Heart Over Sword
Chapter 205: The Prince’s Jealousy

Chapter 205: The Prince’s Jealousy

So, Ronan and Cilv had departed from Kuramji together, but what happened to Axel and Ger? Evanna stood up after her bottom went numb from staying in one position for so long listening to the group’s tale. She lifted her eyes from the ground where she was pacing and met Ger’s gaze.

"There’s not much else to it," he shrugged in response to her stare. "We woke up the next day-"

"Kicked awake, I might add," Axel interrupted with a grunt. "Bloody kids were checking to see if we were alive. Caught a few trying to steal one of my axes.."

Ger glared at Axel for interrupting him, but the giant shrugged and began to settle down onto his back. Ronan, too was readying himself to sleep, putting his hood over his head and using his hands to balance his head behind him. It was only now that Evanna glanced around the camp she became aware of how long the guys’ storytelling had gone on.

Evanna’s eyes darted to Arawn, who was already lying on his back, an ankle hooked over his knee, boot placed on the ground, and hands resting behind his head. Arawn gazed ahead of him, his brow slightly furrowed, lost to his thoughts. It was such a nonchalant pose, but it made her heart race all the more, her thoughts spinning to outlandish ideas like curling up next to him.

"It didn’t take us long to find out where Ronan was. The courtesan, Emily, told us where she thought he might go. From there, we followed their trail.." Ger continued, bringing Evanna back to their story. She roamed back to the fire, closer to Arawn, earning herself a scowl from Ger and Arawn’s lips tugged up slightly though he did not glance her way and continued to stare up at the night sky.

Lying her back against a smooth boulder, Evanna felt the ground’s chill through her clothes, making her shift her feet closer to the fire. Ger sat beside her and wrapped his cloak over her shoulders, bringing his body next to hers. The warmth radiating from him was welcome, but she felt more than a few people glaring at them. Evanna blinked, her eyes going from Axel, who narrowed his gaze at Ger, to Ronan, who huffed and instantly looked at the fire once he felt her looking at him and finally to Arawn.

Arawn held Evanna’s gaze, his own icy, sending a shiver through her. This initiated Ger to rub her shoulder and scoot closer to her. Arawn glared at Ger’s hand, feeling a flame of anger spark in his chest, and in an instant, he called to his power and threw an icy dagger into Ger’s hand. A smile tugged at his lips as he replayed the scene in his mind; no doubt he could not do it to Evanna’s ’friend’.

Though Ger’s actions tonight made Arawn’s icy nature resurface, he had to pull back his gift that was causing the ground around him to frost. He didn’t feel its cold, but the whole reason why Ger had an excuse to put his arm over Evanna’s shoulder and basically cuddle her was that she was cold. He clicked his tongue in irritation. Had there been something between them before Evanna met him?

Evanna knew Ger before him, and unlike the other two there, she seemed the most comfortable with Ger. She did not even blink or blush at Ger’s closeness. But from the look of his attire, he was not someone of high importance in the Dunhurst palace. Arawn met Evanna’s eyes again as Ger continued his tale: Conrad caught Ger and Axel after an ’epic battle’, and instead of keeping them prisoners, he left them tied to a tree in a prominent location where goblins roamed.

It seemed the Demon Prince despised Ger and was spiteful enough to send Ger to his death. So, Conrad felt threatened by this man? But the longer Evanna stared at Arawn, the more he realised how foolish he had been. Her eyes were only on him, her cheeks turning a stunning rosy hue under his gaze, and the iciness he felt in his heart started to melt away again.

Maybe Ger really would live another day.

Arawn met the man’s eyes next after Evanna responded to him, and he smirked at the darkening gaze Ger gave him. Enjoy it while you can, dearest Ger. After tonight, Evanna would not be in Ger’s arms but in his, and she would cuddle him back.

Foolish, foolish Ger. He was no match to him. With his confidence returning about the princess, Arawn gave her one more chilling look and then turned his back to her. Though he still listened to their conversation.

Evanna’s heart pinched at seeing Arawn’s back; he was so close but felt so far away.

Did the prince not like how close she was with Ger? She dropped her gaze, aware of Ger watching the side of her face.

"Are you not tired, Raven?" Ger whispered, bringing Evanna’s attention back to him.

