Addison

Oliver keeps me close as we walk through the forest. He offers to take me to his small place in the trees, but I ask if we can go there after. I want to see what Reid was referring to. My mind has been racing, trying to figure out what it could be. There are so many possibilities.

We walk for what feels like hours, but is, in reality, probably only a fraction of that. The forest gets darker with each step, until I’m unable to see anything in front of me. Then the air changes. I can feel the magic building. The hair on my arms stands up as my blood pumps quickly through my veins.

Then two men appear as if from nowhere. They are each wearing black shirts, black slacks, and easily blend in with the darkness. Both eye me skeptically, but the one with light blond hair, which is noticeable even in the dark, looks at me like he wants to murder me.

“Richlan,” Oliver nods to the dark-haired man. “Sel,” he all but growls to the blond. Richlan must take note of Oliver’s tone and immediately looks to Sel. Oliver continues, not taking his eyes off of Sel. “This is Addison Azure. You are to treat her as you do King Pine. She is a princess and any lack of respect will not be tolerated. Do I make myself clear?”

“Of course,” Richlan says. “Addison, it is a pleasure to meet you finally. I’ve heard many good things.”

“Thank you. It’s nice to meet you as well.”

Sel says nothing and I can feel the heat of his gaze on me. Richlan nudges him. “What? I have nothing to say to her,” he all but spits.

“Sel!” Richlan scolds.

“I am not a child. Do not chastise me as such.”

“Then do not behave like you are. Now greet the princess properly.”

“Never.”

“What did I say about treating her with respect?” Oliver seethes.

“You must not have heard my response to Rich.”

Oliver reaches out to grip him by the throat, pushing him against the closest tree. They’ve stepped away from us; I can barely make them out in the darkness, but Oliver’s tone is unmistakable–hard and with no room for questioning.

“You will not look at Princess Azure like that ever again. You will not address her as anything other than Princess Azure. And you will treat her with kindness and respect. She is royalty,” Oliver grates.

“She may be, but she is not of my kingdom. She does not deserve anything from me,” Sel hisses through what I can only imagine are clenched teeth.

“Let me put it to you this way. If you so much as step the tiniest bit out of line toward her, I will have you locked in the dungeon faster than you can nock an arrow. The way you were looking at her just now, it brought fire to my veins. Heed my warning, Sel. I will end you. You may be mighty with your bow, but my sword will slice your throat before you could release even one arrow, and I never miss.”

Oliver appears at my side again, anger radiating off of him in waves. “Rich, I trust you will handle him.”

“Of course.”

“Good. Now if you’ll excuse us. I need to show Princess Azure in.” I’m not usually affected by scenes like this in a negative way, but my body is trembling. Whatever Oliver saw in him was a threat and he didn’t take kindly to it all. I knew he was strong and ruthless, but seeing him like this really breathes life to the side of him I’d only ever heard about.

Richlan steps aside and bows to us. I try to calm my nerves. It’s clear I’m hated, I knew that coming here, but seeing it first hand is an entirely different experience.

I don’t have long to think everything over. Oliver takes my hand in his, the one, which was wrapped around Sel’s throat only moments ago, and whispers in my ear, “I would never let anything happen to you. Please know that. You are mine, and I protect what’s mine with my life.” I nod, unable to say anything.

Oliver pulls me forward with him, snapping me out of my own thoughts. I’m still surprised I was able to shield them this whole time. I can’t imagine how Oliver would have reacted had he known I was actually afraid, for a moment. Fear isn’t anything I like to admit to. I have a reputation for being strong, and for the most part I am, but I do get shaken and scared on occasion.

As soon as we step forward, the magic surrounding us gets stronger. The air moves and tiny crystals appear to be suspended in it. Another step, and a cold like I’ve never felt rushes over my body. As quickly as it’s there, it disappears as we continue.

The darkness is gone and nothing but an amber glow radiates around us. My eyes and mind try to drink in everything before me. There’s a wide open area where four people are moving about. Two are clearly guards and the other two are…I’m not quite sure. They’re definitely wielding magic. I can feel it in here, coating my skin like a soft blanket.

One of the two people is a slender woman with long, golden hair. She places her hand on a freshly cut tree stump, and I’m mesmerized as new growth sprouts when she lifts her hand.

“Amazing,” I utter.

The woman’s eyes immediately find me. They narrow when she notices Oliver’s hand in mine, anger tightens her features. He leans over to me and says, “I apologize in advance for anything she may say or do, but she isn’t a threat. I can easily handle her.”

I nod and send him a message as well. “I can handle her, too. She’s no match for me.”

He smiles. “That’s my girl.”

We step forward and the woman stands. I easily see through the tight-lipped, fake smile she offers me. “Oliver, who have you brought with you today?”

