A Kiss like Roses: Fairy Tale Synergy Book 1

by Colton, Eliza

  “We need to get a divorce.”

  “Oh, and shame the family? Weren’t you yelling at Shao because of that moments ago, you hypocrite?”

  “That’s completely different—”

  “Yes, yes, dear. Let’s go find Isabella. I wonder where she is; she normally hates to miss out on drama like this.”

  “Are you even listening to me?”

  Their voices faded as they wandered off, the guards trailing behind them with irritated but unsurprised expressions.

  Dazed, I glimpsed at Shao, my eyes bulging from my head; he seemed equally stunned, his body tense.

  “Have… they always been like this?” I managed.

  “Sadly, but…” He shook his head. “I didn’t think even Mother could calm him down today.”

  “I hope I find love as cute as theirs,” a female voice chirped from beside me, and I yelped.

  “Princess Gretel!” I cried. I’d completely forgotten she was there. Why hadn’t she left with everyone else?

  Clasping my hands in hers, she grinned. “Charmed to finally make your acquaintance!” She was practically bouncing in place.

  “I’m sorry?” Shouldn’t she hate me? Wasn’t she supposed to be elegant and poised, not bubbly and chipper?

  “You must be quite incredible if you protected Prince Asha from my charms,” she said. I nodded slowly. It felt odd for her to speak so confidently of herself, but I supposed it was justified by her popularity.

  “I must have you know,” she said, “I’ve never once had a man reject me. Never. If anything, men are trailing after me, begging for scraps of my affection.”

  “Um…” Was she just here to humblebrag?

  No, scratch that, there wasn’t a drop of humbleness in her words and tone.

  She shook her head. “But the moment Prince Asha met me, he positively snarled that he couldn’t marry me because his heart belonged to a common girl forever. How cruel is that?”

  I glanced up at Shao, not sure if I should feel more surprised or thrilled. Though I also felt a pang of guilt towards Princess Gretel, she spoke about the situation lightly enough that I felt comfortable in my smugness.

  Princess Gretel grinned. “You have a good man, Future Princess Beatrice. Don’t lose him.”

  “Trust me, I know.” I wrapped my arm around Shao protectively. “He’s mine forever, whether he likes it or not.”

  “There’s nothing I’d love more,” Shao whispered. Feeling his lips brush against the crown of my head, I smiled.

  Chapter 36

  “Thank heavens she’s finally gone,” Shao sighed as soon as Princess Gretel left the garden, the doors thudding as they closed. I giggled.

  “I quite like her, and she was your fiancée for a time. Perhaps you should be kinder.”

  “She was never my true fiancée,” said Shao. “Perhaps she should learn to take hints rather than staying for hours to gossip about her childhood.”

  “Her stories were funny,” I said. Smirking diabolically, I added, “Particularly the stories she told about all the trouble you got into as a toddler.”

  “None of those happened.”

  “Then why are your ears red?”

  Prince Shao glanced away, his skin getting brighter and redder. He buried his hands into his pockets.

  “Hello? Prince Shao? Is there a reason you aren’t responding?”

  I heard papers crinkle and tear; suddenly, darkness blanketed the air and sky, forcing me to squint to make out any shapes.

  Biting my lip, I asked, “Was that one of your paper talismans? Why—”

  Explosions fired around us with crackles and bangs; constellations shaped like dragons, roses, and ferocious lions sparkled in the sky. At the center of the tapestry was—of course—two lovebirds formed by a series of sticks leaning on each other, radiant in their glory and dignity.

  Seconds later, they exploded into intangible prismatic crystals and rained down on us; several more flares and blasts filled the air as more constellations burst into appearance.

  In front of me, Shao bent down on one knee; I gasped as understanding filled me.

  “No,” I breathed.

  Shao smirked, properly interpreting my shock. “No? Then I suppose I should get up now, rather than asking for your hand in marriage.”

