Page 39 of Tricky Princess

“Uncle, my king…” Duhne began to sweat. “The guards are resting after seeing the healer. Ellea managed to not do extensive damage and their horses are safe, but…”

He swallowed hard. His mouth opened a few times like a fish fighting for air—or water—before his uncle rolled his eyes and cut in.

“Mhairi and the woman are still missing,” Azzy said sternly.

“So it worked?” Ellea said, leaning forward with a grin spreading across her face. She looked back and forth from Duhne’s abashed face and Azzy’s blank one.

“They could be injured—or worse,” Duhne scolded.

“How could someone who is already dead be in worse condition?” Ellea asked, but they both ignored her.

“Those lands have been quiet,” Azzy said, worrying his lip. “They could be laying low.”

“Why’d I put you on the devil of a horse?” Duhne grumbled. “I should have listened to my gut.”

Ellea couldn’t help but laugh. She caught a twinkle in Azzy’s eye.

“So, what’s for dinner?” Ellea asked, leaning back in her chair.

“You shouldn’t have dinner!” Duhne said roughly. “You should spend a night in the dungeon for all the gray hair you’re causing me. How am I supposed to seduce anyone when you’re causing me stress wrinkles? Where is Rosier? Did you cause this much trouble topside?”

Duhne was standing over her and breathing heavily. Ellea smirked at him but didn’t get the chance to speak before the king cut in.

“Nephew,” Azzy said calmly, “I’m sure Ellea feels awful for all the trouble she has caused you of late. And as for my son—”

“Find a new babysitter!” Duhne stormed toward the door. He quickly bowed before swinging the door open and stalking out.

When Ellea looked back at Azzy, he had a warm smile spread across his face.

“Let’s have dinner in the gardens tonight,” he said, standing and walking toward her. He held his elbow out and she stood, looping her arm with his. “We can watch Mhairi come back, and you can give her all the treats I’m sure you bribed her with.”

15

Ellea

NINE DAYS IN HEL

The next day, Ellea trained with Azzy. He acted as though she hadn’t sent two guards to a healer. Sitting on the floor with him, he guided her through shifting her appearance. His voice was kind, and he was patient as ever. She wondered if he’d known what would happen when he told her to go exploring. Mhairi had come back, like Azzy said she would; she’d pranced up to them in the garden, barely tired and hounding her for treats. She couldn’t wait to see the beast again and see what else they could get into.

“Focus,” Azzy reminded her.

She breathed out and went back to imagining her bones and muscles changing. Her skin formed into something new. It was wild to watch her hand go from pale, freckled skin to the same scales and claws as Kas had.

“Good. Now shift into another form. Don’t go back to yours.”

Sweat began to bead along her forehead as she concentrated and reminded herself to breathe and let her power move through her. There was a faint shimmer of age spots and wrinkled skin before her smoother skin reformed.

“Shit.”

It was so much harder than the other things she had been doing with her magic, even creating objects and breaking wards. Shifting herself was such a challenge.

“You’re getting it, don’t get frustrated.” Azzy stood and held out a hand for her to grasp. “Soon you will be able to turn yourself into any manner of creature.”

“I never knew shifting was an ability witches had.”

Elemental control, changing objects, and some illusions could be done in any bloodline. Shifting was only heard of in wolven and other beasts.

“That’s because you’re not a regular witch, like I keep reminding you.”