Chapter 40

Dinner with her mother and the rest of the council had been mostly chatter about the Representatives and more of the festivities her mother had planned. Kit was quite embarrassed and afraid her mother would screech when the duchess Zora mentioned she had walked by the window and noticed a fascinating game of slingball going on earlier and asked if Kit was happy with the outcome. Her mother quirked an eyebrow but otherwise didn’t question what her daughter chose to do with her men, and Kit was relieved when it was time to head back to her chambers.

She was dressed in a long blue gown, her mother’s favorite color on her, with her hair up, also to appease her mother. The pearl tiara she wore was one of her favorites, as were the satin slippers that glided across the floor as if she wore nothing on her feet at all. Galter and another guard she couldn’t name had brought her to her mother’s dinner table, and they were the ones to bring her back to her chambers. A tinge of sadness filled her heart as she wondered where Eli was and if he was angry at her for what had transpired earlier that afternoon. She still hadn’t truly spoken to him about his absence, and she thought perhaps she should do that soon. If they were going to remain friends, she’d have to sort out what it was like to have him in her life while she was being courted by forty-two other men.

The hallway that led to her rooms was long, but when she was about halfway to her door, she realized someone was standing outside of it. A few steps closer and she noted it was Jecob. Part of her wanted to run to him, to melt into his arms as she had the night before, while another part wanted to shout at him for being so rude earlier that day. But when his face came into focus, and she noticed he was holding a single purple tulip, one of her favorite flowers, she forgot how upset she was. It was all she could do to keep from increasing her speed; there was no reason to let him know he was winning her over.

“Your Majesty, I hope dinner was delicious and your mother, our queen, is doing well,” he said with a low bow. He was wearing blue and red again, his province’s colors, and she could smell soap as she took the flower from his hand with a gracious smile. He’d clearly gone to great lengths to style his hair and remind her that he was handsome both on and off the slingball field.

“Jecobian,” she said, her smile broadening as she noted the twinkle in his eye. “It is lovely to see you. What brings you out this evening?”

“Well, the rest of the men are back in that large room we have available to us to congregate in debating whether or not it would be polite to duck out and try to see you one more time this evening. While they were discussing, I snuck out.” He winked at her, and she giggled. She could imagine them all arguing. He wouldn’t care what anyone else thought. “Might I join you in your chambers for a few moments?”

Galter cleared his throat, as if he were her older brother, and she gave him a sharp look. “Yes, of course. Don’t worry, guardsman. I know the rules. Besides, I assume my ladies are within?”

“Yes, my Princess,” Galter said, though he had no way of knowing for sure whether they were or not since he’d been standing outside of the dining room for the last several hours. She pushed into her room and heard their voices, which abruptly stopped once they realized she was back, and the three of them came to the door.

All three ladies stared for a moment when they saw she was not alone. “Ladies, Jecob has asked to speak to me for a bit.”

“Yes, Princess,” Avinia replied, but she had a look in her eye that said she thought this could lead to no good.

Kit ignored her and led him into her interior room where her bed, dressing area, and armoires stood. There was another small room off to the side where she had her privy and then another door led to her bathing room. Jecob looked around for a moment and then asked, “Have you no balcony? A princess needs a balcony.”

Handing the flower to Isla so that she could put it in some water, Kit crossed the room to a wide window near her bed. “I do, it’s just not easily accessible.” She pulled both sides of the window open, and the night air cooled her face. It was refreshing, and even though the view was only of a small interior courtyard and another wing of the castle, if she looked up she could see the stars and a half hung moon.

Jecob looked down at the tiny balcony which could only be accessed by hoisting oneself out of the window and only had room for two, possibly three, people. “Well, it’s not that grand, but it shall have to do.”

Kit raised an eyebrow at him but stepped aside as he crawled through. “Jecob, I’m not sure I want to go out there. I’m rather afraid of heights.” She was fine on the more substantial balconies, but this one seemed more like a decoration to her than a useable architectural piece.

“Oh, please, my Princess, don’t be afraid. You know I shall keep you safe.”

She realized she didn’t have much of a say as he was already guiding her up and over, and she had to be careful not to snag her dress on the windowsill. Jecob put his hands around her waist and pulled her to him, and Kit was relieved that when her feet touched marble, the structure didn’t collapse.

He didn’t let her go, only moved over toward the railing slightly, breathing her in, and despite the open window and the three ladies inside, his mouth found her neck. Kit wanted to protest, to tell him it wasn’t appropriate with her cousins and Blankka standing right there, but the feel of his warm lips on her throat had her knees buckling, and she was certain she’d have another mark on her flesh if she wasn’t careful. The other one had been difficult to hide, and she didn’t need another, but how could she push him away?

Jecob trailed kisses up her neck and eventually found her lips. His tongue teased her, flicking in and out of his mouth, and then he plundered her, pulling her so close to him that Kit was afraid they might tumble over the balcony. He tasted like wine, and she begun to understand where his boldness that evening must’ve come from.