Page 90 of Prince of the Sun

“Fine.” I bend over and crawl into the cave. “But if you touch me with so much as a toe while we’re asleep, I’m cutting that toe off.”

For a solid fifteen minutes, Cara and Berendir whisper and giggle about God only knows what under their blanket. Meanwhile, Daerios and I lie in total silence, stiff as boards. I’m careful to maintain at least two inches of space between us, but the blanket is only so large. At one point, as I roll over to lie on my side, back to Daerios, my fingers accidentally brush his arm. That small touch is enough. Warmth trickles up through my fingertips, spreading out along my palm. Warmth that I could feel all over my body, that could lull me straight to sleep.

No. I’ve been in this position before, back in the cabin, and look howthatturned out.

Even as I think the words, heat pools at the center of my body. I can’t help it. Remembering what we did that night, the way he made me feel…

Well, crap. Now I’m all hot and bothered, but I’m also freezing, because this blanket isn’t doing shit to keep me warm. Explain that.

“Warm enough?” Daerios murmurs from behind me. I realize with a jolt that his voice is the only one in the cave now.Cara and Berendir must have drifted off to sleep.

“Yes,” I lie.

He chuckles. “Right. You’re shivering so hard they can probably feel it in Indonesia.”

“Indonesia doesn’t exist on this planet, smartass.”

“Fair enough.” There’s a long pause. Then, softer, “I was glad to see you eat a full dinner.”

Something lurches in my chest.

Don’t.Don’t let him know how that makes you feel.

“Yes, well.” I sigh. “I reallytriedto start starving myself again, but there was this obnoxious elf prince who wouldn’t let me get away with it.”

“He sounds extremely considerate. And handsome. And muscular.”

“Hecertainly thinks so.”

“And you don’t?”

“I try not to think about him at all.”

He hums. “Shame. He thinks about you quite a lot.”

My stomach flip-flops.

I can think of nothing safe to say back, so I say nothing at all. I let silence settle over us. Unfortunately, it feels quite a lot like the silence of that night in Spot Pond. A heavy quiet. One filled with the weight of everything unsaid, of unsuitable thoughts and impossible desires.

My heart picks up speed. I need to change this line of thinking.Now.

“Daerios?” I whisper.

“Hm?”

“Who was it?” I ask. “The person you knew who struggled with eating. The reason you were able to recognize the signs in me. Who was that?”

He’s quiet for a long time. I’m not surprised; it’s a personal question, and he hadn’t seemed keen on sharing its answer withme evenbeforeeverything went wrong between us.

I’m about to turn over and try to fall asleep when he whispers, “My mother.”

I inhale sharply.

His mother. He’s never spoken about her to me. In fact, the only time I’ve heardanyonereference the Queen of Elaërion was King Varrith himself, and what he’d said was brief.

Most of us long to return home.

To the resting place of my beloved wife.