The Toad Prince

Chapter Eighteen

Nadaria laid against Sorin’s chest, straddling him in the large, round wooden tub. A light rain tapped the window with its song, making her heart feel even more weightless than it already did. It was one of her favorite sounds, and she couldn't wait to smell the rain tomorrow.

Sorin shifted beneath her. Curious, she opened her emotions to him, and could feel happiness buzzing like a busy bee between them. There were darker emotions, but they were so overshadowed by his contentment that she couldn’t tell what they were.

“You’re happy,” she said, mumbling the words because her cheek was still pressed to his chest.

A chuckle rumbled through him. “And this surprises you? After what we just did?”

Her cheeks flared with heat. “Honestly, yes. Your emotional anguish usually overpowers everything else.”

“You feel my emotions?”

“I try not to.”

“That’s what you did… in the room under the windmill. You took some of the burden.”

“Yes.”

“Please don’t do that. You don’t deserve to feel that way.”

Nadaria didn’t miss the unsaid, like I do, that hung at the end of his words.

“Do you think you can ever forgive yourself?”

She felt him tense, and after several seconds of silence, she expected he was choosing not to answer, but then he did. “No. Not only did many endured unfathomable suffering because of my choices, some still do. The staff. Mihal, Ana… they have every right to hate me. How can I forgive myself when people face the consequences every day?”

“What if I figure it out and free you all? Then can you forgive yourself?”

“I don’t think so,” he whispered.

She would take that. I don’t think so had more wiggle room than no. Maybe someday she could help him see good in himself. But she felt his dark feelings churning, edging into the light, so she wasn’t going to push him.

“I like when you feel like this,” she said, squeezing him.

“Well, you are like music. You make me forget.”

“I am like music?” she asked, smiling up at him.

Sorin’s head was back against the edge of the tub, his eyes closed. “You are the sweetest song I’ve ever heard.”

She couldn’t help but grin, embracing all the beautiful flutters he made her feel. “I don’t know, Cry To Me is pretty good.”

His eyes opened, and a soft smile lit his face. “I can’t believe every time I hear it, I get to remember tonight.”

“Me too,” she said, blushing again with a coy smile.

“Oh, please. You’re so beautiful, you must have broken a thousand hearts already.”

Some of her hair had gotten wet, and he caught one of her tight, pink curls between his fingers and pulled it. His eyebrows raised when it snapped back, and he did it again.

She giggled. “I have broken zero hearts, except maybe my mother’s. Sometimes I forget to worry about my own love life because I’m so busy with everyone else.”

“Don’t work too hard. My father was like that.”

“Well, good thing someone has ushered me away for an impromptu month-long vacation.”

“You’re still working.”

She sat back and waved her hand dismissively. “I’ve done plenty of extracurriculars. A hike through the woods, dance lessons…” She looked down at his naked body, and added, “This.”

Sorin’s gaze roamed down her curvy figure, and he grabbed her waist. The deep caramel skin of her belly contrasted with his pale hands through the ripple of the water. He looked up at her through thick lashes, his mouth drifting into a sly smile.

“This is exquisite.” He kissed her collarbone and groaned, as he dropped his head back against the tub again. “So, what, are we just going to become experts in foreplay over the next three weeks?”

Her eyebrows lifted, and she tilted her head, snorting a laugh. “I am so sorry, did you just say become experts?”

Sorin looked at her, arching his brow. “Yes?”

“I think, hmm, I think you’re nailing it. I just don’t see how you need to become an expert when you’re already…” She lifted her brows and gave him a wide-eyed, close-lipped smile to finish the thought.

“When I’m what?” he asked, a flash of amusement dancing through his eyes.

She shook her head. “Shut up. You know what I mean. With the… shoulders… and the face… and me.”

Sorin lifted his brows at the graphic, descriptive hand gestures that accompanied her words and laughed at her raspberry-red face.

“What? No twenty-first century guys are out there doing that?”

“Not to-not to me. I don’t know about… others.”

He shrugged, and toyed with her hair, liking how fun and bouncy it was. The happy curls perfectly suited her.

“Well, that’s their loss.”

