere? I do want you to enjoy this, so I’m happy to follow your lead.”
Since he once again seemed sincere, I put his atrocious behavior behind me and glanced at the wall of hedges, but Kole’s call cut through the air just as fast.
“Primelle?” His voice was distant, and I could only imagine how much farther we’d been pulled apart or where he’d wrongly mistphased to. “Call my name so I can find you!”
“I’m still here!” I called back. “Just . . . farther away!”
“What’s up with you two?” Nathaniel scratched his chin, and despite his teasing tone, a flare of curiosity coated his question. “He’s not your keeper.”
I smoothed my gown. “No, but he’s been assigned to me to keep me safe. My parents have asked that he always stay with me.”
Nathaniel grimaced. “Stars, I didn’t know that.” He brought a hand to his chest. “A thousand apologies, Your Highness, truly.” He sighed. “Perhaps I could try and make it right?” He sidled closer to my side, his eyebrows rising hopefully. “We shall find our way out, and then I promise to return you to your warrior.”
A small smile formed upon my face at his genuine appeal to make things right. “That sounds like a good plan.”
He rubbed his hands together in anticipation. “Now, which way?”
I studied the hedges more. Two paths lay ahead. Who knew which way was the right one. I angled my head, listening for Kole, but I didn’t hear him calling for me and figured he was still mistphasing from row to row. Eventually, he’d show up. “How about we try?—”
A low snarl rose in the distance. A snarl that didn’t sound fae.
I stilled. “Did you hear that?”
Nathaniel cocked his head. “Hear wha?—”
“Primelle!” Kole roared from deeper in the maze at the same time a dark figure leaped over the top of the hedge nearest me.
My breath caught in my throat the second the moonlight alighted upon the creature’s hollowed cheeks.