  I blinked, then laughed, covering my flushing face (and my characteristically damp eyes) with my hands. “I—no, I mean yes, I mean—I’m just so surprised, I can’t believe—”

  Smiling, Shao reached into his pocket one last time, revealing an iridescent geode ring box. The rainbow colors shifted with the varied lights of the illusionary fireworks.

  “I took it to heart when you said you wanted something flashy for your real proposal,” Shao said.

  “I-I was kidding! That was just—I just—” I’d just been scrambling for any excuse to reject you, since I feared being left at the altar. I stopped myself from talking any more. I wanted to savior this moment, not ruin it.

  Failing to hide his chuckles, Shao opened the ring box, revealing a dainty rose-gold ring accentuated by speckles of glittering white diamonds.

  “I love you,” he said. “You complete me in a way no one else can, and without you, I am nothing. I promise that my heart will belong to you, and only you, for as long as I live. Will you marry me?”

  I swallowed. “Do… you even need to ask?”

  “Don’t I? I’m afraid my heart has been weakened from incessant rejection.” Shao’s eyes twinkled as he slid his ring onto my finger—but his hands were trembling. “I must warn you; I’ll never lose you again. Even if you loathe me, even if you doubt me… You’re mine forever, Beatrice Heather, and I will never let you go.”

  “And I wouldn’t want it any other way,” I whispered, leaning down to give him a tight hug; and, oh, I couldn’t help myself. I added a peck on his lips.

  “You think that’s enough?” Asked Shao. I blinked.

  “What do you mean?”

  As easily as if I were air, Shao picked me up again, twirling me around as he locked his lips with mine. I laughed into his lips, then the crook of his neck, until he released me.

  “How—and when—did you prepare all of this?” I asked. “There’s no way you could have predicted my actions.”

  I briefly wondered if everything had originally been meant for Princess Gretel, but that was unlikely. From the rose ring to the constellation-themed fireworks, everything was flavored by our memories together.

  He gave me an impish grin. “Can’t you tell? I meant to chase after you despite your rejection.”

  “But—”

  “I’ve never stopped thinking about you, Beatrice,” he said. “I could never have let you go, however briefly.”

  I shook my head. “I should have trusted you the first time.”

  Shao smiled. “It’s alright. You came here. For me. I didn’t expect you to—and I feel like I could fly now.”

  “But we lost so much time.” I thought back to my weeks of despair and hopelessness, all of which had evidently been unnecessary. Instead, I could have been at the mansion with Shao, reveling in his love for me—and mine for him.

  “What’s a couple months when we have the rest of our lives left to spend together?” He kissed the back of my hand. “I love you, my princess.”

  Butterflies fluttered in my stomach.

  Shao may never get to rule a country, but to me, he was still…

  “I love you more, my prince—my king.”

  Epilogue

  I frowned down at the mountain of papers before me, my focus dissipating after the hours of reading scientific journals and studies.

  “Beatrice.”

  With a sigh, I stretched out my tight muscles and picked up the topmost stack of papers, which were looped together with yarn. Time to read some more and see if I’d have a magical breakthrough.

  “Beatrice?”

  I couldn’t help but wonder if the sciences even mattered in a world with magic that shattered e
very rule and theory. The scholars’ hypotheses and studies only mattered to the natural world, and magic didn’t abide by any of them.

  “Beatrice!”

  Well, witches were rare and few, and it was unlikely I’d ever meet one in person, much less need to worry about them interfering with my studies. Worrying about magic, which never even came close to making a dent in most people’s lives, was just another form of procrastination.

  “Beatrice…”

  If I were a witch, I’d have drawn illusionary flames in my irises to exactly how fired up I was.

  (Which would have been a sign of my procrastinating some more.)

  (I didn’t want to think about that.)

  (I was in desperate need of some sugary desserts to help me focus again.)

  Shaking my head, I glanced back down to the papers I’d grabbed, my eyes darting down the sheets as I gleaned the key information from them.

