23

Chapter Twenty-Three: Power Surge

Perhaps in consideration for how late they were all up due to the ball, no one woke her the next morning, or brought breakfast in bed until she had awakened on her own. It was nearly noon, and she had a pang of guilt for a moment before remembering she wasn’t particularly anxious to engage in palace life anyway. Instead, she took her time with a leisurely breakfast ordered via the intercom system in her room and a long bath before leaving her room. She was surprised to see Eli standing in the hallway, and she approached. “Are you waiting for me?”

He didn’t confirm or deny it, but there was definitely a line of red sweeping up his neck. He was adorable, but she struggled not to respond or tease him about it. “Did you need something?” She kept her tone mild as she asked.

“I thought we might take a run and see if we can tap into the shifter power in you.”

“Just you and me?” At his nod, she asked, “Would it be better to wait until we’re in the shifter rea