“No one! Well, you now. I thought I was going crazy! I don’t know what’s happening to me, and I couldn’t bring myself to tell anyone. I mentioned to Winnie that I was having nightmares, but that’s all she knows—or thinks she knows.”
“Did you really fall on a guy naked?” She cracked a grin.
“I had my underwear on!” I groaned, burying my face in my hands, peeking out between my fingers. “But yes, and it was so embarrassing.”
“Is that his shirt?” Cynthia reached out and grabbed the fabric, eyes wide with curiosity.
“Yep.” I sighed, rubbing a hand over my face and glancing down at the soft, silky material.
“Wow, he must be massive. Was he good-looking?” She smirked, raising an eyebrow.
“That’s not important,” I grumbled, turning away as she grinned from ear to ear.
“Oh, so he was! He must’ve been really sexy to have you blushing like that!” She squealed, and I leaned back into the chair, looking up at the ceiling.
“Yeah.”
We both burst into girlish laughter.
“Have you ever heard of anything like this before?” I asked, the dread creeping back into my chest.
“Yes, all the time,” she said, her tone dripping with sarcasm, but her face quickly turned serious.
“I keep thinking the next time I’ll appear on the edge of a cliff or something and fall to my death.” I chuckled lightly, trying to downplay the fear.
“Oh Gods, that hasn’t happened, has it?”
“I'm here, aren’t I?” We exchanged grins. “No, but it happens whenever it wants. I don’t even think it’s me doing it. It’s like some sort of magic, but if it were my magic, I’d be able to control it, right? But I’ve tried—and it’s like it has a mind of its own.”
We both sat in silence for a moment. Cynthia looked uneasy and shifted anxiously in her chair.
“What if it happens in front of other people? My parents? The whole damn kingdom at the ball?” I could hear the panic rising in my voice. “What are they going to think? I’ve been lucky so far, but it’s happening more and more.”
“Didn’t your mother give you some sort of tonic for your nightmares?” Cynthia asked nonchalantly.
“Yes, but I don’t think a sleeping draft is going to stop this.” I said, sighing and running my hands through my knot-infested hair.
“Maybe, but it might be worth trying,” Cynthia said sympathetically. I shrugged, and she eyed me anxiously, reaching out and squeezing my hand. “We’ll figure this out together, promise.”
Chapter 4
Xavier
The beautiful stranger vanished before me, leaving a crisp, wintery scent behind. It was undeniably the scent I’d been catching traces of over these past weeks, though she was far from what I had imagined.
She had long chestnut-brown hair that cascaded down her shoulders like silk. It had framed her face, highlighting her pale skin. Her angular cheekbones and almond-shaped eyes made her look both enchanting and intense. Her full lips had been set in a stubborn line, and her long, toned legs hinted at hidden strength. From the confident tone in her voice, I could tell she had to come from a privileged family. Yet, I hadn’t been able to fully assess her, as her lack of clothing had been… distracting. The lacey black fabric she wore had barely covered her full breasts, which had threatened to spill out with every movement. It had taken every ounce of my control not to stare.
My stalker was undeniably feisty, and her shadowing proved she had magic, but there was something about her—something off. I had lunged forward when the shadows encircled her, butfrom the look on her face, I wasn’t quite sure she knew what had been happening.
I stood rooted to the spot, lost in thought. Why was this girl following me, and how had she been getting through our wards? The moment she had fallen on me out of the literal sky, fates be damned, I was sure it was some sort of attack.
But then I saw what she wore, and I shouldn’t have assumed.
It was stupid of me to put my guard down, but why had I put it down? The fact that she had no weapons shouldn’t have made me lower my dagger. Weapons don’t mean anything when it comes to the Fae, yet I somehow felt it was okay to lower my guard.
That was a problem.
I stared at the now empty spot in the tent where she had been just moments prior. A knot formed in my stomach, and I shook my head from my thoughts. Turning, I walked to the end of the cot, where a large, ornate wooden chest sat. I opened it and grabbed another shirt, quickly putting it on before grabbing my daggers and storming out of the tent.