  Hmm. I wondered whether I could—

  My chair swiveled around; I shrieked.

  In front of me—

  “Shao?” I blinked, and he cornered me with his arms, grabbing the table with his hands on opposite sides of my chair. I clenched my fists to keep my blood from rushing to my cheeks.

  “Beatrice, I understand you’re focused on your studies, but I’ve been calling your name for hours!”

  “Hours must be a bit of an exaggeration,” I said.

  “Alright, you’re right, but I’ve called your name at least a dozen times.” Shao shook his head. “I’m not sure if I’m more amazed or distraught by your focus.”

  Oops.

  I couldn’t tell him that although I may have been focused, my mind certainly wasn’t on my studies.

  “Definitely both,” I said with a stern nod. “You’re amazed by my intelligence and tenacity, and distraught because you’re jealous.”

  “Jealous?” He snorted. “I’m the top of my class at the academy, Mrs. Rank Three.”

  “We take completely different classes,” I retorted. “Politics seems so simple. You may be ranked first in your studies, but I’m positive you’d be bottom of the barrel if you transferred to the sciences.”

  “Would you like to test that theory?”

  “I thought you wanted to be a diplomat,” I said rapidly. “Anyway, the ranking system isn’t fair. You’re a prince. How could anyone possibly mark you down for anything?”

  Shao arched his brow. “You’re a princess, but they mark you down just fine.”

  “I’m only a princess by marriage! Completely different.” I puffed up my cheeks, then remembered something tangentially related. “I meant to ask you a long time ago, but I completely forgot—did you get me the scholarship at the academy?”

  Shao cocked his head, humming nonchalantly. I snatched up the feathery quill from my desk and smacked his shoulder with it.

  (With the soft part, of course. I wasn’t some barbarian.)

  “You can either admit it or lie,” I said. “You can’t just try to seem humble without actually being humble.”

  “Of course, I was involved.” Shao smirked. “I can’t very well be humble about it when it took several bribes and weeks of pretentious, boring forms.”

  “I’d thank you, but you’re distracting me from my studies.” I whirled my chair away from him.

  “Wait a moment. Shouldn’t you be grateful?” Shao asked as he spun me back around.

  I grunted. “While I appreciate your help, I hope you know I might just divorce you if you extend your princely influence again to find me a job.”

  “I’m afraid I won’t even have to do anything,” Shao said with a shrug. “The fact that you’re married to me is enough to open doors.” His expression slightly more serious, he added, “If it makes you feel better, though, you are ranked third at the most prestigious academy in Perintas. You wouldn’t have any trouble finding a job regardless.”

  “I appreciate your flattery, but I fear there’s an ulterior motive to it.”

  Shao grinned devilishly. “Oh? And what could that be?”

  “You’re the one who wants something. How would I know?” I bat my lashes innocently.

  “I’m starting to suspect that you’re the one with ulterior motives, because I haven’t a clue.”

  “Oh?” I shook my head. “I suppose I must return to my studies, then. Farewell.”

  Shao’s grip tightened. “However, my love, I suspect what you desire starts with the letter k and ends in iss.”

  I snickered. “Hmm… That’s quite vague. Could I have another hint?”

  “It involves two people expressing their love?”

  “Oh, you want to hold hands?” I clasped my hands together, delighted. “My, I’d love to hold hands with you, sweetheart.” I threw out my hands and waited for him to take them.

  “You maddening woman, that’s not—”

  I pouted. “Oh? Umm… What else could it be… Would you like me to scratch your chin?”

  “Do you take me for a dog?”

  “We’ve never tried it. Perhaps you’ll end up liking it.”

  Shao heaved a sigh, then leaned down without another word to brush his lips against mine. When we were a mere inch apart—

  “Oh, a kiss,” I said, tearing myself away. “You could have just told me that from the start.”

  “If you understand, why did you twist away?”

  “You haven’t won my love yet,” I said, putting my hands over his shoulders.

