Page 68 of Crown of the Courtesan

I should turn back—but still it calls.

I take one tentative step, only to collide with a solid wall of bare muscle. In an instant, his arms wrap around me, forming an unyielding cage of warmth and danger.

Fae, help a fool.

Gasping, I recoil, but his hand reaches up and grabs my throat. Not squeezing, just pressing firm—a warning. But he doesn’t need to choke me for all the air to leave my lungs, my chest constricting with knife-like regret.

“If you search in the dark,” his voice rolls over me, “the monsters will find you.”

“Are you a monster?” I whisper.

“Some have called me that,” Ashland growls, releasing my neck, his finger tracing along the swell of my cheek. “What are you doing here, Tabitha?”

A pitiful sound escapes my lips.

“Come to warm my bed for real?” He steps forward until the backs of my knees hit his bedframe, and I topple onto the feathery mattress. His leg slides between my thighs, easing them apart as his hand trails my bodice and pushes me down, squeezing my sides. He leans over me and whispers in my ear, “Don’t you remember our rules? I don’t want your needy cunt. I don’t want anything to do with you.”

My hands meet his naked chest. I gasp at the contact of his hot skin so close above me and shove him away. His fingers linger on my waist as he allows me to roll over out of his reach, but I have to crawl across his rumpled bedding before I can flee into the darkness. His hate-filled words still burn in my ears as my hip smashes into the sharp corner of a table. I fall over a chair, cursing at myself.

“You stand there pretending you didn’t start this war.” His voice rumbles in his northern accent from every corner, suffocating me with accusation.

“I started nothing.”

“And you’ll finish nothing because you are nothing. Not so lucky for you—nothing is all I’ve ever known, so I’m well acquainted with seeing it for what it is.”

“I shouldn’t have entered uninvited.” Each word comes out in a gasp.

“No, you shouldn’t have. I warned you not to.” His powers wrap around me like silk ribbons as his tone deepens. “Beg for forgiveness.”

Angry tears prick at the corners of my eyes. “I beg you, please let me go home! You’re better than this—” His powers slither away from me.

“Better than what? Better than detaining the person responsible for the murder of over a thousand of my people? You don’t know how ridiculous you sound.” Ashland starts to laugh, but I stop listening beneath the weight of my growing anger. I reach for the wall, trailing my hand along it until I find the doorknob. I twist it and run back into my chambers.

Fueled by indignation and the safety provided by the burnt wall, I kick at the closed door. “I’m not nothing!” I cry out, clutching my throbbing foot.

Thirty-Three

The next day, I don’t leave my chambers. I feign a bout of stomach illness when, in truth, I want to curl up and die of mortification.

By my own choice, I’m happily a coward as I enjoy the pattering of rain on my windows, burying myself in my blankets with my stack of books, Cliodna’s diary hidden among them. I slide the diary from the precarious tower, toppling the other books onto the bed. As I read, I realize she’s stopped counting down the days until she returns to Alexandria.

Oh, the most thrilling development has happened!

After hearing my wish to explore his kingdom, Aros surprised me by giving me my very own ship! This magnificent vessel puts a gift like a tiara to shame. I can hardly sleep at night, dreaming of our new adventures.

How I’ve longed to experience this land for myself and to have even a modicum of independence.

To start, we’ll tour the rugged northern coast tomorrow to meet with the Devana. The wind is terribly frigid, so I’ve packed extra furs and wool stockings.

As I expected, the sea proves to be wild and unpredictable, but I’m happy to report that I’m learning new skills each time I board. By the journey’s end, we plan to experience every shore in both of our kingdoms. My heart could burst when I think of how something as insignificant as a ship brought the two of us together.

I flip the page:

After a delicious meal on deck, I withdrew to the stern to gaze at the darkening horizon. Alone except for the creaking of rigging and the swishing of waves, I didn’t hear Aros approach until he was at my side, tilting his head skyward.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” he asked, his voice soft with wonder. I nodded, becoming shy as we stood, shoulder to shoulder, in peaceful silence.

He took my hand, his rough palm against mine. “I shouldn’t have kept my distance,” he said, pressing a tender kiss to my hand and leaving me breathless in this strange new world.