David slid out from under Elana’s arm and rubbed sleep from his eyes. The room was quiet, and he rolled off the mattress, pulling together the lapels of his thin vest as he went. The chain binding him to the bed clicked against the floor, but he ran a hand over the silver necklace Elana had gifted him yesterday. The thin rod at its end could be mistaken for a pendant, but it was the key to the fur-lined shackle around his left ankle.
None of this felt right.
He had been dragged out of bed in Cerces’ reclaimed castle and brought to the capital of Astal. As leader of the rebellion, he was the kingdom’s most dangerous criminal.
After the guards knocked him around a bit, he was thrown into the bedchamber of Princess Elana.
He’d been to hell and back. A glance over his scarred arms proved it. And he had no idea what to expect from the princess. Was she worse than the dungeons of Dalle?
No, she very much wasn’t. Or…
Not an hour in, she started tickling him. And there he was, trapped in a new hell. One managed by a beautiful, sweet demoness.
She had her reasons. Particularly, a literal evil stepmother.
David didn’t have family, but he figured this was as bad as it got. She was trying to take charge of the kingdom, but the step-queen was arguing that Elana was too immature. To top it off, Elana believed in David’s goals— to ban the gladiator circuit he’d grown up in, and destroy dungeons like Dalle.
She wasn’t trying to hurt him. From the very beginning, even when he was trying to hurt her. The girl was a princess. He was a gladiator pretending to be a prince.
But she never doubted him. And there was beauty in that he’d never be able to describe.
Just like the beauty he saw now, watching her doze. Her raven hair spilled across the pillows, complimenting her tanned skin. Maybe he’d never grow tired of seeing it.
And that was exactly the problem. What happened? How had he ended up like this? When did he lose touch with his goals? How had this girl overtaken the dreams he’d clung to for years?
He wasn’t sure, and he didn’t particularly care, because he knew she felt the same way.
The war was ending. Whatever happened next, they were in it together.
The door to the bedroom banged open.
David jerked back as Queen Taria stepped inside, Elana’s guard Aldien at her heels. “Highness, I believe you’re overreacting—”
“I’m not overreacting to anything.” She caught David by the throat. He clawed at her wrist, but her grip only tightened. “I should have known you would assault my stepdaughter.”
David shook his head, gasping.
“Well, if you didn’t, then Elana must have agreed to it.” She tossed David aside. “How unbecoming of a princess.”
No.
Aldien stared at him. David grimaced, trying to dredge up an idea— any idea— to get Elana out of this.
He scoffed under his breath.
The queen turned. “What was that, traitor?”
“Oh, you say it like she had a choice.” He was pulling it off, from the look on the queen’s face. “I mean, look at me. What I want, I get. And I wanted out, so I went through your royal bitch.” He gestured with a smile, and noticed, too late, how Elana was sitting on the edge of the bed, horrified.
“You are a piece of shit.” Taria stalked to where he lay on the floor and planted a solid kick in his gut. He rolled aside, curling up. The queen waved. “Aldien, clean this up. We’ll send him to Dalle tomorrow morning. Right now I need to speak with my daughter.”
Aldien undid the shackle binding David to the bed, hauled him upright, and marched him out of the room. As his hands were bound behind him, David glanced back. Taria was telling Elana something. Elana had her head in her hands. She was crying. He’d made Elana cry.
He craned his neck to look at Aldien. “That was bad.”
“No kidding. Didn’t know you could be such an asshole, kid.”
“I’m not a kid.” He shook his head. “But— but you have to tell her I wasn’t serious.”
“I’m not sure if she’ll believe that, after what you just did.”
“She has to,” he whispered. “I don’t know what I’ll do without her.”
“That— I didn’t expect that.” Aldien led him down some stone stairs. “You’ve fallen for her, haven’t you?”
“I think I have,” David admitted. “That’s the real bad part.”
“No. That’s the best part.” Aldien led him to a wall, took off the shackles, then his necklace with the key on it.
“I guess the next time I see you, I’ll be in Dalle.”
“Oh, I hope not, Highness.” He clipped one of David’s hands to the wall over his head, then wound the chain of David’s necklace around his fingers so that the key sat in his palm. After that, Aldien finished binding him.
The guard patted his pockets and spun, kicking at the ground. “Where’s the key the princess made for him?” he deadpanned. “Oh no, the little bastard must’ve pickpocketed me.”
