A Throne of Ruin (Deliciously Dark Fairytales 2)

My animal pushed not so patiently for me to get inside the package.

I unslung my knapsack from my shoulder before reaching into the bush and hooking two fingers through the string. I pulled it to me, sliding it across the ground.

Hurry, my animal whispered.

I pulled an end of the string and watched the bow fall away. Pushing the rest of the string off, I then peeled back the material, one side at a time. A folded piece of parchment waited atop a leather-bound book.

My heart surged. Excitement shot through me, and I grinned like an idiot.

What is it, a book? my animal asked in confusion.

It’s something magical.

I unfolded the parchment first. To maximize anticipation, you should always read the card before opening the present.

Dear Finley,

I apologize for how I left. I knew if I’d given you the choice, you would’ve made me stay for a few more days. My duty forbids it, but I wouldn’t have been able to resist you. As it was, I could barely control my dragon. That was why I put you to sleep. The struggle with him would’ve woken the whole house. Then I would’ve been at your mercy.

You have become my greatest weakness.

After this correspondence, we can sever all non-urgent ties, communicating only about creating and distributing the elixir that nulls the effects of the demon-spawned sickness. Before that, however, there are some promises I must keep.

1) On the next sheet, I have created a table indicating when it will be safe for you to travel to this field. As long as I breathe, I will clear the way for you. Certain parts of the moon cycle are too dangerous, but most nights after a certain hour you will be safe. Please pass by the birch so that I know you are in residence, and if I suspect danger is near, I will come to your aid. It is my duty as your prince (don’t sass me about it).

2) I will continue to tend this field for your use (I have always tended it for your use). Please see that your village is fully supplied with whatever they need.

3) Please send me any questions you may have about the everlass plants, and I will supply whatever information I may. Soon you will have no more need of me in that regard, but until then, I am at your service. My mother would’ve insisted.

4) A peace offering is enclosed. Take it for as long as you need. Forever, if you’d like. It’s my favorite story of late, about escaping prison and exacting vengeance. I’m sure you can relate. If you’d like more books, fiction and nonfiction alike, just let me know and I will bring them. I will be your personal library until you are settled elsewhere.

Yours truly,

N

I let out a long, slow breath.

I didn’t quite know how to feel. He was still taking care of me, just doing it in a way that didn’t require direct communication. How the hell was I going to forget him if I knew I would alert him every time I came to this field? Every time I asked for a type of book (because I was going to use the hell out of that library)? Every time my way was clear at night? Whenever I walked through the everlass, I’d be able to smell him. I’d imagine him walking through the tidy rows, singing to them and touching their leaves. How was this going to work?

It won’t. Go to him.

“Oh goddess, please shut this fucking animal up,” I bit out, feeling the heavy volume and holding it to my chest. “A new book,” I whispered, half forgetting why I was here in the first place.

But seriously, a new book I hadn’t read yet? That hadn’t happened in…a very long time. I couldn’t wait to open it.

“Maybe just a peek,” I murmured, pulling open the cover. I gritted my teeth and pushed it back down. “No. Mustn’t. Must do work…”

I pulled the healing supplies for Nyfain out of my knapsack, wrapped them into the yellow cover, and stashed it back into the bush. His note went into the knapsack. The book should’ve gone with it, but I couldn’t bear to part with it yet. He’d said it was his favorite of late. That meant he wasn’t just protective of his library because it belonged to him—he enjoyed reading, too.

As if the man needed to be any sexier.

“What was up with the formal-sounding letter?” I murmured, clutching the book to my chest as I headed into the everlass field. “His handwriting is super elegant, too.”

He’s a prince, my animal thought, and it was a sobering reminder that his education and childhood had been different than mine.

Finally, grudgingly, I put the book in my knapsack, pulled out my crossbody tweed bag that I used to carry the everlass leaves, and got to work in the everlass field, harvesting leaves and checking his pruning work. That done, I took the leaves I needed and went on my way. I had a book to read.