The ball was as dull as she’d expected, and it was spot-on the way Lyssa had described it. All pomp and circumstance, along with pompous people who were busy judging her, monitoring her, and either looking down on her, or chatting her up as though she could do something for them. It was somewhere between boring and horrible.

Leaning against a post, she hid in the corner of the room for a moment as Kriss came to stand beside her. He placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. “It’s almost over.”

“Thank goodness. How can you stand this place?” She gasped when she said the words, clamping a hand over her mouth. She really had to work on developing a filter now that she was around other people besides her father.

Kriss shrugged. “It’s home, and as simple and as complicated as that.”

North could relate, feeling a complex pull of emotions whenever she thought of her home. She’d been genuinely happy there with her father, even though it turned out he wasn’t actually her father. Growing up with him, unaware that he had kidnapped her from the Allises to protect her from their agenda, she’d had an enchanted childhood in the mountains. She’d also been lonely, though he did his best to be her friend and companion. He’d still been her father, and that hadn’t been quite all she needed.

She wanted to return as much she never wanted to see it again. “Yeah. Simple and complicated.” She sighed and sipped the cup of fire punch in her hand. They literally lit it on fire each time they brought out a new bowl, which was a little scary-looking, but also entertaining. It made the punch delicious as well.

“I have to go. My father’s gesturing for me.” Kriss sounded annoyed as he moved away from her with a sigh. As soon as he was gone, Marek and Eamon appeared. Then Ryland, Orin, and Eli migrated toward her as well. They seemed as bored as she was, but standing there with them and sharing the experience made it easier to endure.

* * *

The ball finally ended, and she was back in her room. It was after midnight, and she should’ve been sleeping, but was restless; feeling on edge, as though waiting for something. It wasn’t until there was a knock at her door that she realized she’d been waiting for one of her men to visit her. With her insomnia and racing mind, she was glad to have any company. She wasn’t certain if her inability to sleep was because the events of the day had left her to keyed up, or if the room was really some sort of modified torture chamber. It was certainly grim enough to convince her of that theory.

Either way, it was a relief not to be alone. She opened the door and wasn’t entirely surprised to see Kriss there. She’d been certain it would be one of the six, if not more than one. She smiled at him. “I’m glad to see you.”

He glanced in, but didn’t step across the threshold. “I can see why if Father parked you in this room. The Torture Room.”

She might’ve found his words ominous if not for her conversation with Lyssa earlier. In that light, they made her giggle despite the oppressive atmosphere. “Your father has a way of getting the point across that I’m not welcome.”

“Don’t worry about my father.” He took her wrist and tugged her lightly into the hallway.

She looked down. “I’m just in my robe and nightgown.” The garments were high-quality, if plain, but weren’t fae fabric. Before the ball, she’d surrendered that to one of the chambermaids to be washed and returned by the next morning. The old-fashioned set was made from some kind of scratchy lace, though the softer underlayment of silk was pure decadence against her skin. She looked like a Victorian bride as she took his hand, not quite walking with him just yet.

He waved his other hand. “It’s fine. I doubt anyone will see us, and if they do, they won’t say anything.”

“Your dad might,” she said softly. A hint of anxiety bled through her words, and she knew she had revealed too much. It weighed heavily on her that his father so clearly disapproved of her, which presented another obstacle to their relationship.

He put his arm around her waist, pulling her against his side and kept his hand on her hip. They walked together in rhythm, and she tried to forget about his father and other problems. Instead, she focused on enjoying her time with Kriss, though she was a little displeased when he led her back to the ballroom from earlier. “What are we doing here?” The space was completely spotless, and either the servants were fast, or they had used magic to clean up and restore order after the ball.

“I didn’t get to dance with you.”

That was true. There’d been a never-ending stream of strange men and women who asked her to dance. Most of them had been the ones who seemed to want to try to charm her into giving them some sort of favor. Would they be disillusioned to know she barely knew how to use any of her magic yet? She’d only danced with Orin and Eamon. It surprised her that Eli hadn’t managed to snag her for at least one dance, but his show of restraint had pleased her, though she couldn’t help wishing he had rescue her from some of the worst dance partners.

Without protesting, she snuggled against him and laid her head on his chest. They moved in circles, somehow finding the perfect rhythm, though no music played. She clung to him, enjoying the warmth of his body and solid presence. It was completely natural to lift her head and kiss him.

Kriss lowered his mouth, and their lips met in a heated exchange. She hadn’t been exactly inhibited by the presence of the others when she kissed him yesterday, but she was definitely a little freer tonight and able to surrender to the sensations overwhelming her.

His tongue caressed hers as it slipped into her mouth, and she moaned. Another moan left her when he cupped one of her breasts in his hand. North whimpered and arched her back, offering him more even though it broke the kiss. All thought suspended, and her entire world seemed to be focused on where his fingers danced lightly across her nipple.

“You were amazing in that flame dress. That fae fabric outdid itself.”

