Page 9 of Burning Crowns

But as she waited for the nightmaids to arrive, Rose found herself thinking of those rotting plums in the orchard. Odd, that they would come to her mind now. She hadn’t even mentioned it to Wren.Because it was a silly preoccupation, she reminded herself. The future of an entire kingdom could not be divined from a pair of rotting plums. Everything was fine. Tonight had been strange, but it had ended well. Rose told herself this over and over, refusing to be afraid.

Refusing to peer a little closer at what there was to fear.

When the maids arrived with pitchers of warm water, Rose decided that something else was missing. ‘Florence, could you please bring me some hot chocolate from the kitchens? It might help to banish this awful chill.’

The maid dipped her chin. ‘Of course, Your Majesty. Is there anything else?’

‘That’s all, thank you.’

Florence nodded and scurried down the stairs after the others. Back in her bathing chamber, Rose enchanted a ring of flickering everlights around her claw-foot tub before fetching her favourite jasmine soap and pouring until the bubbles reached the rim.

When the tub was full, she peeled off her gown and stepped in, luxuriating in the warm water gently lapping against her skin. Andoh– the scent was truly divine. Far better than the awful smoke that had followed her home.

She smiled as she laid her head back, listening to the bubbles crackle in her ears. These days, baths reminded her of her time in the desert with Shen Lo and the secret hot spring they had found together.And that was a welcome thought indeed.

Rose sighed with pleasure as she sank into the bubbles. Yes, a hot bath was just what she needed. Tomorrow, she would wake up refreshed and ready to face the day. In fact, she was so relaxed already she thought she might just drift off …

She closed her eyes and—

There came a knock at her door.

‘Come in!’ Rose called. The bedroom door creaked open. ‘I’m already in the bath but you can leave the hot chocolate on the table by the bedside!’

A moment later, she heard the bedroom door shut.

‘I’m afraid I didn’t bring you any hot chocolate.’

Rose’s eyes flew open at the familiar voice.

Leaning against the door frame to her bathing chambers, still dressed in his festival clothes and wearing a rakish grin, was Shen Lo.

‘Shen! I’m in the bath!’ Rose ducked in the water, peering out from behind a mountain of bubbles.

‘I heard,’ he said, in a low voice. ‘Why else do you think I came in?’

In the flickering candlelight, with his strong jaw and chiselled cheekbones, he looked as if he’d been carved from stone. Rose couldn’t help the sigh that escaped her lips as she gazed at him. He gazed back, his eyes darkening as he drank in the sight of her in the tub.

Rose felt the sudden urge to fan herself.

Goodness, Rose. Get a hold of yourself!

And anyway, she was still irritated at Shen, handsome as he might be.

She cleared her throat. ‘What are you doing in my bedchamber this late?Or at all, come to think of it? Rather presumptuous of you, especially considering you didn’t want to dance with me at the festival.’

‘Of course I wanted to dance with you,’ he said, with some surprise. ‘You were the one avoiding me.’

‘I certainly was not!’ She scowled at him. ‘I had important business to discuss.’

He raised a dark brow. ‘Were you truly that desperate to find out what kind of bait the fishermen at Wishbone Bay use?’

Rose’s traitorous lips twitched. ‘Rude of you to eavesdrop.’

‘It’s my speciality,’ he said, unapologetically.

‘And yes,’ she went on, ‘a queen must take an interest in these types of things.’ At his look of utter bemusement, she sighed. ‘Fine. I was avoiding you. But only because you embarrassed me by not asking me to dance!’

‘I was waiting for the right signal. A lingering look. A seductive wink.’ He winked at her. ‘It’s not that difficult, surely.’

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