Bonds of Cupidity (Heart Hassle Book 2)

Two more days go by much like my first day. I have more blisters on my hands from cleaning than I do on my feet from the uncomfortable heels.

I also have to soak again in the bath to re-pink myself, but no one questions what type of fae I am, so my disguise must be working.

Unfortunately, the pain in my gut grows worse, and I go to sleep at night feeling a tingling start to spread up my arms and legs.

When the servant’s bells wake me up on the fourth day, panic grips me.

“Crap!”

I jump out of bed and try to rub my hands together, but it’s no use.

My right hand is gone. Invisible. Completely translucent.

“Oh, shit.”

I’m no further away from the guys than I was before unless they’ve been moved. Either they’ve been moved away from me, or it’s a matter of having gone too long without their presence.

Either way, I need my anchors to get a hold on this physical world, and fast. But I certainly can’t walk around with an invisible hand. Not only is it just invisible, but I can no longer touch physical things with it, either. This is bad. If my other hand goes, too, I won’t be able to grip or touch anything.

I quickly dress, which, by the way, is way harder to do with only one hand.

When I finally manage to get buttoned up, I see that the sleeve isn’t nearly long enough to hide the fact that my hand is missing.

Biting my lip in thought, I look around the room for some inspiration, and then a light bulb goes off.

I grab a stack of clothes and balance it on my forearm so that it looks like my hand is just beneath the fabric.

There. That should be good enough for now. I think. How often do you really notice someone’s hands, right? …Or is that saying about shoes? Oh well. Close enough.

I rush out of the servant’s quarters and head for the kitchens. It’s time to find myself an earth sprite.

This early in the morning, the large kitchen is a hubbub of frantic activity. Cooks are barking orders, pots and pans are steaming and spitting, and servants are rushing around each other as if they’re competing in a race.

I hover near the door, getting shoved aside and stepped on more than once.

“What are you doing here?” one of the other servant’s asks me. “You’re the princess’s personal maid. What are you doing in the kitchens?”

“I’m, umm…”

Wow, Emelle. Way to be prepared.

“I’m not feeling well,” I blurt out. “I was told that the earth sprite who works here has an herb I could ask for.”

The fae quirks a brow. “You mean Mossie?”

“If she’s the one with the big yellow flowers growing out of her scalp, then yes.”

“She’s out in the gardens in the morning, picking what’s needed. Go that way,” she says, pointing toward a door at the back of the kitchen.

“Thanks.”

I swerve through the bodies and then escape out the door. Outside is a lush garden filled with vegetables, fruits, herbs, and flowers. I see several different earth sprites scattered around, growing plants and collecting them for today’s menu.

When I see a bouquet of giant yellow flowers bobbing around the fruit trees, I make a beeline for her.

“Mossie?”

The girl straightens up and turns, her bright green eyes taking me in. “Yes?”

I look around to make sure no one else is close enough to overhear. I probably should’ve planned what to say before I came over to her. I really need to brush up on my super awesome spy skills.

She dusts off soil from her palms as she waits for me to answer, keeping hold of her basket filled with fruit.

I shuffle on my feet, but I’m careful not to jostle the stack of clothes I’m still balancing on my arm. I know it looks ridiculous based on the way her eyes keep darting to it.

Hmm…what to say…

Fuck it. Might as well just go all in. “I heard you sometimes bring food up to the prisoner’s towers?”

Her green brows go up in surprise. “Yes…”

“I was hoping you’d let me come with.”

Her mouth opens in surprise. “You, the Princess’s personal maid, want to come with me to deliver prisoner’s food?”

“Yep.”

Her expression turns suspicious and the sunflowers on her head all shift to look at me accusingly. Whoa. Sunflower stare down. It’s scarier than it sounds.

“Why?”

Why, why, why. I study her for a second. What do I know about earth sprites besides the obvious plant-growing stuff? Not much, but sprites are still fae, and fae are always guaranteed to like four things: power, parties, sex, and games. They’re also usually up for a bribe.

But in Mossie’s case, I think I know just the way to play this. Because I can hear her heart beating to the tune of unrequited love.

“Well, there’s a guard…” I begin suggestively.

I watch her suspicious expression turn to anger. Bingo.

“Which guard? It better not be Blix,” she says in a rush.

The petals on her sunflowers close slightly. It looks like they’re squinting at me all aggressive-like.

“No, nope. Definitely not Blix. It’s another guard. A totally different one.”

And, just to give her a boost, I add, “Blix is way out of my league, anyway. I heard he likes earth sprites.”

Not subtle, but I’m in a hurry.

She lifts her chin, her anger dissipating as she reaches up to pet one of her flowers. The sunflowers relax and go back to looking up at the sun.

“Yes, well. Good luck with that,” she says bitterly. “Nothing catches those guard’s eyes when they’re on duty. I grew my best flowers and Blix barely even glanced at them.”

I scoff on her behalf. “What? That’s just rude. Your flowers are the best I’ve ever seen.”

“I know, right?”

“Well, if you let me come along, I guarantee we can get him to notice you this time.”

I can see the spark of promise in her eyes even though she tries to keep it in check. “Oh? Well maybe I’m not interested in him anymore,” she says, tossing some vines behind her shoulder.

“Of course. I mean, a sprite like you should be chased. Wooed. Doted on. Blix would be lucky to have you. But there’s no harm in making him want what he can’t have, am I right? Show him what he’s missing, girl.”

She smiles for the first time, revealing her small, green-tinged teeth. “Meet me in the kitchens after last bell.”

My lips curl into a smile. “I’ll be there.”