I pulled on a collared, long-sleeved, fitted shirt with a sharp V down the front. It was light and made of my favorite muslin material. Thin enough not to force me to sweat, flexible enough to move in, and fitted enough to show my curves, it was the perfect choice. Unlike the flowery, puffy pants and tops most women preferred to wear while sipping tea, I favored a working woman’s outfit.
Gesturing a wave at Roark, I rushed down the corridor, not taking a moment to slow. He hesitated, but waved back, confused by the greeting. He was an odd man—quirky.
I recalled turn after turn to lead myself to the sitting room. If I could get myself to the ballroom later, I’d be able to find the same corridor I’d seen the Suttons in on the night of the ball. The king’s study had to be in that area of the castle.
Skidding to a stop, I caught my breath for a moment before reaching for the doorknob. I checked over my boots, making sure the laces weren’t dragging, and adjusted my sleeves—pulling down the material pushed up around my elbow. Though I wasn’t ashamed of my tattoo, I didn’t need any more attention from Leanna.
Most proper women chose not to put ink on their skin. Tattoos normally embellished the bodies of men, while women adorned themselves only with jewels. Though I had a passion for jewelry, there was a different beauty that came from hosting a meaningful tattoo permanently on one’s skin.
The door opened before I could enter, and I nearly gasped from surprise. Leanna stared, a sneer edging the corners of her mouth. She was beautiful despite the comical position her hair was drawn into. Her black locks were pulled up into a design similar to the antennae of a caterpillar.
“Oh.” Leanna looked me up and down. “I thought you’dstayed in your room, considering the time.” Her eyes swung over to the nearby clock.
I eyed the trio, all in elegant dresses dripping with frills. They looked brilliantly dressed for an afternoon tea, not for sparring.
“Are we not going to the fighting ring?” I asked, eyeing Maris’s lace bodice. How would she even move in the stiff getup? She didn’t even bring a sword or a small dagger. I had known to at least strap a dagger on each of my thighs.
“We are,” Leanna said. “Prince Sutton has training today, and it’s only fair for you all to observe his fighting skills. He’s been busy assessing all of you—well, most of you.”
I ran a palm across my forehead. “We aren’t fighting?”
Allura, realizing my error, covered a chuckle with her palm. How had I expected her to step into the ring? Maris wouldn’t do well against me, but she would have held her own against the pocket-sized female standing on the other side of Leanna.
“No, Audryn,” Leanna reprimanded, my name spoken as something foul, “you’re here to get to know my brother, not to behave as if you’re in a tavern brawl. Though perhaps you’d prefer that.”
Blush streaked my face as she looked me over once more. Her gaze lasted a moment too long as her lip curled.
“I suppose that explains your attire.” The look of disgust vanished just as quickly as it had shown, her composed demeanor returning. She stepped past me. “No time to worry about that now. We must go. You’ve already made us late.”
We sat at the fighting ring for two hours. Watching the Prince was enthralling at first, and whether he’d chosen to spar shirtless for our sake or his, I couldn’t tell. But I appreciated seeing his thick muscles flex and bend with every move all the same. Sweat slid down the lines etched into his stomach like a glistening river trickling through stones during summer.
But as time waned on, my stare wandered into the distance.Boredom struck as he won round after round with each new opponent. His endurance was impressive, but if that was meant to entertain me fully, he’d fallen short. I wasn’t made to sit around as an observer.
The round finished, and Prince Sutton threw his shirt on. He ducked out of the ring, stepped down, and strode over to our seats. We promptly stood and bowed, except for Leanna.
“Audryn,” he said with a grin, “you made it!” His boyish smile could light up an entire room.
“Yesterday,” I said flatly, raising an eyebrow. For someone who’d pressured me to take up residence in his home, I’d expected him to at least be there to welcome me. Instead, he’d made me wait a full day.
“Things have been busy the last few days. Though had you come last week with everyone else, we would’ve had more time together.” He wiped a stream of sweat from his brow.
Leanna interrupted, “Your schedule is bustling, and we are all lucky for the time you’ve given us.” Her eyes darted to me, a silent warning to be grateful.
“Your Highness,” Allura greeted, “you performed well today. It was such a pleasure watching you.”
“Absolutely delightful.” Maris clapped her hands together.
He looked at me expectantly, and I offered a shrug. “I thought we were coming here for a couple of rounds in the ring. Had I known we were only to observe, I would’ve planned accordingly.”
He arched a thick eyebrow. “Would you like to indulge in a round?”
I smiled back at him. “I would love?—”
“You’ll do no such thing,” Leanna barked. “It’s improper for a lady to enter the ring.”
“Says who?” I quipped without thinking. My eyes darted to the hasty woman. “Apologies, I didn’t mean any disrespect.”
Leanna’s cheeks turned crimson, and I didn’t need a scoldingfrom her to understand my mistake. Maris smirked, knowing I’d shoved my entire boot into my gaping mouth and was choking on the thick soles. Meanwhile, Allura waited and swayed, hands clasped in front and eyes set on the man who kept his focus on me.
