Chapter 18 : : : : : Sparking the Embers

*Alec*

A week had passed, yet it felt like a century to me. I had done my best to avoid Ember after what had happened in the library. Was she scared of me now? Did she think me no better than Lukas? I didn’t even know what had possessed me to approach her like that, only that it felt like she was a magnet, her pull inevitable.

In the meantime, I had tasked Lauryn with befriending her. Though Lauryn’s default manner was cold and aloof, I thought that Ember might appreciate the company. But Lauryn’s list of duties was long, and she barely had any time to spend with the princess.

My biggest surprise was when Rhys stepped in to assume the role. He and Ember got along famously, spending hours slinging good-humored insults and dry jokes at one another. My Beta had taken her on a thorough tour of the manor, and I had even spotted him carrying a teetering stack of books from the library to her rooms on several occasions.

Every time I saw them together, I had to stifle a pang of jealous