Prim opened her door to find Sarasha posted as her escort. There was another guard at the end of the hallway, as there usually was, but the absence of a guard outside Bristol’s door told her that the other handmaiden had already left.
Shit. She’d spent too much time with Dante.
A wispy smile crossed her face. She didn’t regret it. He was just as talented a lover as she’d imagined.
Sarasha craned her neck to scan the room, her chestnut hair shifting in the movement. Then she gave Prim an assessing look.
Prim returned the look. “I don’t think you have to check the room when I’m leaving. Just when I’m arriving. To make sure there are no bad guys in there, I guess.”
Sarasha raised a brow. “You were in there alone?”
Prim blinked, realizing she must have been loud enough for the fae to hear through the thick door. Apparently Dante had that effect on women. “Of course.”
The guard didn’t seem convinced.
“Women of the court are expected to be chaste. As such, I’ve become quite adept at being alone.” Prim winked at the woman, smoothing down her blue skirts.
Sarasha looked at her wide-eyed. “Apparently. I’ve never had such a good time alone.”
“Maybe I’ll give you some pointers.”
Sarasha stared at her for a moment longer. Then her pale eyes crinkled as she smiled. “You’re funny. I like you.”
Prim laughed outright. This new guard was nearly as clueless about castle etiquette as Blukke was. “I suppose that’s a good thing as you’re going to be spending a lot of time with me.”
The two women made their way toward Kallia’s chambers. She was likely still in the middle of breakfast, which was also good, because Prim was starving.
“All the unmarried women here are virgins?” Sarasha suddenly asked.
“Of course,” Prim lied. She wasn’t about to get into the ins and outs of secret romances and gossip with this woman she’d only just met.
“Even the princess?”
“Especially the princess,” Prim said dramatically. Kallia was the least experienced of the three of them, though that said more about Prim and Bristol than her.
Sarasha made a noise of contemplation. “Pity.”
Prim laughed. She liked the guard, too. Prim would have talked to her more, but they arrived at Kallia’s chambers. The doors were open with even more guards than usual--including Roan and Blukke--and servants bustling about frantically.
As Prim entered the entertaining suite, Kallia--already standing in the middle of the room with Bristol by her side--whirled on her. “Where have you been?”
Prim cleared her throat. “I was seeing to a personal matter.” She heard her escort failing to hold back a snort behind her. “What’s going on?”
Roan answered. “We received word that the Lanhami royals will be arriving this evening. Five days early. We have everyone working to ready the castle. Everyone but your friend. He seems to have abandoned his post.”
Prim furrowed her brows, knowing that was a lie. “He was posted somewhere and he just…left?”
Roan clenched his jaw. “Not a literal post. I just meant I can’t find him. He wasn’t in his room and the complex wasn’t yet opened for the day when I was looking for him. He didn’t know where he was.” Roan pointed his thumb at Blukke. “Where else could he have been?”
Prim flicked her eyes to Blukke, whose mouth tugged up in a knowing smile. Prim didn’t answer the rhetorical question. “He knows what will happen if he…loses this job. He wouldn’t have left. I’m sure he was just on a walk or something. He’s probably back in his room now.”
Blukke took a step forward. “Oh, I’m sure Lady Primrose is correct. She knows him best, after all. Shall I go check?”
Roan flared his nostrils. “She’s known him a month,” he said in a dangerous, quiet voice.
Kallia, sensing trouble, stepped between Roan, Blukke, and Prim. “Blukke, please find Dante and bring him here for his orders. Roan, please ensure all your other men are doing what is needed. Now that I have Prim, I want my chambers cleared of everyone but our escorts.”
Roan looked at Blukke. “Bring him to me for his orders. I’ll be--”
Kallia raised her chin, cutting Roan off. “I said bring him here, Kern.”
The room quieted at her commanding tone.
Roan nodded sheepishly, then hardened his gaze as he again looked at Blukke, who hadn’t moved. “Your princess gave you an order.”
Blukke started, then swiftly exited the chambers. Roan used his kern voice to command all the other guards and servants out, save for Sarasha, Tuck and the other two escorts for the day.
When they were alone, Roan approached Kallia. “Dante and Blukke are not to be trusted.”
Kallia rolled her eyes. “Prim trusts them.”
Roan flicked his gaze to Prim. She shook her head subtly in request not to share their secret. He sighed. “Prim has been cajoled by a con man with a dragon connection. They are not to be trusted, Princess.”
At least he hadn’t thrown Dante under the bus. But, seriously, cajoled?
