Chapter 37
Gwen
The carriage rolled along the forest road as the afternoon sun slowly began to set. The air was already starting to feel colder, and I nestled deeper into my cloak to prevent myself from shivering. Despite all my layers of clothes, I never felt warm. Spring couldn’t come soon enough.
Lance sat on the opposite seat. He’d been sleeping for a while, and though I wished I could do the same, my mind was too restless to allow my body to sleep.
I put my head out of the carriage window to see how far we were from the nearest town. There were a few lights and some smoke in the distance. Not too long now and I’d have a warm bed and a meal.
“Lance,” I called out to him, but he didn’t react. “Wake up, would you? We’re almost there.”
The only response I received was a few incoherent mumblings.
“Lance,” I said, louder this time, and when there was still no response, I opted to give him a little kick in the shin.
He immediately sat up. “Ow, what the hell was that for?”
“You wouldn’t wake up.”
“Well, I’m awake now,” he grumbled, running his hands through his dark hair.
A slight breeze entered through the carriage window, and I shivered a little.
“Are you cold?” Lance asked.
“Mostly just my hands. I can’t believe I forgot to put on gloves this morning.” I tucked my hands into my lap but my fingers were starting to feel numb.
“Here.” Lance moved to sit next to me. “Give me your hands.” I didn’t see a reason not to.
He took both my hands and held them up to his mouth before blowing his warm breath onto my palms. Then he rubbed my hands with his, trying to create a little warmth. The act was so gentle and sweet that it took me by surprise.
“Can I tell you something, Lance?” I didn’t give him a chance to respond.
“I’m glad you’re coming with me to Norrandale.
” This journey frightened me more than I wanted to admit.
I didn’t mind travelling so far without company, but it was whatever awaited me on the other side that I feared. It was nice to know I was not alone.
Lance stopped warming my hands for a moment and looked up at me, his expression once again unreadable.
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“Even though I’m a selfish narcissist with mediocre kissing skills?”
I pressed my tongue to my cheek. “You’re not going to let me forget that anytime soon, are you?”
“Let you forget?” he asked with a raised eyebrow. “How do you think I’m supposed to feel?”
“I already told you,” I said with as much confidence as I could muster while his warm hands covered mine. “I’m merely keeping you humble, Prince.”
A mischievous look crossed his face, and I knew I was in trouble.
“Is that so?”
“Yes,” I said with certainty.
“Is that so?” he asked again, his voice having dropped a little lower as he leaned towards me.
“Yes.”
Our noses almost touched. His hands still cradled mine. Those cold blue eyes stared right through me, and it felt as if my heart had stopped beating altogether.
“Do you want me to kiss you, Gwen?”
“Yes.”
The word had left my mouth before I could think better of it, and just as well, because the moment Lance’s mouth was on mine, I forgot all the reasons I shouldn’t be kissing him. My lips parted of their own accord and there were warnings going off in my head, but I ignored them all.
Lance pulled me closer, filling the air around me until there was only him, and I was breathing him in like fresh air.
His hand was in my hair and his tongue slid into my mouth, teasing me, challenging me.
I sank into him, reaching for his arm and wanting to pull him closer.
But Lance was ahead of me, his hands shifting to my waist, and he pulled me onto his lap.
I let out a small gasp and then his mouth was on my neck, and the cold I’d felt before was long forgotten as heat surged through every part of my body.
His fingers travelled the length of my back, tracing my curves, before he pressed me against his chest.
Lance undid my cloak, letting it fall to the carriage floor, and the buttons of my collar were next.
It was ice and scorching fire merged together, and then he pushed the sleeve of my dress off my shoulder.
His lips were on my throat and my collarbone, and every part of my skin that was exposed.
I was dizzy and aching for him and wanting to run away all at the same time.
I clung to him, flushed with heat while silently wishing that this would never end.
“This is a bad idea,” I finally managed to get out, because I feared being used and I feared that he didn’t care as much as I wanted him to.
“Do you want me to stop?” He was breathing hard but so was I.
I let my hands cup his face, a day’s worth of stubble on his cheeks. I replied by kissing him again, because apparently, I had no self-control, and Lance had some kind of hold on me that I just couldn’t shake off.
His fingers dug into my waist, and I wondered what his hands would feel like on my bare skin.
I moved my hips against his and a low groan erupted from the back of his throat.
My lips pressed kisses to his defined jawline and down his neck until he pulled my mouth back to his.
Despite my instincts warning me about getting entangled with the Prince of Everness, something about kissing him just felt right.
And there was nothing mediocre about it.
* * *
We reached the town and found a beautiful little inn with a few rooms to spare for the night. Seeing as Lance was royal, the owner made sure we got the best of service and the nicest of rooms.
I fell onto my bed with a sigh, tired from sitting in the carriage all day, although I had to admit it was better than doing the trip on horseback.
The room had a plush red carpet to match the curtains that covered the window, which looked out onto the street.
Outside, the town had a lively atmosphere despite the colder weather.
I could hear people in the streets, walking and laughing.
There was also a tavern a few houses down, from which there came a lot of noise.
Someone played a violin somewhere and the music caused me suddenly to miss Norrandale.
But not the Norrandale I would return to now. I wanted the home I’d left behind. Not the kingdom in the grasp of war and filled with treachery.
