Marion Norindale Books

The horse came back alone.

The stable hand stuttered to a stop. Was that the prince’s horse all by itself? Grady never dismounted before reaching the stables. He always walked Benny back to his stall, or at least into the care of a hand.

The saddle was still attached, and none of the affectations had been removed—but Benny rode in alone.

Grady had returned giddy from his ride earlier, declaring his intentions to head back out that evening. James hadn’t thought anything of it; the prince could do whatever he wanted. His parents might not have been so happy that he planned on skirting out at nightfall—and especially into the woods—but Grady had appeared at the stables as a violet twilight spread across the sky, whistling to himself as he re-saddled his horse.

James strode forward to grab Benny’s reins. He’d need to send word to the king at once.

* * *

A short while earlier, Benny trotted through the forest, his gait calm and steady underneath his owner’s grip.

Sunset dappled golden and red through the trees. Purple shadows swathed the grass. Fireflies spun in and out of sight, pulsing lazily.

It was forbidden to travel in the woods at night, and highly discouraged during the daytime. Grady only really got away with it by keeping his rides short, and sticking to the areas well-known by the locals.

Though tonight, his father had exploded irate at merely the mention of his son setting foot in the woods past dusk. His parents would have his head if they learned he’d gone out anyway.

His motivation surged within him as Grady approached the treeline. But he did allow himself a moment to pause.

It wasn’t as if he’d be going anywhere particularly dangerous…just an area of the woods he hadn’t had reason to visit before.

If she wants to meet you in there, then it can’t be unsafe.

The woods weren’t the problem; his parents’ paranoia was just starting to infect him.

Though it wasn’t like they didn’t have a good reason to be cautious. The princess of the neighboring kingdom had disappeared shortly after her birth, to be safeguarded from the deadly curse of a vengeful fae who lived deep inside the woods. No one, not even her parents, had known where she’d gone.

Could this be an elaborate trap to ensnare or kill Grady?

But the girl he’d met could’ve easily done so earlier. Why would she have given her mark a chance to get away, tell someone about her existence, or simply back out of the deal in the first place?

This isn’t stupid, Grady reassured himself for the hundredth time.

Maybe he should’ve told at least one guard…

No…they would’ve talked him out of it.

But maybe because that would’ve been the safer option…

The prince huffed to nobody, and gathered the reins up tighter. Just go.

With a flick, he spurred Benny back into movement.

The forest didn’t look any different than the trees near his home; but it wasn’t as if the wildlife knew of the humans’ superstitions. The birds cawed softly, and the wind rustled through the leaves. The stream Grady passed all the time wound in and out of sight in a glittering cascade.

He knew where to find the Rose Cottage—everyone knew about the breathtaking blooms its owners had used to produce. The couple had died long ago, but Grady’s new friend must’ve moved in since. Maybe she was related; or maybe her aunts had bought it from the couple’s family.

There didn’t have to be a nefarious reason she was there. It was an empty house—of course somebody might’ve lived there again someday.

A branch snapped.

In hindsight, with a moment of consideration, Grady probably would’ve realized it was nothing. There were animals in the woods, after all, and weak trees prone to losing limbs in bursts of wind.

But in that moment, his brain blanked of every thought but danger.

He urged Benny faster. The trees blurred, and the ground thundered beneath them.

Grady couldn’t really hear anything over Benny’s galloping. But every noise he fantasized only represented a further threat. Sweat burst under the boy’s clothes, and his breathing hitched shallower and faster. He spurred Benny as fast as the horse could go.

His mistake lasted for but a second—but it was long enough.

Grady sat up, daring to glance over his shoulder.

A branch slapped the side of the boy’s face.

Pain burst across his cheek, then spiraled into his head. His hands jerked off the reins. His body lifted out of the saddle.

He blacked out before he hit the ground.

* * *

“He’s waking up!”

Who’s waking up?

Grady lay in darkness…oh, it must’ve been the morning. He must’ve been waking up—it was time to start the day.

The boy eased a bitter sigh, then opened his eyes.

The ceiling that curved above him didn’t resemble the airy stone contours of his bedroom. It hovered close, maybe only a few feet away, and spread brown and lumpy, like a tree. Dark knots and thin grain wound throughout it.

Light filtered from off to Grady’s right, a soft gold like the sconces in his room. Only this glow was a bit dimmer and richer, and didn’t appear to cover as much of a space.

The boy tilted his head. A length of fabric wound around it, tight but not uncomfortable. Some sort of cold numbness layered beneath the bandage. The sensation wasn’t exactly unpleasant; more soothing than anything.

Grady could make out the fuzzy contours of a table…a plain, round one with a small black pot sitting atop. Sconces carved into the walls, and a fire crackled beyond the table.

Two women stood around it. One, clearly smaller, looked to be about Grady’s age. Her willowy golden hair flowed down her back. She wore a simple linen peasant’s dress, and her feet were bare.

