The prince finally reached my bed, and I arched into him until my breasts were straining against my tunic.
“Touch me. All of me,” I whispered.
His hands gripped my thighs tightly, every line of him straining, but then he dropped me onto the covers. I bounced, a shock of surprise releasing from me.
“Go to sleep, Ilara,” he said gruffly. “Before I do something we both regret.”
The next thing I knew, covers were pulled over me, the light was extinguished, and then I was alone in my chambers as my core ached.
For a moment, I lay in stunned silence. What just happened?
The quiet reigned. Only the sound of my deep, rapid breaths filled the room. But I was alone now. I was pretty certain of that fact. Did I just imagine all of that?
Fuzzy thoughts crept into my mind, but then the room began spinning again. Minutes ticked by as I spun and spun and spun.
It was a dizzying, pleasant feeling as the soft mattress cocooned me, and even though that strange need still pulsed in my core, my eyes fluttered closed, and then the realm disappeared in a rocking motion of silence.
CHAPTER 17
Sunshine blazed brightly through the windows as someone shook me.
“Ilara, please, you must get out of bed. The prince is on his way, and he insisted you be ready.”
Throbbing in my head threatened to split my skull. For the love of all the gods, somebody needs to stop banging against drums.
“Ilara!” a female hissed again.
I tried to swat the hands away, but someone grabbed my wrists and tugged. “You must get out of bed. The prince is expecting you to be ready.”
“Go away,” I croaked.
The female sighed. “He said you’d be in a state. Blessed Mother, how right he was.”
Someone forced me to sitting, then pried my eyes open. I winced when the blasted sunlight burned into my irises, and now I was certain someone was pounding drums.
“What is that racket?”
“Most likely the blood rushing through your ears.” The female cupped my jaw, prying my lips open. “I’ve brought a tonic, courtesy of Murl. Drink. Now. We don’t have much time.”
I frowned as I finally recognized Daiseeum standing beside me and holding a vial up. My stomach heaved, but she forced the vial to my lips and tipped the contents into my mouth, then closed my jaw.
I downed it in one swallow since I couldn’t breathe properly with how she was holding me. Working free of her grip, I coughed. “Blessed Mother, that’s foul.”
“Yes, it is, but Murl is a gifted healer. You should be right as the northern winds within a few minutes, believe it or not. Now, up you go. Up!”
I stumbled when I stood but managed to follow her to the wardrobe. But even though Daiseeum paused to pick out clothing for me, I didn’t stop. I carried on to the bathing chamber.
In the mirror, my appearance was a fright. Hair everywhere. Eyes bloodshot. Dried spit on my cheek. I was truly looking my finest.
I blinked, and my surprise increased when I realized silver hair stared back at me. Not black.
My head finally began to clear, and my bloodshot eyes turned white as the potion at last kicked in. I grabbed my toothbrush and cleaned my teeth, then picked up my comb to work through my snarls. I didn’t remember the prince casting another illusion over me, but he must have. Mother Below, what else did we do last night that I don’t remember?
My cheeks burned when I recalled how alluring he’d looked during our conversation about him believing my affinity created orem. And we’d made a fairy bargain. An actual fairy bargain.
My hand slapped over my mouth when it came rushing back to me. I had to replenish the entire continent with orem.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
What else had I agreed to? After the bargain, everything got fuzzy. I faintly recalled him carrying me to the couch. Or . . . wait, was it the bed?
And there was dancing. No, there wasn’t dancing. But I’d wanted to dance?
Blessed Mother. The entire evening was one giant blur.
“Ilara?” Daiseeum knocked on the door. “We only have minutes until he arrives.”
I hurriedly set the comb down and joined her by the wardrobe. She waved a hand over me, casting me in rushed magic as her cleansing spell fell over my frame, cleaning the spit from my cheek and ridding my body of all dirt, sweat, and grime.
“Thank you,” I said, my cheeks reddening. I really needed to learn self-cleansing if I actually had magic now.
She held up leggings and a fitted tunic. “You’re to wear training clothes.” Her lips pursed in a sour frown.
“You don’t like them?” I felt the soft material. The tunic and leggings had been spun from soft wool. Warm yet dry, and practical for our northern climate.
“Ladies should wear gowns. Not this.”
“You’re forgetting, once again, that I’m not a lady.”
Daiseeum and I had been through this multiple times during the past month. She kept insisting that I wear one of the many dresses that had been crafted for me, but unless I was simply trying on the garments as a way to pass time, I kept demanding pants and woven tops. Dresses and gardens didn’t mix, yet Daiseeum seemed aghast each time I refused her silks and brocades.
“You should dress like a lady. He certainly treats you as such,” she muttered under her breath.
I frowned, not knowing what she meant by that, but before I could ask, she was pulling my nightclothes off and demanding that I slip my limbs into the garments she held. In seconds, I was dressed.
“Your bosom has grown since these were crafted for you.” Daiseeum clucked her tongue as she surveyed my breasts. “I shall have the tailor return tomorrow to adjust your garments. And your hips . . .” She placed her hands just below my waist and smoothed my leggings down. “Who would have known you had such a female figure. You were skin and bones when you arrived.”
I lifted my chin proudly. “I’ve gained two stone.”
“And it was two stone you needed. Skin and bones won’t do.” Daiseeum clucked her tongue again and began picking up my discarded clothes just as a knock came on my door.
The doorknob turned, and the prince appeared. Since he hadn’t waited for me to let him know he could enter, I placed my hands on my hips.
“You’re lucky I’m not naked. If you’d come two minutes earlier, I would have been.”
He stopped dead in his tracks.
I instantly regretted my words. I’d meant it as an admonishment, but when his lips curved in a smile, I wondered again what had transpired between us last night.
“Noted.” His husky voice rolled toward me like a gentle wave caressing my soul. “I shall endeavor to arrive earlier next time.”
My jaw dropped just as Daiseeum let out a shrill giggle and traipsed from the room.
“I thought princes were supposed to have manners,” I said as my stomach began flipping with a vengeance.
“I’m sure some princes do.”
“But you don’t, obviously.”
“Oh, I do when it suits me.”
He sauntered toward me, inhaling deeply, and my heart beat harder.
Flustered, I waved my hands at my training clothes. “Well, I’m up. Daiseeum was insistent that I be ready. So what am I ready for?”
“You’re to begin training today. Do you not remember?”