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My eyes snapped all the way open, thoroughly startled. My gaze darted between the darkened window and the man who stared at me. Before I could freak out over his presence, a burning sensation in my thigh stole my focus. My side closest to the fire was scorching hot.
Though, for the record, the handsome fella who stared at me was even hotter.
I pushed up to a sitting position and stared with wide eyes, sure that I’d committed some cardinal Nolcovian sin.
His head tilted to the side a couple of inches. “Do you make it a habit to sleep by an open flame? Or is this a one-time self-incineration attempt?”
Fitz
I shivered, but not from the cold. Maybe a little from dread.
This wasn’t the team I wanted to win.
Spending the evening with them left me cold. I stepped closer to the fire Fallon had built and frowned. The producers had rigged the whole thing. Fallon and the nobles were given dry wood, while Blair was given damp kindling. I wasn’t supposed to know, but after I watched Fallon’s fire burst to life while Blair’s continued to smolder, I checked. Her wood had been practically soaked. Whether it was done to create drama or if my father had meddled to be sure he got his way, I didn’t know. I wasn’t the betting type, but my money was on the latter.
Cheerful chatter grew closer by the minute. I couldn’t afford to let my negative feelings show. I dug my hand into my pocket and pulled the charm free. The petite snowflake caught the glow of the fire. One charm given for this little outing. I could save one of them early, but who had earned it?
“Your Highness.” Esme reached the outer ring of light given by the dancing flames first. Her right hand covered her heart, and she caved forward in a show of devotion. As much as I hated to admit it, she’d caught my curiosity.
Granted, watching Coco beat her out on the course had gratified me even more. I still couldn’t believe she’d climbed the tree to get a better angle. But her ingenuity and determination knew no bounds.
The rest of them filed in with equal signs of respect, though Gwen did as little as possible. It had to strike a nerve for her. After years of being equals at university, bowing to a friend likely felt awkward.
“Welcome, ladies.” I wanted the evening to be casual. Time would slip between our fingers, and I needed to maximize my interactions with them in order to reach my goal. “Please come closer. It’s too cold to be standoffish.”
Tom had pulled me aside before they arrived to review the objectives of the evening. We would spend time around the fire first. He’d managed to procure the ingredients needed to make s’mores. None of the Nolcovians would know about them since marshmallows didn’t exist in our country, but I had memories of my own, of course laced with thoughts of Coco. In fact, it felt off to be standing around the fire without her next to me.
After enough footage, Tom instructed me that I should choose two of them for one-on-one time. I knew I needed to talk with Gwen, but who would be my second choice?
Esme eased in beside me and linked her arm through mine. Forward, but truth be told, I didn’t mind. “You’re so warm. Do you mind if I cuddle close?”
“Of course not.” I had a hard time not being charmed by her nature. Timid, yet bold. It was a side of her I hadn’t seen yet, and it appealed to me. Knowing she was my father’s choice created a dichotomy within my psyche. A desire to rebel against him paired equally with my drive of attraction that urged me closer. Beauty like hers came once in a lifetime. I thought of her words last night. Was she right? Was it only a matter of time before our fate became intertwined?
I felt Gwen’s gaze from across the fire. By the frown she wore, I gathered she didn’t approve of Esmerey either. Had Michaela shared her notes on the subject, or were they both seeing something in my blind spot?
Shaking it off, I went to work, showing them how to spear the marshmallows to roast them in the fire.
“It’s squishy!” Margaux squeezed the treat until it bulged on either side. “Why is it like that, Your Highness?
“I honestly don’t know.” Her smile was infectious, and I found myself getting lost in it. “But wait, because it gets better.”
I put my marshmallow at the edge of the flame, careful not to let it catch fire. They watched as the white exterior slowly browned to a golden shade. I made quick work of assembling the s’more and took a healthy bite. A soft hum buzzed from my chest. For a minute, I was a teenager again, camping with Coco, and nothing could touch me.
“May I try, Your Highness?” Esme’s voice beckoned me back to the present. Her doe eyes stared up at me, innocent, sweet, and mesmerizing.
“Uh—yes, of course.” I passed the whole thing to her hands and watched her dainty lips wrap around the corner to take a bite. “Mmmmm.” I found myself hanging on her reaction, captivated by her. “It’s delicious.”
No words remained, not with my heart racing its way up my throat. Her satisfied smile left me breathless, like I’d earned a treat by gaining her approval.
“Oh!” Eirene’s voice broke the spell. I turned to find her marshmallow had caught fire. “My prince! It’s become a torch.”
Acting quickly, I took hold of the length of her roasting stick and blew over the charred confection. The flame extinguished immediately, but I felt a pull in my heart. Coco always loved the burnt ones.
Why couldn’t she have won the challenge despite the odds being against her?
I shook off the wave of disappointment. My gaze landed on Eirene instead. I knew very little about her, only that she’d helped my mother and had earned a position in the competition.
“Lady Eirene.” Every other face turned to look at us, and I swore their jealousy burned hotter than the fire. “Could I speak to you for a moment?”
