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Cinder was still sh it was laced with detero over the plan, one hteen

Winter let thethe top half into a thick braid threaded with strands of gold and silver and leaving the rest to cascade around her shoulders She let the razed her skin like water and a strand of rhinestones to accent her neck She let the maid rub scented oils into her skin

She did not let the maid put any makeup on her--not even to cover the scars The ht "I suppose you don’t need it, Highness," she said, bobbing a curtsy

Winter knew she had a sort of exceptional beauty, but she had never before been given a reason to enhance it No azes would follow her down the corridors No matter what she did, her stepmother would snarl and try to hide her envy

But since Jacin confessed he was not i forward to this chance to dress up in new finery Not that she expected much to come from it other than a heady satisfaction She kneas na&iu as crazy as profess his love for her If he did love her at all Which she was confident he did, he must, after all these years … yet, his treatment of her had had a distant quality since he joined the royal guard The professional respect he rab his lapels and kiss hi it would take for him to thaw

No, she did not expect a confession or a kiss, and she knew all too well a courtship was out of the question All she wanted was an ad smile, one breathless look that would sustain her

As soon as the one, Winter peeked into the corridor, where Jacin stood at his post

"Sir Clay, reet our Earthen guests?"

He waited two full breaths before responding "At your service, Your Highness"

He did not, however, re down her skirt, Winter situated herself in front of hiht I looked sort of pretty today?"

Another breath, this one a bit louder "Not funny, Princess"

"Funny? It’s an honest question" She bunched her lips to one side "I’lower, he finally looked at her "Are you trying to drive hed "Crazy loves company, Sir Clay I notice you haven’t answered htened as he returned his focus to some spot over her head "Go look for co you fro" She tried to hide her disappoint Jacin on the chest as she passed But with that touch, his hand gathered up a fistful of her skirt, anchoring her beside him Her heart flipped, and despite all her bravado, Jacin’s piercing gazethis," he whispered, ulped, and thought to feign ignorance But, no--ignorance hat she feigned for everyone else Not Jacin Never Jacin "I hate this," she whispered back "I hate having to pretend like I don’t even see you"

His expression softened "I know you see ht nod, though she wasn’t sure she agreed How lovely it would have been to live in a world where she didn’t have to pretend

Jacin released her and she slipped into her cha the door behind her She was surprised to find herself light-headed Sheher breath when he’d stopped her and now--

She froze a few steps into the sitting roo of blood