He had made it to the outside path of the royal garden when I shouted, “Is it true, Your Highness, that you sneak off to the human quarter to fuck human women?”
He halted in place, then snapped around and stormed back toward me.
I carried on regardless of the clear threat. “I find it funny that for someone who apparently finds human women so repulsive, you sure seem to have a way of constantly ending up with them. Or is that why you get rid of them afterward? To sweep your dirty little secret under the rug? Is that what you’re going to have your king do with me? Just get rid of your little problem?”
Sterling rushed up to me, grabbing me by the face forcefully. “You find it funny, do you?” He let go, pushing me as he did. “Who told you that?” he yelled.
Rubbing my face and jaw, I smiled. I had never been one to instigate a fight, but today I was more than willing. “Aw, Your Highness. Did I hit a nerve?”
His face was pure malice as he looked me up and down. Leaning in close, he whispered in my ear. “Believe me when I say that I will find out who is spreading falsehoods about me, and when I do, I will string them up in front of you and make you watch as I tear them apart.”
A chill ran over my body at his threat. Refusing to show any emotion, I kept a defiant look on my face as he slowly pulled away. “Will that be before or after the king gets rid of me for possibly possessing dark arcana?” I said mockingly as I waved my fingers at him.
Sterling stared at me, smiling mirthlessly. “Continue making jokes, Aurelia. You have no idea the danger you’re in right now.”
“Everything all right, Aurelia?” Everett called out. The guardian exited the garden and made his way over to us.
Sterling wrinkled his nose in disgust at him as he met up with us. “What exactly would you do about it if she weren’t, Guardian?” he challenged.
I pushed past Sterling. “I’m fine, Everett. Prince Sterling is just being a revolting asshole.”
Everett stared down Sterling, his hands clenched at his sides.The look in his eyes hardened. A wind picked up out of nowhere, the gusts growing progressively stronger.
“I suggest you settle down, Guardian, before you do something you’ll regret,” Sterling warned.
I walked up to Everett, placing my arm on his. “Come on. Let’s go. He’s not worth the time or energy.”
Everett let loose an annoyed sigh, and the whipping wind dissipated. I looped my arms through Everett’s as we turned around and made our way back toward the garden.
“That’s what I thought. Walk away! Cower and hide behind that suit of armor like you’re trained to do!” Sterling called out.
Everett’s jaw hardened and his body stiffened at Sterling’s taunt. He dropped my arms and turned around. “Recent events have shown that there are plenty of other folk who hold no love for you.”
Oh no.This situation was about to go from bad to worse.
“Is that a threat?” Sterling replied, with a taunting grin plastered across his face. “If you were anyone else, you would be charged with treason for that.”
Everett took a step forward. “I was not threatening you, Your Highness. I was simply stating a fact. You’re fortunate that Aurelia was around to save you then. Next time, you might not be so lucky.”
I stepped up and grabbed Everett’s arm, pulling him toward me. “Everett, what are you doing?” I hissed at him. “Shut up, and let’s go!”
Sterling’s face no longer held any signs of amusement as he made his way closer to us. “Do you know something about what happened to me, Everett?” He stood with his arms crossed across his broad chest, his face a mask of stone.
“I do not, Your Highness. I’m only suggesting that you treat Aurelia with more respect. You never know when you might need her help again.”
Sterling snorted, the thought clearly not very amusing to him.
“Can you two please stop?” I interjected, tired of being party to this pissing match between the two fae.
“Aurelia,” Everett said, “you deserve to be treated better than this. It’s about time someone said something to the arrogant little prince.”
“Oh, and let me guess. You’d treat her better, Guardian?” Sterling mocked.
Everett looked at me, his jaw clenched and his body rigid. “That is not the point. She saved your life, and you treat her as if she’s worthless. I’m charged with watching over her, which includes protecting her from all manner of folk. Even you.”
Sterling laughed viciously at Everett’s words as he made his way over to the garden to leave. “Your softness toward the humans is showing again, Everett. You should really work on reining that in, or this will end in heartbreak, just like the last time.”
Everett’s face paled as his head lowered in defeat. I went over to the sullen guardian to check on him. It was obvious that whatever Sterling was talking about had deeply affected him.
