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Most days, they returned hoed in the work ca of respectable vendor faine that those sarown up to visit palaces at the invitation of foreign queens
Vannova was a far cry from sewer drains and waste bins
Yet here they were, still playing games, he realized, as he turned the corner and stopped short
She was there, as beautiful as he’d reloves she’d stripped froer But she wasn’t alone She ith A each other, their gazes intense Even from as far as Aron was from them, he could tell that Brook’s words ca
Aron clenched his fist, wishing he hadn’t bothered coed; she was the sairl she’d always been, still trying to ditch him as she searched for someone better to play with
He wasn’t sure what he’d expected, but it certainly hadn’t been this
He watched as Bartolo reached out and stroked her cheek, and Aron could’ve sworn he saw Brook’s eyes widen, ever so slightly Ever so provocatively
He turned then, spinning on his heel, and stoe mirror, framed in hand-carved ebony, and stared at ? I can’t wear this," I repeated for the hundredth tiowns spread across our bed, trying to make the perfect selection
What I lacked in enthusiasm, Brook more than made up for She plucked up a delicate moss-colored dress and draped it across the front of her unifor about--you look beautiful"
As if she’d even know She hadn’t even glanced my way since the footman--whose uniform was, in fact, almost identical to her ohen they were side-by-side--unpacked the owns Queen Neva had had delivered to ala
"It’s too much" I’d tried to tell him "I can’t possibly accept thelaise "Her Majesty insists Consider theot the impression she couldn’t wait to strip out of her uniforifts"
"It’s practically invisible," I corateful that Zafir, at least, had noticed and was pretending to be preoccupied by so at the sheer fabric across lanced up then, looking at my brsts, which were indeed covered by the thinnest, sheerest fabric known to hu it wrong"
I followed her gaze "I don’t think I am, that’s the problem I’ve seen what Queen Neva wears, Brook, I think this is norlared in his direction "It’s not funny, Zafir It’s not I’ht ithout having to do theled
"Ooh! You two are like children" I turned h the pile, searching for so a littlesuitable All I need is one"
Brooklynn’s hand touchedso much" I lifted my flushed face to hers "Enjoy the party There’ll be plenty of tiown that fell in cascading scarlet waves and thrust it out to ers trace the fabric--the nearly transparent golden threads woven through it gave it a burnished look Yet it was so delicate So much softer than it looked, so much more pliable "You think?" I whispered
Brook set it aside and reached for the fasteners at my neck "I know," she insisted with soher
She helped e into a dress that fit like hs, hugging my body so closely it was a wonder I could so own had becoically placed e the torso sparkled, covering just what needed to be covered, and nothing more Everywhere else, however, the scarlet fabric was just as translucent as the other gowns had been Except for the skirt Shirred silk created a soft, full effect, just a shade darker than the red that followed my waistline, and ended in bold trim that matched the embellishments that covered my chest and wrapped all the way around my hips My arms were bare, and a si the dress in place
"Wow" I breathed atat me over o and make sure Aron and the others will be ready on time We don’t want to keep the queens waitin’, do we?"
Brook aiting for me in the hallhen I stepped out of our shared bedroo her, I would never have believed she was the coine she was a soldier at all, that she was capable of killing with her bare hands