David smiled. “You’re a good man, Aldien.”
“I’m just doing my job, Highness.” He turned. “Hmm, maybe I dropped the key in the armory across the hall.”
David laughed under his breath, then got the key into the shackles and released one of his hands. He freed the other, dusted himself off, then trailed after Aldien. The dungeon was barren, and he dodged outside. A few steps down the hall, just like Aldien said, was another wooden door. David rushed inside, only just thankful that his bare feet made less noise than boots.
The armory was massive. Everything from greatswords to longbows to pikes. David spun, starry-eyed, then noticed a beautiful short sword. He tested its weight and gave an experimental swing, but he knew from the moment he saw it that it was his sword.
But… did he need a sword?
With a grimace, he abandoned it, and instead turned to the far side of the room. There were dozens of suits of armor, all from the castle guard. David reached for a breastplate and measured it against his chest.
***
David looked away every time he passed a guard in the hall, focusing on his boots or the parchment flyer he’d stolen from the armory. He remembered the way back to Elana’s quarters well enough… maybe.
“Apprentice?”
David stopped. The boots of the guard were right in front of him. He looked up. “Yes?”
General Cilen’s eyes widened. “Holy shit.”
Guess she was important, if she knew who he was. “Hi.”
“What are you—” she dragged him aside as a courier hurried past. “What are you doing outside of Elana’s quarters? Dressed like… like this?”
“I… the queen caught Elana and I together.”
“Together? You two are supposed to be together.”
“No, I mean…” he pulled a face. “We’ve been a little more than that.”
“I— of course.” The general swept a hand through her hair. “But that doesn’t explain what you’re doing right now.”
“The queen had Aldien throw me in the dungeon. I got out and into the armory.” He gestured at his suit of armor. “I’m trying to get back to Elana’s quarters.”
“Back to her quarters?”
“I said some things I really shouldn’t have, and I think I really hurt her. I need to find her.”
“I can help with that.” Cilen turned. “Gods, when this is over, that girl is going to owe me so much. Escapee rebel boyfriend. What next?”
“Those labels are badges of honor,” David said.
“So are these.” Cilen tapped the medals on her chest. “Now shut up, we’re almost there.”
She almost turned down the side hall, but reeled when Taria stalked through. Cilen froze.
“You.” The queen turned. “I thought you lived in that war room.”
Cilen played with the straps coming off her gauntlet. “I-I don’t, your Highness.”
“Never mind, General. What are you doing here?”
“G-giving some new palace guards a tour of the castle.”
Taria glared at David. “Do I know you?”
Cilen smiled. “You should. He saved the lives of three soldiers in the battle for Finnar.”
“That is no accomplishment. It should be the standard. Get more like him and replace your weaklings.” She smiled. “And he’s even smart enough to know not to look his queen in the eye.” David went rigid as Taria patted his head. “Do well, private.”
He nodded. “Thank you, Highness.”
Taria swept away.
David watched her drift out of sight, then grabbed Cilen. “Are you trying to get me killed?”
“I think I just saved your life.” She shoved David toward Elana’s quarters. “Okay, you’re here. Go find the princess.”
“Wait, before you go.” He grabbed her arm. “You’re the one who who believes in this, right?”
“I think you know what you want but don’t know what you’re doing.”
David stepped back. “That’s… accurate.”
“I also think that with enough weight behind you, you’ll be able to carry out your plan. And I’m willing to offer up that weight.” She smiled as David’s face lit up. “But you better be careful. Do you understand?”
“Absolutely.” He shook her hand. “Thank you. Thank you so much. I’ll never forget this.”
“Just make sure you keep reasonable standards for your soldiers.” She tipped her head in the direction that Taria had gone. “And that in the end, your army doesn’t execute me, okay?”
He chuckled. “Deal.”
“Now go find your princess.”
He dodged down the hall to Elana’s quarters, but not before tossing the general one more smile.
Aldien stood at the end of the hall. His eyes widened as David rushed toward him, shedding armor along the way.
“Highness!” Aldien met David halfway down. He glanced at the armor strewn across the hall behind him. “I… I didn’t know you did ‘subtle.’”
“Apparently I do now.” He shrugged off the breastplate and dumped it into Aldien’s hands. The palace guard staggered under its weight. “Did you explain to Elana?”