“Anese, this is Princess Addison Azure. Addison, Anese.” Ah, that explains it. She’s the woman who is vying for Oliver’s attention, even though he’s turned her down. No wonder she’s looking at me like she could burn my body with her eyes.

I’m not going to let her think she can intimidate me. Stepping forward, I release Oliver’s hand and reach it out to Anese. “It’s a pleasure to meet you,” I greet in my smooth as honey voice, while holding her gaze.

Her grip on my hand is stronger than I would have imagined, given her slight frame. I think a stiff breeze could knock her over, and the complete opposite of me with my lean muscle and womanly curves. She releases my hand.

“Princess Azure,” she says. “To what do we owe the pleasure?”

“She’s here with me,” Oliver states. “I’m showing her around the forest.”

Anese cocks an eyebrow. “And our work area as well?”

“Yes, as per King Pine’s order.”

She becomes rigid. “I see.”

Oliver’s hand touches the small of my back. “Come, Addi, let me tell you all about what we do here.” I nod as he leads me forward to watch as a younger man regrows a tree from a cut stump. “Anese and Kyle are our cultivators, or two of them, anyway. They have a special magical gift where they can bring forth life from the soil beneath our feet, or a cut tree, like you’ve just seen.”

I look in the distance and see more people piling the cut trees onto massive carts. Oliver notices where I’m looking. “Those men are here to gather the wood and get it ready for transport to other kingdoms. This is a quiet operation we have out here. Only those you see within the area, the guards outside, and a handful more know what really goes on. Well, and now you.” He looks down and graces me with one of his knee-weakening smiles.

“Thank you. I had no idea how you fulfilled so many orders every month, yet your forest never seemed to thin out. It’s amazing what you’re doing here.”

“Yes, it really is,” he says as he looks around. “The magical people in our kingdom, like the cultivators, are cherished. We don’t know what we would do without them helping to keep our trades good with other areas.” I can understand. If they didn’t have the cultivators, how could they keep up their end of the trade agreements?

I continue to watch as Anese and Kyle work to bring forth more new growth. All different types of trees are grown and cut down to be put in different carts. Anese shoots me vicious glares, every now and then, which I pretend not to notice.

“Are you ready to go?” Oliver asks.

“Yes.” As fascinating as all of this is, I’m ready to move on to something else.

We say our goodbyes, then he takes my hand in his to walk us back through the shimmering air, which makes my skin feel as if ice is being doused on it. Out in the forest, it takes a moment for my eyes to adjust to the dark. My skin prickles and every hair stands on end, but not in the good way it does when there is magic heavy in the air. No, this is a warning. One I feel deep within my bones.

A vibration thrums through Oliver, traveling down his arm to me. “So help me, Sel,” he growls.

Sel steps out from the darkness, Richlan beside him with his hand on the back of Sel’s neck. Richlan shoves him forward. He stumbles, but doesn’t fall. “I did nothing wrong,” Sel seethes.

Richlan states, “Your attitude is wrong.”

“So I’m unable to have an opinion of my own?”

Oliver turns to him, blocking me with his body. “I don’t want you anywhere near Addison. If you are in the same room, you are to leave. If you are breathing the same forest air, I better see you run from the trees. You don’t want to test me on this. I have the power to make your life a living hell.”

Sel says nothing, but the pure hatred coming off of him is palpable. I don’t regret coming here. This, however, Sel seething with rage over me, I don’t like. It’s unnerving and I want to remove myself from his presence as quickly as possible. The last thing I want is to have to fight him or have Oliver do so on my behalf.

I send Oliver a silent message. “Can we go? I don’t want to be here any longer. Please.”

He stiffens in front of me. Without saying another word to them, he turns, takes my hand in his, and we begin to walk away. I hate having my back to Sel. He’d be foolish to try something with Oliver and Richlan nearby, but I can’t help the panic rushing through me. Feeling vulnerable is nothing I like and something I avoid at all costs. It’s one of the reasons I train with the Elite.

When we are a good distance away, Oliver stops and brings his hands up to my cheeks. His beautiful green eyes hold mine. “I never want you to feel afraid again. I would throw my life down in defense of yours.”

“You could feel that?” Of course he could feel my fear. I shouldn’t be surprised by it at this point. He’s so in tune with me, and I with him.

He nods. “I don’t like you being afraid. It makes a murderous rage flow through my veins, directed at whoever is causing you to feel that way. But please know, I always want you to tell me if something is bothering you. This time I felt it, however, I might not always. Promise to tell me, Addison.”

“Yes,” I agree on a whisper.

He lowers his head to mine, capturing my lips in a heart-stopping kiss, which ends far too quickly. “Soon, love.”