Apprentice (The Black Mage, #2)(63)

Darren was alive.

If the gods had chosen to grant one wish, I was happy it was mine.





CHAPTER TWELVE





"Andy. Cethan. Ryiah. The three of you almost destroyed an entire mission with your reckless conduct. Never have I been so disappointed by the amount of insubordination in all my years of service. I have no choice but to recommend the three of you for disrobement – well, Ryiah, you don't even have your robes but make no mistake, I will be suggesting the end of your apprenticeship as well."

Darren cleared his throat as Flint applied a new bandage to the wound on the back of his scalp. His interruption had the desired effect: our leader suddenly paled remembering his presence.

"That said," Mira amended, "we are all very pleased to have recovered you, your highness. It was not my intention to leave you behind, but you were well aware of our orders…"

Darren gave a false smile. "Just the same, I'm sure my father will be very pleased to hear how successful this assignment was. I would be the first to recommend you for promotion – perhaps a post in the Crown's Army? My father has been looking to the Council for recommendations, but I am sure I could put in a good word… assured the others are spared any mention in your report, of course. Surely you can see how their actions were only for the welfare of their prince, and who can fault such loyalty to the Crown?"

Mira's face fell. I watched the woman, waiting for her response. After what seemed like forever, she nodded sullenly, and then declared that she was going to check our course and make sure the winds still had us headed in the correct direction.

Darren's smile turned genuine as his gaze fell on the others. Andy and Cethan had done the impossible. Without them we would never have made it out of Caltoth. When the first soldier had appeared and Andy had shot out her lightning, instead of retreat both she and the large man had remained on the beach, fighting off as many Caltothians as they could in an effort to buy us time.

There had only been a handful of men – and by the time Darren and I had burst through the clearing they had just finished combat with the final one. Of course in Mira's eyes, Andy and Cethan's actions were a direct violation of her orders. According to Mira, they should have retreated to the ship the second they caught sight of the enemy.

"Thanks for that." Andy gripped the prince's shoulder in passing. Cethan just grunted with a nod in the young man's direction, following his friend to the front of the deck.

Then it was just the two of us. For the first time alone since we had boarded the ship the night before.

Darren stepped out to lean against the deck's railing. I followed him. A moment of awkward silence followed as we both stared out at the ocean.

"Have your feelings changed?" His voice was flat, distant. "Now that it's no longer a matter of life and death?"

He meant to let me down easy. See Ryiah, I do care for you – but what I said back there on the beach? I can't. Princes can't call of engagements because they fancy a lowborn girl, even one so charming as you. I glared at the icy cold waters below. "Just say it already."

"Say what?"

I turned to face him, hands on my hips. "Tell me you didn't mean what you said before."

Darren continued to stare at the water. He was quiet for a moment, then: "I still mean it. Every word I said. " He turned to face me. "Do you, Ryiah?"

My cheeks warmed. "Of course. I-"

I never got to finish the rest of my explanation – his lips were already on mine, burning, tingling, scorching. Every part of me was ablaze. I forgot where I was. Everything was a mist of red. Sparks of brilliant light darted across my vision as I met his kiss with my own. The only things I was aware of were his hands on my waist and the heat of his mouth on mine. He tasted like cinnamon.

Someone coughed behind us, loudly. I started to break free but Darren held me firmly in place.

The prince didn't look away from me as he said, "Andy, you are dismissed - I have been waiting a very long time to kiss this girl."

I started to laugh but then I caught sight of his expression. Dark, smoldering garnet held me in place, stealing my breath.

"You think I'm not serious?" Darren pulled me closer and then bent low so that his lips brushed my own. "Perhaps I need to show you then."

This time he didn't bother to hold back. Hunger took over my senses. Unrelenting and burning so hot that every part of me seemed to buckle and collapse… until he was left holding me against the rail, kissing me until I could no longer breathe.

Until every part of me was a slow, steady burn.

"Still think I was joking, Ryiah?"

I bit my lip, smiling. "I think you can do better than that."

"Oh really?" Darren chuckled. "Well, far be it to me to decline a lady's challenge."





****





"What are you going to say to him?" Darren's fingers were tracing a path up and down my wrist.

"Hmmm." I couldn't concentrate. Not while he was touching me, not with a surge of fluttering sparks racing up and down arm, spreading across every inch of my skin like wildfire. It had been like this for the past ten days – apprentice duties during the day and then fire the second the rest of the crew retreated below deck. Every second I spent in his company was bringing me higher and higher until my body lit up whenever Darren was near.