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He smiled and for some reason a tightness grew in her thighs. She didn’t remember him standing so close to her before. Her breathing was becoming shallower. She looked up at him, seeing something in his eyes she hadn’t seen before.
“Wren.” His voice was a whisper and they were so close now that she could feel his breath on her.
“Yes?” she whispered back, the feeling spreading in swirls to her stomach.
He leaned in towards her, and she knew he was going to kiss her. She didn't dare to breathe. His eyes searched hers before he pulled away from her suddenly.
“Don’t go to him again. I will give you all I have found so far.” He removed himself from the alcove, leaving her breathless and with the realization that he had nearly kissed her. What was more alarming to her, was the knowledge that she had wanted him to.
True to his word, the prince placed his research under her door that evening. Some papers on the history of the gods, some on magic users, but what caught her interest was one philosopher’s notes. The book discussed how there are other worlds and while no magic exists in the land, the inhabitants may have dormant magic.
He hypothesized that if one such person were to be transplanted that their magic would have an awakening that was both violent and abrupt. Wren’s breath caught. This could be it. She was all at once excited to have an answer and angry that Malaki had withheld this information from her.
Wren moved to their shared door and banged on it until Malaki opened the door abruptly, concern flickering through his blue eyes as his eyes roamed over her. Wren felt the anger in her veins dampen at the uncharacteristic concern, but she remembered the pages she was holding at her side which only served to flame her anger. She waved the pages in front of him and looked at him with what she hoped was a proper mix of disbelief and anger.
Malaki took the papers from her and sifted through them. “This is not anything. I’ve thought about it. Even if this was true, it wouldn’t explain why my father and the Bishop brought you. This source doesn’t even cite where his deductions came from.” He seemed irritated at having to explain its illegitimacy.
He handed the papers back to her and she took them, holding them against her chest as if she could will them to have answers. “It is more plausible than anything else we have to go on.” She nearly winced at the desperation in her voice.
His face softened. “I know you want answers. We will find them. The main thing is that whatever reason you are here for, my father and the Bishop seem content to leave you alone.”
Malaki leaned against the door frame, and Wren fought the urge to take a step back as it put him closer to her. As her anger dulled, the memory of what had happened between them in the alcove came flooding back, causing her cheeks to flush.
She was grateful he didn’t seem to notice as he sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “Has my father said anything to you?”
The question startled her from her traitorous thoughts. Wren paused, thinking about the dance she shared with the king and how he claimed Malaki was protective of her.
She realized she was cowardly enough not to be willing to share his father’s musings with him as she said, “Nothing remarkable, he seems to have little interest in me.”
Malaki sighed, clearly wanting to call her out on the lie, but held his tongue. Instead, he pushed from where he was leaning against the door frame, eyeing her with uncertainty. She narrowed her eyes, not understanding the sudden change in his demeanor.
“Would you like to go to the village with me tomorrow?” The words came out slightly too fast. When she didn’t answer he continued, “I was going tomorrow, and I thought you might care to see something other than the castle walls.”
“Alone?” Wren sputtered.
He chuckled. “Wren, we are on all counts married. But yes, we would be alone.” Seeing that his jest did not land quite right, he stammered, “I understand if you don’t want to, truly I under—”
“I would like to go,” Wren said quietly, trepidation mixing with what could only be curiosity.
He smiled then and it was unlike anything she had ever seen in his face before. She had seen him cruel, angry, despondent, bored, but this was something different. She found herself thinking that she was very lucky to have witnessed a breaking of the mask this prince wore so fervently.
The mask slipped back into place and he was his unaffected self again. “Wonderful. We will leave right at sunrise in order to avoid unpleasant conversations. Good night, Wren.”
With that he shut the door in between them leaving her staring at nothing. She was struck by the thought that she had never met anyone with such tumultuous mood changes.
Chapter 19
Wrenwokeuplongbefore sunrise, unable to maintain sleep due to the anxiety that filled her. There were too many unknowns and now she had agreed to leave the castle with the prince. She had no idea what to expect today and cursed herself for saying yes. She had not been willing to give up the opportunity to see the world outside the castle.
She tossed and turned, trying to find a position that was comfortable. With a groan, she sat up and resigned herself to being awake. She dressed in a plain blue gown and left her hair undone. Fastening a black cloak around herself, she looked at her reflection.
Her time in Valmere had done her well. Her cheeks were fuller, as was her figure, from the regular meals. Wren was startled to find that she actually looked different than she had before Valmere. Her skin, which had been tan from days in the sun, was now pale, and it made her green eyes more vibrant. Even her brown hair seemed healthier and darker. She did not understand all the changes she saw in her, but then she had never lived the life of royalty before.
A knock sounded at the door to Malaki’s room and she opened it quietly, trying not to wake Sophie. Malaki wore his usual attire, but today he had a sword strapped to his side nearly hidden by a similar black cloak. He peered past her to where Sophie slept with her arms above her head and rolled his eyes.
“Did you tell her we were going?” he asked quietly.
Wren shook her head. He sighed and moved past her while saying, “I didn’t realize you had a death wish, or perhaps you thought her wrath would fall solely on me.”
