Page 34 of Ties of Dust

Cassius hesitated, confused by her stiffness. He hadn’t seen her hold herself so rigid since before she revealed the truth about herself to him.

“Are you all right?” he asked her.

“Of course, Your Highness.”

Still bemused, Cassius began to walk. Flora followed astep behind, and the two guards who’d flanked the armory doors trailed behind her.

“Is your shoulder troubling you?” he tried again.

“No more than it has been, Your Highness.”

Flora’s face remained expressionless, and Cassius said no more until they reached the wing of the castle where the royal family slept. His own lavish suite stood on the northern side of the wing, with a view overlooking a pleasant garden and beyond it the northern district of the city. It was flanked by empty suites, occasionally used for important guests.

Or bodyguards forced by magic to remain within twenty feet of him.

“This suite is for your use,” he told her, opening the door before his own.

The receiving room beyond it had been made ready, no sign of the holland covers that would usually shroud it when unoccupied.

“I’m sure you’re eager to rest,” he added. “But it would be efficient for you to first attend my rooms to allow the physician to consider both of our wounds in the same visit.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

The phrase grated on him, so woodenly was it spoken. Leaving the two other guards in the corridor to flank the doorway, Cassius strode into his own suite. He found two servants bustling about in his rooms, unpacking items from his trip.

“You can resume that task later,” he told them.

At once, they bowed and withdrew, casting curious looks at Flora on the way out. Cassius debated with himself for a moment, then strode forward and closed the doorbehind the servants with a snap. Privacy took precedence over propriety on this occasion.

He paused with his hand on the door, wondering why the room suddenly felt more full than it had before the servants had left. Flora’s presence filled his awareness, robbing the space of its usual sense of sanctuary.

Slowly, he turned, leaning back against the door and folding his arms as he took in the sight of Flora standing ramrod straight, her eyes fixed on a space above his head.

They were genuinely alone, for the first time since that initial night at the inn.

Chapter

Nine

Flora kept her mind focused on one task—preventing her eyes from straying to Prince Cassius’s face.

“What’s wrong, Flora?” His words, unexpectedly gentle, instantly broke her resolve. Her eyes flew to him before she forced them away again.

“Nothing, Your Highness.”

He ignored her words. “You’re distressed.”

“No, Your Highness.”

“Angry, then? Come on Flora, communicate with me.” The prince was beginning to sound exasperated.

“I don’t know what you wish me to communicate, Your Highness,” Flora replied.

Prince Cassius made a noise of irritation in his throat. “Enough, Flora. Don’t you remember that I’ve given you leave to speak freely whenever we’re alone? In case you haven’t noticed, we’re alone.”

“I did notice, Your Highness,” she said, struggling to keep her eyes fixed on the wall. “But it’s not my place to speak freely. Now that we’ve returned to Crandell, the need for me to respect your position has increased.”

“I don’t know why,” the prince said. “I’m no more or less a prince here than I was on the road. But none of that explains why you feel angry to me.”

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