Kallia narrowed her eyes at him. “Why would you hire guards that cannot be trusted, Kern Hollon?”
Roan shook his head and gripped the princess’s shoulder, lowering his voice so the escorts now planted against the wall couldn’t hear. “Cut the Kern bullshit, Kallia. I’m being serious.”
Kallia matched his low tone. “Prim trusts them, Roan. You need to get ahold of yourself. Dante didn’t take her from you. She was never yours.”
Prim winced. Oh, Solin save her. Why did Kallia have to bring that up?
Roan dragged his eyes to Prim. “Is she saying you’re his?”
Prim pressed her eyes closed. “I belong to no one except Kallia,” she said loudly and proudly, though it was a lie. If Dante wanted her, she would be his.
“That’s what I fucking told him,” Roan said loudly, forgetting about the guards within earshot. “Because I know you.”
Kallia scoffed, squeezing Prim’s hands. “You don’t belong to me. You are my friend, not my property.”
The three seasoned guards kept their eyes straight, but Sarasha was watching with interest as if they were putting on a play. Bristol had taken to lounging on a chaise, popping grapes into her mouth, immune to her friends’ theatrics.
Noticing their audience, Prim kissed Kallia’s cheek and walked past her, not bothering to look at Roan. She had nothing else to say to him. He would have to come to accept that she wasn’t in love with him, and there was nothing she could do to ease that burden. Prim sat on a chaise next to Bristol’s, selecting some food for herself.
When she raised her head from the spread of food, she found Kallia and Roan both looking at her. “What do we need to do before the Lanhami arrive?”
Bristol answered, stretching her legs out on the chaise, her blue skirts fanning around them. “We’ll need to make Kallia the most beautiful she’s ever been. I’ve already laid out three new dresses for her to choose from in her dressing room.”
Roan ignored her, turning to Kallia again. “What orders, exactly, do you plan on giving Dante?”
Prim groaned, rolling her eyes. “For fuck’s sake, Roan, will you leave it? Dante can be trusted. He is here to protect and serve Kallia. You know that better than anyone.”
“I do know why he’s here better than anyone.” The unspoken threat was obvious to only Prim.
She scoffed. “I would throw you over my knee and spank you like the impetuous child you’re acting like right now if I didn’t know you’d enjoy it.”
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
Roan threw up his hands. “You don’t even know what that word means!”
“Oh, fuck off, Roan,” Prim said, exasperated.
“You fuck off, Prim!” Roan’s attempt at subtlety in front of the other guards had long been abandoned.
“You fuck off!” Prim repeated, sitting up straighter, now thoroughly annoyed with him.
“You fuck off!” Roan shot back again, the words echoing through the chamber, his body taking a fighting stance, his feline eyes bright with anger.
Prim and Roan glared at one another, the room silent at their childish outbursts.
Then snickers erupted from Sarasha, quickly followed by Bristol, then Kallia, and finally Prim.
But not Roan. He huffed, then turned to leave. Prim leapt from the chaise, bounding after him.
“Wait!” she called as he reached for the door.
Roan turned around and Prim flung her arms around his neck, burying her face in his chest. He only hesitated for a moment before wrapping his arms around her back.
“I’m sorry,” Prim said. Even if he was being an ass, he was only trying to protect Kallia. The same as everyone else. And he wouldn’t tell Dante’s secret. Prim was certain of it.
Roan’s hands stroked her back as he held her. “I’m sorry, too.”
“Please stop being mad at me,” Prim whispered. She hated it. It hurt to have him acting like this toward her.
Roan stiffened. “I’m not mad at you, Prim. I’m just sad. And worried about you. I don’t understand what you’re doing with him.” In their embrace, Roan spoke softly into her hair, and Prim could feel the loose strands of her braid fluttering in his breath.
Prim pulled back to look up at him, moving her hands to cup his face. “I’m sorry you’re sad. But I can’t help the way I feel, Roan. And you don’t need to be worried about me. I know what I’m doing. Can you try to not hate him? Please?”
Roan’s feline eyes bore into her, his hands on her back stilling.
The door opened and Prim looked past Roan's shoulder to see Blukke escorting Dante in his doll form, wearing a guard uniform with his hair tied back. Roan pressed her into him even more, knowing who was behind him without looking. Prim released a disappointed breath, taking that as a No.
She dropped her hands from his face, using them instead to push off Roan’s chest in a request to release her. He kept his arms around her a moment after her silent request, long enough for Dante to approach and look over them.
