I sighed and glanced down at my breezy cotton gown and delicate sandals. “I suppose I need to put something more appropriate on, huh?”
Gage smiled wide, and dimples tucked into his cheeks. If the man got any sexier I might seriously go insane.
“Running shoes and something other than a dress might help, yes.”
Oh, I can ditch the dress, no probs, dragon boy. But how would you handle it if I did?
Next thing I knew, I was back outside in my workout gear: a turquoise sports bra coupled with multishaded leggings, and white sneakers.
When I strolled around the corner and into the gardens, Gage let out a low whistle that sparked a fire of hope in my chest. If he was physically attracted to me, then maybe this situation wasn’t such a lost cause after all? The emotional attraction could come later.
He was seated on a stone bench between two tall fountains that poured cascading water into a pool of swimming koi and water lilies. Elbows on his knees, hands draped in between, he looked perfect against the fluid backdrop. The silver-white shorts he wore contrasted stunningly with his tanned skin and jagged dark hair.
The palace was usually well stocked with spare clothing in case any guests ever needed them. But we were doubly prepared this year since we knew we’d be hosting the trials.
“I’m ready for our run, Mr. Smith,” I said.
My voice came out a little huskier than I intended, but the reaction it produced from him was worth the slip. His nostrils flared and his blue eyes sharpened in on my lips. I’d swear he was thinking about kissing me. I licked my lips in case he needed a little more incentive. Quickly, his eyes darted up to mine and he snapped out of it. He hopped to his feet and distractedly began stretching out his quads.
I smirked, but followed suit, making a cute little show of bending down and touching my toes.
And that’s when I saw Laken rushing through the gardens in a red silk dress.
I righted myself and immediately my thoughts darted to her new prince, Nathan. Had he hurt her? He didn’t seem like the type, but so help me God, I’d crush him if he had.
“Eliza,” she panted as she finally reached us. “I’ve been looking all over for you! The ancient witch has spoken.”
Dread flooded my stomach like a tidal wave.
“And?”
She took a deep breath and shook her head.
“The Second Trial starts tomorrow.”
Chapter 6
This was unprecedented.
How was I supposed to enjoy a dinner and dance knowing that the trials were beginning again in less than twenty-four hours?
I adjusted my strapless bra and sniffed under my arms. The only noticeable scent was the perfume clinging to my neck and wrists. The ocean rolled peacefully, waves crashing gently upon the shore as I scurried noisily down the breezeway. The clacking of my heels was an echoing reminder that I was almost late.
Catfish meowed, unenthused. “This is pointless.”
I glanced down as he tiptoed beside me. “Oh?”
“Yeah. Why do humans insist on dressing in ridiculous clothes, dousing themselves in awful smells, and dry humping each other while listening to terrible music that’s loud enough to burst an eardrum?”
“Jesus, Cat,” I muttered, fighting back a laugh. “First of all, this is top-of-the-line perfume from the Terranean Isles.”
“Awful,” he insisted.
“Oh, as opposed to perfuming anything in sight with a nice spray of piss?”
“That’s different.”
“You’re damn right it is,” I said, shaking my head. Though I wasn’t really sure if I was trying to make a point or not anymore; my thoughts had suddenly drifted to the evening ahead. My curled updo was hairsprayed so thoroughly, it’d probably last the entire night. The V of my sexy mermaid gown dipped dangerously low. Would Gage be enticed?
“You’re so screwed,” Catfish said, reading my thoughts as we descended the stairs. “You’re totally whipped already.”
I glared at him. “I am not whipped, by any means. And if I was screwed, I think I’d be a whole lot happier right now.”
“Touché,” he said, completely unfazed by my bluntness. “Are you taking care of this issue later tonight?”
“You just want to prowl around town looking for sexy strays.”
“Um, yeah, that was the deal. If you get laid, I get laid.”
I scoffed before smiling, and paused at the gardens. “I doubt I’ll be getting any, but you can go. I’ll see you in the morning.”
He leaned into me, smoothing his fur against the lacy green of my gown, then he veered off, padding silently into the night.
