Flames of Auriel (A Caeles Adventure Book 1) (7 page)

“What are you doing?” Zoe tugged on her hand. He would have never gotten this close to her on purpose. She did not know what to make of the way her heart beat faster in her chest.

“Calm down. I just want to try something,” Asher’s voice lowered as he brought his head down to hers. Before his princess could object, he pressed his lips to hers. The small startled sound she made would have made him chuckle had he not been so intrigued by the way her mouth felt against his own.

After a moment, he released her lips, breathing in against her face. “Yellow.”

“What?” She pulled back to see his face, her eyes a little bit hazed from their kiss.

“Your favorite color is yellow.”

Zoe stared at him for a moment, before snapping her gaping mouth closed. “Oh. Well, good night.” Zoe turned on her heel and hurried down the hallway, not giving a glance back to the befuddled prince.

As she got ready for bed Zoe thought of what had just happened. He had known the answer to his mother’s question and he had said nothing at dinner. She knew his favorite color. She had made a point to know it, but probably just like him she did not want him to know she had cared enough to find out. Zoe felt vulnerable. Exposed almost, but also a little giddy.

He knew her favorite color.

***

“Checkmate.”

Asher smirked at his friend’s bewilderment at being beat yet again. Bryce always seemed surprised when he lost and would spend the next half an hour trying to figure out how it happened. Finished with their game, Asher searched out their company.

His betrothed had her legs thrown over the side of one of the chairs with her face buried in a book and her small tongue caught between her teeth. She actually was quite fetching when she was not trying to annoy him. The rose-colored gown she wore dipped dangerously low in the front, giving him a nice view of her cleavage, and her hair pulled up on top of her head left her slender neck bare. He found it funny how just a few weeks before he had imagined strangling that neck and now all he wanted to do was run his lips across it.

A movement from the far wall drew his eyes away from his delicious betrothed. Leaning against the wall was the newest addition to the castle, Garrett Faireman. He had been introduced as Zoe’s new bodyguard and had given an evasive response as to why he was here. Asher had become suspicious of him at once and it did not help matters that the young guard’s eyes were on his charge more often than was appropriate.

In hushed tones, Asher turned to his friend, “I don’t like that guard. I don’t think he is here just to watch over Zoe.”

His friend nodded his head in agreement, “I know what you mean. Ever since he has arrived your princess seems to have lost her fangs.” Bryce leaned back and chuckled, “Not that I’m complaining mind you. It’s nice to not have to mediate all the time.”

Asher scowled at his friend, “We do not fight all the time. Just yesterday we had dinner together without incident.” He did not mention that they were fighting just before his mother made them spend time together.

“That’s hard to believe.” Bryce pushed back his chair and walked over to Asher’s side. “You can have all the fun you want on the side, but unless you want to wake up a eunuch, I’d suggest finding a way to woo her or at least find some common ground.”

Bryce walked over to Garrett’s slouched form and held a hand out to him. “Come on, Garrett. Let’s leave these two lovebirds to work out their issues and go get a drink. You can tell me all about what’s happening on the border.”

“Your highness?” Garrett questioned. The thought of leaving her alone with the prince did not set well with him.

Not looking up from her book she waved him off. “Go. Auriel knows you need some entertainment.”

He let his eyes trail to the prince before following Bryce out.

Zoe finally looked up from her book to Asher who was now kneeling down next to her. The intense look on his face made her remember the kiss she had participated in the night before. Her eyes flicked up to his lips as her heart began to race. She blushed at her own silly reaction, but then scowled at him for making her feel that way.

“Stop looking at me like that.”

Asher stood up, holding a hand out to her. “We’ve been inside for too long. Let’s get out of here.” He sighed when she stared at his hand like he was offering her a vicious snake, “It won’t bite, Zoe.” He smiled in triumph when she gave in and let herself be pulled out of the chair. “Now, how about a ride?”

***

“Zoe, wait up!”

Asher pushed his horse faster trying to catch up with her. She threw her head back laughing at her prince’s attempt to slow her down. It was nice to have him chasing her for once and not the other way around.

“It’s a race, Asher! You aren’t supposed to catch me!” She pulled her mare to a stop by the stables and smiled at the prince’s displeasure. “I do believe I win again.”

Asher came up beside her, “Alright, alright. You win.” He dismounted and handed the reins off to a stable boy. He rounded her horse and lifted his arms up to her.

“You know, I can get down on my own. I don’t need your help.”

He dropped his hands and ran one of them through his hair, “I am well aware of what you can do, Zoe. Does everything have to be a fight with you?”

She rolled her eyes and held her arms out to him, “Fine.”

He lifted her off the horse and smirked when her breath caught as he slid her down his front, then sat her on the ground.

