Chapter 5

FIVE

Cassia

I set the book down in my lap and grin. Things are getting good. It's a juicy tale with just the right mix of adventure and steam. All I want to do is keep reading, but I roll my neck, knowing I need a break. How long have I been looking down?

Too long.

Must. Take. A. Break.

Glancing at the flowers surrounding my blanket, I lean over and breathe one in. The flower smells like vanilla, and the scent makes me want something sweet to eat like a cookie or a pastry. My stomach grumbles at just the thought.

Yum. I could so dig into a pile of cookies.

But there are no cookies to be found, so I decide it'd be better to just switch positions and get a little more comfortable. Cookies can be had after this duke rips the bodice off his lady and goes down town . Past her skirts and into her feminine garden, or some shit like that.

I adjust my skirts and lie back on the blanket. The cool skies are overhead and the soft blanket is beneath me. It's the perfect place to settle in and see what the character does with those bouncing breasts of hers. Or was it his throbbing member of justice? I don't care. I just want to read it.

"Would you like some company?" a deep, sexy voice asks me, startling me from my moment of solitude.

Surprised, I look up into Prince Zane's hypnotic eyes. He stands before me in a white suit that's nearly as pale as his long white hair. He holds himself like some mixture of a soldier and a powerful lord, but I guess that makes sense for the Prince of the Winter Fae. No smile graces his solemn lips, but his eyes are gentle as they stare down at me.

What could it hurt?

"Alright." I close my sexy novel and scoot over to make room for him on the blanket, feeling a little nervous. Prince Zane and I haven't really been alone together, so I don't know anything about the Winter Fae.

He sits so close to me that he can read my book, too. "May I?" he asks, nodding toward the book.

I open my book, deciding the hell with it. If we're going to get married, it's better that he learns I'm a little pervy now. I lean into him to give him better access to the book and enjoy the feel of his body touching mine. Even though he radiates the slightest chill against my skin, it feels nice. Comforting even. Making it nearly impossible to focus on the words on the page.

"So his throbbing member wrapped in silk seems to know just what to do." His voice is soft, but amused.

I stiffen, remembering the exact words on the page. My cheeks feel hot. " Yeah, I guess."

He points to a section. "So, this part where he licks his fingers after, what are your thoughts on that?"

Okay, my face is officially on fire. "I–I don't know. It seems pretty hot."

He nods. "I would enjoy that very much with you."

I look at him sharply.

His lips curl. "I'd love to know what you taste like." Before I can sputter something stupid, he continues. "And here," he points to another section, "what are your thoughts on him ripping off her clothes?" His gaze sweeps over my dress.

I want to crawl into a hole and die. "I think it could be hot, in the right circumstances. But not outdoors." It's the only thing I can think of to keep my dress in one piece.

He looks disappointed, his full lips twisting in a way that's hard to look away from. "Indoors only it'll be." Then he points to another section. "And where he uses his Wand of Piercing to–"

I slam the book shut. "Maybe enough reading for today!"

He nods as if my reaction is perfectly normal. "Are you hungry?"

My stomach rumbles. "Always."

He tilts his head. "You'll never be hungry with me." And his tone shifts a little at the end, as if he means I won't be hungry in any way.

For such a serious man, he seems to have a way of digging below the surface and pulling out all my sensitive nuggets. I'll have to remember that about him. Most of the serious men I've met in my life felt like talking to me was a waste of time, so it's weird to have one who seems to think all his efforts should be put into figuring me out.

I shift on the blanket and nearly send a plate of cookies toppling over. Righting them, I stare around me at the blanket covered in sweets. Is this what it is to be with the Prince of the Winter Court? Desserts just appear where I want them? I can get used to this!

"This looks amazing!" I exclaim. I don't know where any of it came from, but I'm going to eat everything.

"You enjoy a lot of sugar then?" he asks, curious.

I shake my head. "Sugar is expensive, so people like me don't get it."

His back goes rigid. "People like you are the bride to the four princes. You can have anything you want."

I wave his words away. "You know what I mean. Me, before. I haven't really gotten a chance to enjoy most of the benefits of my new position."

He lifts a brow, his voice low and sexy. "You can try out anything you want."

