Prince's Poison (The Aermian Feuds Book 7)
Prince’s Poison
The Aermian Feuds Book Seven
Frost Kay
Prince’s Poison
Copyright © 2021 by Frost Kay.
First Edition
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any format or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without written permission of the author.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental.
For information on reproducing sections of this book or sales of this book go to www.frostkay.net
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Contents
Audiobooks
Also By Frost Kay
Kingdoms of Aermia
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Epilogue
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Also By Frost Kay
THE AERMIAN FEUDS
(Dark Epic Fantasy)
Rebel’s Blade
Crown’s Shield
Siren’s Lure
Enemy’s Queen
King’s Warrior
Warlord’s Shadow
Spy’s Mask
Court’s Fool
THE TWISTED KINGDOMS
(Epic Fantasy/Fairytale Retelling)
The Hunt
The Rook
The Heir
The Beast
DOMINION OF ASH
(Post Apocalyptic Fantasy)
The Stain
The Tainted
The Exiled
The Fallout (2020)
MIXOLOGISTS & PIRATES
(Sci-Fi Fantasy)
Amber Vial
Emerald Bane
Scarlet Venom
Cyan Toxin
Onyx Elixir
Indigo Alloy
Praise for The Aermian Feuds
“Enemies to lovers at it’s finest. This series checks off all my must-haves in a fantasy book - strong kick-ass heroines, steamy romance, and sword fights!”
Bestselling Author Jennifer Anne Davis
“Holy hell! This is the best one yet!”
Bestselling Author Emma Hamm
“This series is up there with a Court of Thorns and Roses series and the Throne of Glass series. I’ve already reread this series and I’ll definitely reread it again and again.”
Goodreads Reviewer
Kingdoms of Aermia
Prologue
Your first love never leaves you.
Even when things don’t work out and you go your separate ways, a part of you always belongs to them. You remember the good times with fondness and the bad times become a distant memory.
But that’s not the case for everyone.
Sometimes your first love never notices you, and falls for your very best friend. Sometimes you have to live with their happiness every day of your life and suffer in silence. Sometimes you wished you’d never met either of them and that they’d disappear.
Then death steals one of them from you.
You thought you knew grief, suffering, and pain. It was nothing compared to the gaping hole left in your chest in their absence. They broke you.
How just the mention of their name robs the very breath from your lungs. How memories are like a kick to the stomach.
But it doesn’t last forever.
The broken rise from the ashes of loss.
You don’t need to be whole to find love.
To find redemption.
All that is needed is courage.
Courage to put yourself back together.
Courage to focus on the positive.
Courage to open your heart.
Courage to let someone new in.
Courage to let go.
Chapter 1
Mira
Mira had never wanted to strangle anyone as much as she wanted to strangle Gavriel bloody Ramses. He was sure to make her a murderer by the end of the day.
She dug deep for her patience and inhaled slowly before saying, “You can do it.” It was a difficult thing to keep the frustration off her face as the stubborn prince glared mutinously up at her from his spot on the cot.
He grunted, bared his teeth at her, and looked away.
So, this was how the afternoon was going to progress. Lovely.
Mira laced her fingers together and bit back the sigh that threatened to escape. She didn’t know why she expected him to be anything but confrontational. Gav had become a blooming brute since he was injured. Over the course of several weeks, she’d experienced a new side to her friend. He had an antagonist streak that was leagues wide, and she’d concluded that he must enjoy needling her until she lost her temper.
But not today.
Years of training and experience had taught her that a quiet and calm demeanor usually worked when dealing with difficult people. He would not get the best of her.
She imagined a still lake hidden in a quiet forest at sunrise.
“I need you to stand and walk to me,” she said softly, making sure none of her inner turmoil leaked into her voice. “You can do it.”
Gav shot her a glare, his violet eyes narrowed. His nostrils flared as he held her gaze, and his jaw jutted out stubbornly.
“I’ll help you,” she coaxed, holding her hands out. “Just a few steps, and then you can have the cane.”
“I don’t need your help,” he snapped.
A lie—and they both knew it.
Mira understood that he was angry, embarrassed, and dealing with feelings of helplessness. His body wasn’t obeying the commands that it used to, and each of his movements was awkward and painful. She took two steps back to give him the illusion of space. If he fell, she’d still be able to catch him before he did more damage to his leg.
