Page 140 of Spark of Sorcery

“You underestimate us, sweetheart,” Beaufort says, staring down into my face in a way that has my pulse rate fluttering.

“Perhaps, but you’re trashing your sneakers.”

We’re nearing the end of the course, when I realize I’m actually enjoying this. Sure, that’s partly because I’m doing none of the hard work. But I’ve never hung out with the Princes like this before and they make me smile. They make me laugh.

At the end of the course, Dray leans in to whisper in my ear as we jog along. “We’re going to leave you now, Kitten. We have to make it look a bit believable.”

I wave them off and a few minutes later I’m crossing the line.

Twin number one peers at his stopwatch.

“You managed that pretty quick.”

“Yeah, I’m getting better at this stuff,” I lie.

“You’re hardly even sweating.”

I shrug and go off to wait on the grass for Fly and Clare.

Fly’s the first to arrive, panting and out of breath. He rests his hands on his knees, sweat dripping onto the ground.

“You look much better than you did,” he observes. “There’s color in your cheeks.”

“Is there?” I say, innocently.

“You looked like,” he winks at me, “you were having fun.”

“I don’t know what gave you that impression.”

“No, because what’s not to like about two seriously hot men carrying you around.”

I stick my tongue out at him and he comes to sit beside me. Clare is one of the last to stumble over the line.

“Are you coming to the changing rooms?” she asks me. “No Odessa to worry about now.”

“Nope, I’m not taking any risks.” I nudge Fly.

We’ve agreed that Thorne and Fly will take me out to the forest to find Blaze.

We weave our way through the academy buildings and out onto the field. The sight of the forest has bile rising up my throat and I have to pause for a moment and force myself to breathe.

“Okay, Cupcake?” Fly asks.

“Yeah … it’s just.” I shake my head. “The last time I was here …”

“What’s wrong?”

I turn around to find Thorne examining me with concern.

“Nothing,” I say.

“Are you sure you can manage this? It’s a fair distance and I can’t carry you like the others.”

“It’s fine,” I say. “Fly can.”

“Err,” Fly protests.

“Come on, let’s find Blaze.”