“The queen only just left.”
“I know. I saw.” David bit his cheek. “I— I’ll do this by myself.”
“Are you sure? You have no idea what they were talking about.”
“They don’t matter. This is between me and her.” David looked down, tightened his lips, and pulled off his boots and vest. “There. And—” he fumbled with his necklace before slapping it, and the key, into Aldien’s hand.
“I’ll ask again: are you sure? This seems… extreme.”
“I don’t care if I have to throw myself on a sword.” He paused with one hand on the door. Was that true?
Yes. Yes it was.
He threw the door open.
Elana looked up, her face puffy. “David?”
“Thank gods you’re okay. I thought she’d take it out on you.”
“No, she didn’t. I’m glad she found the real evil here.” He froze as she stood. He had almost half a foot on her, but the look on her face struck a chord of terror in him. “How could you use me like that?’
“I didn’t, I swear.” He dropped to his knees. “Please, Princess, you know how well I can act—”
“You’re not helping your case.”
“I…” he bowed his head. “Do you really think all of this has been a giant show?”
She hesitated.
He fumbled and came up with the silver shackle wrapped around the bedpost. He held it up, then snapped it around his ankle.
Elana blinked. “David… what happened to your necklace? Your vest?”
“Aldien has them.” He sat down with a clatter of chain on wood.
“But he was supposed to take you to the dungeon.”
“He did. Then I escaped, stole some armor, and snuck back up here.”
Her eyes flicked between the chain on his leg and his face. “You know that if I tell Aldien to call my stepmother, he won’t be able to help you behind anyone’s back, right?”
“I know.”
“And you know that if Taria finds you here, she won’t send you to Dalle. She’ll kill you.”
“I know.”
“You’re doing this for me?”
He nodded.
Her eyes watered. “I knew it.”
David jumped as she threw herself into his arms, but buried his face in her hair all the same. “I’m sorry.”
“I hate you.” She pulled her head off his shoulder and kissed him.
“I am a rebel.” He knelt.
“That’s right.” She stood and gestured. “I, Princess Elana of Astal, sentence you, David of Cerces, to three hours of torture for scaring me.”
“Of torture?” David smiled. “Is that what it is now?”
“Are you going to tell me it never was?” She helped him to his feet.
“I won’t argue that.” He sat on the mattress and let her tie his ankles to the bedposts.
“Good, because you won’t win.” She straddled his waist. “Want to try something new?” She dangled a rag between them.
David met her gaze. “Is that the blindfold?”
“Yep.”
“I don’t think it’s a good idea, Princess. I won’t be able to fake anything for the queen if I can’t see when she walks in.”
She sat back, shut down.
He took her hand and pulled the rag from between her fingers. “Soon.” He smiled. “I want to do it as much as you do. But it’s just going to have to wait until this is over.”
She grabbed his wrists. “Is there going to be an ‘us’ after this is over?”
“Would you give me a chance if I’m not chained to your bed?”
“What do you think, rebel?” She pinned his wrists to the mattress.
David adjusted himself, helping her make him taut. “I think… you’ll leave me as soon as you see what’s outside this stuffy little tower.”
“And I thought what you said this morning had to be true, because there was no way someone as handsome as you got left behind.” She poked his crooked nose as she pushed a pillow under his head.
“I’m leading a rebellion, not looking for a girl.”
“Guess we were both wrong.” She cracked her knuckles, binding his toes to the ties on his ankles. “And you should not have agreed to this.”
“What?” David frowned. “Why?”
“Well, you know I don’t buy into Taria’s bullshit.” Elana fished for something under the bed. “But I did believe what I saw this morning, and she agreed to let me take one more shot at you. Didn’t say anything about where or when, though. Still, she spent all morning helping me fix up my nails, and she left a few presents behind.” She dropped a box on the bed between David’s ankles. It was so heavy the mattress sagged under it. “Most motherly thing she’s ever done with me, believe it or not. But yeah. You should not have agreed to this.”
David stared at her fingers, which she drummed against the side of the box. Her nails had been filed and polished.
“But— but Princess! I didn’t do what you thought I did. This is—”
“Cruel? Maybe a bit. But I’m curious.” She pulled a bottle from the box and uncapped it. “Mmm… smells like roses.” She set it aside and pulled out another unmarked tube.
