Page 46 of A Game of Veils

The exchange I thought Lorenzo was indicating. I offer him a grim smile. “You want me to barter for what’s already mine?”

My voice comes out a little too watery to be convincingly incredulous.

The corner of Bastien’s mouth ticks upward just slightly. He rotates the ring between his fingers so the sapphire flashes with lantern light. “It appears to be mine at the moment. Do you want it back or not?”

A very small part of me is tempted to yank my dagger out from beneath the pillow and see how he likes having the blade shoved right through his thieving hand. A much larger part of me recognizes that the offer of a deal is some kind of victory. And that a moment’s revenge isn’t going to benefit me in the long run.

I leave the dagger where it is. “What payment are you looking for?”

Raul’s smirk grows, and for a second I’m afraid he’s going to leverage the situation into a much more violating proposition than he’s suggested before. “I have a thought.”

Bastien grimaces at him. “Of course you do.”

For all they’ve coordinated their animosity toward me, the two of them don’t actually get along that well, do they? A fact I’m filing away for future reference.

Lorenzo makes a circling gesture I can tell means, Get on with it.

Raul leans back on his hands as if he’s perfectly at ease lounging on my bed. “Let the princess spend a whole day constantly reminded of how exposed she is, no matter what locked doors she hides behind. You wear no undergarments under your gown from first dressing in the morning through turning in for the night, and you get back your ring the next day.”

Bastien’s jaw works, but it doesn’t appear he has a proposal he likes better. “That will do.”

Walk around the palace with whatever trials tomorrow might bring—perhaps quite literally—with nothing on beneath my dress? My skin crawls at the thought.

But it isn’t as if anyone would know. My skirts barely lift above my ankles even when I’m seated.

Well, Raul would know, with his penetrating gift. No doubt he’s looking forward to confirming my compliance.

It’s not as if he hasn’t invaded my privacy before. I survived.

I fix Bastien with a firm look. “I’ll accept the deal—if you swear to your godlen that you’ll fulfill your end and not make any new demands. And that you won’t give the ring back only to steal it again later.”

It’s a bit of a gamble. Some people don’t worry all that much about what the god they dedicated themselves to thinks of them. But for Bastien to have offered such an immense sacrifice to his, it seems likely he’d rather not risk divine wrath.

I don’t think he’ll accept my condition unless he actually means to follow through.

He glowers at me, but he sets the lantern on the bedside table so he can press that hand to his chest over his godlen mark. “I swear to Jurnus that if Princess Aurelia carries out her side of the deal in full, I’ll return her ring for her to keep, as soon as I’m safely able to.”

Conviction resonates through his words, sending a tingle over my skin. I believe him.

“Then it’s settled,” I say. “Perhaps you’ll let me finish my sleep now?”

Lorenzo pulls away from me. Raul gets up with a jaunty tip of his head. “Sweet dreams, Princess.”

I don’t release the hilt of the dagger until my bedroom door has closed behind them.

Chapter Sixteen

Aurelia

Melisse enters my bedroom with her usual courtesy—knocking on the door with a soft call of, “Your Highness?” and waiting for my acknowledgment before entering. Much more respectful than certain princes I could mention.

She halts a few steps into the room. “You’ve already dressed.”

I offer her a reassuring smile from where I’m sitting at my vanity. “I was up early and it seemed silly to wait. You know I’m not much for being fussed over.”

The press of my bare bottom against the silk skirt of the gown reminds me of the true reason. I couldn’t explain to her why I’m forgoing a chemise and drawers.

I can be grateful that Madam Clea delivered a new series of dresses yesterday evening, ensuring I have a selection fit for a princess. I picked the one with the most fabric around the bodice, an extra layer of pale green that flutters over my chest, to help conceal my lack of undergarments.

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