Page 35 of A Storm in Every Heart (Enchanted Legacies #2)

“Because we’re not well suited. I doubt either of us would be particularly bothered if the other found their soul-bond and the agreement was dissolved.”

She looks up at me, eyes assessing. “I didn’t think royals cared about finding their soul-bonds.”

“We don’t,” I answer shortly. “It’s certainly not a requirement for a marriage, but obviously it would be preferable.”

She nods tightly. “I still doubt you’re supposed to be seen showing obvious favoritism for another woman.”

“Is that what I’m doing?” I challenge her.

Her cheeks flush, and goes back to staring off into the distance, refusing to meet my eyes. “Oh, never mind.”

I smile, pleased that I’ve managed to get under her skin.

She’s not entirely wrong, though. I probably shouldn’t be so obvious—especially as I’m not exactly known to show public affection for anyone.

That’s probably where the impression that I’m arrogant comes from.

I don’t really enjoy talking to anyone, but it’s not because I think I’m above them. I just don’t like people.

Except, for some reason, I like Odessa—and maybe Daemon too, though in an entirely different way.

With that in mind, I direct our boat beneath the branches of a weeping willow dipping into the water and stop, letting the branches serve as a curtain between us and the rest of the lake.

Odessa looks up, startled. “Why did you stop?”

“I’m not much of a fan of rowing.”

“Of course you’re not,” she hisses, rolling her eyes. “We can’t stay in here, though.”

“I thought you didn’t want people staring at us.”

She widens her eyes in incredulous disbelief. “You cannot seriously be this na?ve. If we stay here, people will think we need privacy .”

“I don’t really care what anyone thinks.”

“Of course you don’t, you’re a prince. But what do you think they’ll say about me?”

“What do people expect is going to happen?” I blurt out before I can stop myself. “Am I supposed to have my way with you in this boat? That would be an impressive feat of acrobatics.”

The tiniest hint of a smile appears on Odessa’s lips, but she refuses to relent. “Please, just row out from under the tree.”

“Fine.” I sigh, and pick up the oars again, moving us just beyond the cover of the willow. Odessa looks marginally pacified, though still unhappy.

“Did I do something to offend you?” I ask, as we float along the bank in plain sight of the rest of the lake.

She lets out a bark of laughter. “Was I not clear about that already?”

“Not now,” I clarify, waving her off. “I meant before. I’ve never met anyone so intent on disliking me before I even opened my mouth.”

“You certainly opened your mouth when you shouted at me in the hall.”

“I am truly sorry for that, but I can’t imagine that’s the problem. You don’t seem like the type to be scandalized so easily. I must have done something else.”

Her cheeks flush pink. “I don’t know what you’re talking about, Your Majesty .”

“Bullshit,” I blurt out without thinking.

Odessa laughs, for real this time, her entire face lighting up. She relaxes slightly, and I let out a breath. I suddenly find myself vowing to use as much foul language as I can think of in her presence if it makes her laugh.

“I don’t know why you keep seeking me out,” she says.

It’s not really an answer to my question, but she’s at least looking at me now, so I’ll take it. “I don’t like leaving debts unpaid, and I owe you a favor.”

“Oh, right, that.” She bites her lip. “Perhaps we should just call it forgiven.”

My stomach does an uncomfortable flip. If she forgives my debt, then there’s no rational excuse I can come up with to seek her out again…and that’s unacceptable. “No, I can’t accept that. You must think of something I can give you.”

“Why do you even care?” she asks, a note of accusation in her voice.

“Maybe I just like you,” I reply honestly.

Her face flames scarlet this time. “Impossible. You just met me the other day.”

“How long do you need to know someone to know if you like them?”

She thinks about it for a moment, face still flushed. “Three days. Minimum.”

“Why three?” I ask, genuinely curious to understand how her mind works.

“Well, this summit is three days—” she gestures around the lake “—that must be long enough for Prince Thorne and Princess Serena to get to know each other.”

I scowl, unable to help myself. “There’s no chance my sister will marry your prince, but I take your point. So, in three days, will you accept it if I say I like you?”

She shakes her head and looks down, once again refusing to meet my eyes. “No.”

“Why?”

“You know nothing about me, and I haven’t been exactly nice to you.”

I laugh, and row our boat a few feet to the left to avoid a pair of swans swimming past. “So you admit you’re being intentionally difficult. I must have offended you. What did I do?”

“Nothing,” she hisses, glancing around again as if searching for an escape. “But you cannot expect me to believe you truly like me, Prince Kastian. You don’t know me. Whatever you think you feel isn’t real.”

I ponder that, pushing myself far beyond the usual amount of effort I’d exert on anything, and really trying to see this from her point of view.

I suppose that anyone who looks like Odessa would have already encountered dozens—maybe hundreds—of men who are only interested in her because of her beauty. She’s probably already jaded and distrustful of anyone claiming an interest in her.

“Fine, I take your point,” I say.

She relaxes slightly. “Thank you.”

“So the only solution is for you to let me get to know you better.”

She stiffens again. “Excuse me?”

“Tell me what you want in payment for the horse race. Surely you can learn a lot about a person from what they’d ask for if they could have anything in the world.”

Her eyes narrow. “So you’ll be judging me? Will I get more points if I ask for something altruistic instead of gold or jewels?”

“There’s no point system. I just want to know what’s important to you.”

She looks conflicted, then sighs, her shoulders slumping. “Fine,” she breathes. “I want to see the ships.”

“The ships?” I repeat, uncomprehending. “The ones you were looking at the other night, you mean?”

She nods. “I want to go to the harbor and see them.”

“The masked ball on the last night of this summit is being held on a ship. You’ll get to see them then.”

She shakes her head. “That’s not what I mean. I want to go see them alone, but I can’t get out of the castle and go wandering around during the day. I'll be missed, and I’m not stupid enough to go alone at night.”

I nod. I’m glad to hear that, at least. I can’t imagine what would happen to a girl as beautiful as Odessa if she went down to the harbor alone after dark.

Actually, I can imagine it, and the idea sends a jolt of combined panic and anger through me, so strong that my knuckles turn white on the oar handles.

“I’ll take you,” I blurt out.

She looks down her nose at me. “You can’t take me to the harbor. People would recognize you. I was thinking you could send some of your guards with me.”

“I think you’d be surprised how few people would recognize me out of context. I used to escape my guards all the time as a child, I’m very familiar with the city.”

She smiles, a slightly knowing expression I can’t quite understand appearing on her face.

I jump on that smile like a starving animal on a shred of meat. “And if I don’t take you myself, how will I get to know you better?”

She presses her lips firmly together, looking as if she knows this is a bad idea.

I know it’s a bad idea too, but I think for entirely different reasons than whatever she’s worried about.

“Fine,” she says finally. “You can take me to see the ships.”

“Good,” I say, even as a warm elated glow washes over me.

“But that’s all,” she adds, “and I make no promises about being nicer.”

I grin. “I wouldn’t expect you to.”

I get the impression that Odessa is like the swans swimming around the lake—thorny and slow to trust, but infinitely loyal thereafter.

I’m looking forward to winning her over, because when I do it will feel like I’ve won something priceless.

Something inevitable.