David tensed. “Is that—”
“Sayoro root? Yep.”
“No, Elana. I’m not going to go through that again.” He strained against the silk ties.
“Relax, it’s not going on your crotch.” She tapped the sole of his foot.
He grimaced. “Go easy, will you?”
She smiled and poured the lotion into a fresh rag. “No.”
The lotion was cold when it hit his foot, and grew warmer as Elana worked it between his toes. No, cold was good. The warmer the lotion got, the worse it felt.
He sucked in a breath as she rubbed it on his other foot, then tested how far his toes could flex. He knew already: not at all. But he could hope.
Elana tossed the rag aside and picked up the bottle she’d set aside. She crawled up between his legs and straddled his waist. “How are you doing?”
“It tingles.”
“Oh, you know it’s going to get a whole lot worse.” Elana popped open the bottle again, but this time squirted the oil into her hands.
“What are you doing now?” he groaned.
“Warming it up.” She let it dribble onto his stomach. David flinched, then snickered as she spread the massage oil over him.
“I’d hate to be you. You’re already so ticklish.” She planted a kiss on his forehead.
“You’re the one doing this to me!” He yanked on his bonds, but had stretched himself so tight he could hardly wiggle his hips. With her on top of him, he was completely pinned.
She pulled the box up beside her. “I have plenty more toys. And three hours with you like this.”
David squeezed his eyes shut. The burn on his feet was picking up. “I won’t have to pretend like I don’t like this.”
“So do you want the blindfold?”
He shook his head. “I want to see you.”
“Your funeral, rebel.” She clawed two hands down his chest.
He bucked under her, mouth wide in a silent scream.
She raised her eyebrows and planted her hands by his head as he panted. “That bad?”
“That bad.”
“This is when I say I’ll go easy.” She winked and pressed her thumbs between his ribs.
He threw his head back. <i>“NAHAHA!”</i>
She shrugged. “Better.”
“What do you mean, ‘better?’ I’ll show you ‘better’ when—”
Elana scratched David’s slick underarms. As he arched, she turned, only to find Taria behind her.
The queen regarded her. “You had him brought out of the dungeon.”
“Yes, I did.” Elana let David rest, instead setting a hand on him. David heaved, focusing on the nails tapping his chest rather than the conversation above him.
“You didn’t have a right to do that, you know.”
“He’s my prisoner. He was always my prisoner. I’ll take him when I please.”
“I’ve lost my faith in you.”
“You had faith in me?”
“I had to. I’m your stepmother.”
“Oh. ‘Had to.’”
“You’re incredibly immature, Elana.”
“No, I am not. I know what I’m doing. Do you?” Elana slid off David. “You asked me to take care of him. Haven’t I done exactly that?”
“I asked you to break him,” Taria snapped back.
“What has my father said about me?” When Taria had no response other than a glower, Elana stood and pointed. “Get out of my room. And Aldien?”
“Yes, Highness?”
“She is not to come in here without my express permission.”
Both Taria and Aldien opened their mouths to object, but Elana took a step forward. “Now.”
Aldien held open the door. “This way, Your Highness.”
“Shut up, you damned traitor,” Taria snapped, yanking the door out of Aldien’s hands to slam it behind her.
Aldien blinked, then turned to smile at the pair. “I’m sorry, Highnesses, but she has authority over—”
“By seniority.” Elana frowned. “I’m invoking my right by blood. She is not to come in here again for any reason other than me inviting her. Understand?”
Aldien shook his head. “Highness, that’s not solid ground—”
<i>“Understand?”</i>
“Yes, milady.” He turned to dig through the pouch at his side. “Before I go… I believe this belongs to His Highness.” He offered her the necklace with the key.
“Yes. Thank you so much, Aldien.” She offered him a smile. “We owe you our lives.”
He reddened. “I wouldn’t say that, milady. I would just love to see you be happy. And now that I’ve properly met His Highness, him as well.” He backed out of the room. “I’ll do my best to follow your order. And for now… I’ll leave you two to it.”
Elana turned to David. He smiled. “Still here, Princess.”
“Sorry, rebel, it’s just—”
“I know. But please…” he shook his feet uselessly. “Can you clean this stuff off?”
“Not quite yet. I owe you three hours of this, don’t I?” She set a hand on his chest.
