Page 76 of Moonmarked

I slipped inside the room with my breath held and my heart pounding, and the shadows disappeared.

“His Highnessthe Prince requests your presence after you are finished with the food, Miss Nilah.”

I looked up at Poppy—or was it Pippa?

She’d come knocking on the door in the morning, and I’d still been foggy from sleep when I pulled open the door for her. She almost passed out to find that I’d slept with clothes on—the same clothes I’d had when I snuck out to go find Rune.

The guards were out there, by the walls, and I could have sworn their eyes moved to me lightning fast, but they said nothing. Poppy didn’t say anything, either—didn’t askme where I was last night or why the guards didn’t find me after my walk in the gardens. At first, I thought I should say something myself, just in case someone got suspicious, but then decided against it. I didn’t need anyone to be asking questions. I could just pretend the night before hadn’t happened at all.

I feltfine.Mighty fucking fine. Not that it was a surprise—I’d had a good dose ofRunethe night before.

But Iwassurprised by what Poppy said while she watched me eat breakfast in one of the armchairs I was pretty sure was meant for reading.

“What? Why?” I asked when the initial surprise passed, and Poppy actually made a face because I spoke with my mouth half full.

“I’m sure he has a good reason, Miss Nilah. I will prepare your attire while you eat,” she said, and with a deep nod, she retreated to the other side of the room, to the closet hidden in the wall near the vanity table.

“But…but what if I don’t feel like it?” I asked, then wanted to smack myself in the head.

Why in the world was Iafraidto see the Prince? He wasn’t scary, for fuck’s sake. On the contrary—he was the very definition of Prince Charming from back home. I’d forgotten so fast who he was—the boy who saved my life. The man I’d traveled all this distance to save back.

The more I got to know him, the sooner I could end the life-bond, and then I’d be free. Besides, if I befriended the prince, he could make the whole thing easier for me and Rune.

And I was surehe would,just as soon as he found out about us.

“Even if you don’t feel like it, I’m sure you can make yourself presentable for a few hours, at least. For his sake,”Poppy said, as she went through the dresses in the closet, not even looking at me.

And that was perfectly okay. In fact, I would rather hang out with Lyall and see more of this place, find out whatever could help Rune piece this thing together, than stay locked up in this room. The books did look nice, but I could read later, couldn’t I?

“Of course,” I said to Poppy—afterI swallowed possibly the most delicious omelette I was ever going to taste in my life. “I can make myself plenty presentable for a few hours.”

She was very happy to hear that.

twenty-five

They tookme outside to the gardens, the same ones I’d been to the night before. This time the guards stayed extra close, and I just knew that if I asked them to give me some privacy again, they would not be so quick to agree.

It was okay, though. I’d seen Rune, had spoken to him, had kissed him. I knew where we stood now, and I was calm.

Fuck, I was so much calmer than I had been yesterday, and not even half as afraid. Nothing had changed between us—last night proved it. And as long as we were on the same page about that, we would figure out the rest.

The gardens looked even more magical in daylight, the colors more vivid, the air lighter, the stone benches and statues and pathways so much more beautiful than they had been the night before.

Or maybe it was just me. My good mood could not be denied. I figured that when I saw the pale, cotton-candy pink dress Poppy had laid out for me to wear, and I didn’t mind it one bit. In fact, when I put it on and the soft cotton and silk caressed my skin, it felt great. This one was long,fell all the way down to my ankles, with the straps tied into bows atop my shoulders. It also had a built-in corset, so my waist looked tiny in comparison to the flare that started at my hips when Poppy tied it over the small of my back. It would be easy to do everything, even run in it, especially with the new white shoes she offered me because apparently the ones I’d worn the night before wereused enough.

True, they were dirty and muddy from the way I’d run across that field to get to Rune, but a good wash would have made them look brand new. Poppy wouldn’t even let me finish speaking, though, and I didn’t try a second time.

Besides, shoes didn’t really matter.

For a little while, I inspected the gardens, touched the soft velvety petals on the flowers just like the night before, and the gorgeous colorful leaves at their sides. The sun was in the sky, and it was getting really hot out here without a shade, so I turned to the soldiers who, again, stayed just three feet behind me now, and said, “Where is he? Where’s Lyall? How much longer will I have to wait?”

I was already a little pissed off—why would he call me out here if he didn’t plan on showing up?—so when the guards only continued to look ahead without bothering to even acknowledge I’d spoken, my anger increased instantly.

I was going to ask them again, though,demandthat they take me back to the room, at least—when I noticed a figure in the distance standing all alone near a large pillar of the palace’s ground floor.

He wore red and gold—and a smile on his face that I saw in my mind even though he was too far from me still.

The prince was there already, and he was watching me, God knew for how long.

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