Chapter 148

The carriage made its way in through the castle gate and up the lane toward the entry nearest the barn. Kit saw several recognizable figures headed through the rain toward the steps that led to the door of Wrenbrook. The storm was passing, and as she stepped out of the carriage, only a few drops of rain greeted her—until she found herself completely swept off of the ground and into a massive pair of arms.

“Cassius! What are you doing?” Kit laughed as he carried her up the stairs. A glance over his shoulder let her know that Eli was amused and didn’t look at all as if he felt Cassius had stolen his prize. Jate, Reeve, Landon, Drake, and Danyen also followed them up the stairs. Eli took a few steps past her to reach the door and hold it open for him as Cassius carried her inside.

“I didn’t want you to get wet all over again,” Cassius replied, nodding in thanks to Eli, before he tipped his head toward her ear and added, “not from the rain anyway.”

She gave him a coy smile and began to wiggle so that he put her down. “Thank you, but I’m sure I can manage from here.” She straightened her skirts and checked her bodice was still in place before taking his arm. Reeve came up on her other side, and she slipped her other arm through his elbow. Behind her, she noted Eli thanking Landon for securing Aeros. “How was the ride home?”

They were soaked through, and she assumed her gown was likely wetter from Cassius being soggy than if she had just taken the few steps herself, not that it wasn’t worth it to be in his arms.

“It was a race against the thunder,” Landon replied, skirting past Reeve so that he was in front of her, walking backward. “I ended up switching horses halfway so that I could keep up with Snowduster.”

“Didn’t even slow down to do it,” Jate noted.

“No, just leapt right on over.” Landon laughed, but Kit thought it sounded dangerous, a risk for no reason, and stared at him wide-eyed. “I’m fine.”

“Thank the good goddesses above,” she replied.

“I see you have a green ribbon there, Eli,” Drake said, his voice a rumble like the dissipating thunder. Kit turned her head to look at him. She needed to get to know him better. “I take it you are our victor then.”

“Well, he did ride in in the royal carriage,” Danyen pointed out.

“I was lucky enough to catch up to the princess a few steps from the exit,” Eli replied, downplaying the skill it had taken for him to catch up to her.

“She should’ve kicked you in the knee and won her own labyrinth maze,” Landon joked.

“She could have,” Eli admitted, though Kit didn’t quite think that was true. He had given her the option of getting by, but she was glad she’d chosen to let him win.

“We did not have an easy task.” Jate’s voice was quiet. “But Pierce was foiled.”

“He certainly knew exactly where he was headed,” Reeve said into Kit’s ear.

She shook her head, not doubting that her mother had given him the upper hand, but angry about it nonetheless. “Thank you all for taking such good care of me.”

“It is our honor and privilege to do so.” Cassius spoke for all of them. “And... thanks to your grandmother, we have a lot of kissing to do.” He held up his free wrist, and Kit could see he had all of Junno’s ribbons, plus a few from other noblewomen.

Kit couldn’t help but giggle. “Did all of you fare as well?”

“I have several, but I didn’t get a kiss from the Queen Mother, unfortunately,” Landon said showing his own highly decorated wrist.

“Most of us have a few, but Reeve was our abstainer, choosing to run past the women without collecting any trinkets,” Danyen explained.

The princess turned her attention to the man on her right as her room came into view up ahead. She saw several members of her own guard, as well as two of the queen’s guardsmen. Ignoring them, she asked Reeve, “Why didn’t you want any ribbons?”

He leaned in toward her ear again and replied, “I only want you to kiss me because you want to.”

A smile pulled at the corners of her mouth, and Kit wished she could kiss him right then. But the unfriendly faces in front of her let her know that wouldn’t be the case.

“Princess Katrinetta, we are here to remind you that the queen would see you at once, just as soon as you are presentable.” It was the guard with the jagged scar on his face, the one Kit could’ve done without ever laying eyes on again.

“Yes, gentlemen, thank you,” she replied with a nod. They continued to stand there, staring at her. “That will be all. As you can see, I have plenty of escorts.”

The guards didn’t look particularly happy, but they nodded, bowed, and turned to walk away. Kit took a deep breath. The thought of meeting with her mother now, in light of recent revelations, wasn’t appealing at all.

“She wants all of us, doesn’t she?” Jate asked, bringing her back to her present company.

“Yes, I think so. I do have an announcement to make, besides the declaration that Eli has won the maze, and...” looking down at their colorful wrists she added, “lots of puckering up to do.”

“Are your ladies within?” Cassius asked, gesturing at her door. “If not, you may need some assistance with your gown.”

Normally, discussing her undergarments in mixed company might’ve brought color to her cheeks for a different reason, but she’d been intimate with most of these men and longed to be with the others. “Let us find out.” She opened her chamber doors to find it quiet on the other side.

“Thank goodness you’re not as soaked as the rest of us, Eli, as I believe this is your show.” Cassius winked at the commander and began to herd the rest of the men away.

Eli didn’t hesitate to step inside, but Kit waited a second, watching the other six begin to head down the hallway together. None of them seemed at all perturbed by the fact that it wasn’t their turn to be with her, and she was awed and gracious for their attitudes. It didn’t escape her that there had been exactly seven men to escort her down the hall. “I’ll see all of you shortly!” she called, and they each turned and waved or smiled at her, leaving a trail of wet marble behind them.

Once inside of her chamber, Kit pulled out the garments she’d need and set them on the bed, and then went about removing the Antoinetta gown. Eli averted his eyes, which she thought was admirable, considering her mother was waiting on all of them. He took the wet garment off of the ground and hung it up where the ladies would see it and be able to take it to be cleaned.

She needed his help removing the especially designed stay that had gone beneath the lowcut gown, but didn’t have to ask as he stepped over and untied it for her. His breath was warm on the back of her neck, and on unsteady feet, she backed into him, noticing at once he was aroused. She moved forward, hoping not to compromise their progress and picked up her fresh stay off of the bed, holding it around her as he tightened it behind her as if he’d done this a thousand times before. Once she had her shift over her head, she felt more confident in removing the crotch-less bloomers. She slid them off of her hips, and Eli picked them up to examine them. “It’s no wonder the Antoinettians have such a large army. They must spend all of their time procreating or fighting.”

Kit couldn’t help but giggle as she sat on the edge of her bed to work her way into the more modest knickers she was used to wearing. The boots she’d kicked off were muddy, so she’d have to grab a pair of slippers. That she could do unattended. Once all of her under clothing was on, Eli helped her slide a light pink gown over her head and he made short work of hooking her up the back.

“I’m afraid I won’t be able to do anything for your hair,” he said as she caught her reflection in the mirror. It was still piled high on her head, but the rain had done her no good. It would have to be combed out.

She turned to face him. “I’ll manage. Thank you for your assistance. I should think you’d have time to hurry and freshen up as well.”

He nodded. “I’ll see you in the throne room shortly.” Eli paused for a moment to lean in and press his lips to hers. It was hasty but pointed, and when he pulled away, it left her wanting more.

There was no time for that, though. Kit sat down on the stool in front of the mirror and started to unpin her hair, praying her ladies were simply changing out of wet gowns and would be in shortly to help her. But when she looked in the mirror now, she saw more than a disheveled princess. Her blinders had been lifted, and before herself, she saw the reflection of a woman who could change the world. With steady hands, she started to pull the pins and then comb through her long locks thinking her hair wasn’t all that needed straightening out.