He stared at her lacquered nails. “You don’t mean this is going to be for all three hours.”
“No, rebel. Just the first.” She pecked him on the lips, then raked her nails down his chest.
<i>“NOHOHO!” </i>
None of this felt right.
He had been dragged out of bed in Cerces’ reclaimed castle and brought to the capital of Astal. As leader of the rebellion, he was the kingdom’s most dangerous criminal.
After the guards knocked him around a bit, he was thrown into the bedchamber of Princess Elana.
He’d been to hell and back. A glance over his scarred arms proved it. And he had no idea what to expect from the princess. Was she worse than the dungeons of Dalle?
No, she very much wasn’t. Or…
Not an hour in, she started tickling him. And there he was, trapped in a new hell. One managed by a beautiful, sweet demoness.
She had her reasons. Particularly, a literal evil stepmother.
David didn’t have family, but he figured this was as bad as it got. She was trying to take charge of the kingdom, but the step-queen was arguing that Elana was too immature. To top it off, Elana believed in David’s goals— to ban the gladiator circuit he’d grown up in, and destroy dungeons like Dalle.
She wasn’t trying to hurt him. From the very beginning, even when he was trying to hurt her. The girl was a princess. He was a gladiator pretending to be a prince.
But she never doubted him. And there was beauty in that he’d never be able to describe.
Just like the beauty he saw now, watching her doze. Her raven hair spilled across the pillows, complimenting her tanned skin. Maybe he’d never grow tired of seeing it.
And that was exactly the problem. What happened? How had he ended up like this? When did he lose touch with his goals? How had this girl overtaken the dreams he’d clung to for years?
He wasn’t sure, and he didn’t particularly care, because he knew she felt the same way.
The war was ending. Whatever happened next, they were in it together.
The door to the bedroom banged open.
David jerked back as Queen Taria stepped inside, Elana’s guard Aldien at her heels. “Highness, I believe you’re overreacting—”
“I’m not overreacting to anything.” She caught David by the throat. He clawed at her wrist, but her grip only tightened. “I should have known you would assault my stepdaughter.”
David shook his head, gasping.
“Well, if you didn’t, then Elana must have agreed to it.” She tossed David aside. “How unbecoming of a princess.”
No.
Aldien stared at him. David grimaced, trying to dredge up an idea— any idea— to get Elana out of this.
He scoffed under his breath.
The queen turned. “What was that, traitor?”
“Oh, you say it like she had a choice.” He was pulling it off, from the look on the queen’s face. “I mean, look at me. What I want, I get. And I wanted out, so I went through your royal bitch.” He gestured with a smile, and noticed, too late, how Elana was sitting on the edge of the bed, horrified.
“You are a piece of shit.” Taria stalked to where he lay on the floor and planted a solid kick in his gut. He rolled aside, curling up. The queen waved. “Aldien, clean this up. We’ll send him to Dalle tomorrow morning. Right now I need to speak with my daughter.”
Aldien undid the shackle binding David to the bed, hauled him upright, and marched him out of the room. As his hands were bound behind him, David glanced back. Taria was telling Elana something. Elana had her head in her hands. She was crying. He’d made Elana cry.
He craned his neck to look at Aldien. “That was bad.”
“No kidding. Didn’t know you could be such an asshole, kid.”
“I’m not a kid.” He shook his head. “But— but you have to tell her I wasn’t serious.”
“I’m not sure if she’ll believe that, after what you just did.”
“She has to,” he whispered. “I don’t know what I’ll do without her.”
“That— I didn’t expect that.” Aldien led him down some stone stairs. “You’ve fallen for her, haven’t you?”
“I think I have,” David admitted. “That’s the real bad part.”
“No. That’s the best part.” Aldien led him to a wall, took off the shackles, then his necklace with the key on it.
“I guess the next time I see you, I’ll be in Dalle.”
“Oh, I hope not, Highness.” He clipped one of David’s hands to the wall over his head, then wound the chain of David’s necklace around his fingers so that the key sat in his palm. After that, Aldien finished binding him.
The guard patted his pockets and spun, kicking at the ground. “Where’s the key the princess made for him?” he deadpanned. “Oh no, the little bastard must’ve pickpocketed me.”
David smiled. “You’re a good man, Aldien.”
“I’m just doing my job, Highness.” He turned. “Hmm, maybe I dropped the key in the armory across the hall.”
