Page 11 of The Autumn Prince

And regardless of which kind of reaction the people had, once Incendis walked away, they made faces like they were groaning, rolled their eyes, or in some way had me thinking he was getting on their nerves.

It felt like a good time to initiate my plan.

Now, he hustled over, a blush on his face, and apologies falling from his lips, but I held up a hand to stop him.

“Take a walk with me.” I grabbed his arm and pulled him away from the threshold. He stumbled, and I looped my arm through his to keep his momentum going. “You can show me your castle and the grounds. Maybe even the local village? That sounds lovely.”

“Oh, well,” he started and tried to look behind him at all the work he wasn’t needed for.

I started walking faster. I’d drag him outside if I had to.

“Zalman, I’m really rather⁠—”

“No, you’re taking a break. Let them fend for themselves for a while.” I gripped his wrist when he tried to pull away. “Sweetheart, I was watching you run around in there for an hour, and I’m exhausted. You definitely need a break.”

“A break?”

I groaned dramatically. “See? You can’t even comprehend what one is!”

He tsked at me, but I ignored him completely.

After a few more minutes of walking—during which he didn’t try to escape again—I finally found what had to be the grand front doors out of the castle. Two guards very kindly opened both doors, and out Incendis and I went.

Into a blustery fall day complete with a brisk wind and thick gray clouds threatening rain. I liked a good autumn day, but this one seemed a bit threatening. Couldn’t let that stop me, though.

“What a lovely day, hmm?”

“I do believe it’s about to rain.”

“Then we better hurry.”

“Wha—”

I started running, dragging him along with me. There was a village, I could see it up ahead of us. The sign hanging over the closest building made me think they might sell furniture. I aimed for their awning as thunder rumbled behind us.

We made it just as the clouds rolled in and pelted the ground with chilly raindrops. Incendis gestured like he was telling me he told me so.

“Oh, hush.” I snuggled up with his biceps. “What’s wrong with cuddling weather? We’ll just give the rain a chance to pass before continuing on with our day out.”

All of a sudden, his whole body erupted in flames.

Gasping, I almost let him go, but my mind caught onto the fact that the fire leaping from his skin wasn’t hot where we touched. I wiggled my fingers in some of the flames on his chest and the arm I still clutched. It felt like nothing more than warm air.

“Oh, you sneaky thing,” I said on a laugh. “Did you think you’d scare me away?”

He cleared his throat. “Most people think⁠—”

“Darling, I’m never most people.” I patted his fake fire arm and tugged him along. “But you go ahead and keep burning if it makes you feel better.”

Incendis sighed, and the flames petered out. “It used to be quite dangerous.”

“Used to be?”

“Before the curse.”

“Ah. Well, there’s another reason for us to break that thing, hmm?” I reached up and pinched his cheek, getting him to frown at me. “Then you can go back to being a scary fire fairy.”

He clenched his jaw. “Fae.”