My gaze sweeps over his muscular form, and I swallow hard. "Is it warm in here, or is it just me?"

He lifts a hand to my face and tucks my hair behind my ear in a slow, deliberate movement. "It's definitely not just you, but I have a way to cool you down." And the way he says cool makes me think he's planning exactly the opposite.

When I can untangle my tongue, I point to the plates of food. "Maybe we'll just focus on these right now."

I tear my gaze from the man-candy in front of me and drag it to the food. Instantly, my needs change, and I'm drooling at the sight of bite-sized tarts and pies and brownies. A smorgasbord of delectable treats I always see but never get to taste.

Reaching forward slowly, I pause and look around, but it's just Prince Zane and I. There's no one to stop me from taking what I want, and the realization lightens my heart. Grinning, I pop a tart into my mouth, and the flavors wash over my tongue. It's apple. I fucking love apple.

I almost melt into the blanket we're on.

"These are amazing! Want to try one?" I hold one up for Prince Zane to taste.

To my surprise, he leans over and eats it out of my hand, purposely licking my fingers… and his tongue is just a little cold. The sensation sends goosebumps rising on my body, followed by a little shiver. If that tongue can do that to my fingers, what can it do to my…?

"I'm eating with this hand," I tell him, snatching my hand away and clamping my thighs together.

I fake scowl at him, and he gives me the hungriest look I've ever seen. It's a look that makes my blood run even hotter and has me wondering if I really want all these treats, or if I want a certain fae prince. I'd lick his popsicle any day.

Damn it, but that treat would come with far too many complications.

I grab a brownie, and eat it in one bite. The incredible taste helps to abate my desire to leap on Prince Zane and ride him like a bull. I can count on my hand the number of times I've had chocolate in my life, and the brownie doesn't disappoint.

This is divine. Reading. Snacking. And laying beside a sexy man who makes me want to do dirty things.

"Want to try a cookie?" he asks.

I glance at them and my mouth waters. "If those are chocolate chips."

He laughs, and the sound is so low and erotic that it makes my nipples harden. He selects one of the cookies and lifts it to my lips. "Please, allow me. "

This is insane, but I lean forward and start eating. The cookie is good. The look in his eyes as he watches me eat is even better. And when my lips brush his fingers, his eyes flutter closed, and a small sound escapes his lips.

Who knew eating was hot. I didn't until now.

"Another tart?" he asks, sounding breathless, lifting one that looks to be covered in cherries.

I comply, and this time I don't just brush my lips against his fingers, I let my tongue dart out and touch them. His incredibly pale eyes widen, and his desire is impossible to ignore. Hell, my own desire is impossible to ignore. It pulses through me, making my head light and my body ache.

"Maybe we should go back to reading," I say.

He looks away, taking a deep breath that shakes his whole frame. "Do you read a lot?" His words are calm and cool again, but I can sense the tension in his body.

"I loved reading… when I had access to books."

"You don't have access now?" he asks, eyebrows raised in surprise.

"No." My voice comes out soft as the memories resurface. "When my grandmother was Sulien's tutor, I had access to all the books in the royal library."

He frowns. "What happened?"

I shrug, even though the memories are heavy with emotions. "My grandmother went blind, so she was fired, and I didn't have access to the royal library any longer. Grandmother had a few books in her own collection, but–" I shrug again. "I've missed really diving into a story since then."

His hand settles softly on my knee, and our eyes meet. "I'm so sorry that happened to you. When you're my queen, you will be able to read any book in the kingdom. Hell, I'll have royal authors ready to write books for you."

"Do you have a decent library?" I ask, feeling flustered.

"More than decent."

"And your royal authors are good?"

"The best," he says, his chest puffing out just a little.

"Then that would be lovely." If I marry him. Though I have to admit, it's a notion that's sounding better and better by the moment.

"You'll love my home." He sounds proud. "It's beautiful in a way that's very different from the Summer Court."

I always just imagined a cold land covered in ice and snow, but maybe I'm wrong. I've never actually asked a Winter Fae what their home is like. Now, I'm curious though.

"What's the Winter Court like?" I ask, glad for a change in topic.