Taking a deep breath, I continued on alone. A minute later, I rounded the corner to the sight of our whole party of seven waiting on me. My sisters, like me, were dressed to the nines in the finest gowns the kingdom had to offer, and the men looked flawless in their black tuxedoes.
Gage stood with his jacket unbuttoned, hands tucked casually into his pockets, smirking at me as I approached. He looked like a fucking god. I wanted to worship at his altar.
“Eliza,” he said, quieter than I expected. “You look... gorgeous.”
“So do you,” I said, unable to hide my desire. “And thank you.”
Nerissa promptly took over, ruining the moment. She opened the limo door and twirled her free hand like a pinwheel. “In, in, in! We don’t want to be late!”
I crammed into a seat between Gage and Laken, lost in a fragrant sea of spice and flowers.
The drive through the capital was maddening. My left side was pressed so tightly to Gage, I could feel the muscles and heat of his body. At the very least, I wanted to lace my fingers in his—as Laken had with Nathan. Hell, I’d even take having our arms linked like Nerissa and Julian. Or his arm draped awkwardly over my shoulder like Maren and Elijah.
But no... we were the ones trying so hard to deny our attraction that we might explode. Or at least, he was denying it, and I was the one who might explode.
When we reached the long purple carpet that led to the most popular club in town, Midnight Madness, the limo slowed to a stop. Someone from the outside opened the door, and our names were announced over a loudspeaker.
“Princess Nerissa Strand and Prince Julian Arctimo!”
A hand waved them out of the car, and they were met with the flashing lights of cameras and a chorus of cheers from onlookers. Ugh, of course we’d drawn a crowd. They held hands, smiling and waving as they made their way across the plum carpet and into the club.
“Princess Eliza Strand and Gage Smith!”
Apparently we were going in order of age. I glanced at Gage, nervousness stretching my features into harsh tautness.
“You ready?” I asked.
He smiled, and to my extreme surprise, brought his thumb to my face and smoothed out my worry lines. “It’ll be fine. Let’s just hold hands and smile like they expect us to, okay?”
A thousand things rushed through my brain and body in that moment. First of all, dear God, he was touching me and I loved every last millisecond of it. Second, why the hell hadn’t I thought to bring a flower with me? I really could have used it to brighten up my face. And third, as much as I wanted this, I didn’t want to pretend. I wanted us to be happy and together for real. Doubt crept in as I wondered if it’d ever truly happen.
Instead of vocalizing any of that, I nodded my agreement. “Okay.”
We stepped from the car and Gage took my hand in his. The heat of his sturdy grasp felt amazing against my silken skin. I squeezed his fingers tighter, not out of uneasiness, but to keep the moment from slipping away. The fates had apparently been right when they’d chosen him for me. I’d never felt so strongly about a man, no matter how long or short I’d known him. It might’ve scared the shit out of me if I didn’t relish the feeling so much.
We smiled and waved and soon found ourselves ushered into a dimly lit dining room with candles burning in the center of every table. The deep vibrat
ions of club music echoed off the walls. Honestly, I hadn’t realized Midnight Madness even had a dining section. Each table was set for a party of four, with one couple on each side.
I saw the other princesses of the seven continental kingdoms and couldn’t help but size them up as competition. Our neighbor, the Huong Princess of Asia, with pale skin and silky black hair pulled up into a gorgeous ornamental headdress. From across the sea, the Eriksson Princesses of North America, with straight blonde hair and clear-blue eyes. The Santos Princesses of South America, with beautiful brown skin, curly black hair, and plump pink lips. The Azikizon Princesses of Africa, tall, with sensual black skin and vivid green eyes. The Tasman Princesses of Australia, with sun-streaked, voluminous hair and tanned skin. And the three Arctimo Princesses of Antarctica, with pale skin, jet-black eyes, and snow-white gowns.
