It sailed through the air and sliced into the wood with a thwack.
Right on the dot.
I glanced over at the king and he nodded. “Impressive.”
I stepped to the side and then he strode up to the shooter’s position.
He pulled one arrow, barely took a half second to line it up, and then released it. It landed an inch above mine. Before I could comment, he grabbed another arrow, released it, another and another. Within thirty seconds he’d loosed half a dozen arrows and drawn a circle around mine in the center.
When he looked back at me with a smirk, I rolled my eyes.
“Showoff.”
Deep throaty laughter erupted from him and it warmed my belly. “Would this be a date without a little showing off?” he asked.
A date. He called it a date. My whole body coiled in response to the word. I suddenly wasn’t so mad about being in the running to be his wife. Would it be so bad? He seemed like a nice guy, he was handsome, funny, and a good shot with a bow. I did find myself wondering if he had asked me to lunch because Dr. Elsie had told him I was one of his best shots to getting an heir. I didn’t want to be chosen for my child-bearing abilities.
“It’s not a proper date unless I get dessert,” I added playfully.
He tipped his head in agreement. “To the kitchens.”
“I feel a bit sick… but I can’t stop!” I exclaimed an hour later.
The king watched me lick melted chocolate off my fork and his eyes hooded as I swiped my tongue out again to get the last crumb of cake from the utensil.
We were sitting at a small table in the kitchen, and the Jade Castle chef had just given us an entire chocolate raspberry cake to share with two forks.
I looked at the king quizzically, enjoying this day that we’d had together. It wasn’t what I had expected—and to be honest I wanted more of it. “What’s the grossest thing you’ve ever eaten?”
He scrunched up his face at my question. “Ratin.”
“No way you’ve eaten ratin!” I pointed to him. “Liar.”
He smiled easily, something he seemed to do a lot of in my presence. His teeth were bright white and straight. When he smiled hugely there was a slight dimple in his right cheek. “I have. The Drayken and I were stuck in a cave for three days fighting off the Nightfall queen two summers back. They tried to starve us out.”
Wow, I hadn’t thought his royal highness would eat ratin, but he was a warrior too, so it made sense.
“Ratin was the first kill I brought home after my father died,” I told him.
His face took on a somber mood and he nodded. “The pangs of hunger are not picky, I have learned.”
I dipped my chin. “They are not.”
He looked into my eyes then and a conflicted feeling came over me. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy his company. I didn’t like the sense of duty providing an heir entailed but I couldn’t lie to myself anymore… I liked him.
He reached out and grasped a stray lock of my blond hair, tucking it behind my ear, and chills ran the length of my back. His hand stilled and he stroked two fingers across my cheek. My eyelids fluttered closed and the door burst open, causing both of us to jump. The king yanked his hand back and my eyelids snapped open.
“My lord, we have an emergency in Grim Hollow,” a guard said.
The king took one more look at me. “Thank you for meeting me, Arwen.”
I nodded, still feeling him tracing my cheek even though he was no longer touching me. I wanted to thank him too and to ask him what was going on in Grim Hollow, but by the time my wits returned to me, he was gone and I was left feeling all kinds of confused.
TEN
Tonight was the first night I would dress up for a welcome ball and meet the king “officially.” I hadn’t heard from him since our date a few nights ago. I was hoping there wouldn’t be so many women there tonight that it would leave him no time to talk with me. All I’d thought about the past two days were of the sensation on my cheek when his fingers had trailed across it.
“Your dress has arrived!” Narine trilled from the entryway as an assistant to the seamstress walked in carrying the most beautiful emerald-green dress I’d ever seen. It glittered in the light, with a tight corset bust and a waist that looked like a bell.
It was fit for a queen.
I had made a compromise with Narine. During the big balls with all the other girls, I would wear dresses, but if it were a date or just me walking around the palace, I was in trousers.
“Holy Hades!” I gawked at the gown as the seamstress laid it on the couch and then bowed to me before leaving.