Page 56 of The Queen’s Bodyguard

“It’s not the right one,” she said, walking behind her changing screen for privacy, freezing as she suddenly felt Argos’s warmth behind her.

“Right one for what?” He removed her hands, redoing the two buttons she had undone. “You look beautiful. Let’s go.”

“And if I don’t?”

“Go,” he ordered, and Theora nearly bit her tongue as her husband slapped her on the ass, hard.

“Sovereign, Argos!” She could feel herself blushing hard as she walked to the dresser and snatched up her golden clutch to gather herself. She took a breath and turned on her heel, laying a successful glare on her husband. “No antics like that in public.”

“Just keeping you on task.”

“Annoying me, more like.”

He grinned the smallest bit. “You want to even the playing field?” he asked, turning slightly to give her a view of his backside. “Go ahead, take a swing.”

Theora rolled her eyes and grabbed a fistful of his shirt, leading him out of the room. But by the time they exited their suite, they were hand in hand—the image of a loving couple.

It was so…odd wasn’t the word. Unfamiliar. But comfortable, thank the Sovereign. She had gotten use to Argos—the way he smelled, the way his skin felt. It was a deception that was becoming easier by the hour.

The tram took them to the entrance of the East Market, one of the main VIP shopping areas of Lasius. For security reasons, regular tourists couldn’t access this market—it was designated for only the ultra-elite. Royalty, dignitaries, the incredibly wealthy. Here, Theora could finally breathe. Pyre’s group would be kept on the west side of the resort, with its own markets and entertainment—there was no risk of ever running into them, of being in the same shop at once.

Entering the market, Theora hardly even noticed they were still underground. The lighting was adjusted according to the time of day to simulate the outdoors—Argos had been right that she needed sunlight, as even the idea of it made her feel a little more optimistic. And maybe the idea of a little retail therapy helped, too. Their scheduled shopping day wasn’t until tomorrow, but who said a queen couldn’t sneak in a bit of shopping whenever she pleased?

The East Market opened up as a large farmer’s market first, with high-end retail stores beyond it. Here there were a variety of stalls for handmade goods, fresh produce and butchered meats, even used and rare books. It also included street-food stalls—grilled seafood, fried dough, various curries, nearly all colonies represented.

Knowing they were about to eat, Theora didn’t allow them to linger, but seeing the fascination in Argos’s expression when they passed grilled octopus on a stick was rather…sweet. He could be so adorable sometimes, when he wasn’t aware others were looking. Or perhaps it was only cute because she had always expected the opposite from a Warrior.

Regardless, she would most definitely take him back here, when they had more time to wander.

A small bell rang as they entered the jewelry store, and the shop attendant emerged from a back room concealed by a curtain.

“Your Grace,” he said with a bow. “What can I help you find today?”

The man reached to take Theora’s hand in greeting, but Argos gave a small warning growl—well, small to Theora because she’d heard it before, but the shop attendant stumbled back in terror.

“Leave us,” said Theora quickly. The attendant immediately bowed and rushed through the curtain to the back room. Although she was secretly happy they had a reason to be alone, Theora frowned. “That was unnecessary.”

Argos didn’t seem sorry. “You recruited me to protect you. That means I can’t trust anyone in this colony.”

“You don’t trust anyone, period.”

“No, I don’t,” he admitted. He looked around at the displays, a bit lost. “What are we looking for here?”

“I’m just browsing.”

And that was the truth. Because she needed something to take her mind off the disaster of a peace talk session that had happened earlier today. But at the same time, a gift for Apollo wouldn’t hurt. Something to help smooth things over until next week, when she would tell him the truth—that this marriage to Argos was only temporary, and that she still had every intention of marrying him. Because…she didn’t really have a choice, did she? Venita was right. If she wanted to continue to protect her secret, she knew Apollo was the best person to help.

But that didn’t mean Argos had to know what she was shopping for.

“I think Apollo would prefer a flowerpot,” said Argos, jolting her from her thoughts.

“You’re such a brat.” Theora shifted her annoyed gaze from him to a display of tie clips.

“Does he like watches?”

“Who?”

“Apollo.” He raised a brow. “Be honest, that’s who you’re shopping for.”