Page 35 of Wicked Prince of Frost

“To make proper use of it, the human possessing the frost bloom’s power must remain close to me. What better way to do that than taking that human my wife? So, you see, by correctly preparing the tea and consuming it, you sealed your fate.”

The blood drains from my face, leaving me dizzy. I open my mouth. Close it. Open it again, then press my lips into a tight line.

“Fret not, Wife. The effects of the frost bloom last only until the next is ready for harvest,” he says, answering a question I hadn’t thought to ask. “That is where our bargain comes into play. Since the power I need is inside you.” His brilliant blue gaze flicks to my lips. “You are to act as a vessel for it.”

This means I am theonlyone who can help him. He’d had every intention of accepting my bargain from the beginning or perhaps even offering one to me.

“H-how do I do that?”

“You are already doing it. Our relationship is a symbiotic one.”

I frown, waiting for him to give me the final piece of the puzzle.

“To prevent a fatal buildup of power, I must siphon it for my own.” Joon shifts closer. “Which is done with a kiss.”

I hold my breath.

“For this to work, you must be willing.”

The air trapped in my lungs escapes in a long exhale.

“Why a kiss?”

“Magic is intimate. To share it with another requires a personal price—physical intimacy, blood, or pain, it does not matter which. I assumed this would be the least objectionable choice. However, we can do any of the other options if you prefer.”

If this is what it takes to stay alive and honor my obligation, then it is far from the worst thing imaginable. Joon is handsome, so it would hardly be a burden. Disconcertingly, kissing him is not the unpleasant notion it should be. When he’s this close, he has a way of pulling me into his gravity.

I place my hands on his shoulders to steady myself as I rise onto my toes and lean in.

His fingers press against my lips, stopping me.

I flatten my feet and frown up at him, a protest ready on my tongue.

“Willingly.”

If it brings us closer to getting what we both want, then I am willing.

“It is not willing if you feel there is no other choice,” he says before I can speak. “You must want to.”

Wantingto kiss him? Is he implying that there needs to be a deeper emotional connection, more than simple attraction?

He… he couldn’t possibly be asking me to care for him… could he?

“But I…”

“While your enthusiasm is appreciated, I will not impose on you more than necessary.” Joon steps back. “It is best to wait for the power to accumulate, or until necessary.”

There’s a knock on the door as our conversation comes to an end.

“Enter,” he calls over his shoulder without taking his eyes off me.

The door slides open, and an older man steps inside and bows deeply. He wears simple robes made of undyed material and a thick purple sash knotted around his waist with the ends tied off to the side of one hip, dangling almost to his ankle.

“Your evening meal, Your Highness.”

Joon waves him in, and the man gestures to others waiting in the hall.

Servants with trays enter, careful to keep their heads lowered as if they are afraid to look in the prince’s generaldirection. Their robes are the same as the first, but their sashes stop midway between the hip and knee.