“It’s just not what I expected.”

“Gods,” he said, grinning. “I am dying to know what you expected.”

She put her fingers over her lips to hide a small, impish smile.

“Oh my gods, you really thought I would have boring old man s*x didn’t you?”

“Well, it’s not like you get out much!”

They were both laughing, and her full laugh was a little wild, but so merry and contagious he couldn’t help but join her, and didn’t know if he’d ever stop.

“Hey,” he wheezed. “I may not be able to unlatch that fancy brassiere, but women’s bodies seem to have not changed so much in a couple of centuries. The same buttons seem to work, yeah?”

“Well, some men live their whole lives and never find those buttons.”

He snorted another laugh, and she giggled. “Well, I spent three months with a narcissistic vampire queen. It was very much about her. Not a great time in my life, but I learned things.”

Her smile dissolved, and he said, “Don’t feel bad. It’s okay.”

She pushed the piece of hair that lived a life of rebellion off of his forehead again and smiled at him.

“So, you and your mother? Not good?” he asked, reaching for soap.

The water was cooling, so they would actually have to bathe, and eventually get out. He wished it wasn’t so, and was once again content to stay locked away with her forever.

She sighed. “Do we have to talk about it?”

“I told you, I want to know you.”

“Yeah, but…” She wrinkled her nose. “My backstory isn’t nearly as tragic as yours. It’s more angsty than anything.”

He paused, his lips pulling down. “Angsty. I do not know this word.”

“Hm. Teen angst. Like… overwhelmed anxiety because of your parents. So you rebel.”

“So you’re a rebel in your pink dresses and shoes? That makes sense. I’ve never seen another witch wear bright colors.”

“Yes. I am. My mother is a high priestess. She’s pretty famous, actually. She headed a movement to round up dragon shifters and lock them underground, so they could do no more harm. Dragon shifters are usually horrid and evil.”

“Well, that sounds like a nice thing to do.”

“It was good intentions, I guess, but her methods were questionable, and she’s been accused of stepping over the line of dark and light magic.”

“I see.”

“Plus, innocent people were hurt. I have a friend named Cassian. He’s a dragon shifter, and a good person. They locked him in a crypt when he was a boy, like thirteen or fourteen, with a handful of other dragons who were all evil, and he lived in torment. When I asked my mother about it, she called him an oversight.”

“And you don’t think so.”

“Cass is a person. And if there’s him… I can’t help but wonder how many others, you know?” She shook her head, and a soft smile lit her face. “But he got his happily ever after with my friend Natalie.” A soft sigh passed through her, and she leaned on the tub with her elbow. Sorin watched her dreamy expression, and she mumbled, “It was such a romantic story.”

“Did you play a hand in that?”

“Maybe,” she said, giggling. But she sighed, and rubbed soap on herself, temporarily making his brain halt in its tracks as he watched. “Anyway. My story is pretty basic. High profile, overbearing mother. Expectations and pressure to be like her. Schooling, endless lessons, and no fun as High Priestess Zena’s prodigal daughter.” She said the words in a deep, authoritative voice, and he smirked. “So, I did the opposite and opened a little shop where I sell people love potions and spells so they can be happy.”

She grinned, content with the path she had chosen.

He smiled back, offering her honest praise. “You are very good at what you do. Getting everyone to have fun tonight. Incredible. And me? My face hurts.”

“Y-your face hurts?” she asked, wrinkling her brow.

“Yes, from all this grinning. And, maybe, a bit from the other exercise earlier.”

Nadaria blushed and yelped when he grabbed her and turned her, pulling her back flush against him.

He took the soap from her hand and kissed her ear. “I have been watching close, and I’ve noticed several spots you’ve missed. I think you need help.”

She giggled, and her hands gripped his thighs. “Yeah. I feel pretty helpless when it comes to you.”

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Less than ten days until I get the Loved by Fate manuscript back from the editor! I am over-the-moon excited, you guys! I could have it published as early as mid-April, maybe?

Be sure to follow me on f*******: @Lynn B. Romance or on i********: @l.branchromance, so you know all the latest details!

-Lynn