Chapter 1: a healing kiss of magic pt3

Harold knocks on my door hours later. He has come to teach me magic for the first time. I'm nervous since the last time I'd practiced magic I nearly died. I try to cover my fear with a bright smile and hope it's believable.

With that, Harold leads me to a garden I've never been to before. The sight is so breathtakingly beautiful; there are flowers everywhere I look. Finally, after I have my fill of staring, Harold brings me back to focus. "I'm going to teach you the invisibility spell," he plucks a rose from a nearby bush and sniffs it before offering it to me.

"Thank you, Harold."

He makes a sour face, "Please call me Hal. I prefer it."

"Thank you, Hal." I sniff the pink rose, but then it is gone from my fingers in a blink. I gasp in surprise as I realize it's now in Hal's hand. "How did you-?"

"That was a transfer spell," he waves his hand over the rose, saying an incantation. The rose disappears into thin air. "This is an invisibility spell." Saying the words again Hal disappears.

"Hal!" I look around but he's nowhere in sight. It's then I feel something tickling my nose. The fragrance of roses drifts up to my nose and I rub at it. Is Hal in front of me? I can feel a presence and its very close. There is a ghost of a breath across my face. Honey... his breath smells of honey.

(Oh!) My heart is beating irregularly once again. "Hal?" without even thinking, I grab the air in front of me and I'm clutching Hal's arm. We're nearly nose to nose.

"You found me." Hal offers the rose back to me with a charming smile. "Now it's your turn, Miss Amelia."

I recite the incantation after him, a few yards away. I fell the magic flowing and I know exactly when I've become invisible This isn't so bad after all. Smiling, I decide to get Hal back for sneaking up on me. I tiptoe around him in a circle. He seems unaware of me at first. Unable to resist, I tug on one of his rabbit-like ears. Hal swerves in my direction and meets air because I dodged just in time. Confusion flickers over Hal's face, and it's all I can do not to laugh at him.

I'm so immersed in his laughter; I'm not paying attention to my footing. I trip over a jutting brick on the brick path and I pitch forward with a yelp. And as luck would have it I fall right into Hal's arms. My invisibility spell lifts as if on automatic.

(Hal! This is so embarrassing…) His arms wrap around my falling body on instinct. I'm so shocked at the sudden contact that all I can do is stare at him.

"Are you all right, Queen Amelia?" Hal sets me down on my feet. He's back to sounding formal.

My balance wavers for only a second. (Get a hold of yourself. What is wrong with you? What is this feeling in my chest when I look at Hal?)

Not letting me go until he knows I have my bearings, Hal acts as normal as ever. "You did well but I think that is enough for the day. Don't you?"

I nod and he leads the way back to the castle. And it's not until I'm back in my room I notice the pink rose still clutched between my fingers. Holding up for inspection, I give a sigh.

(I'm an idiot… I'm supposed to fall for a prince but instead I think I'm developing feelings for Hal. I can't let myself fall.)