“You were looking for me, Kern?” Dante’s tone was bored, as if he didn’t at all care about Roan’s hold on her.
Roan put a possessive hand on Prim’s neck. “We’ll finish this later,” he said loudly before dropping his hand and flicking his eyes to Dante. “Princess Kallia has orders for you.”
Roan stalked out without even bowing to Kallia.
Prim offered Dante an apologetic smile, but he kept his face neutral.
Kallia approached and Dante bowed low, shocking Prim. When he rose, Kallia took his hands. “It’s a pleasure to meet the man so loyal to me and my handmaiden.” She gestured to the chaises. “Please sit and eat. You must be hungry if you were taking such a long walk this morning.” Kallia flicked her eyes to Prim with just the hint of a smile, announcing the princess had an idea of exactly why she had been late and he wasn’t in his room.
Dante looked to Prim, who nodded subtly, then all three of them joined Bristol among the chaises--Kallia and Dante each claiming an empty one, Prim choosing to share the one Dante claimed. Blukke remained standing until Kallia pointed out he wasn’t an escort right now, and he was welcome to sit as well. He seemed to be disappointed that Bristol was stretched out on hers, and he sat on the only free one instead.
Prim picked up the plate she’d made herself and started eating. When Dante didn’t make a move to sample any of the fruit, pastries, or cheeses on the low table in the center of the square of chaises, Prim held out her plate between them in offering. That, he accepted, popping a small block of cheese into his mouth before selecting a cherry tart. “Thank you, Lady Primrose.”
Prim’s stomach flipped, loving his respectable act when she knew the dirty thoughts flowing just below the surface. She stared at him a bit too long, long enough for his mask to crack a bit, revealing that twitch of his mouth no one else would notice. She wondered if anyone would notice if she climbed on top of him. Probably.
Blukke helped himself to the food, sharing eye-fucking glances with Bristol between bites in which he stuck his fingers much further into his mouth than necessary.
Kallia sat still, observing with keen eyes.
“May I suggest a job for Dante?” Prim asked into the sounds of shuffling and chewing.
Kallia’s mouth twisted into a devious smile. “What did you have in mind, Lady Primrose?” she asked mockingly.
Prim looked over Dante, who had stilled with his mouth open, holding the tart in midair before it. “He can do your hair. He’s brilliant at it.”
Dante coughed, setting the tart down onto Prim’s plate before addressing Kallia. “I beg your pardon, Pri--” Dante hesitated, licking his lips and glancing at Prim. “I beg your pardon, Highness, but Lady Primrose is being too kind. I can secure hair to hold up against flying--I come from a family of dragon whisperers--but I don’t have the skills to make it fashionable. Not that much skill would be needed with hair as beautiful as yours.”
Blukke chuckled. “You’ve been holding out on me, brother. Why do you speak to me so cruelly when you’ve had that silver tongue all the while?”
Prim looked sidelong at Dante, now thinking about his tongue and what else it was good at. “Dante is being modest.”
He cleared his throat. “I had intentions of following a lead on the plot against you today, Highness.”
Kallia raised a brow. “What lead? Kern Hollon informed me this morning there was only one lead, and we wouldn’t have news on it for at least a few weeks.”
“Somanti--”
Kallia stopped him with the shake of her head. “It was my understanding that Somanti was dead and the search of his office unfruitful. That you were present at both. Roan said a pouch of poisoned pellets that had been missed on the initial search was found on his body when it was removed from the dungeons. Somanti poisoned himself to avoid his punishment.”
Prim and Dante shared a look at the news. Apparently she’d been right and he’d been wrong about Somanti having a contingency plan.
Dante looked around the room, his eyes lingering on Bristol then the four guards against the wall. “Yes, but Prim and I think there might still be a trail.”
Kallia straightened, looking at Prim. Prim didn’t think there was a trail, but she would support Dante. It wouldn’t hurt anything, and there was always the slim possibility that he was right about Somanti being a mindmolder. The creep had given her that sick feeling in her gut when he looked at her. “There was a vial of blood--”
Dante’s hand shot out to grip her thigh and he shook his head once, quickly. Prim understood he didn’t want this information getting out, as benign as it seemed to her, and stopped.
“Blood?” Kallia pressed, looking between Dante and Prim.
Dante shook his head. “There was an empty vial in his office. There was a dark smudge in it that could have been blood or wine or chocolate or any number of things. It just seemed odd. Odd enough to look into.”
Kallia looked pensive for a moment, no one else moving or speaking. “May I see it?”
