Page 17 of Ties of Dust

A resolution, a little hazy around the edges due to encroaching sleep, formed in his mind. He wouldn’t ask Flora to conceal her face or her form. But that didn’t mean they had to make all the details of their predicament known. He would speak to Lord Armand first thing.

With that small sense of taking back control of the situation, Cassius allowed himself to surrender to his exhaustion, and drifted into sleep.

Cassius’s sleep was unsettled, and he’d assumed he would wake first. It was therefore a surprise when he emerged from sleep to see an empty rugbefore a dying fire.

He cast his eyes around to see Flora standing to attention by the door, trying—at a guess—to look like she hadn’t just been watching him sleep.

Well, he’d watched her sleep the night before, so he wasn’t in a position to criticize.

“Good morning,” he said. Her only reply was to deferentially lower her head. She looked tense, almost angry.

“Flora? Are you all right?” he asked, bemused.

She took a moment to answer, then drew in a breath. “You should have slept in the bed, Your Highness.”

Cassius grinned. Was that what was bothering her? If she’d hoped to prove herself more stubborn than him, she’d be disappointed.

“I told you I wouldn’t, so I don’t know why you’re surprised,” he said, propping up one elbow and resting his head on his hand as he studied her. “You woke early.”

“I’m a guard, Your Highness,” she reminded him. “It’s part of the training.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Are you, though? I was thinking during the night, and I still find it hard to believe the Siqualian king and queen assigned the role of their daughter’s bodyguard to a twenty-year-old woman whose build is as slender as a cypress.”

There was that blush again. It was endearing, honestly. Cassius had to hold back a smile.

“I’m not Princess Miriam’s only guard. As you saw, she has much…burlier ones surrounding her at all times.”

Cassius chuckled. “Certainly no one could accuse you of being burly.” He studied her face. “Tell me the truth, Flora. Do Their Majesties know that you’re a woman?”

“Of course!” Her shocked reply convinced him that she was telling the truth. “They’re perfectly aware of it.” Shepaused. “They have their reasons for allowing me to fill the role of bodyguard.”

“No, don’t try to be aloof,” said Cassius. “It doesn’t suit you at all.”

He thought he saw her lips twitch, and he allowed his own smile to show.

“What are their reasons?” he pressed. “Given you’re my bodyguard now, I think it’s reasonable for me to ask for details.”

She gave him a pointed look. “I thought you said that you didn’t consider me bound to be your bodyguard, Your Highness.”

“And I thought you insisted on filling the role anyway,” he countered.

She was silent for a moment. He had her there.

“How about I step outside, Your Highness?” she said.

He straightened a little. “To go where? I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to show yourself to the guards until we have our stories straight.”

“But wouldn’t you be more comfortable to continue this discussion after you’ve had the chance to…freshen up?” She fought valiantly to keep her eyes fixed on anything but him.

Cassius glanced down at himself. His tunic was ruffled and fully unlaced at the front, and his hair, which came down almost to his shoulders, was no doubt in disorder. But it wasn’t like he was unclothed. Which made her reaction all the more entertaining.

“Not at all,” he told her. “I’m perfectly comfortable as I am.” He lifted his brows. “Am I makingyouuncomfortable?”

She released a breath, her shoulders lowering slightly. “Well, of course I’m uncomfortable, Your Highness. But it’snot you making me uncomfortable so much as the tether itself.”

Taking pity on her, Cassius pushed himself to his feet and strode over to the chair to retrieve his jacket.

“We’re in agreement there. Our situation doesn’t look much better in the daylight than it did last night, does it?”

---