Page 39 of Of Curses and Courtship

Having someone by my side already does more to lessen the pain. The blue orb is still present, but it shrinks, and hers does as well.

“Is your magic like mine?” I ask.

“Nah. Mine is a trick of the light, nothing more. No feelings involved.”

“Lucky you.”

“There’s got to be some good in your magic. You’re apowerful fae. As far as the Sun Fae go, I’m one of the weaker ones. All I can do is my little light tricks. I could probably learn more if I put my mind to it, but… there’s always work to be done. Keeps me busy.”

“I understand that better than you know,” I say, an echo of her earlier words.

She squints at me. “What brings you to the Sun Palace, anyhow?”

“Well… I needed a job.” And there was nowhere else for me to go, but I keep that to myself.

“You have no ties here, right? None at all?”

“Well—I sort of know the prince.” The words fall past my lips before I can think better of it. I clap my hands over my mouth, my eyes widening.

She matches my expression. “Youwhat?”

“Just once!” I rush to amend. “We only met one time.”

So much for not spilling my secrets.

I’m not here for the prince, but is it a better lie than telling her I was kicked out of my home? That would have been safer—and truer. I would be fine never seeing the prince again.

She continues gaping at me. “How in blazes are you working here if you’re close friends with the prince?”

“I did not say we are friends.” The orb above my head shifts—pink, surely a sign of my embarrassment.

Her attention moves up to the pink light, and her expression brightens, nearly rivaling the light of her magic. “Ophelia! Youlikehim, don’t you?”

“No! He is betrothed?—”

“The heart wants what it wants,” she says in a sing-song voice.

“My heart does not want him! It wants nothing. My heart is pleased to be alone, thank you very much. Delighted, Iwould say. I amdelightednot to worry about courtships and ceremonies.”

“Uh-huh.” She snorts and rises to her feet. “Well, your heart does seem a good deal happier now, so I’ll leave you to sleep. Hopefully, you dream of princes now, rather than whatever was on your mind before.”

This was all a terrible idea. I never should have told her about my past; it opened up the door tothis—this teasing. I shake my head profusely. “I will dream of nothing! Nothing at all.”

“We’ll see. I’ll be keeping an eye on those orbs of yours.”

“No! Not my orbs.”

“I reckon the pink color means you’re flirty. What d’you think?”

“No! It means nothing of the sort. Embarrassment, perhaps—but nothing else. Nothing likethat.”

“If you insist.” She chuckles. “Good night, Ophelia.”

The room goes pitch black after a few moments of silence. Despite my efforts to think of anything else…

The princeison my mind when I finally drift to sleep.

Helena’s voicecuts through the quiet of the early morning. “Ophelia! Quick. I need your help.”