Page 53 of Slaying the Shifter Prince
His voice drifted back through the doors. “Come on, pet.”
I hurried after, but the unsettling question had latched onto my shoulders.
What would the Prince of Monsters consider a “little treat”?
24
His thighs cradled my hips, solid and warm. One arm was wrapped around my middle, keeping me against him. I’d foolishly let slip that I’d never ridden a stag before, and apparently the prince also wasn’t taking any chances with this.
“I’m sure I can stay on, even if you let go.”
“I’m sure you can.” His breath brushed my ear, and when I looked over my shoulder, he was smirking at the path ahead.
“So, you can loosen your grip, then.” I wriggled, and the stag’s ears flicked.
“I can. But I won’t.” The arm around me tightened.
Insufferable man.
I gritted my teeth and glared at the path ahead.
We passed the ruined temple and cut through the trees, skirting the lake. The snow and ice had melted, and the day was warm and bright, like spring had come early.
Maybe he was going to let me go and chase me back to the house. It felt like a wise move to keep an eye on the route and try to remember it.
Although, when he’d returned to his rooms, he’d re-dressed me in an outfit more sturdy and warm than the one he’d given me the day of the hunt. My robe-like gown was a thick, cream velvet edged with heavy gold lace and beads. A fur-lined cloak clad my shoulders. Soft leather boots covered my calves, ending just above my knees. Their softest leather fitted closely, elegant and sleek.
Plus he’d given me perfume—the lilac and juniper one he gave me most days, as though there was something about the scent he particularly liked. So maybe this wasn’t a hunt.
Before we left, he’d placed the pale gold diadem on my head and clasped its matching bracelets around my wrists. He’d polished the pale blue stone with his sleeve, before standing back and inspecting me. Then, with an exhale, he’d smiled.
The look had done strange things to my chest and stomach.
Catching sight of myself in the mirror had tightened them even more. I looked like a princess from a fairy tale. But princesses never got revenge—they never sought it and they certainly weren’t powerful enough to enact it.
Idiots. They should’ve used their looks to their advantage, not just to ensnare hapless prince charmings.
I scowled ahead, rubbing my eyes, which had grown suddenly gritty. Strange. I didn’t remember feeling even remotely sleepy.
A moment later, I jolted upright, eyelids flicking open.
The landscape around us had changed. No forest. No lake. The stag picked its way down a grassy slope and ahead…
Sunlight glittered on an endless expanse of rich blue water. Froth-tipped waves chased across its surface, finishing their journey by lapping against a beach of white sand. Gulls wheeled overhead, their harsh cries drifting on the breeze.
“We’re here.”
He left the stag to nip at the tough grass and tossed a bag over his shoulder, before scooping me up and striding to the beach.
I wriggled in his hold, but was forced to put one arm around the back of his neck—otherwise it would’ve just hung there awkwardly. “I’m not ill anymore. Icanwalk.”
“Yes, but I don’t want to hang around waiting for your little legs to catch up.” He grinned, canines showing.
Down in the cove, the beach was surprisingly warm. Rocky headlands on either side sheltered it from the worst of the wind, and there wasn’t a single cloud in the sky. I’d thought him picking out a light chemise to go beneath the velvet gown was part of his new desire to keep me warm. Maybe it was so I could strip down to it and not boil to death.
With a flick of his wrist, a large blanket fluttered from the bag to the sand, followed by a scatter of cushions and a picnic basket. Except, the bag was just a small satchel—the large basket couldn’t fit in there, never mind with the cushions too.
He flashed a grin when he caught me staring and wiggled his fingers. Fae magic. Of course. The normal rules didn’t apply in Elfhame… especially when you were one of its princes.