He smiles, and he doesn't look nearly as harsh and cold as he does so. "Let me show you."

The land around us transforms into a wintry scene. The flowers are gone, and the rolling hills are covered in layers of snow. The sky overhead is filled with clouds, but the sky feels brighter than any sky I've seen before.

Prince Zane stands and takes my hand, pulling me up along with him. "It's the most beautiful of all the courts, in my opinion at least."

We walk together, hand-in-hand, climbing a hill covered in the snow. Neither of us are dressed for the weather, and yet, neither of us seems to feel the cold. When we reach the peak of the hill, I gasp. Up ahead is a castle that looks to be made of glass, and to one side is a village that spreads out as far as I can see. All the buildings in the village are white and shades of blue, other than the strange wreaths that rest on the doors, bringing pops of color to the idealistic village.

We keep moving, and we're suddenly at the castle. I don't know if it's made of glass or ice, but it shimmers in the sun, and it's the most beautiful castle I've ever seen. It's sleek and tall with towers that seem to stretch up to the sky. The whole place is beautiful and mysterious, reflecting back the world around it from its glass-like walls.

"Is it cold in there?" I ask. "It looks cold."

He wraps his arms around me and pulls me against his cold body. "You get used to it."

If it's anything like getting used to his colder temperature, I believe him. "I guess I could use a lot of blankets."

He leans so that his breath puffs against my neck. "I'll do whatever you need me to do to keep you comfortable."

His word "whatever" rolls through my mind, conjuring up images of the two of us together. My skin suddenly feels hot, and I find myself leaning against him just a little more. I love the strength in his body. I find myself wondering what it'll be like when we're finally together.

"I don't want things to move… too fast between us," I whisper, even if my body rebels against my words.

"Romance is in order. I understand," he says, and I wonder if he really does.

Suddenly, he moves away from me, and I miss the feeling of his strong body behind me. He kneels down behind us and picks a snow flower. Flowers that I hadn't even noticed until now. They're white flowers that remind me of Dahlia flowers, because they're not just white, but shades of white. Around their stems is a kind of white that reminds me of opals in the sunlight.

They're beautiful.

Prince Zane brings the flower to me and gives a little bow. "For you, my lady."

It's impossible not to smile. If this is the start of our romance, we're going to have a lovely time together. I take the flower and put it in my hair, feeling loved in a strange way that's hard to understand. But when I process the depth of that feeling, my spine stiffens. What's happening? Flirting with Prince Zane is one thing… this feels like something else.

"Can I show you something?" he asks.

I hesitate, then manage, "Sure."

He offers me his arm, and I take it, even though I feel a little silly. The urge to remind him that I'm a maid, not a lady, comes and goes. He knows. No reason to complicate an already complicated situation by stating an obvious and awkward thing.

My anxiety grows as we approach a lake, and he doesn't seem to be slowing. It's frozen over, but I don't know how deeply so. If we walk on it, won't it crack? Won't we fall in and suffer a frozen and terrible death?

I look at him. He's calm and confident, not the least bit worried about a watery death, and his reaction soothes me, if only by a little. If one of the two of us knows more about the dangers of a frozen lake, it'd be him. Right?

Besides, he wouldn't put me in danger. Out of all the things I'm unsure about between us, that's not one of them. Prince Zane wants to show me something. Not kill us.

I let him lead me to the center of the lake. My heart is racing, but I stay by his side. Music floats above us, a beautiful song that I swear I've heard before. It's a romantic one about a knight and the lady of his dreams.

Before I can understand what he's about to do, he sweeps me into his arms and twirls me in a circle. I smile as he pulls me back toward him and continues our strange dance on a frozen lake. It's unexpected. Romantic. And perfect.

I squeeze his hand, and he leans down and kisses me. It's a light peck, a kiss asking for permission to do more. I can feel it in the way his lips brush mine gently and the way his gaze clings to mine, wordlessly asking for more, but doing nothing to push me farther.

His patience is oddly sexy.

I run my hands through his pale white hair, letting the long silky strands tangle between my fingers. When he does nothing to stop me, just watches me closely, I slide my hand to the back of his hair, then tug him closer as I offer him my mouth.

