Page 2 of Knightfall
He wasn’t.
Two handsome stable hands stood in my doorway gawking, eyes glued to my shirt.
“No. I’m working. Get out if you want a repeat of the other night.” I jabbed a finger at the hallway and went to my trunk to rummage around for a decent shirt. I swore under my breath. My poor drunken decision-making had led me to make out with the pair of very horny halfling grooms and they’d been heckling me for a repeat performance ever since.
I rustled through the trunk, careful not to jostle the false bottom. I couldn’t find a clean shirt. I’d have to put on my black dress. The one that had become far too tight recently. Damn spelled disguise was reaching its expiration date. I’d have to get another soon.
I grabbed the dress, tossed it on the bed, and turned to pull up my top only to find two very naughty stable hands still staring at me.
“I said no!” I felt my power flicker again, in response to my annoyance. I shoved it away.
“Please, Bea, just let us watch,” Marcus whined.
I took a step toward him. “So help me Marcus, I will use that horsewhip on your hip.”
Marcus grabbed Abel and sprinted out of the room.
I laughed and tossed my sopping shirt on the floor. I got rid of my green skirt and pulled on the black dress. A few weeks ago, my bust expanded because of this stupid spell. Spelled disguises tended to go wonky as they reached expiration. The spell had made my bust grow a cup size. I’d tried to hide it. But men have an annoying sort of perception when it comes to breasts. Never hair. Never my clean face, though I supposed I should be thankful my nose hadn’t grown instead. That might have caused awkward questions. But the curves had started causing chaos.
It didn’t help the fact that I caused enough chaos on my own before then. Kylee called me a dragon because he said I spit fire. I couldn’t help it. My tongue had been reigned in for so long growing up. Now it just unleashed. Even four years on my own hadn’t been long enough to tame it.
I went to the looking glass to fix up my hair. I finger combed my brown locks, pinched my cheeks, added some extra kohl around my spelled brown eyes. That stupid miner. He’d cost me two pence, which would delay my next disguise. I might have to head out to the Cerulean Forest. Abandon Kylee’s place and just run. Sard it all.
I turned to leave just in time to see Jenna come up the stairs, her gown ripped at the shoulder. I started to ask what happened to her, but it was pretty obvious. Jenna worked the gambling hall.
“Bea, can you cover for me?” Jenna turned her little nymph face on me. “I just need to change. I’ll be done in a jiff. But there’s a drink order and a stew order up and—”
I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, but hurry back. You know I hate that place.”
Jenna nodded seriously. “Absolutely! You’re the best!”
I tromped into the kitchen, grabbed Jenna’s orders, and headed toward the gambling hall. I even pasted a fake smile on my face.
“Here you are m’lord,” I pushed my accent a bit more low-class as I handed our very own Duke Aiden his stew.
My rump got an approving smack. I gritted my teeth to keep the smile on my face as I turned to serve another jerk at his table.
I set the drink down. The man made eye contact with me. He smirked.
I nearly dropped my jaw. Not because I knew the man. I knew his crest.
He was the palace spy master. And by the look in his eyes, he’d found what he was looking for.
Me.
* * *
It took all of my self-control not to run, right then and there. But he would have caught me. I was sure he’d have posted guards around the inn. I had to be stealthy.
So, instead I widened my eyes like a sodding fool, gave him a deferential nod, and pushed my arms together so the girls would pop just a smidge more out of the black dress.
He didn’t even look, though his mouth curled up a bit more at the corner. As if I amused him.
It was a fine mouth, thick and sensuous. I tried not to think about it as I turned and headed for the kitchen.
I tried not to think about how fine a specimen he was at all. I tossed his grey eyes, pointed elf ears, and clipped black beard out of my head. Because I had no use for handsome spies. The only good thing about seeing him was that now I had a face to go with the name of my enemy. Quinn Byrne. The queen’s spy master.
Once I reached the kitchen, I doubled my speed. I nearly bowled Jenna over.
