For a moment, Luci was standing at the ball in a pretty dress, wondering how many people saw his genuine smile and feeling strangely lucky that she was one of them. Then he tricked her into a room of mirrors and proposed to her best friend. She couldn’t fault Brielle for falling for his charm when she’d done the same.
“I don’t know what it is about carriages, but they always make me sleepy.” Brielle yawned.
“I offered you a tonic,” Luci said, eyeing her friend with suspicion.
She shrugged and let her head fall back on the red plush behind her, shutting her eyes.
“I don’t want to be drowsy when we get there. I think I’ll just rest my eyes for a moment if you both don’t mind,” she whispered, half asleep.
No one slept like Brielle Treveon. The world could be ending, and she would still nod off amidst the screams. It was a trait Luci had long envied in her. Certainly, Luci’s waistline would be smaller if lack of sleep didn’t end up meaning midnight trysts with the kitchen.
“Of course not, do you need— “ Prince Ira trailed off as Brielle let out a long breath, head tilted to the side.
“Don’t bother, she’s already asleep. If you want to find actual magic, you can figure out how she does that.” Luci said.
Prince Ira raised his eyebrows and shook his head, clearly impressed as he should be.
“I’m lucky if my tossing and turning only lasts an hour.” He made a show of running his hand over his chest. “I can’t be sure, but I think this feeling— could it be envy?”
Despite her resolution to despise him, Luci felt the corner of her lip pull up.
“Does it hurt terribly?” she asked.
He clasped his heart and curled his lips in pain. “I might die from it. How do people endure it?”
Rolling her eyes, Luci's laugh was hoarse and out of place.
“Are you always this dramatic?” she asked.
She made the cardinal sin of turning her gaze from the countryside back to him after he didn’t respond for a few moments. Green fields with scattered trees gave way to the crown prince with a smile that reached ear to ear, dimples on full display.
“I made you laugh,” he said.
Scratching a phantom itch on her nose, Luci sniffed and returned to watching the countryside pass and monitoring each bump of the carriage.
“Hardly. I was merely being polite,” she said.
“Lying to the crown prince is a punishable offense, Miss Blackthorn,” he said.
“Good thing I’m not lying,” she insisted.
Where she expected more pushback, instead, the prince let out a sneeze, one after the other, until Lucinda counted a grand total of three. Withdrawing a handkerchief from his pocket, he wiped at his nose, sniffing loudly.
“Are you all right?” Luci asked.
As he cleared his throat, his red eyes came into view, as well as a small dark spot below them that reminded Luci of her sleepless nights.
“I’m fine,” he waved his hand in nonchalance.
Deciding the prince was a liar, Luci scooted herself down the bench to assess him more closely. Sure enough, his eyes were now slightly puffy. Lifting her hand, Luci touched the back of it to his forehead, but he wasn’t on fire by any means. No cool sweat to his skin. She reached for his cheek, but he grabbed at her hand, holding it between his two.
“It’s the cat. I’m allergic to cats, but I’ll be fine,” he said.
Luci stared at him and back at Calcifer asleep on Brielle.
“Why didn’t you say something?” she asked.
He shrugged. “Brielle wanted him with her.”