Cinderella Dreams of Fire (Fairy Tales Forever #1) Read Online Free Page B
Author: Casey Lane
eyes wide. “It looks like you were in battle."
The prince nodded. He'd love to share everything about the encounter, and about the incredible female thief, but he knew how fast rumor traveled. If Falstone found out the thief was a woman, the prince would never hear the end of it.
Braedon put on a brave face for the healer's stinging salve. “You should see the other guy."
The islander nodded as he dabbed the prince's eye. “People are saying that the thief fought dirty."
The prince's memory was immaculate after only three drinks, and there was no foul play whatsoever in his fight with the thief. But he knew the darkness of night could play tricks on the spectators below, and he wasn't about to dispel the rumors.
"The thief was fast, but definitely not interested in a fair fight."
The healer's eyes told the prince that this clarification of the rumor would make its way around the castle pretty quickly. There was only one person he hoped the news wouldn't make it to.
"Braedon!"
The healer rose and stood at full attention as the Queen of Loren stormed into the prince's room.
Braedon sighed. “Come to wish me well?"
If there was one word to describe his mother, it was proud. She stood tall and regal wherever she went. Falstone said he looked just like his mother, though he often prefaced it by saying he was an uglier version of her. They shared the same sandy-colored hair and blue eyes. They were both tall and had a much-stronger-than-average constitution.
But it was their pride that stood out among the other attributes. And her pride was never hurt more than when word spread about her son doing something stupid.
The queen waived the healer away, and the short man sprinted out the door.
She took over the islander's job and began dabbing additional salve on her son's wound. “More like I've come to finish you off."
His mother was much less gentle than the healer, and the prince squirmed in pain beneath her fingers.
"I'm not going to say it's any better when you get into a scuffle in some back alley. But at least then we can control the story better. Everybody saw you fighting, and they know she got away with whatever you were trying to protect."
Butterflies multiplied in the prince's stomach. “You heard it was a woman?"
The queen put on a sly smile and moved to the other side of his face. “I have better sources than your healer, Braedon. Don't worry, I've kept your reputation intact.” Her grin spread. “Were you completely drunk or was she actually that good?"
The prince shifted to his side and stood up. “I think that's enough, Mother. My eye is bound to heal in the next few days."
"Fine. You don't have to tell me anything about the fight. But you'll need to speak with the Captain of the Guard about the thief. She stole something very valuable from the crown."
Braedon nodded. “Sure. But she didn't exactly tell me where she lived or anything."
"We'll make do with the info you give us.” The queen took Braedon by one of the few unaffected parts of his face. “Why do you have to be so much like your father? He would always come back from the bar with a bruise or two. Even after he became king."
The prince knew he was a grown man, but he couldn't help but feel a bit soothed at his mother's touch. “Does that mean I have permission to rough it up at the tavern?"
She looked deep into his eyes. “I wouldn't go around following the lead of someone who died before his time."
Braedon had no idea what to say to that, and he sensed a quiet emptiness.
The queen stepped away and broke the silence by opening the curtains wide. The sun burned the prince's eyes more than any salve could.
"I'm worried about you, Braedon. If even half the rumors are true about how you spend your nights, then nobody will take you seriously when you become king."
There's that word again.
The prince groaned and turned away from the sunlight. “Can't you just live to 100 so I don't have to worry about that stuff?"
The
The prince nodded. He'd love to share everything about the encounter, and about the incredible female thief, but he knew how fast rumor traveled. If Falstone found out the thief was a woman, the prince would never hear the end of it.
Braedon put on a brave face for the healer's stinging salve. “You should see the other guy."
The islander nodded as he dabbed the prince's eye. “People are saying that the thief fought dirty."
The prince's memory was immaculate after only three drinks, and there was no foul play whatsoever in his fight with the thief. But he knew the darkness of night could play tricks on the spectators below, and he wasn't about to dispel the rumors.
"The thief was fast, but definitely not interested in a fair fight."
The healer's eyes told the prince that this clarification of the rumor would make its way around the castle pretty quickly. There was only one person he hoped the news wouldn't make it to.
"Braedon!"
The healer rose and stood at full attention as the Queen of Loren stormed into the prince's room.
Braedon sighed. “Come to wish me well?"
If there was one word to describe his mother, it was proud. She stood tall and regal wherever she went. Falstone said he looked just like his mother, though he often prefaced it by saying he was an uglier version of her. They shared the same sandy-colored hair and blue eyes. They were both tall and had a much-stronger-than-average constitution.
But it was their pride that stood out among the other attributes. And her pride was never hurt more than when word spread about her son doing something stupid.
The queen waived the healer away, and the short man sprinted out the door.
She took over the islander's job and began dabbing additional salve on her son's wound. “More like I've come to finish you off."
His mother was much less gentle than the healer, and the prince squirmed in pain beneath her fingers.
"I'm not going to say it's any better when you get into a scuffle in some back alley. But at least then we can control the story better. Everybody saw you fighting, and they know she got away with whatever you were trying to protect."
Butterflies multiplied in the prince's stomach. “You heard it was a woman?"
The queen put on a sly smile and moved to the other side of his face. “I have better sources than your healer, Braedon. Don't worry, I've kept your reputation intact.” Her grin spread. “Were you completely drunk or was she actually that good?"
The prince shifted to his side and stood up. “I think that's enough, Mother. My eye is bound to heal in the next few days."
"Fine. You don't have to tell me anything about the fight. But you'll need to speak with the Captain of the Guard about the thief. She stole something very valuable from the crown."
Braedon nodded. “Sure. But she didn't exactly tell me where she lived or anything."
"We'll make do with the info you give us.” The queen took Braedon by one of the few unaffected parts of his face. “Why do you have to be so much like your father? He would always come back from the bar with a bruise or two. Even after he became king."
The prince knew he was a grown man, but he couldn't help but feel a bit soothed at his mother's touch. “Does that mean I have permission to rough it up at the tavern?"
She looked deep into his eyes. “I wouldn't go around following the lead of someone who died before his time."
Braedon had no idea what to say to that, and he sensed a quiet emptiness.
The queen stepped away and broke the silence by opening the curtains wide. The sun burned the prince's eyes more than any salve could.
"I'm worried about you, Braedon. If even half the rumors are true about how you spend your nights, then nobody will take you seriously when you become king."
There's that word again.
The prince groaned and turned away from the sunlight. “Can't you just live to 100 so I don't have to worry about that stuff?"
The
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