The little prince skips back inside, seeming to forget I’m still standing here. Senan doesn’t forget, though. No, he stares at me, his brow furrowing and head tilting.
“Thank you for that,” I whisper, unable to keep the emotion from my voice. Why does he have to be so kind? Why can’t he be an evil bastard instead? And seeing the way he treats his brother, the love in his eyes and in his tone when he interacts with him, makes me want to sob. He will make a great father someday.
A great father to someone else’s child.
Oh, stars. I’m going to cry.
Emotion climbs my throat as I turn and start for the door.
“Wait,” Senan calls, his boots clicking on the marble as he hurries after me. The familiar scent of his cologne finds its way through my mask, filling my head with so many wonderful memories. What I wouldn’t give to be that girl again, the one he loved for a little while.
“I want to apologize for the other night,” he says, golden sunlight highlighting his sharp cheekbones as he glances down at his boots. “I swear I don’t make a habit of attacking women.” When his eyes return to my masked face, I consider dropping the barrier. Consider telling him everything despite him loving someone else. But sometimes, when you love someone, you need to know when to let them go.
I had my time.
He belongs to the princess now.
Telling him the truth will only make this harder on both of us. And I’m not sure I can bear to have him know I’m here and still choose her.
The smallest wrinkle appears between his dark brows. “Is there anything I can do to make up for behaving so abominably?”
Leave her.
Love me again.
I shake my head. “You just saved me. Consider us even.”
Braith claspsher hands beneath her chin, her dark eyes wide as saucers as she begs at my door. “Please, Wynn. You must come with us. You’ll go mad if you don’t get out of this cave.”
Tomorrow will be our first proper day off since we were hired, and apparently, that means heading into the city for drinks tonight. Which sounds brilliant, except, “I can’t afford to go out.”
Every coin I earn will go toward starting a new life far from this castle. From this kingdom. Frivolity will not help me reach my goal.
She waves off my perfectly valid excuse. “Oh, none of us can afford it. Luckily, Jeston’s uncle owns a pub, so he and his friends drink for free.”
I highly doubt Jeston would consider me a friend. “Who else is going?”
“Jeston, of course. And Mari, Del, maybe Paulie and Des. We’re going to listen to some music, dance, and get a littledrunk.” She pinches her thumb and forefinger together. “It’ll be the most fun you’ve ever had. I promise.”
Let me see… I can either stay in this room and stew over losing Senanorgo out on the town with my fellow servants. Not much of a choice, really. Besides, if the drinks aren’t free, I don’t have to have any, do I?
But there is one other problem. “I don’t have anything to wear.” The nicest thing I own is this uniform, and the dress doesn’t even belong to me.
“Don’t you worry about that,” she says. “I’ll sort you right out.”
Braith leaves, only to return a few minutes later carrying a black dress with a corseted bodice and full skirt, similar to the gray one she has changed into, along with a small bag of makeup. After I’ve changed, she helps me apply cream to conceal the dark circles beneath my eyes and rouge for my cheeks and lips. There is kohl to darken my lashes as well, and by the time we finish, I barely recognize the woman in the mirror staring back at me.
I haven’t felt this pretty in years. Even my black waves look glossy after Braith works her magic.
It’s time, I think. Time for me to put my past behind me and look forward to my future. A future of my own making.
We meet Jeston and the others in the hallway outside his room. While everyone else exchanges greetings, he leads us down the corridor toward the south tower that eventually leads to a stony courtyard. The two Scathians in black leathers standing guard at the gates let us through without issue.
On the long walk to town, Braith tells me about her family, and by the time she stops talking about her two sisters and three brothers, we’ve reached a building of black marble.
I watch in horror as everyone goes inside The Black Hole, even Braith. Aren’t they nervous about entering the realm’s most notorious establishment? I can’t go in there…can I?
“Aren’t you coming, Wynn?” Braith calls over her shoulder, holding the door open for me.