When Dante returned to the castle, he went straight to Kallia’s chambers. It had been drizzling, and he’d gathered the women stayed inside when it was wet outside. The guards at the doors let him enter, but he only found Kallia and Bristol there, playing some kind of dice game at the long table, their escorts planted against the wall. Dante locked eyes with Blukke and the bowerbird shifter’s eye narrowed at the wild look Dante knew was on his face.

“She’s gone to bed early,” Bristol offered, not even lifting her eyes from the game before her.

Kallia, however, raised her gaze with a mischievous grin. “Seems she couldn’t sleep last night.”

Dante bowed to the princess. “May I borrow Blukke for a private word?”

Bristol looked up at the request, trying to read what secrets he was about to share. Kallia only nodded, gesturing to her bathing chamber.

Once inside, Dante shared what he’d found out at the Bench.

“I’m rich,” Blukke breathed disbelievingly, running a hand through his short dark hair.

“You’re rich,” Dante confirmed.

“We’re rich, brother.” Blukke smiled wide, wrapping his arms around Dante and clapping his back. “Fucking Sol.”

Dante shook his head. “Fucking Sol. I guess the old man was keen on us after all.” His prized disciples, indeed.

Blukke laughed. “Too bad he was a rat bastard when he was alive.”

Dante pulled the ring out of his pocket. “I took this from the vault. Just letting you know so you don’t think I’m angling for more than my fair share.”

Blukke looked over the ring, raising a brow. “Did you, now?”

Dante ignored the probing question. “There’s some paperwork there we need to go through that might have some relevant information to our mission. We’ll go back tomorrow and collect it. Bring it here and sort through. I’ll talk to Roan--see if we can get the day off from escort duty.”

The men exited the bathing chamber and Dante requested use of Kallia’s writing desk. He wrote a message to Roan, handing it to the guards posted outside to see it got to the kern. Then he left Blukke on the wall of the princess’s entertaining suite to take his own post outside Prim’s door, Sarasha already in place.

The fae woman nodded in greeting. “She got her ass handed to her in the armory. That’s why she wanted to take a nap before dinner.”

Dante clenched his jaw. Bristol made it seem like Prim was in her room for the night. He was looking forward to not having to watch Prince Pretty-Boy make Prim laugh through another meal.

The three Lanhami had again had lunch with Prim and her friends, and Neros had again sat next to Prim. He’d draped his arm over the back of her chair as he leaned past her to speak to Kallia for nearly thirty minutes straight, his chest often brushing against Prim’s shoulder. Prim had sat between them without joining the conversation, her eyes drooping from sleep deprivation. Her head dipped once as if she would fall asleep right there, but Dante had reached out a phantom hand to cup her chin, lifting it up. That had brightened her face right up, and she’d locked eyes with him in thanks, giving him a secret smile.

Sarasha leaned against the wall. “Are you going to be leaving during her lessons everyday now?”

Dante had appreciated her telling Neros off, but he still didn’t trust the fae or her endless questions. “Can you not handle the job on your own?”

The woman straightened. “I was just wondering. Where is it you go?”

Dante didn’t answer, and Sarasha didn’t attempt to speak any more to him. They stood in silence for over an hour before Bristol and her escorts clattered down the hall. The handmaiden slipped into her room, leaving them all behind.

Blukke sidled up close to speak softly to Dante. “The cat came to ask the princess about letting us off tomorrow. She said it would be fine, but asked for guards to take our places. She really does just want two escorts on the girls. Despite the hundreds of guards at his disposal, Roan offered himself as your replacement.”

Gods. Dante wanted to be nice to the leopard shifter--for Prim--but he didn’t make it easy.

“She said no, right?”

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Roan was a kern. He had better things to do. Plus, Kallia had witnessed their fight. She wouldn’t tether Prim to him after that. Would she?

“She said she didn’t care who they were as long as they protected her friends and weren’t assholes.”

Sarasha laughed. “Knocks him out then, doesn’t it?”

Dante pressed his eyes closed to refrain from barking at her to mind her own damn business, though he also appreciated learning she wasn’t a fan of Roan.

Luckily, Bristol emerged having freshened up for dinner, and glided down the hall to rouse Prim. A groggy Prim answered the door to say she wasn’t up for dinner and requested food--a lot of food--be brought to her chamber instead. She looked over Bristol’s shoulder to find him and smiled. He knew that extra food was meant for him. That she didn’t like missing out on that extra time he spent last night going to the barracks to eat. His heart fluttered.