The other stood taller and broader, with a sharp black dress and matching hair. Her dark locks hung straight around an austere face.

Familiarity surged through Grady. Yes…he knew who these people were…

But as soon as he finished coming to, he lost the flicker.

The younger one was the one who’d spoken. A relief warmed her tone as she continued. “He looks okay.”

The older one nodded, and, with her companion in tow, made her way over to the alcove where Grady lay.

To his pleasant surprise, he was able to place the younger one as she came closer. “Rose,” he choked out.

The girl favored him with a smile; just as warm and welcoming as he remembered from earlier.

She reached for the prince’s shoulder, laying her hand gently upon it. “Hi.” She glanced at her companion. “Sorry about waking up someplace random—I came across you lying in the woods, and you were bleeding, and I panicked. My friend here is an excellent healer, and my aunts, um—they don’t yet know I’m expecting someone, so I thought I’d just take you here.”

Grady tried to nod, achieving something feeble. “Thank you.”

The memory of his wild, panicked canter through the woods rushed back to the boy. He winced. If only he hadn’t been so childishly spooked…

“Where’s my horse?” he questioned, digging his arms underneath him.

Rose moved to help the boy sit, adjusting his pillow so it propped between him and the wall. “I didn’t see any horse, unfortunately.”

Grady nodded, the motion a little less wobbly this time. Benny would’ve probably run back home, especially if scared.

Grady released a sigh, depressing himself back into the pillow. “I’ll find him later.”

He reached up to his head, fingering the bandage. He was lucky he hadn’t been hurt worse, and that Rose’s friend was an excellent healer.

He slid his gaze to the woman. “Wha—what’s your name? I don’t think we’ve been introduced yet.”

For another moment, it tugged at Grady—the sense that he should’ve been able to place her face.

But then it fizzled out again.

The woman favored him with the sliver of a smile. She held out her hand for the boy to grasp. “Evari. Nice to meet you, Your Highness.”

For the third time—something about the name, dancing just out of Grady’s reach…

But Rose had probably just mentioned her earlier.

“Gra—” The boy began to introduce himself, but then blinked. “You know who I am?”

A touch of wryness worked into the woman’s smile. “I may live out in the woods, but I keep up with the affairs of the kingdom.”

Rose’s face had blanched, and her eyes popped wide. “The p-prince?” Her hands drifted to her face. “Oh my God…I—I’m so sorry, I’m smitten with you and I didn’t even realize you were the prince—”

Grady struggled to sit forward. Evari’s gentle but firm hand returned him to his recline. “It’s okay—I’m not as stuffy as my parents or the other nobles.” His face warmed. He’d only known Rose for about a day—for a few hours, really—but he was already willing to fight for this relationship if need be. He grasped at the blanket he’d just realized draped over him up to his waist. “I really like you too—and I won’t write you off just because you might not be nobility.”

Rose reflected his sentiment with a weak smile. “But you can’t even be with me.” Her face bloomed scarlet. “I’m sorry—that’s not even—we don’t even know if that’s what the future holds—” She rubbed over her cheeks, as if that could dissolve her blush. “I’m getting all worked up over nothing—”

Evari laid a hand on the girl’s shoulder. “It’s all right, Rose—that’s the nature of emotions. We don’t have to worry about any of that now, though. Let’s just focus on getting our friend here back to full health.”

The girl nodded meekly. “Thanks.”

At least Grady could be fairly sure now that Rose wasn’t trying to kill or kidnap him. The warmth from their afternoon meeting tingled in his stomach again.

Rose fetched him a glass of water, then seated on the edge of his bed.

Grady shifted a bit higher to sip. “You said your aunts don’t yet know I’m—or I was—coming over?”

Rose blushed for the third time. She chewed on her lip, her eyes dropping from her guest’s to her lap. “I’m sorry—they, uh….they really don’t like me meeting strangers, and I was really nervous about what they’d say.” She tangled her fingers together. “I was trying to work up the courage to tell them…”

Grady smiled weakly. “It’s okay; I kinda get it.” He sipped again. “I dread telling my parents anything I’m not entirely sure they’ll like. I hate having every little action turned into a big argument.”

Rose nodded. “My aunts can be pretty overprotective. I know living out here can be dangerous, fairly far from the nearest town—but they always get so concerned.” She rolled her eyes. “I mean, I’ve been out in these woods a hundred times, and the most I’ve ever gotten hurt is when I’ve pricked my finger picking berries.”

Grady smirked. “Hey, it might not even be that different in the city. I mean, I guess since I’m a prince, it may be a little bit different—but I live I the heart of the kingdom, surrounded by soldiers and staff, and my parents still act like I’m going to meet my untimely death if I go out with my friends for drinks.”

Rose snorted.

“I mean, I guess they were kinda right, in a way…” Grady shrugged. “I did whack my head out there.”

