Page 53 of If The Crown Fits
Her eyes brightened up a little. “You know, if it wasn’t for your stubborn attitude, you would have made a good royal.”
A laugh erupted from the back of my throat.
* * *
I was already in my nightdress, covered by my sleeping gown, when a thought occurred to me. The best bandit in Levernia and I’d failed twice to steal a sword.
Uncle Arthur would be disappointed. I threaded my fingers through my hair. It couldn’t be that difficult. It wasn’t that difficult. I’d just been approaching the matter wrong. I burst out of my bedroom before I had time to change my mind. Damon was standing guard outside.
There would be no question about Damon’s loyalty to Lance. He reminded me of a hawk, always looking for something innocent to prey on.
“What are you looking at?” I mumbled, storming past him down the hall. I had a reputation to uphold and I would not be a failure. I’d already made the mistake of getting caught, and look where it had got me. It was a simple sword.
Yes, it was out of my usual line of work. I went for smaller things, like jewellery or coins, which could easily be hidden, and my targets were never surrounded by their own group of guards. This was unlike anything I’d attempted before. I ran along the manor corridors, my bare feet noisy on the tiled floors. Rhen rounded the corner ahead of me and I stopped, catching my breath.
“Finally decided to run away have you?”
“Where’s Cai?” I was heaving, already becoming unfit from not running for the past few days.
“He’s in the study with Lance.”
“And his men?”
“In their chambers I believe.” Perfect. “What are you...?” I didn’t give him time to finish his question.
“Thank you!” And I was running again. I stopped for a second at the door of Cai’s bedroom, listening for any movement or voices inside.
Once I was sure there was only silence, I pushed open the door with the palm of my hand. The door creaked and I peeked inside. Empty. I slipped through the opening and carefully shut the door behind me. I quickly scanned the room, looking for the sword. It wasn’t lying around in plain sight — that was certain. Did Cai have it on him, perhaps? No, it had to be here. I looked around, under the pillows, inside cabinets.
My eyes landed on the trunk at the foot of his bed. I hurried over and pulled it open. And sure enough, there it was. The sword lay on top of his other weapons and clothes, and I reached to pick it up.
Footsteps echoed from the hallway outside. Someone was coming. Cai was coming. I slammed the trunk shut and looked around the room. Where could I hide? Under the bed? And then what, wait till Cai fell asleep and risk him waking up when I tried to leave? How would I explain that? The footsteps became louder. There was always the window. But it was too high and I didn’t have anything to help me on the way down. I didn’t have time.
The door opened and I spun around. At first, Cai didn’t see me, with the room being dark and him looking at the floor. But when his eyes did land on me, his expression was one of shock, and I could have been wrong but... also intrigue.
Panic. Pure panic rushed through my whole body.
“What are you doing here?”
Nothing. I couldn’t think up a single excuse. The silence in the room became awkward and I felt my heart beat inside my throat. Something. I just had to say something.
“I...”I came here to steal your family’s heirloom.I doubted the truth would go down well. “I... uh... I forgot something.”I stuttered. “In the garden. I forgot something in the garden.” I wasn’t making even the slightest bit of sense. “I forgot to give you something.” I rephrased. No, that wasn’t any better.
Cai cocked his head sideways as his look of confusion remained. “You forgot to give me something?”
“Yes,” I replied, too fast. Why was I out of breath? Why was I so nervous? I rubbed my hands together, glancing around the room to see if I could spot anything to help me talk my way out of this.
“What did you forget?”
I met his eyes again, those wild green eyes.
“I forgot to give you this.” I walked over and grabbed his face, pressing my lips to his in a chaste kiss. It lasted only a moment before I pulled away. I didn’t give Cai a chance to say anything before I ran out of the room.
What had just happened? I was pretty sure Cai was wondering the exact same thing but thankfully he didn’t follow me to ask any questions. The door slammed shut behind me as soon as I entered my chambers. I pressed the back of my hand against my mouth.
What the hell did I just do?I’d just kissed a prince. That... that was the only solution I could come up with? If it hadn’t made me appear less suspicious, he probably thought I was insane. My heart was still hammering when I got under the covers of the plush bed and pulled the blanket over my head. I did nothing to erase the image in my mind. Nor the feeling of his lips, which I could still taste. Maybe what bothered me most of all wasn’t the fact that I’d kissed Cai, it was the fact that I wouldn’t mind doing it again.
* * *
