I feel an unexpected warmth fill my belly. As much as I hate him, it is nice to feel wanted. Great celestials, what is wrong with me?
“Fine.” I concede. “While I believe this plan may be asinine, I can accept that it’s currently the only plan we have.
Rhoden claps her hands gleefully before plopping herself down on my bed. I’m still perched in the chair next to my desk, running my pointer finger across my bottom lip.
As Rhoden begins to rattle off a myriad of ways we can get Braxton to fall in love with me, my mind drifts back to the list on my desk. After Rhoden has dolled me up for the day, but before I leave my room, I add two more things to it that seem of vital importance.
Curse Details
Curse was crafted because my father owed Braxton a debt.
If I try to leave the castle grounds all my loved ones will die.
I’ve been here for
A part of the curse is making it hard for me to remember timeframes.
Braxton is an asshole. DO NOT under any circumstances actually fall in love with him.
8
Azalea
Tomyutterannoyance,Braxton was nowhere to be found yesterday. I even hunted down Gravesley to see if he could point me in the right direction, but the only information he could provide was that Braxton was busy with a private matter.
At first, I was worried that he somehow caught wind of the plan Rhoden and I hatched, but when he didn’t show up for dinner, which was a first, I knew that wasn’t the case.
This morning, I’m refusing to let him avoid me again. I pick out a flaxen-colored dress with gold detailing adorning the bodice. At first glance, it appears the detailing is an array of swirls, but upon closer inspection, it becomes apparent that it’s actually tiny bunches of flowers. The skirt of the dress flows down to the ground, and the ruffle sleeves slip down off my shoulders, exposing my neck and chest. This dress shows far more skin than I typically do around Braxton, and I’m hoping it will get his attention. I refrain from wearing any jewelry to keep myself looking as bare as possible, and when Rhoden comes to help me with my hair, I decide to let my freshly washed and styled curls flow down my back.
After I paint a soft blush color on my lips and cheeks and smudge a small amount of kohl around the corners of my eyes, I get ready to find Braxton.
While I hate most aspects of living in this castle, I would be lying if I said getting to dress like this isn’t one of the perks. On occasion, I’ve even wondered if, after I break the curse, I’ll be allowed to take these clothes with me back home. I’m not sure where I would wear the lavish gowns hanging inside my wardrobe, but I fear I would miss them too much, and I could never leave any of them behind. They’re all too pretty.
I don’t realize how much my daydreams of breaking free of this castle and taking all of my dresses with me have occupied my thoughts until the door to Braxton’s study bursts open in front of me, and I realize I must have been standing there lost to my thoughts instead of knocking on the door.
Quickly hiding my startled expression, I do my best to replace it with a smile that I’m hoping doesn’t look crazed. I try to recall if I’ve ever smiled at Braxton before, and by the worrisome widening of his eyes, I’m guessing I haven’t.
“You’re smiling.” His tone holds a question, but I’m not entirely sure how to answer it.