* * *

Grady continued to sip at his water as Rose told him about her day. She wandered through the woods all the time, unafraid of anything save for the occasional predator. She collected berries, edible plants, and firewood, picnicked by the stream, climbed the trees, and wove crowns out of the wildflowers. When it grew cold out, she built sculptures out of the snow.

“I often wonder what travelers think when they go through the forest,” she giggled. “Where they think they come from.”

Her life sounded whimsical, dreamy, and freeing—but, as Rose emphasized, also relatively lonely.

“My aunts are pretty wary of the bad fae,” she muttered. “They know some nice ones, but the rumors about the nasty ones just get to them. And I can’t say I blame them…” She turned to glance at Evari, who tended to a teapot over the fire. The woman seemed content to let the teens have their conversation. “But I miss not growing up with friends my own age. My aunts are perfectly wonderful, of course—but it’s not the same thing, you know? And I have my animal friends in the forest; but they’re not that good at conversation.”

Grady snickered. “I do love the birds and the squirrels too…but yeah.” He twisted his lips. “I wish I could take you into the city to meet my friends.”

“I wish I could go,” Rose chuckled. “My aunts would have a heart attack—and I’d hate to do that to them.” She sighed. “I just wish I could make them see sense.”

Grady wished there was some way he could help. Showing up unannounced at Rose’s cottage probably wouldn’t go over very well, even if he planned on explaining himself… “I could still meet your aunts. Maybe they’d like me better if I was a prince?”

A small smile touched his friend’s lips. Tiny dots of pink stood out on her cheeks. “That would probably help—though they’d still chew me out for talking to a stranger.”

“You can claim I asked you for directions or something. You were merely being polite,” Grady insisted. “And then we just started a conversation.”

Rose shrugged, a hopeful light entering her eyes. “That’s not bad. I mean, it’s not like they don’t know I’m dying to meet people…” She rubbed at her forehead. “Well—” Her eyes traveled to the nearest window. “Damn; it’s getting late. I’d better be getting back home.”

She turned to Grady.

“You’ll need help getting home, won’t you?”

The boy prepared to reassure her he was all right—but then he remembered his horse was gone.

He winced. “Yeah…but I don’t wanna trouble you more than you’ve already been. Troubled.”

Rose shook her head. “I can walk you out. It might take a little bit longer, but I can get you back to the city.”

“Or…”

Both kids glanced up.

Evari frowned over the steam curling from her teacup. “I could take you both to where you need to be.”

Rose chewed her lip, her gaze flickering between the woman and Grady. “Are you—sure?”

Evari nodded. She swirled her spoon in her cup, then tapped it lightly against the edge and set it down. “It’d be the most practical thing to do; it’s too dark for either of you to be walking around the woods right now.”

Rose wound a length of golden hair around her finger. “I guess that’s a good point. But—are you sure…?”

Evari stood, her chair grating dully against the floor. “It’s the fastest and safest way.”

The woman strode up to Grady’s bed, settling on the edge of the mattress.

“I apologize if this is unsettling.” She placed a hand on the boy’s arm. “I can take you as far as the city outskirts. It’s not terribly safe for my kind to be seen by humans.”

Grady’s questions bubbled up a bit too slowly. By the time the golden aura of the cottage dissolved, it was too late to give voice to any of them.

* * *

As expected, his parents were furious.

Grady wanted more time to think about how to persuade them to accept his friendship with Rose, so he left the girl out of his tale. He merely told them he’d knocked himself out riding in the woods, and a traveler had come across him and patched him up.

Grady received a hefty lecture as the castle doctor unwound his bandage to inspect the wound.

“How could you be so careless?” his father cried. “You could’ve been killed in a hundred ways. Does you duty mean anything to you?!”

“You should’ve taken at least a few guards with you if you’d felt like being so foolhardy!” his mother scolded.

Grady just winced as they berated him.

Rose wasn’t dangerous…he hadn’t been that foolhardy.

Though he had to admit, that had probably turned out to be more luck than anything.

The bot went to bed with a fresh head dressing and a cup of willow tea, in case of any lingering pain. Though Rose’s friend had done a magnificent job—he felt nothing at all.

After sipping down some of the tea, Grady succumbed to a deep sleep.

* * *

Avrien.

The dark bedroom shaded starkly around the boy.

Grady gasped up into the shadows. The name rattled around in his head, burning with the might of his revelation.

Evari…Avrien.

Could it have been…?

She was fae. And her face—that repeated glimpse of almost-recognition—it was the same one Grady had seen all those years ago, as a little boy huddled behind his parents’ legs, watching an evil fae cast a cruel spell on a baby princess.

But…then why would she have helped him? Why would she have been so kind to Rose?

Maybe Grady just didn’t understand her machinations…

But she could’ve picked him off so easily. What better use could he be to her alive?

Grady swallowed back a cold lump of fear.

He didn’t necessarily have to worry about that right now…he was safe at home in his castle.

Though it wasn’t quite the fear of harm that dug into him, crackling and greedy like the roots of a hungry tree, as he lay back down to sleep.