Evanna watched the light puffs of cloud exhaling from her mouth as she replied, "Not yet. But I will be soon, I’m sure. Your tales have made my heart race and worry over you and the others. I’m sorry Conrad left you to the goblins." Her eyes narrowed at that, wanting to slap the man all over again. How dare he deems it right to rid Ger and Axel!

That was a low, even for him.

Ger leaned his head against the rock they shared, watching the blue flames dance before them. He could see the fire flickering in Evanna’s eyes, burning from what the Demon prince had done. A small smile played on his lips at that, knowing well that this lowered Evanna’s opinion of Conrad. "It does not matter anymore. Our fates have aligned again, and you ended up rescuing us. Maybe our protection is not what you need anymore.."

"Our little rebel here never needed it in the first place," Ronan added from his position on the ground, his eyes closed. "That’s to say we will still protect you, though."

Ger grated his teeth. It was exactly what he was about to say, but glancing at Evanna, he noted how she smiled at them both. "We failed before, and I’m-"

"Stop apologising, Ger. We are here now, and that is what matters." Evanna rested her hand on his that sat comfortably on his knee.

Ger gulped at the tingling feeling it incited in him and cleared his throat, keeping his voice low and flicking his gaze towards Arawn before searching their surroundings for Garrett. But the elf appeared to be quite far from their campsite. "What happened to you? Be truthful with me, please," he whispered into her ear. Evanna whipped her head to meet his gaze, her doe-like eyes slightly wide and the beginning of a blush spread upon her cheeks.

Maybe he had been a little too close, but to see her cheeks suddenly flush was worth it. Evanna gulped and pulled back slightly, putting a little distance between them, her eyes flicking to Arawn and back. Ger’s hardened, noting that she was worried about the elven prince’s opinion about them. He sighed but squeezed her hand gently, urging her to tell him.

Evanna may feel comfortable with the pair of elves, but they were the ones to have taken her, and she had remained with them for well over a moon cycle. Whatever she tells him, he would be the one to measure if their treatment is worth her trust. "When am I ever not truthful with you?" Evanna replied, with a sly smile, her eyes twinkling in amusement, but Ger’s returning arched brow made her roll her eyes.

"There is not much to tell," she whispered quietly, looking down, suddenly shy as she played with the end of her plaited hair.

"I’m sure it is much grander than our tale, lass." Axel flopped down the other side of her with a loud thud, placing his heavy shield and hidden axe to the side.

"I’m not sure where to start.. I was treated rather well.." Evanna trailed off, her thoughts turning to the king, the feasts, the people, Rina and Haryk, Anwel and Cedric, the magic that encased the palace, calling to her own she was not aware of. Then her lips pulled into a small smile, thinking about Arawn and their battle of wits, the tension between them and how much he seemed to enchant her whenever they were together. It was dangerous yet thrilling, and Arawn had now vowed to her and even proposed.

Watching her eyes flicker, her cheeks heat and amusement among other emotions sweep across her features, Ger wet his lips, his eyes lowering to her hands and what he’d seen earlier that night. "Why don’t you begin with that magic you performed."

Evanna parted her lips, eyes wide, but before she could answer, Axel spoke up first. "Now that’s another rebellious streak running through you, lassy. Magic’s been banned in Dunhurst."

The princess sighed, her thoughts already thinking ahead to when she returned to her kingdom, a journey that seemed far in the future, but it could not be for her mother’s sake. Still, she thought of Isabel, of her father’s wife, and the others who would sneer at her ’running away’. Then came the horror and need to behead her for accidentally revealing her gifts and her elven and fae heritage. What a mockery that would make for the royal family.

"They are called gifts," Evanna replied softly, her gaze looking up to the stars. "Elven powers gifted to those with strong bloodlines. It seems.. I was a late bloomer." She did not feel uncomfortable, threatened or shy about telling her friends about these gifts; they had her complete trust.

"Gifts?" Axel asked, his voice full of wonder. "I never knew the elves wielded such magic."

"It is a secret, one I hope you will keep. I do, after all, have elven blood in me," Evanna replied, though she knew even without commenting that the men would not speak it to another.

Ger squeezed her hand gently once more, pulling her attention back to him. "I knew there was always more to you than the girl who could speak to trees," he smiled, which broadened after seeing hers. "Tell us more."