“Now, did it kill you to be a lady?” When she started to push him away, he just smiled and tightened his grip on her hips.

She tried to look anywhere but at his smug face, “Why do you have to be such a prick?”

His smile got bigger at her words, “Where did you learn such a foul word? Not from young Garrett, I would hope?”

She jerked her gaze to his at the sound of her bodyguard’s name and dug her nails into the arms holding her. “No, it must have been from one of your whores.”

Asher frowned, grabbed her hand and led her into a stable stall. “Now we had a perfectly nice time today, so why do you have to go and ruin it?”

It was true. The last few hours had actually been fun. They had talked about some of the crazy gossip heard throughout the palace and ended up trying to one up the other in horseback riding. Out of all the years they had spent together, today would have to be one of their bests. He thought they had made progress last night, but she seemed determined to pretend it did not happen. Asher did not understand her need to berate him all the time.

Zoe yanked away from him once they were out of sight, “Me? You are the one who started it.” She tried to stomp out of the stable, but found herself pushed back and cornered against the stable stall. “Get out of my way, Asher.”

He placed his arms on either side of her, blocking any chance of an easy escape. She held back a shiver as he brushed his fingers over her cheek so he could tuck her hair behind her ear. Asher was not about to let her ruin their day with her temper.

“Not this time, Zoe.”

Before she could protest, his lips found hers in what she could only describe as the most searing kiss of her life. Unlike the kiss in the hallway, which had been curious and uncertain, not at all what she had expected from him, this one was everything she had expected his kiss would be – relentless and overpowering. She thought about biting him for a second, but instead found herself caught up in it. She would feel ashamed later at how easy it had been for her to just slide her hands through the curly tendrils of his hair and kiss him in return.

While she had only been kissed by one other person – Garrett – who was always gentle and giving, this kiss was like a battle on its own. Their mouths clashed together as each of them fought for dominance. She found herself moaning into the kiss and forgot for a moment who she was kissing, but eventually they had to end the kiss to breathe. They gaped at the other at the magnitude of what just happened.

Asher recovered first and leaned his forehead against hers. He brushed his fingertips along the curve of her breast, causing a sharp intake from her. He held her gaze with his for a moment and tried to memorize the details of her face in that moment. He noted how her amber eyes had darkened and her face had flushed all the way down to her heaving chest. Asher could not think of a time when she was more beautiful than right then.

“If you want me to stop seeing them I will. Just say the word and I’m yours.”

Zoe’s entire body tensed up at his proposition and for a hot minute she was tempted to say it, but pride would not allow her to give him the satisfaction of knowing how much it affected her.

She leaned her face into his, “What makes you think I care?” She shoved him away and ran as fast as her skirts would allow her back toward the palace.

Asher was shocked at how vicious she had been in rejecting his offer. He had thought that she would accept right away and then they would spend the rest of the summer trying to make it work. He should have known she would not be won over just by pretty words and a few kisses. Asher smiled to himself, he loved a good challenge, and as he walked toward the training grounds a new determination started to form.

Several hours and four straw dummies later, Bryce finally found him. The young lord took in the scene before him and shook his head. He could not figure out how his friend was so good at charming the women in and out of court, but he could not even woo his own bride.

“So, I’m guessing it didn’t go well.”

Asher paused in his assault on the straw dummy, “What makes you say that?”

Bryce picked up a discarded practice sword and stood opposite of his friend with sword in hand. “Because otherwise you wouldn’t be here and Zoe wouldn’t be trying to slaughter Garrett in the other training room.” Bryce motioned for him to continue his attack.

Asher circled his friend searching for an opening to strike, “Speaking of Garrett, what did you find out about him?”

The prince’s friend shrugged and threw his sword up to block Asher’s attack. “The lad checks out. He’s the second son of some Marquee in Aurelius.” He jumped back as the prince swung at him. “King Brom called him back from the southern border. He’d been working as his brother’s squire for the past few years. He’s supposed to be knighted next spring.”

Asher stopped his attack when his chubby friend relented with a wave of his hand.

“But why would King Brom send for him now?”

“Garrett said that the news the king’s brother brought back was bad enough to make him want to take extra precautions to protect his only heir.”

“What kind of news?”

“There is more movement in the south than we had initially anticipated and rumors of spies in both of our kingdoms. You can’t blame him for wanting to be prepared. Nothing really we can do.”

With furrowed brows Asher glared down at the floor. He understood King Brom’s concern, but he still did not know why it had to be Garrett. He thought the king would have wanted someone older and more experienced to watch over his only daughter.

Bryce bumped him on the shoulder to knock him out of his thoughts, “What are you thinking?”

“There are better soldiers to protect Zoe.”

“Well yeah, but not one who was Zoe’s childhood friend.”