Then finally, we Strand Princesses from the Mediterranean area of Europe, with sea-green eyes, sun-kissed skin, and wavy dark brown hair. Well, except for Nerissa. Her waves had somehow taken on a gorgeous light copper color, distinguishing her from absolutely everyone else. Nerissa was the assumed favorite to win the Trials, and even her unique beauty seemed to set her apart.
Thankfully, she was Maren’s problem for the night, not mine.
On one side of a table, my and Gage’s names were written in cursive on a placeholder. On the other side, Laken and Nathan’s. The pair came through the door just as Gage and I sat down.
Laken plopped into the chair across from me and set her clutch purse on the table. “I hate formal dinners.”
“Oh, they’re not so bad,” Nathan said with an easy grin.
I raised a brow. “Were you already a prince before she chose you?”
He shook his head. “Not exactly, no.”
I waited for him to elaborate, but he never did, and everyone just allowed it to slide.
Laken grabbed a champagne glass and took a sip.
“What about you?” she said to Gage. “Were you royalty where you come from?”
This was something I’d somehow never thought to ask. I glanced at him, curiously awaiting his answer.
He shrugged, and a crooked smile flared up those dimples I loved so much.
“I suppose so. I’m the only child of the dragon chief.”
I was astounded. Smiling wide, I put my hand on his forearm. “You’re a dragon prince and you never told me?”
He gave me a flat look, though his blue eyes twinkled. “Well, there hasn’t exactly been much time to talk yet, has there?”
“Mmm,” Laken hummed, taking another swig of her champagne and glancing suggestively at Nathan. “Definitely no time for talking.”
I suddenly realized I was still touching Gage’s arm. With a blush, I pulled both hands into my lap. I hated that I kept putting myself out there, knowing full well he wasn’t ready for any of this. I needed to get a grip.
A minute later, Maren and Elijah had taken their seats across from Nerissa and Julian, and everyone was being served food. The soft buzz of voices melted into the careful clattering of dishes and silverware.
My mouth watered as I assessed the prosciutto-stuffed chicken with mushroom sauce. I’d barely eaten all day, and after the stress of the First Trial and the exhaustion of the afternoon run, I was practically starving.
As we finished off our meals, the ancient witch rose high above the crowd, levitating with magic so we could all see her clearly.
“Good evening. I trust you’ve enjoyed your meal and are prepared for a fun-filled night of dancing. That said, it is also imperative that I formally announce: the Second Trial will begin tomorrow morning. We’ll meet at the parliament building at dawn.”
I had no idea what to say to that, and apparently no one else did either. The whole room stayed dead silent. Gage reached over and squeezed my hand, an act of solidarity. He understood how critical these trials were now that we knew about Nerissa’s flair for necromancy. I squeezed his fingers back.
“Forget about all that for now,” the ancient witch said, as if that were even remotely possible.
She opened her hands, revealing a large pile of glittering magic dust, and with a gentle blow from her lips, the dust took flight and rained down on us like I’d always imagined snow might do. It lit on our heads and covered our arms before winking out of sight.
Immediately, an immense calm washed over me. I smiled at Gage, who was miraculously holding my hand. When had that happened? The ancient witch was hovering in the air before us, smiling in satisfaction. Did she have something to say, or had she already said it? I couldn’t quite remember.
“Enjoy the evening,” she said with a bow.
Everyone cheered excitedly as we rose from our seats and rushed through a side door to the club. Bass-heavy beats thumped through the air, vibrating my entire body and raising my heart rate. Or maybe my heart was beating fast because I still clutched Gage’s hand, leading him eagerly through the crowd and onto the dance floor.
When we stopped, he stared at me curiously, but with an amused smile tugging at his lips. “What are we doing?”
Joy tore across my face like a shooting star. “Dancing!”
I wrapped my arms around his neck and curled my body in closer. It was like I was drunk on some sort of bliss that had come out of nowhere. Rolling my hips against his, I mirrored the seductive beat of the current song.
He quickly put his hands on my waist and slowed my motions.
“Where I come from we have another name for this. It’s called mating, and it’s usually not done in a room full of people.”
I threw my head back and laughed out loud.
