Page 9 of A Kingdom of Magic and Rain

He tensed, and a muscle flexed in his cheek as he lifted his gaze to mine.

“I have,” he admitted reluctantly.

“Then you must know what it’s like,” I remarked, pulling the blanket tighter around me.

“Yes, I do know what it’s like. I also know that it’s no excuse to disregard your duty to the kingdom. As a royal, your magic is stronger than most. You should have started helping with agriculture long ago. Seeing how the weather is changing, we need all the help we can get.”

Taken aback by his boldness, I gritted my teeth and averted my gaze, feeling like a scolded child. I couldn’t deny that he was right. After all, that was one of the reasons why I was staying at Bradford Manor.

Taking a steadying breath to regain my composure, I forced myself to meet Gray’s gaze once more. “Well, I can’t go back and change the past, but I’m here now,” I told him, making sure my tone was less icy. There was no point in being angry with him as I had only myself to blame.

His gaze softened a little as he took in my expression, which was a mix of regret and determination.

“Very well, we will begin your training after breakfast,” he said before shifting his attention to the book in his lap.

“What are you reading?” I asked in an attempt to lighten the mood.

His gaze lifted back to mine, and he held up the book to show me the cover.

My heart dropped when I read the title: ‘The Fae: Myths and Facts’.

“Why are you reading about the Fae?” I asked in a hollow voice.

Gray shrugged. “It’s wise to know your enemy.”

A scratchy lump formed in my throat, and I forced it down before asking, “Does it bother you? Being this close to Aubrielle?”

The lord studied my face for a moment before he replied, “Why would it? The wards your great-grandfather erected are there to protect us from the Fae.”

My heart squeezed at his words. Gray trusted in the wards as everyone else in the kingdom did. The weight on my shoulders suddenly felt heavier than before.

“Why do you ask?” His brows pinched in confusion.

Realizing a little too late that my question may raise suspicion, I scrambled to come up with a good explanation for my inquiry, but before I could, the patio door opened, and Thea’s head popped out.

“Good morning.” She beamed at Gray and me. “Breakfast is served if you two would like to join us inside.”

Grateful for the opportunity to leave the conversation we were having behind, I swiftly rose to my feet, letting the blanket slide off my shoulders. I grabbed it and the book I had brought with me.

“Let me help you.” Thea stepped out and picked up my coffee cup. The two of us walked inside the house, with the lord trailing behind. When we entered the dining room, Tom shot me a look of annoyance from where he stood by his seat at the table.

“Good morning,” I told him, attempting to be civil, while Killian took the blanket and the book from my hands and pulled out a chair for me.

The adviser grumbled his response as everyone took their seats. Gray read the morning paper while Thea went over his schedule for the day. I plucked a croissant from the mountain of pastries on the platter in the middle of the table and thought about my magic.

My powers had first awakened around my eighteenth birthday when they had sparked to life in my chest, the sensation strange but exhilarating. Once the spark was there didn’t mean that I could wield my magic at will. To come fully into my abilities, I had needed to coax them out, to make the flame of the powers inside me burn brighter. I hadn’t lied to Gray—I had tried unlocking my powers before—but the truth was, I hadn’t put in too much effort.

I had fallen in love with Gideon shortly after my magic had awakened, and the rest was history. The spark in my chest had started to dim. My mother had tried working with me, but developing my magic was challenging, and being with Gideon was easy. I had ignored the constant hum of magic in my chest, drowning it out more and more each day until eventually my powers had become a dormant part of me. The spark was still there; I could feel it if I concentrated hard enough, but the ember was small and barely glowing. I had never done anything with it, and my parents hadn’t pushed the issue, either. Since I was a woman of the royal bloodline, not much had been expected of me. Until now.

“Are you ready?” Gray’s voice broke me from my reverie.

“Yes.” I nodded, wiping the flaky crumbs off my fingers.

I took one last sip of my coffee and dabbed the napkin to my lips before rising from my chair.

“You don’t have much time this morning before your first meeting,” Tom pointed out as Gray and I stepped away from the table.

“I’m aware,” the lord said before leading me out of the dining room.