The prince’s eyes widened and jerked up to Bryce’s face. “When were they going to mention this?”

Bryce shrugged, “I guess it’s customary in Aurelius to have close male friends. Garrett didn’t seem to think anything of it when he told me.”

The previous urge to slaughter something rushed back on to the prince in full force. Asher squeezed his hands into fists and glared at his friend. “Of course he wouldn’t!”

“Why are you so angry about some lowly second son being friends with Zoe?”

Asher jerked a towel from one of the chairs and wiped the sweat from his face. He winced when the rough cloth scraped his face harder than he intended. He leaned against one of the training room walls, the towel twisted in his hands and annoyance stained his face.

“Did you ever pay attention in our lessons?”

Bryce scratched the back of his head and gave a sheepish smile, “I get tired.”

They had learned about all the different kingdoms years before he ever learned about his betrothal. At the time, he thought nothing of the difference between their two kingdoms, but now in light of Bryce’s news everything that he had learned came rushing back. The towel in Asher’s hands twisted tighter as he tried to explain without losing his head.

“Aurelians don’t require a woman to have her virtue intact to be wed.”

“So…?” Bryce trailed off, not sure where his friend was going with this.

“So, the nobles usually assign a bodyguard for their daughters for that purpose.” Asher raised an eyebrow at his friend not sure if he was getting what he was saying.

Bryce tilted his head to the side as he looked at Asher, “But what does that have to do with Zoe’s bodyguard?”

“Noble’s bodyguards are usually childhood friends.” Asher almost shouted when he saw a light click in his friend’s eyes.

“So you think she and he are…” Bryce pressed his hands together to portray his thoughts.

“Yes.”

“No.” The heavier man shook his head, “No way. You think she would hesitate to rub it in your face if she was? After the way you treated her?”

“Maybe she’s hiding it because of the alliance?”

His rationalization fell on deaf ears as Bryce snorted. “Like that would stop her. Neither of you have a filter when it comes to the other.”

The prince grumbled under his breath. “Do too.”

Bryce chuckled at the prince’s obvious pout, “I gave you my news, now tell me what made you both feel the need to hit something?”

Asher growled and threw his towel on the floor. “Everything was fine. We were great actually. We spent almost half the day without fighting and then she had to open that mouth of hers.” He plopped down onto on a chair against the training wall and rested his head against it.

“That can’t be all that happened. I mean she was really wailing on Garrett in there.”

“I was so angry at her for not being able to spend the day with me without trying to piss me off.” He sighed, “I wasn’t thinking clearly and may have kissed her.” Asher gestured wide with his hands. “But – wow – Bryce, if I had known what it would be like with her, I’d never have turned to any of the others.”

Bryce grinned at his friend, “Does she still think you are screwing everything in a skirt?” He shook his head at his friend’s smirk, “And you wonder why you two have so many issues.” Bryce rubbed a hand over his face and groaned when Asher did not answer. “You need to tell her, Ash. We both know you haven’t touched anyone else since Zoe caught you in the servants’ stairs.”

Asher jumped up and waved his hands in front of him. “I tried Bryce, but she took off before I could explain.”

Bryce gave a doubtful frown, “What exactly did you say to her?”

The prince stared up at the ceiling, trying to remember their last encounter, “I told her to tell me not to see them anymore. I practically served myself up on a platter for her and she just ran away.”

Bryce laughed at his friend’s obvious distress, “I don’t know how you made it this far. Zoe’s not that complicated.” He sighed at the prince’s furrowed brow, “You practically just asked her to tell you her feelings before you would admit yours. When have you ever known her to willingly admit anything?”

“Never.” Asher shook his head and sneered at his own stupidity. He snapped his fingers, a grin on his face. “Except maybe when she’s about to rip my head off.”

Bryce jumped up after his prince who was now walking out of the training room mumbling to himself. He knew nothing good would come from deliberately poking the princess and his prince was likely to get bit.

***

“Do you need anything else, your highness?”

Zoe waved a hand at her chambermaids to dismiss them before she leaned her head back against the rim of the tub. She blew a hair out of her face and thought over the day’s events. Today had definitely landed a place in the most confusing days of her life. She was worn out by the overwhelming amount of emotions she was feeling.

She was used to feeling the burn of anger in regular doses when she was around the prince, but what she felt today had been a new experience for her. Zoe was furious at him for expecting her to be the first one to admit her feelings when, besides the last few days, had never even her the time of day. More than anything, she was confused at the lack of hatred she usually felt at the thought of the prince.

The princess closed her eyes to re-enact their most recent encounter in her head and mused at how different kissing Asher had been from kissing Garrett. Garrett was supposed to be there to help her with any urges she had, but so far they had only done some deep kissing. She enjoyed kissing Garrett, but none of their kisses could compare to the animalistic need that came from kissing Asher. She had felt like her whole body was on fire. Like their relationship, kissing him was a battle in and of itself.