Dante shook his head again. “I don’t have it. Kern Hollon took it. I haven’t had the opportunity to request it back.”
Kallia shrugged. “No matter. It can wait. Today, I have another job for you.” Kallia’s eyes focused on where Dante’s hand remained to Prim’s leg. He quickly removed it. The princess smiled slyly. “With the castle in chaos today, I want an extra escort on my handmaidens. Dante, you will join Tuck in escorting Bristol. Blukke, you will join Sarasha in escorting Prim.”
Nobody protested, though Prim narrowed her eyes at the princess. Kallia only batted her eyelashes in mischief.
“You may finish your breakfast and take your places at the wall.” Kallia turned her attention to her handmaidens. “Before you start to pluck and paint me like a prized pig, let’s go over what we know about the Lanhami royals, hmm?”
The three women compiled everything they’d ever gleaned about the five siblings, focusing on the three who would be arriving today. Crown Prince Tigan would not be accompanying his family, instead remaining with his young daughter and pregnant wife in Lanham. Nor would the youngest princess; she was still a child.
“Neros is the second oldest and third in line--soon to be fourth. He is unmarried, no children. I’ve heard he’s attractive and kind, but everyone says that about all royalty.” Bristol tilted her head at Kallia, blowing her a kiss. “Though in your case, it’s true.”
Kallia rolled her eyes, smiling. “Then there’s Torra, the older princess.”
“I heard she’s in love with a fae and plans on marrying as soon as the new heir is born and she’s moved to fifth in line,” Prim offered.
Bristol hummed to herself. “I think I might have heard that. It sounds vaguely familiar.”
Kallia twisted her lips. “Anything about if she’s nice or not?” At the handmaidens’ shaking heads, the princess moved on. “That leaves Egan.”
The women shared a look, not announcing to the room that he would be Kallia’s betrothed in case Egan was deemed unworthy over the next fortnight.
“I got nothing,” Prim sighed, falling back in the chaise, her arm brushing Dante’s. He’d finished eating but had yet to leave her side. She pressed her palm on the seat between them, and his hand inched closer to wrap an inconspicuous pinky around her own. Her heart fluttered.
Bristol shook her head. “Attractive and kind, I’m sure,” she added unconvincingly.
Kallia swallowed. “He’s nineteen and a human prince far enough removed from his own throne to be of any use to his country. That’s all I was told.”
Prim scoffed. “Who told you that? That’s a pretty savage way of determining someone’s usefulness.”
Kallia didn’t answer, but she didn’t need to. Prim already knew it was the crotchety brunette woman who gave the princess her private diplomacy lessons every afternoon.
Bristol stood to drop onto Kallia’s chaise, hugging her tightly. “I’m sure he’ll be nice.”
Blukke cleared his throat and all three women looked at him. He, too, had finished eating but remained on a chaise, his ankle resting on his knee, his arms stretched across the back. “May I ask a question?”
Kallia narrowed her eyes slightly, but nodded. “You may.”
Prim felt Dante shift next to her to aim his attention at Blukke. His pinky stayed wrapped around hers, though.
“You haven’t discussed their gifts.” The bowerbird shifter looked at them expectantly, patting the back of the chaise with his palms.
Kallia raised a brow. “That’s not a question.”
Blukke smiled, his violet eyes crinkling. “Apologies, Princess. Why haven’t you discussed their gifts? That’s what we should know. What’s it matter if they’re nice or not if they can light you on fire or snap your neck with a thought?”
Prim untangled her pinky from Dante’s so she could take his whole hand in hers, squeezing it once. “Because if they’re nice, good people, it doesn’t matter if they have such gifts. They wouldn’t use them like that even though they could,” she said.
Blukke opened his mouth to say something else, but Prim flicked her eyes pointedly toward Dante. The bowerbird shifter stilled, then smiled at her. Not the charming, arrogant smile she’d seen on him thus far, but something far softer. “I see. Lady Primrose, I’m very glad my brother found you that night.”
Dante squeezed Prim’s hand back, silently announcing his agreement. She fought the urge to lean her head on his shoulder. She would be very glad when the escorts were deemed no longer necessary.
“They’re all gifted,” Bristol offered to Blukke anyway. “But I haven’t heard anything about what their gifts are. As with our own court, their gifts are kept secret for security reasons.” Prim and Kallia murmured their agreement.
Prim saw Blukke and Dante exchange a look before Kallia extracted herself from Bristol’s grip and stood up.
The princess took a deep breath. “Okay, ladies. Let’s get started.”