I had dinner in my rooms and proceeded to take a bath in the porcelain tub in the corner of the room.
My nightgown didn’t do much to keep me warm, so I got under my covers as quickly as possible.
I thought about blowing out the candle next to my bed but I was not feeling sleepy yet.
Then I remembered the two books I’d brought with me from Levernia, so I hopped out of bed and hurried over to my trunk to retrieve one.
After twenty or so pages, my eyes slowly started to droop, but I was mentally invested in the story and had a hard time putting it down. I decided that I would finish the chapter and then go to sleep as we had a long day of travelling ahead of us tomorrow.
My thoughts drifted to the prince in the room next door. I wondered if he was still awake. I’d let myself slip up earlier in the carriage when I kissed him. I knew better than to fall for the charms of a boy who had made me no promises and wasn’t likely to either.
I turned the page of my book but suddenly found myself unable to concentrate on the story any longer. My mind was too occupied with midnight hair and warm hands trailing my icy skin.
This was ridiculous.
I needed to go to sleep and forget about all of it. There were more important things to worry about. Like whatever was going on at Mistwood Palace.
A bang against my door nearly had me jumping out of my skin. The door handle rattled, but I’d locked the door earlier. A curse sounded on the other side, allowing me to recognise the perpetrator and filling me with some relief.
Lance tried the door handle again, but of course it would not budge. With a huff, I slipped out from the covers and made my way over to the door.
“What on earth do you think you’re doing?” I cried out, turning the key. The door had barely unlocked before Lance pushed it open and leaned in the doorway.
“Gwen darling,” he said with a lopsided smile, looking pleasantly surprised. “What are you doing in my rooms?”
“Your rooms?” I questioned. “This is my room, Lance.”
He looked into the hallway and back into the room, swaying a little.
“Nope, pretty sure this is my room.”
He didn’t have a cup in his hand, but I remembered the tavern down the road from the inn.
“Goodnight, Lance.”
I started to close the door, but he was already walking into the room and then he shut the door behind him.
“Don’t worry, I know why you’re here.”
He removed his gloves and jacket and tossed them onto the nearest chair.
“You do now, do you?”
“Yes, of course,” he replied with a serious tone. “You’re here for this.” He gestured to himself and I had to press my lips into a line to keep from chuckling.
“I’m really not,” I promised him. “In fact, I would really like to go to bed now, so if you could just show yourself out—”
“Let me guess what happened.” He took a seat on the edge of the bed before starting to remove his boots. “You were dreaming about me and now you can’t fall asleep again.”
“You’re right. You are the only thing I think about night and day. I can’t seem to help myself,” I replied in a very sarcastic tone.
“I knew it,” he said, more to himself than me, and then his mouth spread into a grin. “I bet I wasn’t wearing any clothes in your dream either.”
“Okay, mister, it’s time for you to go now.” I made my way towards the bed, ready to push him out of the room if I had to.
“It’s okay, Gwen.” Lance had no intention of leaving. Instead, he took hold of my wrists and pulled me between his legs. His expression grew more serious. “I think about you too.”
I looked down at him. “You do?” My throat had gone a little dry.
“Of course I do.”
He lifted my hand to his mouth and pressed a featherlight kiss to my palm. I couldn’t move away.
“Don’t leave me, Gwen.” There was a look of desperation behind those eyes. One I’d never seen there before.
“Promise me you’ll stay,” he pleaded, and his entreaty tugged at my heart strings even though I wished it didn’t.
When I didn’t reply he asked again. “Promise?”
I sighed with the knowledge that I probably wasn’t going to win this fight.
“I’ll stay.”
Lance moved back and plopped his head onto the pillow. He didn’t even bother getting under the covers. I stood and watched the scene, unsure of how to react when he patted the spot beside him.
“I promise to keep my hands to myself.” Lance’s eyes were already shut, and I suspected he was going to fall asleep any minute.
I was not going to get the prince to leave my bed, and I didn’t want to stand and freeze any longer, which left me with few options, so I lifted the covers and got into the other side of the bed.
The room was silent for a minute and I thought Lance had fallen asleep when he said, “You’re so kind, Gwen. ”
His eyes were still closed, and he was lying on his stomach.
“Am not.” Especially not to him. I’d treated him with a lot of hostility when I first arrived at the Palace of Levernia.
“Yes, you are,” Lance mumbled into his pillow. “You just don’t always let people see it.”
I didn’t know how to respond.
“And you’re very pretty.” I wanted to smile at his choice of words, knowing he would probably never say such a thing had he been entirely sober, but I felt flattered all the same.
“I am?”
Lance slowly opened his eyes and reached over, brushing his thumb over my cheek.
“You’re the prettiest girl I’ve ever seen.” His eyes closed again, as if he couldn’t keep them open any longer.
“Well thank you, I suppose.” I blew out the candle on the bedside table and lay back on the pillow, closing my eyes in an attempt to go to sleep.
After several minutes, I turned on my side, hoping to get more comfortable, but the tiredness I had felt before had decided to disappear, much to my annoyance.
An arm came around me, and above the blanket, Lance moved himself so that he was lying behind my back. He found my hand and entangled our fingers. I fell asleep to the sound of him breathing.