Page 116 of The Crown of the Dark Prince
I laughed so hard I snorted, hand flying to my mouth in embarrassment.
“It’s not funny,” he deadpanned, though the corner of his mouth twitched upward.
I grinned. “It’skind offunny.”
“Oh yeah,” he agreed sarcastically, brushing a stray strand of hair from my face. “It’s every man’s dream.”
Chapter Thirty Three
After we had a solid meal in our bellies, we dressed ourselves for the winter, pulling on cloaks and gloves. Camilla was about my size and easily able to wear the extra items I had in the manor. Elaina was slightly taller, but she accepted what I had with a grateful smile anyway.
“How do we even know this will work?” Clay muttered, voice filled with obvious skepticism. He was less than happy with my plan.
“It’ll work,” I assured him.
He glanced down at me, stepping closer to tighten the clasp of my cloak. His fingers lingered longer than necessary. “You should save your strength for Pasnia, not this.”
Camilla smacked his hands away with a roll of her eyes. “She’s fine, you big Dragon baby. Unless you want to waste three days trudging to Eagirton on horseback, in the freezing cold I might add, just let your bedmate use her very plentiful magic to speed this process along.”
A chuckle escaped me, and Clay shot me a disapproving glare. “I like the fact that you two are actually getting alonglessthan I like this plan.”
“Oh,come onalready.” Camilla grabbed my hand, pulling me towards the door. Clay followed reluctantly, his boots crunching on thesnow-covered ground. Outside, Elaina stood waiting for us with her head turned up to the sky, her cheeks pink and a serene smile on her face.
“The snow reminds me of home,” she confessed.
“Yes, yes, that’s lovely Elaina,” Camilla sighed, though her voice lacked any real annoyance. She turned her attention to me as we came to stand by Elaina. “So, how does this work?”
I hesitated under their combined attention. “Well, I’ve never really done it before.”
The glare Camilla gave me could have frozen the dessert.
“Okay fine,” I sighed, thinking. “Describe to me where we’re going.”
“I told him in my letter to expect us,” Camilla explained. “I suppose the dining room will be easiest.”
I nodded. “Tell me what it looks like. Be specific.”
Camilla folded her arms, thinking. “There are chandeliers. Two of them. The walls have dark paneling and there are tons of paintings. Expensive ones.”
“Stolen ones,” Clay interjected under his breath, earning an eyeball from Camilla, who ignored him and continued on.
“The table is long, made of dark wood, always polished so it shines, and the chairs are high-backed with white upholstery.”
I closed my eyes, forcing myself to picture the space as she described it. I painted the image in my mind’s eye with every detail she provided, pulling my magic toward it like a thread through a needle. When the space felt tangible enough to touch, I reached out with my power and tore open the distance between us.
I knew it had worked when Elaina gasped softly.
“I wish I knew I could do that before that awful boat ride to Tenebris,” I mused, blinking my eyes open to admire the shimmering golden portal.
Clay’s hand squeezed my hip in silent reassurance. “Everyone in. Be prepared for anything.”
He darted a quick glance at my dagger, ensuring I had it firmly in hand, before stepping through the portal first. Camilla followed, her movements slower and still difficult. Elaina hesitated only a moment before following. With a steadying breath, I stepped in, sealing the portal tightly behind me.
The sensation of traveling through a portal in the Mortal Realm was different from stepping into the Underworld. While that felt instantaneous, this felt like a journey. The air roared in my ears, rushing past me, before my boots landed on the soft carpet of the warm dining room.
Camilla’s contact sat casually at the head of the table, his glass of wine glinting in the firelight. He was obviously tall, even while seated, with a carved jawline and strong arms. And even though Clay and Camilla both had warned me he was dangerous, I couldn’t help but notice how beautiful he was. He tucked his russet hair neatly behind his ears, and his green eyes danced with amusement as he appraised us.
“Well, that is something you don’t see every day,” he said smoothly, his eyes lingering on me for a moment too long. Clay stepped closer, his presence sharp and protective.
