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My forbidden fruit.

She steps back, and the spell is broken.

“Let’s get you back to your room.” I drop my hand as if she burned me.

“You mean my cell,” she spits out, the sting of rejection plain as day on her lovely, water-stained face.

“Adelaide—I—”

“Riven, are you here?” Birdy’s voice bounces off the walls and punches me in the gut with shame. If my own conscience wasn’t bad enough, I have my nagging sister to remind me.

I throw a robe around Adelaide, in case Birdy has guards or other hunters with her, just as she appears with two lady’s maids trailing behind.

“Here you are.” She looks suspiciously between the two of us, narrowing her eyes at me. “The queen wants me to take Adelaide to one of the guest chambers to feed her and help her dress for this evening.”

“Are you sure about that?” I question, not wanting to leave Adelaide’s side.

She’s going to be gone soon.

“Why would I lie?” she counters, always having to have the last word.

“Wouldn’t be the first time,” I remind her.

“And it won’t be the last,” she challenges me, earning a laugh from Adelaide.

The seriousness of our tense moment earlier was broken by my sister’s presence. She has a gift for lightening the mood. I should be thankful she came when she did. Before things went too far.

“Who—?” I start to inquire, but Birdy interrupts me.

“Don’t worry, there will be plenty of guards.” Birdy rolls her eyes as she pulls Adelaide along.

“Which guards?” I demand. I know these guys. I personally trained most of them.

“Good ones. Ones that wouldn’t get caught showering with their prisoner.”

Adelaide winces.

“Sorry.” Birdy offers her a sweet smile. “Riven, I can handle this. Go get ready. You look terrible, brother. Oh, by the way, the queen wants to see you.”

Adelaide gives me one last look over her shoulder while being led away. I release the breath that I feel like I’ve been holding for the past twenty-four hours and drop my towel before walking back to where she was showering and finish what I started, surrounded by the scent of her.

My captivating little captive.

Chapter 8

Riven

“You wanted to see me?” I enter the queen’s private dressing room, just one of the many hidden spaces tucked away near the Hall of Mirrors.

“Is she ready?” She answers my question with a question, more on edge than normal.

“Yes. Everything is just as you requested. She’s getting dressed now, and I gave strict instructions for her to be delivered to the Great Hall by sundown.” I stare at the marble floor beneath my boots, not daring to lift my gaze to hers.

“Very well.” Her response is short and quick, but I’ve spent enough time alone with her to know she wants to say more.

As if reading my mind.

“Why is it that you couldn’t tear your eyes away from her,” she spits out, “yet you avoiding looking upon me as I dress?”