“I mean, we could do that, too, if you wanted,” I said with a wink. “But this, what we’re doing right now, is simply dancing: rhythmically moving to the beat of the music. Come on.”
I tried to show him how to sway.
“Listen to the tune, feel the bass, and let your body move.”
He closed his eyes and did as I said, feeling out the sensation for himself.
He mesmerized me. His every motion was fluid grace and sensuality.
Following his lead, I leaned back into him, rolling my body across his like a wave of heat.
We danced like that for the rest of the night, connecting on a nonverbal level in a way we probably couldn’t explain if we wanted to. Whether our brains were willing to admit it or not, our bodies had an electric attraction. It was like a blinding arc of energy that drew us together, with sparks practically snapping when we touched.
At the end of the party, he leaned down and kissed my neck. The shock of it took my breath away and thrilled me at the same time.
Then he whispered in my ear, “I like dancing.”
And for some inexplicable reason, I responded, “I like you.”
Chapter 7
Darkness still clung to the morning sky as I sat in the courtyard.
The last time I’d come to practice magic, I hadn’t been taking it as seriously as I should. This time, I had to review it all: healing, luck, strength, protection, divination, and everything in between. Today’s trial could be any infinite number of things. I had to be prepared.
Catfish hadn’t yet returned from his night of prowling the town, my sisters were still in bed, and who knew what Gage was doing. It was lonely without any of them.
I tried to concentrate, but my thoughts kept drifting back to the worry of the Trials. All I could think about was how I had to win no matter the cost. I absolutely could not let a necromancer wear the crown. Shit like that could bring on the apocalypse.
And with apocalypses in mind, it was even more difficult to concentrate.
I plucked another lily from the patch, since flowers generally had more power in them than leaves or roots. Then I lifted the energy up and out, causing the orange petals to disintegrate into a fine dust that quickly disappeared. The magic hovered, awaiting my direction.
Protection first, I decided.
Spells could be anything as long as they
met three important criteria. One, they had to pertain to the situation at hand. Two, they had to be two lines long. And three, they had to rhyme at the end of each line. The rhyming created a cadence of energy from the words, making them much more effective.
I lifted the magic over my head, and rained it down while saying, “Magic from this lily flower, coat me with protection power.” The shield was invisible, but it still granted me the sensation of safety and security.
Strength next.
It helped if your source was more adept at the skill you required of it. For example, if I drew energy from a bear and used that for strength, I would end up much stronger than if I drew that energy from a butterfly. I just didn’t like to do that. It felt wrong stealing energy from intelligent creatures.
Nerissa would do that in a heartbeat, I thought to myself. Especially if it meant winning the Trials.
I glanced around and saw a mouse skittering through the grass, nibbling on seeds. It was such a small creature. Drawing energy from it would undoubtedly kill it, just as it killed the flowers. But a mouse was definitely stronger than a flower, and therefore more useful for this next spell. If I had an actual bear for a source, it would only be weakened, not killed. Unless I somehow took an exorbitant amount of energy. But I had a feeling that amount of power would be difficult to control.
I took a deep breath and closed my eyes.
I hated the idea of killing the little guy, but I hated the idea of Nerissa winning the Trials even more.
“Tiny mouse with tail so long, make it so that I am strong.”
As the brown energy lifted into the air, I peeked over and saw the mouse’s body crumble and vanish. Wispy magic tendrils curled through the air until they swirled around my body and sank into my very skin. Immediately, my muscles felt sturdier, tougher. I hoped it would last until the trial.
Speaking of... I glanced up and noticed twinges of pink tinting the sky.
Shit! We needed to be at the parliament building by dawn.
I stepped into my own room and grabbed a handbag so I could stow my cell phone and a tube of Chapstick. Then I ran around knocking on doors and gathering everybody up, saving Gage’s room for last. There, I took a deep breath and tapped. He didn’t answer. Maybe he was still asleep? I cracked open his door, half hoping I’d catch him naked in the sheets, but he wasn’t there. The bed was made, and the long curtains of an open window blew quietly in the salty breeze.
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