The Glass Queen (The Forest of Good and Evil #2) - Gena Showalter Page 0,55

complain.

With a handful of mystical cleansing sands, I washed the filth from my skin. Ribbons of crimson rippled over the water.

“Should I, um, wash your back or something?” Ashleigh called, surprising me. Even more surprising—I thought I detected a note of excitement in her voice. “I am your palace liaison, after all.”

I scoured a hand over my mouth to halt a lightning-fast agreement. If she crouched behind me to run her hands over my back, I’d...what? What would I do?

I’d hate it, of course. Like every time before, I had only to recall our years of pain and death to refortify my dislike of her...at least for a short while.

“Saxon?” she prompted.

“No,” I snapped, deciding to say nothing more. I dunked my head under water to scrub my overheated face.

“All right,” Ashleigh said as I came up for air. Did I detect a note of disappointment? “Let’s talk, then.”

“Yes. Let’s.” I had more questions for her. “Tell me about your time at the Temple.”

“It wasn’t fun. Where are my possessions, Saxon? If you have harmed the eggs or burned my papers, I’ll—”

“What? For the last time, you own only what I give you.” I’d left all four eggs and the designs with Noel and Ophelia for safekeeping. Who would dare steal from a pair of apple babies?

Ashleigh’s frustration seemed to electrify the air. “You’re making me hate you right now.”

“Then I’m doing something right.”

“Oh! You’re just like the honorable but dishonorable prince.”

The one from the fairy tale I didn’t believe in?

“In our first incarnation,” I said, “our war erupted about a year after we met. It lasted ten years. In our second, you remembered our past life before me and set the stage for my seduction, claiming you loved me, that we could finally have our happily-ever-after. But I began to remember what you’d done in the past and eventually cut you from my life. That’s when you decided to go to war with me again. We warred for two decades that time. Before you killed me, you told me we would start over a third time, and you were right. During this life, I remembered first and set the stage for your destruction. I’ll wear your hatred like a badge of honor.”

She sputtered, then stopped as footsteps sounded outside. I heard the swoosh of the tent flap as—I assumed—Everly entered with a dress and a basket of food. The scent of meat, butter, and vegetables taunted my empty stomach.

“I am not your servant, Sax,” Everly began, “and if you bark one more order at me—oh. Hello, Ashleigh. I thought you’d run away.”

“Hello, Eve,” Ashleigh said, her voice laced with affection. “I’m embarrassed to say I did indeed run away. A coward’s move. It won’t happen again. But Saxon found me.”

“I assume you need this dress because your new one is streaked with combat blood.”

“By the petals’ bloom,” Ashleigh gasped out. A common expression in Fleur. “This new gown is... I have no words.”

What kind of garment would give her such a breathy tone?

“Wipe the vegecake off your chin—and fingers—and hair, and I’ll help you change,” the sorceress offered.

Curiosity piqued, I leaned this way and that, attempting to see past the screen.

“You are a girl after my own heart,” Everly said with a laugh. “Using hair ribbons to lace up the first gown was freaking brilliant.”

Everly had once resided in the mortal world and sometimes used words and phrases I couldn’t decipher. I suspected freaking was an expletive of some type. And why hadn’t I chosen a privacy screen with thinner material? Impatience warred with frustration, the two mounting.

“Thank you,” Ashleigh replied, her pride obvious.

Clothing rustled, my impatience reaching new heights. I rushed through the bath as quickly as possible.

“I hear water splashing, Saxy. Don’t you dare peek,” Everly called. “You’ll see the end result only, or I’ll gouge out your eyes.”

My ears twitched as Ashleigh whispered, “He’ll be your king, but you dare to threaten him?”

“Of course. Don’t you?”

“Yes, but I’m his enemy.”

I stiffened. I was her enemy, just as she was mine. For some reason, I didn’t like hearing her say so.

More rustling before Everly announced, “All done, Saxon. You can peek as soon as I’m gone. I have a feeling you’re going to complain, and I’ve already reached my man-baby quota for the day.”

Complain? Why? The second the tent flap closed behind Everly, alerting me to her exit, I shot from the water, dried off, and dressed in a clean white tunic and fresh black leathers. Not