Page 134 of Reaper's Quest

Blue?

Winter wrapped his hand around the blue-tipped fingers on mine. He had yet to notice the blue spreading along the fingers on my left side. I’d tucked that hand against my thigh.

“Your Highness.”

The spoken title yanked me from my reverie.

Two uniformed guards stood a foot inside the small bedroom. They bowed deeply. I caught a glimpse of two more waiting in the hallway. Judging by their ears, full-blooded fae faced us.

“Highness?” I made no attempt to hide my surprise.

Aoes coughed into his fist and smiled, sweeping his gaze back and forth between Winter and me. “Guess we failed to mention that Winter here is a prince. A prince who enjoys slumming it with us common folks, and who also prefers his title not be recognized when doing so.”

Winter rolled his eyes at Aoes. “There’s nothing common about you. And it’s just a title.”

A title. A lineage. A life filled with obligations and expectations.

I swallowed the knot trapped in my throat as Winter turned a sheepish grin on me.

Despite being a prince, he’d spent countless hours tending to my needs when I’d been shot and bleeding. He’d gotten his hands dirty to save me and had kept my secret from Chace.

Holy reaper’s hell. Chace.

He’s going to love this little turn of events. He’ll use Winter to his full advantage, gaining access to the castle and the royals within.

My heart clenched.But Chace is missing.

And I need to find him.

“Your Highness,” the guard repeated. He tapped his heels together and stood ramrod straight. “We’re under orders to immediately escort you back to the den. Healer Valen waits in the carriage to evaluate your condition.”

My mouth popped open.Valen? Valen is in the carriage?

Winter frowned. “As you can see, I am fine. My grandmother worries far too much.”

“Yeah, but…” Aoes said. “Only minutes ago, you were not all right. You were far from all right.”

“I’ll have to take your word for it.” Winter planted his feet firmly on the ground and stood, pulling me upright alongside him.

The glove fell from my lap, hit the ground, and slid under the bed.

My equilibrium struggled to adjust to the motion, sending my head swimming and the world slipping out from beneath me.

Winter’s arm immediately wrapped around me, bracing me in place.

His brow pinched as he swept an evaluating gaze over me. “Are you still interested in meeting Valen? I seem to recall you were looking for him.”

Ihadbeen looking for Valen. Had I told Winter that in my delirium while I was holed up at Camilla’s?

I exhaled a weighted breath. Found the idea of taking anap before engaging in further social matters appealing. But the offer stood for now, not an I’ll-come-back-later sort of deal.

My body clearly required recuperation before resuming my search for Chace. So why not recuperate while furthering our reapers’ quest to locate the necessary key regarding the curse? Aldine had suggested we’d find what we needed at the palace, among the royals. So…

“I would like that,” I said with a gentle nod.

Even though Aldine had been (supposedly) healed and no longer in need of assistance, I bubbled over with curiosity. Plus: palace, royals, key to the curse.

“Then so it shall be. You’ll come home with me.” Winter smiled, wide, bright, and impossibly genuine.