how perfect the charm is. It raises emotions that scare me.
“Thank you,” the response falls from my lips.
He scrapes his hands over my shoulder, digging into me as if he's fighting to control himself. I spin on my heels and raise my chin to face him, to thank him with a kiss.
Curling a hand through my hair, he stares into my eyes. “Let's do something different.”
Is he talking about a different kind of kiss? My breath flutters in my throat, and keeping my smile at bay feels futile, so I lower my head and stare at his gift. He gave me something with meaning. He is such a powerful man, yet in this moment, he’s shown me a side of himself I never expected.
I ease my gaze up and lean forward. “What do you have in mind?”
“I want you to melt the ice from the bowl.”
It's my turn to arch my brow. "Now you're dreaming. This power thing works one way." The truth is I am disappointed he isn’t referring to us kissing.
“Wrong,” he reprimands me. “Our abilities work both ways. What we put in, we can take out. Just like I can withdraw toxins from plants I touch, you can melt your ice. Our touch is incredible. I put energy into a plant, and you do the same with the storm, but if you need to, you can take power from the energy around you to help yourself.”
Numbness sweeps through me as his explanation settles in my mind. It never occurred to me that this was so much more than just magic in my veins. ”I can try melting the ice.”
“I'll warn you though, it's a lot harder to get right.” He doesn't give me a chance to respond as his hands settle on my hips and he kisses me, gnawing on my lower lip. “You taste incredible, and tonight I'm going to fuck that sweet cunt so hard.” He licks my lips, leaving me completely shaken at his brusque words.
A blush spreads over my cheeks as heat instantly pools between my legs.
He spins me away and smacks my ass.
I glance at him over my shoulder, glaring at him. This prince is not above playing tricks to get his way, is he?
15
Licia
I never want to see another apple again for as long as I live. When I was unable to unfreeze the bowl, Eryk ordered a mountain of fruit, and we went back to simple freezing, but I'm pretty sure I used every possible frosty attack except actually coating them in ice. I suspect my power is laughing at me, insisting she will never in this lifetime listen to my instructions.
I sigh heavily and let my shoulders drop as I stand on the front doorstep of the palace, letting myself breathe in the fresh air and calm down. My appointed guard, Jed, stands inside talking to someone. The door’s open as he’s always got an eye on me. It's the only way Eryk will let me wander around the castle. It's for your own safety, he insists. Clearly, he has trust issues.
Maids are cleaning up the ballroom while Eryk attends an urgent meeting.
He tells me so little, and tonight I hope to grill him about the hobgoblins and if he has neighboring armies coming to fight with us. I've fought Eryk for days, and now I want to be by his side and overpower the hobgoblins. Our training today told me that I need to concentrate harder, so I need to keep practicing.
My hand instinctively reaches for the necklace he gifted me. I run the pad of my thumb over the smooth surface of the moon charm, and the first sparks of power seem to rise over my skin as if recognizing the sensation from my practice. If this charm is meant to help me focus, then I’ll do what it takes.
The crunch of snow draws my attention to Warrick, the chef and my old boss from the kitchens. He’s marching across the yard when he swings his head in my direction, his eyes narrowing, then pauses.
"Licia? What are you doing out here? I heard you've left the Kingdom's service." There's no hint of disappointment in his voice. Veren had told me he wasn't happy with my work in his kitchen, so no surprise there.
Instead of bowing away as I would have done while working, I stand tall while Warrick strolls closer. His gaze trails over my black riding pants and thick, fitted coat buttoned from my waist to