Page 14 of The Autumn Prince

“Watch out for the flames!”

“He’s very shy, so go slowly.”

“Some say he’s a virgin.”

“Looking like he does? No way.”

“I say you just get into his bed tonight.”

“Right? What’s the worst that could happen?”

I held up my hands and started edging toward the door. “You’re all assuming sex equals love, and that’s just wrong thinking. Come on now.”

That had them pausing before changing their tunes.

“Then you should be at the castle wooing him right now!”

“Take some bread.”

“Get flowers.”

Almost to the door, now someone shoved me through it. I stumbled into the road and looked back to find three people in the doorway, the one in the middle shooing me away.

“Go on! Let us know if you need any help.”

I opened my mouth, wanting to tell them they were being ridiculous. But I couldn’t say that. I didn’t believe it.

What if it was me? What if my role wasn’t to solve the court’s problems but to fall for their prince? It wouldn’t be a hardship, but… I sure wouldn’t be going home if the curse did break. There was no way I could fall in love for the first time in my life and then leave him. No way.

I walked back toward the castle with a head full of questions and a real big wish that whoever had cast the curse had instead just written a strongly worded complaint about the current state of affairs.

Chapter 6

Lars was there and tapping his foot when I arrived back at the castle. “Boy, what are you doing alone again?”

I stomped past him and into the foyer. I wasn’t going to shy away from the fact that he looked like he was about to scold me. “Oh, shut your pie hole, old man. I know what I’m doing.”

He barked a laugh. “Do you now?”

“Yeah, and you could’ve mentioned that I’m not here to do anything except fall in love.”

That sobered him up. He even gulped.

“Zalman,” he said before clearing his throat.

“No, don’t.” I held up a hand to stop whatever he was about to say. “I don’t want any more lies or jokes or whatever it is you think you’re doing. People in the village think I’m here to love their prince, that it’s baked into the curse, and I better get to it.”

Lars nodded. “Worst kept secret.”

“Oh, you bet it is. Which makes me wonder if the prince knows it, too.”

It was several heartbeats of us staring at each other before he said, “He knows.”

Well, there it was. I didn’t have any reason not to believe Lars, and the way Incendis kept acting made a little more sense. That everyone was so focused on sex was a bit disturbing, but I could admit that a physical attraction was as important to me as emotional, intellectual, and political alignment. And if love was the goal, we should probably spend a hell of a lot more time talking to each other.

I took a calming breath and blew it out slowly. “Where is he now?”

“His chambers.”