Her gaze moved to his wrapped thigh. She knew the damage under the bandage was brutal. It was a miracle he’d survived, and even more of a miracle that he was still able to walk and even ride. Gav would always have a limp, but he wouldn’t be housebound if he worked hard now before the muscles began to heal the wrong way.
“I know it hurts, but you need to stand on it.”
“You know nothing,” he growled.
“I know a thing or two of pain,” Mira continued. “I am not asking you to do more than you are able. Push through the pain for a few seconds, and then I’ll give you something to help it.”
“Give me something for it now.”
Back to this argument.
“I can’t at this stage—I need to know where your boundaries are. If you’ve taken a tincture, I can’t be sure i
f you’re pushing yourself too far and doing more damage to the leg. The goal of this exercise is to build your strength.”
“I’m not moving from this cot until you do something about the pain. You’re a royal healer, are you not? Heal me and stop torturing me.”
“That’s not how it works.”
He brushed his black hair from his brow, stretched his bad leg out, and leaned back on his elbows, the picture of a haughty highborn. “Am I not your prince?”
“You’re not my anything.” Mira snapped her mouth shut.
Gav smiled at her, but it wasn’t nice. “There she is. I was wondering how deeply you’d buried the witchy half of your personality beneath your fake nice one.”
Mira swallowed hard and stepped back. She moved around the nearest cot and strode toward the apothecary door. It was a lesson in self-control to keep herself from storming out of the room like a child. Pride filled her as she retained a smooth gait as she exited the infirmary. Closing the door softly behind her, she spun and leaned against the smooth wood, ignoring her father’s curious gaze. Why did she let Gav get to her like that? She rubbed her eyes and scowled when she discovered moisture. Why the hell was she crying over something so asinine? Worse things had happened before.
“Dearest?” Her father’s voice was craggy.
She released a sharp breath, dropped her hands, and met her papa’s stare. His copper eyes squinted at her from behind round spectacles. His nose crinkled, and a half smile lifted the corner of his mouth as amusement filled his face.
“He’s being difficult?” he asked, while chopping up fresh rosemary and mint in their small kitchen that also functioned as the apothecary.
“More than difficult,” she grumbled as she shuffled over to his left side, before placing a kiss against his leathery cheek. Then she rummaged through the glass jars on the long table until she spotted the container of honey infused with lavender. “He won’t do anything I ask of him. He just sits on his cot or in that damn rocking chair by the fire and taunts me.” Her fingers clenched around the honey pot’s lid, and she bowed her head, wisps of blonde hair falling into her eyes. “I’ve used all of my tricks, and nothing works.”
“It’s more difficult to work with those we’re well acquainted with.”
Mira drummed her fingers along the top of the jar as she watched her papa chop herbs. “I hardly know the man.”
“Bah!” he exclaimed. “You and Gavriel grew up together. You were best friends with his wife.”
“My point exactly. We knew each other as children. Once Emma died, Gav disappeared. I thought I knew him…” She trailed off, glancing over her shoulder at the door and then back to the honey jar in her hands. “But the man in the other room… I don’t know him.”
Her father’s dry, gnarled hand settled over hers, and his green-stained fingers squeezed her own. Mira glanced at him, and he gave her a soft smile.
“The man has been through a lot. He lost his wife. He’s a single father and the commander of the king’s army. This injury has brought him low. His pride is smarting, he’s in pain, and nothing is the way he thought it would turn out. Life is changing once again on him, and it’s out of his control. We need to be patient with him.”
“I know.”
“Dearest, you are a wonderful healer, and I am fully confident you will help him through this. Don’t let him get to you.”
“I’m trying. It’s just a challenge to deal with him in this state.” She sighed. “There’s something about him that brings out my temper.”
“You hardly have a temper,” her papa said with a chuckle.
“Or so I thought until he started baiting me,” she mumbled with a small smile. “He’s not who I remember. I miss my old friend.”
“Pain and war change people.” Her father nodded and patted her hand, his gaze shrewd and knowing. “He’s not the only one who has changed, Daughter.”
Mira nodded and dropped her gaze to the chopped herbs. He wasn’t wrong. She was quicker to anger these days, and, since she’d returned to the palace to continue her healing work, she no longer felt as light as she used to. Something inside her had changed. Happiness was harder to capture than it used to be. Some days, the scent of blood, death, and fire would assault her out of nowhere. She’d lost the contents of her stomach more times than she wanted to admit. The battle was over, but its effects hadn’t vanished. She still carried the scars of war and loss on her heart and in her head.