Our lips touch, and my body heats. The feeling spreads through me until it stops at my core. It's a slow and tender kiss, one that he seems to be trying to savor. One that I'm savoring as my nerves awaken.

His tongue gently touches mine, and I whimper in surprise. He tastes as sweet as the cookie I'd eaten. Only, the cold sensation of his lips on mine and his tongue in my mouth are erotic as hell. My mind can't help but picture what that mouth of his could do if it were to slide down my body.

A shiver rolls through me as he continues to kiss me. To taste me. His hands are controlled as they rest on my hips, his body pressed against mine.

I'm overwhelmed with how much I want more than just this kiss. Maybe I even want every inch of Prince Zane himself, because… I'm safe right here with him. And, hell, I can't remember ever feeling this safe outside of my grandmother and father.

I wrap my arms around him, and I don't feel the cold wind or hear the branches rustle anymore. I only feel Prince Zane's lips on mine, and it's incredible.

His hands tighten just a little on my hips. He's gentle, almost timid with how he touches me, and it's driving me crazy. I want more. I need more. I don't care if I'm being aggressive. I explore his mouth, sliding my tongue along his, feeling heat at every point where our bodies touch.

He inhales deeply, and I can feel him starting to unravel. He's relaxing into the kiss and letting our bodies do what they know to do. His hands draw me closer against him, and it's intoxicating. My body's reacting to him like it's never reacted before.

If I'm his wife, I'll never be alone again. I'll never worry about food or money or safety. And I can tell from how he is right now that I'll be loved and adored.

He breaks away from our kiss, releasing me from the trance I was in. I shiver, wanting to pull him back, but also feeling confused. It's like everything is changing faster than I can handle, and I'm not quite following it. I either need a minute or for him to keep kissing me to push the thoughts away, but he doesn't seem to be willing to give me either.

"Do I have your heart–?" he asks, panting.

I stare at him in confusion. "My heart?"

His eyes are wild. "I don't just want your body, I want your heart. I need your heart, my lady."

My heartbeat fills my ears. "This… it's just a kiss."

A passionate kiss. One that makes me want more. That makes me picture a whole life with him .

"You know it's more than that," he presses, keeping me against him in a way that makes it hard to concentrate on his words. "I need to know you didn't leave me. I need to know that you feel this bond between us."

Leave him? Why would I leave him? And the bond between us… it's nothing, just Sulien's potion. Doesn't he know that? Doesn't he understand the difference between a real mate bond and this?

I plan to tell him something to that effect when I startle awake. My body is shivering so much my teeth clatter. Darkness is all around. Darkness and the hard ground beneath my body.

Memories of Prince Zane start to fade from my mind, but for a minute I cling to them desperate not to lose my sense of safety. Desperate not to be alone. Lately, my dreams have changed. They've begun to feel so real that I can't tell them from reality for a time after I awaken.

The dreams were unsettling in the cart. Now? I don't want to let go of the memory of the tender man, the banquet of food, and the way he touched me.

Yet, no matter how desperately I cling to Prince Zane and our moment together, the dream slowly slips away, even though I wrap my arms around myself the way he did. Even though I swear I can still taste the sweetness of his kiss, and feel the strength of his body. Some small part of me hates knowing that if he was here with me right now, I wouldn't be alone, or afraid, or anything else, because he would chase that all away.

Shivering, I feel tears sting my eyes. I'm so cold. And uncomfortable. And hungry. And thirsty. If only Prince Zane were here. If only I was with the man who so desperately wants to be with me.

I shake my head, remembering Prince Zane in real life. A cold Winter Fae who was hard to read. A fae who wanted me because he thought I was his mate. He and the man from my dream are not the same.

So forget about him. I try.

It takes me a bit of time to adjust my eyes to the absolute darkness I'm surrounded by and to remember what's happened. Being kidnapped. My race for freedom, and the men chasing me. I listen, my heart hammering. The only sounds I hear are the sounds of the nocturnal animals in the forest, which means the men left.

Thank the gods.

If the night animals are out; my kidnappers must have been gone for a while. I rub my neck, moving my body around, trying to work out the kinks while I listen. The world seems to have forgotten the men were even here, which means it's probably time for me to go. If I run in the daylight, they'll see me. I'll use the cover of night to get as far from them as I can. Before the hunger in my belly gets to be too much.

