We find ourselves back in the castle teasing, flirting, and devouring kisses the entire way. His lips, touch, even glances are gentle, making me want him more.
In his room, the servants already have a fire going, it sets a warm tone throughout. As soon as the door closes behind us, he finds my mouth with his again. His hands roam over the curves of my body and eventually end up in my soaked hair. Delicately he pulls at the ribbon bound around my curls and sets them free. He tugs at my hair tilting my head to the left and breaks our kiss to begin trailing his lips down my neck and over my collarbone.
Hours ago, I was worried about being in his presence and now I want nothing more. My hands go for the buttons of his shirt and undo them with haste. Once free, my hands glide up each line of his abdomen and then grip his firm shoulders.
He begins peeling off the soaked fabric of my top and suddenly stops kissing me as he rests his forehead to mine. “Can I just say how pleased I am that you aren’t wearing that outfit with hundreds of buttons on it.” I raise my hands as he pulls off the layer over my corset. It smacks against the hardwood floor when he tosses it.
“I happen to like that outfit.”
“I’m not saying it didn’t look good.” His mouth is on mine again and my tongue stops him from speaking.
Just as he begins to undo the strands of the corset there is a knock at the door.
“Can you use your princely powers to make them go away?” I say before planting a kiss on his chest, and then two more.
“Not now, Eli,” he calls and pulls me back to him.
I want to tell him that I know it’s really his brother. I want to tell him everything about the Foxes and that I want to go with him to Farella, but it will make for good pillow talk, so I hold it in for now.
There is more knocking, growing in intensity.
He grumbles and pulls back, buttoning up his shirt halfway and marching to the door.
“I said not—” He stops and opens the door wider. “Apologies, Lady Vera. I thought you were Eli.”
Vera?
I slip the soggy top back on and go to the door.
“I apologize, Your Highness.” Vera does a quick curtsy. “I came to let Ariah know the Queen is requesting her. Immediately.”
Red beams from Vera’s necklace and I wonder how long the Queen has been spying.
The guards close the door, locking Vera and I inside the Queen’s study.
Inside I see Sky standing—waiting—almost reminiscent of my first meeting here.
The Queen writes away at her desk and the fox she usually holds is fast asleep near her feet. Vera and I stop a few feet away and wait next to Sky.
“Well done last night.” She doesn’t look up from the parchment. “I suspected you were going to fail but you managed to make it through.” I assume her words are for me, unless she had someone else carry out another bidding for her.
“Thank you, Your Grace.”
“Tomorrow is the big day.” She throws her pen on the desk and rests back in her seat. “If our guests are going to attempt anything, tomorrow would be the night to do it. With Chana still unconscious I need all of you to pay extra attention. The last thing we need is for more people to go missing or be poisoned. Sky, how is the antidote coming along?”
“I’m still working on it, Your Grace. I believe I’m up against more than just poison.” Sky sounds tired, and his eyes are swollen, like he’s been crying or hasn’t slept in days.
“I didn’t order my enchantress to…” The Queen’s thoughts trail off and she keeps them in her head. “Ariah, are my dresses finished?”
“Yes, Your Grace. I completed them yesterday.”
“And what have you been doing today? With all your free time the servants could have used your help setting up or you could have assisted Sky in waking up your friend.”
Vera looks at the ground with the faintest grin on her face knowing what I was up to. I also don’t like the way she said “friend” as if it was meant to be used against me.
“I went into town with Prince Iann. He wanted to look at some of the shops.”
She looks at me for the first time. Her eyes roaming over the damp clothes and wild hair, making me self-conscious.
