There was a long silence as the women and men present seemed to look to each other for agreement, and then a loud cheer broke out, and Kit realized they were chanting, “Mercy!”A smile threatened to spill across her face, but at the risk of angering her mother, she fought it. A glance at the friendly faces before her showed they all thought she had done well, though she didn’t dare shift her eyes to Eli for fear her mother would notice and lose any semblance of grace she may have gained from the crowd. She did look at Jecob, and he mouthed, “Thank you,” to her, but Kit had to look away, still not sure if it had been enough or what the punishment might be if he was not to lose his head.Her mother took hold of her arm again, but this time, she did not squeeze. She tilted her head slightly, and in a quiet voice said, “Well played, Katrinetta.”Kit cleared her throat but said nothing. All of her words had been used up

 The princess was standing so close to Eli, and the scent of her, lavender and honey, mixed with a tinge of her own unique perspiration, made him want to move closer to her still. He watched quietly as she worked, trying to keep his thoughts as wholesome as possible but failing miserably.“The light is poor over here,” she said, bringing him back to reality. “Maybe if I….” She moved so that she was standing between his legs, leaning over the table, her neck hovering just in front of his face, and it took every bit of will power he had within him not to reach over and gently place his lips on that warm alabaster skin. “That’s better.”His breath must’ve been tickling her because she giggled, looked over at him out of the corner of her eye, and then stretched her neck away. “Pardon me, princess” he said, hearing the huskiness in his own voice. “It’s only… you smell lovely.&

Once Eli had faded from her sight, Kit took a deep breath and reminded herself that he was gone—that he’d never been hers to begin with—and went to check on Jecob. He was losing a lot of blood, even though Armant seemed to be taking his time and cutting carefully, suturing up every blood vessel as he sliced through. It was slow going, and Kit had no idea how many hours it might take him, but she had a feeling he would be there a long time.“Is there anything I can get you?” she asked the physician, peering over his shoulder in fascination. She’d always admired medical work even though she knew she’d never be allowed to practice because of her station.Armant didn’t recognize she was speaking to him at first. When he did, he looked up and said, “Oh, no, thank you, Princess. It’s tedious work, but I’m hoping to spare his life.”Kit nodded and decided she should go. If her mother were to find h

Cassius knew her. Somehow, in just the few days that he’d been there, in the few times they’d spoken, he’d come to understand her. Kit wanted to confide everything to him but didn’t think standing in the hallway in front of her guards was the right place. With a deep breath, she asked, “Would you like to come inside for a bit?”A wicked grin spread across his face, and his green eyes twinkled. “Would I?” he asked, his hands already on her upper arms before he finished speaking.Kit let out a quiet giggle. “You know we are bound by law not to do anything… impulsive.”“Oh, I’ve given it enough thought there would be no impulsivity involved.”She snickered. “All right—immodest then. Inappropriate?”“Sexual?”“That, too.” Kit felt her face heat up.“I promise I shall mind my manners.” He looked at the

The ballroom was decorated more elaborately than Kit had ever remembered seeing it. Her mother had truly outdone herself this time with the amount of towering flower vases and blooms to the ceiling. The colors were purple and gold, the two shades best associated with the crown, and the fabrics that ran from the ceiling to the walls and then down to the floor were majestic and sparkling. The orchestra was so large, the music could be heard far down the hall, and the banquet table was overflowing with all kinds of desserts and other delicacies that could be easily eaten with one’s fingers. Perfect fare for a ball after a large meal in the dining hall. It truly was an impressive sight, and when Kit turned to her mother, she could tell she was well pleased with how her design had been carried out.The queen stepped to the middle of the dais in the center of the room along one wall, where she usually spent most of these sorts of festivities since she refused to dance with he