I'm still cautious as I climb out from the tree roots. It takes me a minute of effort but then I'm out, and I'm free. Creeping forward, toward the sound of the water, I kneel down at the river's edge and drink. And drink. And drink. Slowly, the water slakes my thirst, but it somehow makes my stomach, empty of food, feel even emptier.

This can't go on for days. I can't go on for days. I'll have to put more distance between me and the men, then start hunting and scavenging. If I don't, I'll never make it to the Summer Court. I'll be too weak.

Rising from beside the river, I blink into the darkness, listening to the sound of the water. I know I need to keep going upstream. I have to start running. But it's darker than I imagined. A sliver of the moon is in the sky, but the stars are hidden by clouds.

It's okay. I can do this. Just put one foot in front of the other.

I start walking and immediately trip. Shit! The damn rock blended into the shadows perfectly. I'll have to be more careful if I want to do this.

Picking myself up, I move slower, hoping I'll sense or feel anything in my path before busting my ass again. I'm wrong. I fall again, scaring a bird out of a tree.

Damn it. I don't think I've made it far, and now I'm out in the open. My best bet is to put as much distance between the Death House and myself as possible, hoping that's where the kidnappers are holed up for the night.

But I can't do that if I can't see.

"I need to start a fire," I whisper to myself as I sit on the ground.

Crawling carefully around on the ground, I feel around for rocks and anything I can use to start a fire. I gather little bits of wood, leaves, and a few twigs. When I find two small stones that I think are big enough and dry enough to start a fire, I slam them together over the pile I've gathered. A few sparks fly, but nothing else happens.

I scowl and slam the rocks together again. I don't even get sparks this time. Fuck. I'm shivering and starving, out in these dark woods alone, but I keep trying and trying. Rubbing, smacking, slamming the rocks together, watching the tiny sparks with hope.

A hope that's repeatedly dashed away.

My heart sinks and my eyes burn. How did it get like this? How did this become my life? I didn't ask for any of this. I didn't ask to be matched with four princes. I didn't ask to be kidnapped by a troop of idiots. And I damn well didn't ask to be lost here in the woods, freezing my ass off and not being able to make a fire.

Pissed, I decide the hell with it. "You will burn, motherfuckers, or you'll regret it!" I position everything perfectly and start slamming the rocks together over and over again, squeezing my eyes shut in frustration. "Light on fire. Fire. Make a fire. Be a fire, damnit!"

Heat licks my hands, and I bite back a shriek as my eyes fly open. A fire blazes on the twigs in front of me. Not just a tiny fire—one that's fully caught the twigs on fire.

Holy shit. I study the rocks and then the fire. How did that happen?

I drop the rocks and add more fuel to my fire to build it up a little, but it's crackling proudly. It's big enough to be chewing on the twigs, way bigger than a couple sparks should have caused. It doesn't make sense.

"Ouch!" My wrists suddenly start to burn where the cuffs are touching my skin. I rub at them in confusion, and a minute later, the pain stops.

That was weird.

Glancing at the branches of the trees around me, a shiver rolls down my spine. I swear dead birds, just bones with flesh hanging from them, are watching me. Their eyeless faces turned to me.

But there's no way. It's impossible.

I don't know what's going on, and I don't have time to figure anything out right now. I use the tiny fire to find a good-sized branch. I wrap the top of the branch the best I can using part of my skirt, also filling the fabric with leaves and small twigs for good measure. I push the branch into the fire and watch as it finally lights and begins to burn steadily. Then I move my branch out of harm's way, put out the fire, and hide all evidence of it.

Standing, I move the branch around toward the trees, but there are no birds. Just empty branches. Which, I guess is good… or bad, because it means I'm losing my mind. I'm not sure which. But I don't have the strength to focus on my descent into madness. Not right now. Not when I'm hungry and exhausted.

Taking a deep breath, I make certain I'm still headed away from the Death House and start walking. I can figure out what to do with my vision and my strange dreams when I'm safe. For now, I just have to keep putting one foot in front of the other. That's all I can do.