Prince Fernando
The confrontation with my father ended better than I expected. I thought he’d have her whipped. Various scenarios skittered through my mind, hoping I could protect her.
He let her go. The tightness in my chest loosened. I’d keep her in my room and ask a trusted guard to stand watch outside my door.
We crossed paths with my brother, Lorenzo, on the way to my room. He eyed Stella with a dark expression.
“She got off too easy,” he muttered, bumping his shoulder into mine as he passed.
Wrong move.
“Pity you missed the opportunity to pressure father to mete out your idea of justice. Oh. Wait. Your mother didn’t want you involved, so she kept you, Valeria, and Luca confined to her queen’s suite, didn’t she?”
Stella glanced between us, but her furrowed brow made me suspect she didn’t fully understand.
Lorenzo’s cheeks reddened. “At least my mother cares,” he spluttered.
I towered over my brother. Jabs at my disgraced mother no longer bothered me. They indicated a weak attempt to hurt instead of engaging with the argument at hand.
“Mine cared enough to get out of my way,” I responded in a sickly sweet tone.
Stella tilted her head. “Why do you hate each other?”
I stiffened.
Lorenzo frowned. “We don’t.”
Stella focused those intense ocean-gray eyes on him, then me. The air was tinged with unnatural energy, and a soft breeze lilted down the hall.
“Both of you will rule. You need each other.”
Lorenzo gawked.
A chill ran down my spine and the hair at the nape of my neck stood on end. Her words resounded with power, like a prophecy.
She shuddered, and the atmosphere returned to normal.
Lorenzo snapped his jaw closed. “That’s impossible.”
“Sorry. What?” She rubbed her temples, as though trying to assuage a headache.
“We can’t both rule,” I interjected for him, “unless I die after ascending the throne.”
She stepped back; her face draining of color.
Stella
The voice instructing me to jump out the window uttered into my thoughts.
Both of you will rule. You need each other.
I never meant to say it out loud. Now they stared at me like I’d lost my mind. I cleared my throat.
“Forgive me. I didn’t mean to say anything.”
Fernando’s brow quirked, but Lorenzo rolled his eyes and pressed past us with a huff. The prince led me to his room. Just like he’d done earlier today. I looked over my shoulder, sure that Dario would round the corner and demand answers.
“What frightens you?” Fernando asked softly.
His question lingered, the warmth and care melting my apprehension.
“If you’re here, nothing.”
He smiled, but hurried footsteps sounded in the hall. My heart leapt into my throat, but it was Bolin. He held his still healing side and appeared pale.
“Stella!” he called.
I grabbed the door so Fernando wouldn’t close him out.
“What happened?” Bolin asked in Celestia when he reached me.
“I don’t remember.”
Lying to him felt worse than all the other falsehoods combined.
“Get some rest, Mr Guo. I will keep her safe.”
Bolin’s lip twitched, but he stepped back a couple paces. “Don’t let him do anything you don’t want him to,” he whispered in Celestia.
“I won’t,” I assured him as the prince closed the door, separating us from all the business and noise from the rest of the estate.
No urge to flee overtook me.
I sat on the bed, sinking into the feather mattress with a contented sigh. I cradled my head in my hands, wishing this entire day could be erased from existence.
Prince Fernando sat beside me, and I leaned into him, not caring if it was proper or not. This terrifying day needed to stop.
The prince’s large hand gently pressed my head against his chest, and I exhaled some of today’s horror out in a long breath.
“Are you loyal to your future king?” Fernando murmured.
A pang of guilt kicked my heart. He’d always been kind, but I’d foolishly run away. “Yes,” I responded in a gentle whisper.
He tilted my face up and studied my features. Then he lowered until his lips hovered over mine.
My heart skipped a beat as heat flooded my entire being.
“Tell me,” he whispered.
But I didn’t care about what he was saying. I wanted him to close the space between us.
I moved up, brushing his bottom lip with the bow of mine. He took a shuddering breath, then he kissed me. My eyes rolled back as the gentle pressure sent heat pooling to my middle.
He pulled back, his chest heaving. “Holy Divine, do you know what you’re doing to me?”
I didn’t answer, instead pulling him closer to kiss him again. He felt so good.
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