Sin was out the door before Jocelyn finished talking, lost in the angry storm of thoughts.
A gasp escaped her as she saw Gideon, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, looking impatient for Sin to leave. She barely made it around the corner before she heard footsteps, and the door opening and closing.
Sin shook her head as she walked aimlessly through the corridors, realizing it was morning. So many obvious secrets within this castle, it didn’t surprise her to feel like she couldn’t trust anyone.
Sunshine was looking through the windows, the brightness of it blinding her as she wandered the halls, following that insistent tug. How much time had passed in the library?
Sin paused at a window, spotting Max outside in a courtyard, sparring. Her initial instinct was to look away, to avoid the pull she felt towards him, but her eyes refused to obey. She found herself unable to tear her gaze away, caught between wanting to hate him and the undeniable magnetism he seemed to wield over her.
His movements were powerful and fluid, with serpentine precision. Sin’s heart raced as she watched him move, the muscles bunching beneath his leathers that hid none of his strength. It forced the memory of his naked, muscular form, pounding inside her untouched flesh and claiming it as his.
Serpentine eyes flashed upwards, locking onto hers like a predator scenting prey. His momentary distraction sent him sprawling, his legs flying up before he scrambled back to his feet.
Laughter exploded from Sin before she covered her mouth, breaking her tension from the library.
Max looked up at her in surprise, taking steps towards the castle where he would surely find her.
Sin panicked.
Running through the halls, she reached the servants’ quarters and locked herself in the bathroom.
She sank into the empty, dry tub, her back pressed against the cold ceramic. It was a small comfort against the heat building within, and she closed her eyes, wondering if Jocelyn could be right—if she was truly scared of her bond.
Sin
Sin moved through the castle like a shadow, her steps quick but silent. The air in the halls felt heavy, thick with the weight of weeks spent avoiding the one person she couldn’t stop thinking about. Every time Max entered a room, she found an excuse to leave; every time their eyes met across a crowded hallway, she averted her gaze, her heart pounding as she battled her emotions and the unspoken tension between them.
After Max finally taking the hint, he must’ve decided to give her the space she needed, giving her a curt nod when she entered a room he was in.
She knew she wanted more information about her mother, practically foaming at the mouth for it some days. But, every moment alone with him was challenging her control. She had goals in life, something she’d never truly had before, and it didn’t include being his slave and whore until she’s murdered in her sleep by his future bride.
Even if he played a part in her new outlook, he was a distraction. All pretty things were, and despite the warrior’s physique, she thought the prince was the most beautiful creature she’d ever seen.
When she was more confident in her control after this much-needed distance, she’d go to him for the information he was offering.
The atmosphere of the castle that day was heavy, filled with echoing whispers, the rustle of silk being prepared, and the faint scent of fresh flowers. Preparations were underway for another ball—another grand event where the princes would parade themselves before courtiers and nobles alike. Another one of the Asera Princes’ Balls. A chuckle escaped Sin’s lips at the words, but it was hollow, tinged with bitterness.
Sin’s chest tightened as she imagined Max—her prince—dancing with someone else. Someone more refined. Someone who wasn’t a servant. The image of him laughing with another woman, his hands on her waist, his lips close to her ear, made her stomach churn. The jealousy gnawed at her, clawing its way up from the pit of her gut, a bitter and ugly thing.
Her mind fixated on Max’s eyes sparkling at another the way they had in his room that fateful night. She could still feel the weight of his gaze, the way it had left her breathless and confused.
Some fate, she thought, her lips twisting into a wry smile that held no joy. Sin could only question the true nature of her feelings, debating whether they stemmed from the bond or genuine affection. The uncertainty gnawed at her, leaving her feeling vulnerable and exposed.
She tried to push the thoughts away, to bury them beneath her duties. She focused on scrubbing floors, polishing silverware, and delivering messages, but the thought remained: Would Max engage with someone else at the ball? Would he look at another woman the way he looked at her that night?
The idea consumed her, twisting her thoughts until she could hardly focus on her tasks. Even now, as she hurried through the corridors, her mind wandered back to him—to the ball, to the possibility of him with someone else.
As if fate were laughing at her, she turned a corner, and froze at the silhouette frame of his backside. The loosely fittedtunic that did absolutely nothing to hide the muscled back. The fighting leathers that hugged his ass and meaty thighs that made her feral in a way that made her salivate, thoughts plaguing her of biting them, being suffocated by those things.
Heavens, she thought, becoming so heated she thought she might pass out as she looked around to see if anyone noticed.
No one did.
But as if sensing her watching him, his body shifts, beginning to turn around in her direction.
The silhouette of his face became clearer as she turned around, and ran.
Cursing herself, she slowed as several people flooded the hall, all clearly trying to ruin her life when she needed to escape humiliation.
