The king rolled his eyes. “I almost hope for your sake she isn’t a virgin. A wild experienced girl to bed would make for a more interesting wedding night than virgins writing love notes.”
Agreed, Evston thought.
“Her sister is coming home for a visit. I’ll invite Brandese to come to the castle as well. That should please her and will mend the rift between her and me.”
Evston fingered the paper in his pocket. At the moment, he no longer cared about Brandese’s relationship with the king. He only cared about the end of the night when he could have her as she’d promised.
* * *
In the chaos of gettingthe guests settled, Evston lost track of her. When he opened the door to their room, he found Melsint sitting on his bed and Rocurt standing at a sink using tooth powder.
“What’s going on?”
“Someone has to use this bed so passers in the hall can confirm the marriage was consummated.”
“Where is she?”
“I think I would look for her first in the playroom,” Mels said.
Evston left the room without a word and kept to the shadows. He opened the gate that barred entry to the stairs that led to the wing with their playroom and pet chamber. Guests had been told that that wing was under construction and that floorboards were weak.
When he entered the communal room, there was a single light on and she was directly beneath it. She was naked and sitting on her heels. A pair of gold nipple rings glinted in the light. He realized that having Rocurt take her to pick up Melsint’s dress had been a cover. Brandese had gotten Rocurt to take her to be pierced.
“Hello, pet,” he said.
“Hello, Sir,” she said and leaned forward so her forehead and chest were touching the floor, her hands floating out and then coming to rest in front of her in perfect elegant submission.
His cock turned to stone, but beyond the fact that he wanted her, he couldn’t come up with a single thought.
He left her that way for several moments, just staring at the lines of her back and buttocks.
“Sit up. Shoulders back.”
The rings swayed as her breasts rose.
“Your body is my property,” he said lightly. “I didn’t give permission for you to alter it.”
Her head jerked up. “You don’t like them?”
“I do like them,” he said, bending and giving one of the rings a gentle tug.
She sucked in a breath.
He knew they were sore, and let the ring slip from his grasp.
“Once upon a time, only slaves were pierced that way. They were led by chains hooked to their nipples.”
He watched her cheeks redden.
“So by being pierced for me, did you become my slave girl?”
“Yes,” she whispered.
“Yes, what?”
“Yes, Master.”
“Crawl to the bed and lie over the end. Rest with your chest on it.”