David laughed under his breath, then got the key into the shackles and released one of his hands. He freed the other, dusted himself off, then trailed after Aldien. The dungeon was barren, and he dodged outside. A few steps down the hall, just like Aldien said, was another wooden door. David rushed inside, only just thankful that his bare feet made less noise than boots.
The armory was massive. Everything from greatswords to longbows to pikes. David spun, starry-eyed, then noticed a beautiful short sword. He tested its weight and gave an experimental swing, but he knew from the moment he saw it that it was his sword.
But… did he need a sword?
With a grimace, he abandoned it, and instead turned to the far side of the room. There were dozens of suits of armor, all from the castle guard. David reached for a breastplate and measured it against his chest.
***
David looked away every time he passed a guard in the hall, focusing on his boots or the parchment flyer he’d stolen from the armory. He remembered the way back to Elana’s quarters well enough… maybe.
“Apprentice?”
David stopped. The boots of the guard were right in front of him. He looked up. “Yes?”
General Cilen’s eyes widened. “Holy shit.”
Guess she was important, if she knew who he was. “Hi.”
“What are you—” she dragged him aside as a courier hurried past. “What are you doing outside of Elana’s quarters? Dressed like… like this?”
“I… the queen caught Elana and I together.”
“Together? You two are supposed to be together.”
“No, I mean…” he pulled a face. “We’ve been a little more than that.”
“I— of course.” The general swept a hand through her hair. “But that doesn’t explain what you’re doing right now.”
“The queen had Aldien throw me in the dungeon. I got out and into the armory.” He gestured at his suit of armor. “I’m trying to get back to Elana’s quarters.”
“Back to her quarters?”
“I said some things I really shouldn’t have, and I think I really hurt her. I need to find her.”
“I can help with that.” Cilen turned. “Gods, when this is over, that girl is going to owe me so much. Escapee rebel boyfriend. What next?”
“Those labels are badges of honor,” David said.
“So are these.” Cilen tapped the medals on her chest. “Now shut up, we’re almost there.”
She almost turned down the side hall, but reeled when Taria stalked through. Cilen froze.
“You.” The queen turned. “I thought you lived in that war room.”
Cilen played with the straps coming off her gauntlet. “I-I don’t, your Highness.”
“Never mind, General. What are you doing here?”
“G-giving some new palace guards a tour of the castle.”
Taria glared at David. “Do I know you?”
Cilen smiled. “You should. He saved the lives of three soldiers in the battle for Finnar.”
“That is no accomplishment. It should be the standard. Get more like him and replace your weaklings.” She smiled. “And he’s even smart enough to know not to look his queen in the eye.” David went rigid as Taria patted his head. “Do well, private.”
He nodded. “Thank you, Highness.”
Taria swept away.
David watched her drift out of sight, then grabbed Cilen. “Are you trying to get me killed?”
“I think I just saved your life.” She shoved David toward Elana’s quarters. “Okay, you’re here. Go find the princess.”
“Wait, before you go.” He grabbed her arm. “You’re the one who who believes in this, right?”
“I think you know what you want but don’t know what you’re doing.”
David stepped back. “That’s… accurate.”
“I also think that with enough weight behind you, you’ll be able to carry out your plan. And I’m willing to offer up that weight.” She smiled as David’s face lit up. “But you better be careful. Do you understand?”
“Absolutely.” He shook her hand. “Thank you. Thank you so much. I’ll never forget this.”
“Just make sure you keep reasonable standards for your soldiers.” She tipped her head in the direction that Taria had gone. “And that in the end, your army doesn’t execute me, okay?”
He chuckled. “Deal.”
“Now go find your princess.”
He dodged down the hall to Elana’s quarters, but not before tossing the general one more smile.
Aldien stood at the end of the hall. His eyes widened as David rushed toward him, shedding armor along the way.
“Highness!” Aldien met David halfway down. He glanced at the armor strewn across the hall behind him. “I… I didn’t know you did ‘subtle.’”
“Apparently I do now.” He shrugged off the breastplate and dumped it into Aldien’s hands. The palace guard staggered under its weight. “Did you explain to Elana?”
“The queen only just left.”
“I know. I saw.” David bit his cheek. “I— I’ll do this by myself.”
“Are you sure? You have no idea what they were talking about.”