He wanted to have a conversation now? How was she supposed to focus on anything but how good it felt to have his fingers tugging lightly at her nipple? She made some sort of unintelligent sound, trying to credit Lyssa, but unable to form syllables.

“I wanted to sweep you into my arms and go immediately back to my bedchamber. You make me feel crazy and impulsive, and burning with desire. It’s more than that though.” He lifted his other hand, smoothing a brown curl behind her ear. “You make me feel things I didn’t know were possible, North.”

“You too.” That wasn’t exactly eloquent, but it was all she could manage at the moment.

With what sounded like a regretful sigh, he took a step back. “We need to stop this now before I can’t.” His eyes flickered with flame, but it seemed more like a slow and lazy burn, like a banked fire, rather than the hot, bright flames she’d come to expect when he was angry or upset.

When he blinked, shielding his gaze from her, his expression changed too. He started to look more businesslike. “I thought we might have a lesson, since there’s no one here to bug us.”

“You want me to play with fire with you?” There was a sultry, seductive tone to her voice that she hadn’t intended, but the words emerged with all the longing she felt for him to take her into his arms and keep touching her.

He cleared his throat, shifting on his feet for a moment as though he’d suddenly become uncomfortable. A quick glance down revealed his cock was hard, pressing visibly through a pair of athletic pants the seemed far too casual for the Prince of Celestina to wear in the palace. Kriss cleared his throat and shielded his body from her slightly.

North managed to tear her gaze away from that part of his anatomy and focus on his face. She gasped slightly when a ball of fire suddenly appeared in his open palm. She’d seen similar magic, but it was still new enough to surprise and enchant her. She hoped she never grew jaded with it.

“Take the fire from my hand.”

She frowned at him. “No way. I’ll get burnt.”

“Feel the power first. You should be able to tap in after that amazing kiss.”

She frowned, distracted from the task he set her. “Did you kiss me just so that you could boost your power, while giving mine a nudge?” She couldn’t hide her hurt at the thought.

He shook his head, tossing the ball of fire from one hand to the other. “Of course not. You kissed me, remember? I had no plans to kiss you, or at least nothing concretely plotted. I was hoping to get a chance to, but had every intention of simply dancing with you and teaching you a little magic first. You’re too tempting, North.”

“Sure, blame me,” she said. Her tone was grumpy, but she was secretly pleased by his words. “How do I find the magic?”

“How does it feel to you? To me, it’s kind of a low vibration. Is that how you feel it?” At her nod, he closed his eyes. “You need to draw it forth from you. Visualize it protecting your hand. Form a barrier between you and the fireball using the power of the fire itself.”

“You know, Marek just started me out with water drops.”

He didn’t open his eyes to deliver a lazy retort. “I have faith in you.”

She closed her eyes as his opened, trying to focus on the low hum of power. It filled her, gradually increasing in intensity. She visualized her entire body covered with some kind of protective barrier to keep the fire from consuming her. When she opened her eyes, she held out her hand and wiggled her fingers. “Okay, give it to me.”

But he didn’t. Instead, he looked stunned. His mouth hung open, and he was a little pale.

“What?” She trailed off before asking anything further as she realized there was a bright flame surrounding her. She hadn’t just visualized some kind of fire shield. She had created it.

That was freaky. In a panic, she flailed around, trying to shake off the fire shield. It didn’t burn her, but it didn’t go away either. She let out a small wail, on the verge of hysteria, and accidentally brushed her arm against one of the tablecloths covering the set of massive tables that had born the weight of the buffet earlier in the evening. Fire whooshed, and she was certain she was going to burn down the palace.

For a moment, she couldn’t think as panic tried to grab hold of and strangle her. It was only when Kriss put a hand on her shoulder, seeming like he was trying to gently push her out of the way so he could deal with the burning tablecloth, that panic receded.

Power surged in her, and it was instinctive when she drew the water and the flowers from a nearby vase and directed it to fall straight onto the fire. The unfortunate blooms were caught in the process, and they wilted and singed, but other than a scorched tablecloth, were the only proof of what had happened.

She turned to face Kriss, expecting recriminations. He still seemed shocked, but blinked and shook his head. A moment later, his expression was back to normal, though there was definitely a trace of awe in his eyes. “That was amazing. You’re a natural. Most people who start training to tap into the fire element burn themselves the first few times. I’ve never heard of anyone creating a shield like yours on their first try, and then you were able to use water magic to put out the fire…” He shook his head, sounding astounded. “Caius was right about you.”

When he opened his arms to hug her, she went to him and leaned against him. It was nice to have his comforting touch, but his praise of her abilities bothered her. It took her a moment to realize why she as walked with him out of the ballroom, his arm still around her waist.

She wanted to impress him, but not because she was a natural with fire elements. Instead, she wanted it to be because he saw past that to see her—just plain North Campbell, before all the Trueblood and magic stuff. She wanted to have a real connection with him, but not just because they shared an element, and some prediction by an Oracle she’d never met that they might be mates. She wanted to be a woman to him, and have him be just a man to her.

It was as simple and as complicated as that.