“I’m not sure how to get past it,” she whispered.
“Don’t pretend that war didn’t happen. It’s not healthy. Let it come. Mourn, cry, or scream if you need to, and then place the pain where it belongs. Then, let yourself learn from it. Make it into something good, instead of something bad.”
“That’s very wise, Papa.”
He smiled and pressed a kiss to her temple. “I’m a wise old man.”
She couldn’t help but grin. His cheekiness knew no bounds, but Mira loved it. He always knew what to say to pull her out of her bad moods. “You’re right. You are old.”
He bumped her with his shoulder and narrowed his eyes playfully. “Get out of here, ya saucy wench. You have poor souls to heal.” A wicked smile crossed his face. “Specifically, a grumpy-arsed prince.”
“I’m going,” she lamented. She plucked the honey from the table and moved toward the door, her heart lighter.
“Don’t let him bully you. Get him walking.”
She smiled evilly. “He’ll be walking by the time I’m done with him. No man pushes me around. There’s a reason why I haven’t married.”
Her papa chortled. “Yet.”
She yanked open the door and snickered. “Ever.”
“I’m up! What more do you want from me, woman?”
She exhaled hard—Gav was on her last nerve. “One more step and then you’re done for the night.”
“I’m done now.”
Mira gave him a serene smile. “If you want a stronger tincture for your pain, you’ll take another step.”
“Bloody witch,” he grunted. “You’re going to kill me!”
“I’ll do no such thing. Now move.”
“Listen here, you vile-tempered—”
“Papa!” a little voice exclaimed.
Mira’s attention darted toward the door, and she hid a smile as Isa, Gav’s daughter, placed her hands on her tiny hips and scowled at her papa.
“Those are bad words!”
Mira studied Gav from the corner of her eye. His whole demeanor had changed. Gone was the angry cur and in its place was a sheepish father.
Gav shuffled to face the door and swiped his sweaty black hair out of his face, treating her to his profile. The stars sure had blessed the Ramses’ line. There wasn’t an ugly person among the entire royal family. No wonder she’d been besotted with him as a little girl.
“Unfair,” she muttered.
“What?” Gav asked, glancing in her direction.
“Nothing.”
He rolled his eyes and turned his attention back to Isa. “I was just teasing Mira,” he explained.
The prince tossed a glare her way, and Mira snorted and covered her mouth with her hand.
Isa shook her head, her fiery red curls bouncing with the action. “They are still bad words.”
“Quite right,” Mira agreed, earning another disapproving scowl from Gav.
Isa turned her attention to Mira and skipped toward her. Mira knelt and braced herself as the precious little girl bounded into her embrace for a fierce hug.
“I’ll protect you from Papa,” Isa murmured against Mira’s apron.
Mira pulled back and pushed the little girl’s hair from her round, freckled face. “Don’t worry, darling. I can handle your papa. I mean, I’ve ridden a dragon before, so your papa’s not nearly as scary.”
Isa’s lilac eyes widened, and she smiled, revealing a gap where one of her bottom teeth should have been. “Really? I want to ride a dragon, too! Please tell me the story?”
“Of course!” Mira said brightly. She grinned, a devious thought entering her mind. “But I have to finish up your father’s exercises before I am finished up for the day.”
The little girl wiggled out of her arms and faced Gav, who was struggling to keep his expression calm.
“Hurry up, Papa!” Isa bounded to his side and held up a hand. “I can help you.”
Mira held her breath as Gav stared at his daughter’s small hand.
He slowly wrapped his fingers around hers and leaned on his cane. “Thank you, Isa. I’m feeling tired.”
“Your leg still angry?” Isa asked curiously as the pair began a slow shuffle back to Gav’s cot.
“Yes.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Not your fault.”
Gav groaned when he sat on the cot. Isa hopped up and sat next to him, her legs swinging. The prince grimaced as he stretched his injured leg out and then glanced at his daughter. Mira swallowed at the love and affection shining in his eyes as he petted her red hair. Isa leaned into him and sighed.
Mira felt like she was intruding on a private moment, so she busied herself by reaching for a pile of clean linen sheets on a gurney to her left and began folding them. Gav’s deep voice rumbled softly as he asked Isa questions about her day and was met with enthusiastic descriptions of the food she ate and the shells she discovered at the beach.
What would it be like to have something like that? Mira loved being a healer. It fulfilled many of her desires, and yet… her gaze lingered on Isa’s sunny smile. She wanted that, too.