“They don’t matter. This is between me and her.” David looked down, tightened his lips, and pulled off his boots and vest. “There. And—” he fumbled with his necklace before slapping it, and the key, into Aldien’s hand.
“I’ll ask again: are you sure? This seems… extreme.”
“I don’t care if I have to throw myself on a sword.” He paused with one hand on the door. Was that true?
Yes. Yes it was.
He threw the door open.
Elana looked up, her face puffy. “David?”
“Thank gods you’re okay. I thought she’d take it out on you.”
“No, she didn’t. I’m glad she found the real evil here.” He froze as she stood. He had almost half a foot on her, but the look on her face struck a chord of terror in him. “How could you use me like that?’
“I didn’t, I swear.” He dropped to his knees. “Please, Princess, you know how well I can act—”
“You’re not helping your case.”
“I…” he bowed his head. “Do you really think all of this has been a giant show?”
She hesitated.
He fumbled and came up with the silver shackle wrapped around the bedpost. He held it up, then snapped it around his ankle.
Elana blinked. “David… what happened to your necklace? Your vest?”
“Aldien has them.” He sat down with a clatter of chain on wood.
“But he was supposed to take you to the dungeon.”
“He did. Then I escaped, stole some armor, and snuck back up here.”
Her eyes flicked between the chain on his leg and his face. “You know that if I tell Aldien to call my stepmother, he won’t be able to help you behind anyone’s back, right?”
“I know.”
“And you know that if Taria finds you here, she won’t send you to Dalle. She’ll kill you.”
“I know.”
“You’re doing this for me?”
He nodded.
Her eyes watered. “I knew it.”
David jumped as she threw herself into his arms, but buried his face in her hair all the same. “I’m sorry.”
“I hate you.” She pulled her head off his shoulder and kissed him.
“I am a rebel.” He knelt.
“That’s right.” She stood and gestured. “I, Princess Elana of Astal, sentence you, David of Cerces, to three hours of torture for scaring me.”
“Of torture?” David smiled. “Is that what it is now?”
“Are you going to tell me it never was?” She helped him to his feet.
“I won’t argue that.” He sat on the mattress and let her tie his ankles to the bedposts.
“Good, because you won’t win.” She straddled his waist. “Want to try something new?” She dangled a rag between them.
David met her gaze. “Is that the blindfold?”
“Yep.”
“I don’t think it’s a good idea, Princess. I won’t be able to fake anything for the queen if I can’t see when she walks in.”
She sat back, shut down.
He took her hand and pulled the rag from between her fingers. “Soon.” He smiled. “I want to do it as much as you do. But it’s just going to have to wait until this is over.”
She grabbed his wrists. “Is there going to be an ‘us’ after this is over?”
“Would you give me a chance if I’m not chained to your bed?”
“What do you think, rebel?” She pinned his wrists to the mattress.
David adjusted himself, helping her make him taut. “I think… you’ll leave me as soon as you see what’s outside this stuffy little tower.”
“And I thought what you said this morning had to be true, because there was no way someone as handsome as you got left behind.” She poked his crooked nose as she pushed a pillow under his head.
“I’m leading a rebellion, not looking for a girl.”
“Guess we were both wrong.” She cracked her knuckles, binding his toes to the ties on his ankles. “And you should not have agreed to this.”
“What?” David frowned. “Why?”
“Well, you know I don’t buy into Taria’s bullshit.” Elana fished for something under the bed. “But I did believe what I saw this morning, and she agreed to let me take one more shot at you. Didn’t say anything about where or when, though. Still, she spent all morning helping me fix up my nails, and she left a few presents behind.” She dropped a box on the bed between David’s ankles. It was so heavy the mattress sagged under it. “Most motherly thing she’s ever done with me, believe it or not. But yeah. You should not have agreed to this.”
David stared at her fingers, which she drummed against the side of the box. Her nails had been filed and polished.
“But— but Princess! I didn’t do what you thought I did. This is—”
“Cruel? Maybe a bit. But I’m curious.” She pulled a bottle from the box and uncapped it. “Mmm… smells like roses.” She set it aside and pulled out another unmarked tube.
David tensed. “Is that—”
“Sayoro root? Yep.”
“No, Elana. I’m not going to go through that again.” He strained against the silk ties.
