Free Princess of Thorns by Unknown

doesn’t join in. He folds his arms across his chest and his studying expression becomes scrutinizing. “You haven’t answered my question. Why the rush? Why tie yourself to a princess with nothing to offer you but trouble?”
    I sigh and run a hand through my damp hair. “I have my reasons.”
    “What kind of reasons?”
    “Reasons I’ll be happy to discuss with your sister, ” I lie, knowing I’ll do no such thing. Hopefully Aurora will be of a less suspicious ilk than her nosy little brother. “Now go on and have a soak, will you? Maybe it will put you in a better temper.”
    “I’m in a fine temper. I only want what’s best for Aurora.”
    “As do I. I mean her no harm.” I hold out my hands, palms up, showing I have nothing to hide. At least not when it comes to treating his sister well. “I’m not a bad sort, Ror.”
    “I don’t think you’re a bad sort,” Ror mumbles. “I just …”
    “Just what?” I ask, growing nervous of this conversation.
    If the boy backs out of our bargain I’ll be back where I started, with time running out and no idea where to find the one girl who might save me before it’s too late. Finding the witch my father paid to curse his sons was a bit of pure luck—a drunken conversation in a bar by the sea led to another drunken conversation, which led to a woman living in an abandoned shrine my father hadn’t gotten around to burning just yet.
    The woman knew who I was at once and apparently felt guilty for what she’d done to my brothers and me, but not guilty enough to give me the charm to lead me to a briar-born child free of charge. She took my armor—the only truly valuable thing I owned, a gift from an ancient king of Norvere passed down through my brothers—and made me split the skin on my palm and press it to my forehead while she whispered a spell, banishing my memory of her appearance to protect her in case I decided not to honor my promise to keep our meeting a secret from my father.
    If I lose Ror, I’m up a ladder without a basket. “Come on,” I say, doing my best to keep desperation from my tone. “You can trust me.”
    “Said the spider to the fly.”
    “I’m not a spider.”
    “No, you’re the fly, and you could be risking your life for nothing,” Ror says. “I know my sister, and there is a very, very good chance she’ll want nothing to do with you. At least, not as more than a friend and ally.”
    “Very, very?” I chuckle.
    “I’m not joking.”
    My smile slips. “Well, that’s a chance I’m willing to take. Now go on,” I say, shooing him with both hands. “Have a soak and give the fretting a rest.”
    Ror sucks in his lips, biting them before giving a terse nod. “I won’t be long.” He starts to go, but turns back again. “Thank you. I appreciate your help. And your bravery.”
    Before I can respond, the prince spins and scurries into the forest. I watch him go with a sinking feeling in my stomach. There was something in his voice … almost as if he knows without a doubt that Aurora will want no part of me. But he can’t, not for sure. Not even a brother can know all the secrets of his sister’s heart.
    Perhaps especially not a brother.
    I certainly had no idea Haanah was carrying on with a castle guard before Father caught on and sent the man away. Greer was a decent sort but plain-faced and serious to a fault. I never imagined Haanah would give him a second thought, but she was mad for him. She spent a month mourning like an orphaned puppy when she learned he was gone.
    Ror can’t know Aurora better than I know Haanah. Haanah and I are practically twins, the only two children named after my mother’s side of the family, just eighteen months apart and even closer than Usio and I were before his change. Aurora could very well surprise her brother the same way my sister surprised me.
    Or so I tell myself as I start the fire and set about pulling together a meager meal from our rations. But my reasonable arguments