  “I thought you started loving me long before our marriage.”

  “Oh, I did, but humans are fickle. The feeling comes and goes.” I dramatically tapped my chin with my quill. “Hmm… Did you bring me anything to eat? Anything… sweet?”

  “You could have called for a servant to bring you up dessert,” Shao grumbled.

  “Of course, but that’s not as satisfying as making my darling husband do it.”

  “Well, I reckon I’m the sweetest man you’ve ever met,” he said, pointing to his lips.

  “No, no, you’re actually quite bitter. Always so negative and rude.” I hid behind my quill as though it were a fan.

  Shao groaned. “Remind me why I married you.”

  “That’s simple! It’s because you fell madly in love with me for my charms and intellect.”

  “No, I suspect it’s because I wished to atone for my perceived past sins by being miserable for the rest of my life.”

  Making the saddest puppy dog face possible, I asked, “You’re miserable with me?”

  Shao’s mouth parted, and he grumbled incoherently to himself. “You can’t make a face like that.”

  “Why?” I taunted. “Does it make you feel as guilty as you should?”

  “No,” he said, his eyes intently focused on my lips. “It takes away my self-restraint.”

  He leaned back in to kiss me, and this time, I let him, failing to suppress a smile.

  I still wanted dessert, but that could wait for now.

  Or forever.

  Afterword

  Thank you so much for giving my book a try!

  To read my bonus short stories and exclusive deleted scenes, head to my website! https://elizacolton.com

  On my website, you can also sign up for my newsletter for access to giveaways, release news, cover reveals, polls, and more.

  I have quite a few books drafted in preparation for rapid release, so expect to see a lot more of me over the rest of the year! ;)

  Acknowledgments

  A Kiss like Roses is the first full-length novel I have ever written, and it was a tear-filled process filled with endless rewriting and regrets… but also love. It wouldn’t have been possible without the people closest to my heart.

  First, I would like to thank my mom for supporting and encouraging me throughout the entire process. Thank you for editing this book throughout its countless iterations. You had the patience to reread this book over and over again to help make it as polished as possible, and without your many suggestions, A Kiss like Roses wou
ld be a tragically lacking shell of what it is now.

  Next, I’d like to thank my dad. I’m so grateful for your encouragements. Thank you for believing in me when I said I wanted to dip into something as hard to succeed in as writing fiction. The feelings Beatrice harbors for her father, and her desperation to do anything for his sake, was inspired by my own.

  Thirdly, I must thank Raehyun Jo and Greg le Roux at PandaFox for making this incredible cover on such short notice. It’s more beautiful than I could ever have imagined, and Beatrice’s picture aligns with my vision of her perfectly. I was truly awed when I first saw the cover, and I likely owe any readers in large part to you.

  Other than the cover, there is another crucial part of marketing a book: the blurb. For my eye-catching, incredible blurb, I must thank Daisy. While I doubt you’ll see this, thank you so much for turning my jumble of incoherent, boring words into something enticing and magical, and thank you again for teaching me how to write my own blurbs in the future. Your advice on all things self-publishing has also been invaluable, and I’m grateful we crossed paths.

  I would also like to thank you—yes you, you amazing reader—for trying out a book from a new, indie author! There are so many incredible books out there that I am truly blessed that I was able to share my story with the world. With you. I hope you enjoyed this book!

  Last but not least, thank you to my father in heaven. He has blessed me with the strength, opportunities, and support necessary for not only the the creation of this book, but also for every facet of my life and happiness. I am infinitely grateful for his unconditional love, and I strive to be my best self for my sake and His.

  About the Author

  Eliza Colton wishes she were a puppy so she can laze around a day and still be fed.

  Then again, maybe not, since puppies can’t read (… or can they?). She’s had an unhealthy obsession with fairy tale and fantasy romances since she was a toddler, and she’d never sacrifice reading for anything.

  She feels incredibly blessed to write, and she hopes you enjoy her stories as much as she loves creating them!