“Relax, it’s not going on your crotch.” She tapped the sole of his foot.
He grimaced. “Go easy, will you?”
She smiled and poured the lotion into a fresh rag. “No.”
The lotion was cold when it hit his foot, and grew warmer as Elana worked it between his toes. No, cold was good. The warmer the lotion got, the worse it felt.
He sucked in a breath as she rubbed it on his other foot, then tested how far his toes could flex. He knew already: not at all. But he could hope.
Elana tossed the rag aside and picked up the bottle she’d set aside. She crawled up between his legs and straddled his waist. “How are you doing?”
“It tingles.”
“Oh, you know it’s going to get a whole lot worse.” Elana popped open the bottle again, but this time squirted the oil into her hands.
“What are you doing now?” he groaned.
“Warming it up.” She let it dribble onto his stomach. David flinched, then snickered as she spread the massage oil over him.
“I’d hate to be you. You’re already so ticklish.” She planted a kiss on his forehead.
“You’re the one doing this to me!” He yanked on his bonds, but had stretched himself so tight he could hardly wiggle his hips. With her on top of him, he was completely pinned.
She pulled the box up beside her. “I have plenty more toys. And three hours with you like this.”
David squeezed his eyes shut. The burn on his feet was picking up. “I won’t have to pretend like I don’t like this.”
“So do you want the blindfold?”
He shook his head. “I want to see you.”
“Your funeral, rebel.” She clawed two hands down his chest.
He bucked under her, mouth wide in a silent scream.
She raised her eyebrows and planted her hands by his head as he panted. “That bad?”
“That bad.”
“This is when I say I’ll go easy.” She winked and pressed her thumbs between his ribs.
He threw his head back. <i>“NAHAHA!”</i>
She shrugged. “Better.”
“What do you mean, ‘better?’ I’ll show you ‘better’ when—”
Elana scratched David’s slick underarms. As he arched, she turned, only to find Taria behind her.
The queen regarded her. “You had him brought out of the dungeon.”
“Yes, I did.” Elana let David rest, instead setting a hand on him. David heaved, focusing on the nails tapping his chest rather than the conversation above him.
“You didn’t have a right to do that, you know.”
“He’s my prisoner. He was always my prisoner. I’ll take him when I please.”
“I’ve lost my faith in you.”
“You had faith in me?”
“I had to. I’m your stepmother.”
“Oh. ‘Had to.’”
“You’re incredibly immature, Elana.”
“No, I am not. I know what I’m doing. Do you?” Elana slid off David. “You asked me to take care of him. Haven’t I done exactly that?”
“I asked you to break him,” Taria snapped back.
“What has my father said about me?” When Taria had no response other than a glower, Elana stood and pointed. “Get out of my room. And Aldien?”
“Yes, Highness?”
“She is not to come in here without my express permission.”
Both Taria and Aldien opened their mouths to object, but Elana took a step forward. “Now.”
Aldien held open the door. “This way, Your Highness.”
“Shut up, you damned traitor,” Taria snapped, yanking the door out of Aldien’s hands to slam it behind her.
Aldien blinked, then turned to smile at the pair. “I’m sorry, Highnesses, but she has authority over—”
“By seniority.” Elana frowned. “I’m invoking my right by blood. She is not to come in here again for any reason other than me inviting her. Understand?”
Aldien shook his head. “Highness, that’s not solid ground—”
<i>“Understand?”</i>
“Yes, milady.” He turned to dig through the pouch at his side. “Before I go… I believe this belongs to His Highness.” He offered her the necklace with the key.
“Yes. Thank you so much, Aldien.” She offered him a smile. “We owe you our lives.”
He reddened. “I wouldn’t say that, milady. I would just love to see you be happy. And now that I’ve properly met His Highness, him as well.” He backed out of the room. “I’ll do my best to follow your order. And for now… I’ll leave you two to it.”
Elana turned to David. He smiled. “Still here, Princess.”
“Sorry, rebel, it’s just—”
“I know. But please…” he shook his feet uselessly. “Can you clean this stuff off?”
“Not quite yet. I owe you three hours of this, don’t I?” She set a hand on his chest.
He stared at her lacquered nails. “You don’t mean this is going to be for all three hours.”
“No, rebel. Just the first.” She pecked him on the lips, then raked her nails down his chest.
<i>“NOHOHO!” </i>