After another few hours, Dante wasn’t sure if he’d have preferred listening to Prince Pretty-Boy over standing in a silent hallway with Sarasha or not. Time seemed to drag on. The only break in the monotony was a messenger delivering a paper from Roan with a single word: Approved. Dante would still need to ask him about the damn vial the shifter was avoiding giving him, but the chest of paperwork was a good find and he was excited to get into it, so the vial could wait.

Eventually, the night shift came and Dante and Sarasha exited the castle. He allowed her to pull ahead before disappearing into that shadowy alcove and tossing his shirt under the topiary. He was in Prim’s room a minute later, but she was in bed, asleep.

The food still laid across the low table in front of the chaise that had been turned askew in their session last night, and he ate his fill before undressing and climbing into bed with her. He, too, was exhausted and was a little relieved to find her asleep. If she had been awake, he would have talked to her and loved every minute of it. If she’d asked him to fuck her, he would have--happily. But he also loved just sleeping next to her with his arm around her. So that’s exactly what he did.

Dante was attuned enough with Prim’s breathing that he woke the minute she did. The sun was already up and the sound of chirping birds filled the air as his eyes opened to find hers already looking at him.

Prim smiled sleepily. “I missed you.”

He knew exactly what she meant. He missed her those hours he was standing just on the other side of her door, unable to reach her. It was a special kind of torture.

“I have something for you.” Dante rolled over to reach his pants on the floor, pulling out the ring. He handed it to her and watched as she inspected it curiously. “I thought you might like it. Because you wear blue a lot.”

Prim dragged her eyes to him and she smiled. “I do like it. Thank you.” She kissed him before sliding it onto her marriage finger.

Dante’s stomach twisted. “I…I’m sorry but I didn’t mean…”

Prim breathed a laugh. “I know. That’s just where I want to wear it. It fits that finger perfectly, anyway.” She kissed him again. “Where did you get it?”

Dante explained his trip to the Bench--all thanks to her suggestion. “So if you’re into jewelry and other fancy items, you’re welcome to come with me and pick out whatever pieces you want. It won’t hurt my feelings if you don’t like that ring. There are a hundred others to choose from--necklaces, earrings, and bracelets, too. Whatever you want is yours, Bear.” Dante stroked her arm, reveling in her soft skin.

She stared at him wide-eyed as he told her of his discovery, but then her soft smile returned. “I love this ring. I don’t need anything else. I just want you.”

She kissed him again, this time much deeper with that amazing tongue wrapping around his own. That’s all it took, and he was ready to ruin her again.

Dante moved his hand down her back to squeeze her ass before dipping under the hem of her nightgown, his fingers brushing her soft folds.

Prim recoiled and Dante immediately removed his hand.

“I know I made some big talk about wanting you to keep up with me—and I hope you’re not disappointed—but I’m actually still a bit sore.” Prim bit her lip apologetically.

Dante laughed, pulling her back into him. “I did fucking destroy you.”

She laughed, too, as she wrapped her arms around him. “You absolutely did.”

Dante sighed blissfully, completely content with holding her in his arms. “Of course I’m not disappointed. I’m here for you. That sweet cunt of yours is just the icing on the cake.”

She shimmied away a bit to look at him mischievously. “You’re not disappointed at all? Because my mouth isn’t all that sore…”

Dante hummed a noise of satisfaction. He knew Prim had been joking about him ruining her, but she had certainly ruined him. He would never find a woman half as beautiful, kind, funny, smart, adventurous, or sexy. He would be chasing this high for the rest of his life.

His voice dropped low. “I’m not disappointed, Bear. But I also wouldn’t mind having your mouth around me.”

With a coy smile, she dipped under the covers and Dante’s eyes were rolling back a moment later, his hands gathering her long hair to keep it out of her way, tugging in pleasure as she licked and sucked and bobbed her head, one hand fondling his balls and the other stroking the base of his cock. He was spilling into her mouth in no time and nearly passed out when she emerged, swiping her left thumb across her bottom lip to catch an errant drop then licking it clean.

He stared, and not just because it was the sexiest thing he’d ever seen. His gaze lingered on the ring he’d given her that she’d put on her marriage finger.

He was a bit disappointed that she hadn’t thought he’d intended it to be a marriage ring.

He was a bit disappointed in himself for not intending it to be a marriage ring.