Zoe submerged herself completely in the water. She let the scarce quiet soothe her worries away. Taking her mind off of her betrothed, her mind wandered to the news that had arrived. An angel in Ray’zia had appeared at the birth of some commoner’s baby. It was all over Caeles. There had not been a patron sighting in years. They preferred to sit on the sidelines and only interfere if need be. The last time a patron had appeared before anyone had been at the end of the Celestial War and then not only one, but three had shown themselves. Not to her of course, she was nothing more than a babe, but to the leaders of the three kingdoms.

Her father had told her that Auriel had come to him, telling him that war was not the way, which Zoe thought was humorous, since Auriel was one of God’s lead soldiers. He told her father that each of them was given their own kingdom to watch over with the stipulation that neither would try to take over the other. Zoe would have thought the angel would have seen reason on the fact that Aurelius had not started the war only helped try to finish it, but Auriel would hear none of it. We had participated, so we were to be made an example of. Zoe’s father never said what the punishment had been, but she suspected it had to do with the fact that no fire starters had been born after that day and those that had been blessed with the ability had lost it. The princess wondered what it would have been like to be able to create fire from thin air. A sudden thud against the side made her jerk up, sputtering water as she opened her eyes to see her blonde friend

“Auriel damn you, Garrett.” She leaned back against the side of the tub and glared up at his grinning face. “You almost gave me a heart attack.”

Garrett chuckled and leaned against the tub’s edge, “Couldn’t help myself.” She blushed as his eyes roamed over her heaving chest. “But I can’t say I’m sorry.”

She splashed some water at him, “You are such a lecher. How did you get pass Alice? I thought she was making sure no one tried to ravish me in my helpless state.” She threw a hand up to her face in a false weakness.

Garrett laughed and kneeled behind her head. He stroked his hands along her bare shoulders, the feel of her smooth skin underneath his hands exciting him. He had waited a long time to be able to touch her like this.

“I’m your bodyguard, so it wasn’t hard to convince her.” She groaned as he rubbed a particularly tense muscle, “I wonder, does Alice think if she pretends you are a delicate flower that it will make you actually act like one?” He stepped back to pull his tunic over his head, then slid his hands back across her shoulders and down along her arms as they slipped under the water, “I don’t think you could ever be helpless, even in such an appealing state.”

She gasped when he cupped her breasts in both hands. Zoe arched her back as he thumbed the tips. The foreign touch on her skin was almost overwhelming.

“Garrett, what are you doing?”

He pushed her head to the side so he could kiss her neck, “What does it feel like, Zo?” He let one of his hands trail down her stomach and sought out her warmth. “I’m doing my job to help you to relax.” He smiled against her neck when she jerked and moaned as he stroked her. “Don’t you feel relaxed?” Zoe moaned in response. Satisfied by her reaction Garrett pressed harder and turned his mouth to her ear, “I wish I could tell the prince the delightful sounds you make for me. Maybe then he wouldn’t act so smug.”

Zoe jerked away from him, causing water to splash over the side of the tub soaking the front of Garrett’s breeches. Anger filled her as she stood up to grab the towel from the side table and wrapped it around herself. She turned back to Garrett with disbelief in her eyes.

“What are you talking about?”

Garrett stood up from his position and shook his wet hands over the tub, “Why are you so upset? I know that he’s your betrothed, but is it really that horrible for him to know you have someone of your own?” He walked around the tub to her side, “Is it fair that he can be with others, but you cannot?”

Garrett wrapped his arms around her and pulled her head to his chest. Zoe let her head rest against his chest, her fingers curling into his chest hair as he spoke into her hair. “If I could get you out of this, I would. But things are a lot worse on the border than your father has led you to believe.”

“What do you mean?”

He combed her hair behind her ear and tilted her face up to his, “There have been multiple attacks all along our border and the Aldabel border. It’s not even like they are really trying to accomplish anything. We think they are just playing with us, testing us to see how strong our defenses are. You’d think after last time Dederic would have learned his lesson.”

“But why did father let you come here if you are needed there?”

He studied at her as if she should already know the reason. “You know our alliance to Aldabel is more important now than ever. Your father thought I was needed here more than at the border. He thinks that if anyone can keep you in line it would be me. No offense Zo, but no one thinks you will last the summer without starting a national incident, let alone until next year when you are set to marry him.”

She scowled, untangled herself from his arms and walked over to her bed. “It’s nice to know he has so much faith in me.” She climbed into the bed and smirked at him, “And I would never kill Asher, castrate maybe, but never kill. What makes him think you can keep me in line? I don’t remember you ever being very good at it.”