One Thousand Kisses by Jody Wallace Read Free Book Online Page B

whoop through a long tube and realized it was her, struggling for air.
    In a great whoosh, her body vaulted up, followed by pressure against every inch of skin. Darkness again, a draft of magic. Then suddenly she plummeted into water.
    The cold splash shocked her out of her fit.
    “Hey!” she spluttered before she sank. Without thought, she reached for water magic, dragging the cool liquid through her lungs. Sanity accompanied it. After a long, weightless moment, she bobbed to the surface, shaking hair out of her eyes.
    She was in the natural springs below the Court complex, the mineral smell and chill water a giveaway. Dim lights illuminated the cavern. Liquid drips echoed through the huge chamber. No other fairies were present. In order to maintain its purity, the spring-fed lake was only accessible via transportation.
    Embor poised knee-deep in the pool, ready to lunge after her. When she remained at the surface, treading water, he relaxed. Slightly.
    “Princess.” His face was in shadow. “Are you better?”
    She licked bitter water from her lips. “Will I be punished?”
    “For what?”
    She kicked to the edge of the pool, her gown heavy. Dragging her to the bottom, where she could hide in shame.
    In a tiny voice she said, “Attempted murder.”
    He tilted forward. “What?”
    “Attempted murder,” she repeated, and winced when it bounced around the chamber.
    “Hardly.”
    Did he not realize what she’d done? It wasn’t a spell Court trainees learned. Receiving a license meant pledging to do no harm. Desperation had taught her pain, and she wished there was a way to unlearn it.
    Her legs and arms felt weightier than her gown. Her toes brushed the rocky floor. She’d lost her shoes. “You threw me in the water.”
    “I thought your native element would soothe you.” He cleared his throat. “You’ll excuse me for not taking you in myself. I’m not fond of immersion.”
    Ani adored swimming, but not when it was black and cold and she was recovering from a bizarre panic. The icy water sapped her energy. She rested when the water reached her hips. Chills shook her, but they were natural, not terror-induced.
    “You’re freezing.” Water rose to Embor’s thighs as he extended his hand. Lines of tension formed around his mouth. “Come. Let’s get you out of the water.”
    When she took his hand, his palm seemed hot enough to start a fire. It would feel delightful to stand close to him. Very close. Ani shivered.
    “My room,” she suggested.
    “Hold on.” She found herself transported, ears popping, until they slid out of between-space into her bedroom. He flicked his finger and a fire bloomed in the hearth. A hand, and a gust of air blew her curtains shut. The lights in the room cranked on, casting harsh shadows.
    “Thank you for the transport.” She wrapped her arms around herself. Her soggy dress dripped all over the rug. Long, weedy hair clung to her face and neck. The temperature spell she’d purchased to cool her chamber was definitely functioning. “I’ll heal your injuries before you go.”
    Embor shook his head no. He stood very, very close to the fire. “I’m not going anywhere until we discuss what happened.”
    “If you need to t…tell the C…Court about the attempted murder, I understand. I broke my healer’s oath.” Her trembles made speech difficult. She glanced longingly at the fire, but he blocked the flames, his hands, as usual, behind his back.
    “I’m more concerned about what put you in such a state to begin with.” He cleared his throat one last time, his voice losing its roughness. “You broadcasted panic like a beacon.”
    “I did?” Ani felt a sneeze coming on and ducked her face into her wet sleeve. Vinegary water from the cloth wet her lips.
    “Your cry for help…” He frowned as he inspected her. “Anisette, how cold are you?”
    Her clammy garments and lingering shock prevented her temperature from equalizing. Her teeth chattered so hard she bit her