Essence {Book 2 ✔️}

Chapter 12

"I'd like that," I said, honestly.

Anything to distract from the voice in my head that wasn't even mine.

Freya's smile was polite rather than cheerful as she sat beside me. "I suppose you could be lying about that, but I'll take the courtesy anyways."

My laugh came out in a little huff of breath.

"Like most people, I find that it is usually easier to tell the truth."

"Easier maybe, but less painful? Well, that remains to be seen," the winter princess said coyly. I glanced her way and she was already scanning my expression for something. "My brother mentioned a conversation between you and Cedric."

My fist tightened around the sketchpad and I did my best to put up a wall in my mind to keep him out of it. The last thing I needed was for Cedric to listen to the conversations I had about him.

"Yes," I grimaced, "fortunately, I didn't stab him this time."

I said the last bit mostly for me, but it earned me a genuine smile from the winter princess.

"Yes, Andras mentioned that as well. I found that bit... interesting."

"What? Didn't expect a princess to stab her bodyguard?"

She shook her head. "I didn't expect a half-human to have such good aim. Trust that I know a princess is capable of stabbing whatever she wants."

I bit back a laugh again, knowing that she was referring to herself. Freya was one of the only princesses I'd met from any other realm and it was odd, but I already liked her. She reminded me a bit of Ellie, in the confident way they both carried themselves and the small side jokes. Ellie had less restraint, but Freya was born into a life with confines.

I could see the residue of those confines in the way she sat with her back straight on the bench. Compared to her, my posture needed some work. I would never tell Gwendolyn that, however.

"Cedric also said that you slapped him today."

I flushed. "You make it sound like I have such violent tendencies."

"Don't you?"

"Maybe a little. Especially where he is concerned."

Freya shrugged. "Can't say I blame you for the slap. We were all furious with him when he told us about the cauldron."

Her words didn't reassure me. Rather they reaffirmed what I already suspected. Cenred having the cauldron put all of us in deep shit. An army that couldn't die? Elphame would not be able to stand against that.

I also tried to ignore whatever feeling stirred in my stomach when I realized that she knew. Cedric told the Winter court about the key, the cauldron, and where it was before he ever told me. It was a strange feeling, nasty and twisting. I did my best to ignore it.

"Does your father have a plan?"

Freya contemplated my question, seeming unsure of how or if to answer it. I took her contemplation as an opening to inspect the aura around her, the Elan Vital. Relaxing my mind and my eyes, the colors came through with a little bit of focus. The shades were a mixture of jade and dusty blue. The colors moved around her like the waves on a storm-riddled ocean, oddly peaceful and unforgiving.

"I have a plan. My father doesn't much like it. Nor does Cedric. Nor do my brothers. It's dangerous."

"Sounds like it's probably a good one then," I said.

She grinned.

"Brighid is still gone? You haven't heard from her?"

I nodded.