Page 23 of Apples Dipped in Gold

“What about you?” he asked.

“What about me?”

“What happens to you without them?”

My mouth parted, my answer poised on the tip of my tongue.

Then I am free, I wanted to say, but that was just a dream, and dreams were only achieved by wishing, and no one wished in this land—not without consequences.

“I suppose I would die,” I said.

Lore stared at me, his eyes like violet fire.

“Within seven days?” he asked.

“What?” I asked, confused by his question.

“If you are without them for seven days, will you die?”

“Well, no,” I said. “Of course not.”

“And you said her brothers were idiots,” said the fox.

I looked at him, narrowing my gaze.

“What’s going on? First you come to me at the moor and warn me that my carriage will be attacked, and now you are here with the fae who saved me. Was this planned?”

I felt silly saying it aloud. Why would either of them make a plan to save me?

Lore and the fox exchanged a glance before returning their attention to me.

“Your brothers hired the thieves to attack your carriage. I believe their intentions were to kill the thieves and pose as the hero to the king of Rook but…Prince Lore got to you first.”

My gaze snapped to the fae’s.

“Prince?”

Lore raised a dark brow. “Yes?”

“You did not say you were a prince,” I said.

I had tried to hit him and thrown wood in his face.

“We hardly had time for formal introductions,” he replied. “Besides, I am not the first prince to make your acquaintance.”

“Do not let him fool you, wild one,” said the fox. “He was quite miffed over that.”

Miffed?

Over me?

I had to be dreaming.

I closed my eyes and opened them again, but the fox and the fae still remained, watching.

“Perhaps I am dead,” I said.

“You are very much alive,” said Lore. “At least youhave promised to be for the next seven days, which will bode well for me, since I am in need of a mortal, and you are now in my debt.”