Their Hidden Princess (Zora) novel Chapter 47

**Where Sleeping Rivers Dream We Follow Trails Toward Tomorrow by Evan Milesa Cade**
**Chapter 47**

“What the hell are you doing?” Thorne growled at Maximus, his irritation palpable.

Maximus, undeterred, jabbed his elbow sharply into Thorne’s thigh. With a grunt of surprise, Thorne relinquished his grip on Maximus’s shirt, allowing Max to rise to his full height, glaring down at Thorne with an intensity that could ignite a fire.

“We’re following the drill as instructed,” Maximus shot back, his tone sharp and defensive.

“Consider yourself fortunate that you’re tucked away in this corner of the room,” Thorne hissed, his eyes narrowing. He gestured toward me with an air of accusation. “It looked like you two were about to get intimate on the mat just moments ago.”

“And what if we were?” Max challenged, his voice rising slightly. “That’s none of your concern. Last time I checked, you turned your back on your fated mate.”

Thorne’s jaw tightened visibly. He cast a quick glance in my direction, his expression momentarily contemplative, before redirecting his focus back to Maximus.

“Do I need to remind you why?” he spat, his voice thick with disdain. “I have a Princess waiting for me, a betrothal that is expected of me. So do you.”

“Don’t pull that nonsense on me,” Maximus retorted, his frustration evident. “I couldn’t care less about some politically motivated marriage. Now, step off my mat so I can finish my drills with my partner.”

Thorne shot a glare at Maximus, his eyes blazing with unspoken emotions. They flickered toward me for a brief moment, and I felt a jolt of realization.

Was Thorne… jealous?

My mouth fell open in shock. I couldn’t believe it. Thorne had come over to break up whatever was happening between Max and me, not out of concern, but driven by jealousy. I watched him storm away, redirecting his attention to another pair who were misbehaving on the mat.

Turning my gaze back to Maximus, I noticed that his pupils had returned to a semblance of normalcy, though the tension in his shoulders betrayed his discomfort. I instinctively shrank back, feeling the weight of the situation.

“Maybe this wasn’t such a brilliant idea after all,” I mumbled, my voice barely audible as I sat on the floor.

“It’s fine,” Maximus snapped, his tone sharper than intended. “I don’t want you working with anyone else anyway. We just need to concentrate and disregard whatever’s happening here.”

My eyes widened in surprise. “You feel it too?” I whispered, my heart racing at the thought.

Max nodded curtly, his expression serious. “I don’t know what it is,” he murmured back, leaning closer so only I could hear. “But I think it’s best we keep this to ourselves for now. Ignoring it is our best option.”

I furrowed my brow, the idea of ignoring the burning sensation that ignited every time we touched felt impossible. The raw intensity of desire that followed was overwhelming. I stared at Maximus, silently pleading for guidance. Finally, he seemed to understand my turmoil as he dropped back to his knees, preparing to resume the first drill.

“Just try to think of ice,” he whispered, his voice low and conspiratorial (not that anyone else was paying attention to us). “Imagine the cold, like if you placed an ice cube on your head, it would melt down to your toes.”

I took a deep breath and placed my arm back against his throat. Sparks ignited once more, and I attempted to use Max’s suggestion. “Ice,” I grunted, feeling the heat radiate down to my toes.

I envisioned being submerged in a bucket of ice, reminiscent of the post-practice cold baths we endured in high school. I concentrated on dousing every flicker of fire with mountains of ice. It worked to some extent, allowing me to gather enough focus to attempt flipping Max over again. I got halfway through the motion when Maximus pushed me back against the floor.

“You’re losing your grip on my throat when you focus too much on the flip,” Maximus grunted, his voice strained. “Press harder.”

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