Page 44 of Ties of Dust

Reluctantly, they all curtsied or bowed and left. Cassius strode to the door, closing it firmly behind the last of them.

“You know,” said Flora, before he’d even turned around, “sending out the servants will only fuel rumors of something untoward. Better to let them overhear than speculate on what they’re kept from hearing.”

Cassius paused, grinning foolishly at the door for a moment before schooling his features and turning around.

“There would be nothing for them to overhear if I let them stay. You force my hand because you refuse to speak to me like a human being unless we’re alone.”

She looked unimpressed, but it only buoyed his mood more. She was natural when it was just the two of them—onlywhen it was just the two of them—and he was rapidly becoming very attached to her natural self.

“I can’t eat with you, Your Highness,” she said. “It wouldn’t be appropriate.”

“It also wouldn’t be appropriate for you to collapsefrom hunger,” Cassius pointed out, dropping into one of the armchairs.

“No fear of that.” She eyed him and, to his surprise, her expression softened. “Thank you for sending food to my room last night. That was very considerate.”

“Yes, my magnanimity knows no bounds,” he said wryly. “I am the toast of the land for my generosity in not forcing those under my care to starve to death.”

“You’re being dramatic, Your Highness,” she said reprovingly. “And it doesn’t suit one of your station.”

He laughed. She said it very seriously, but he wasn’t fooled.

“Come on Flora,” he said comfortably, leaning forward to help himself to a pastry. “They’re gossiping about us anyway, we may as well take the opportunity to eat something while we discuss our situation.”

She unwound at last, moving around the chair and lowering herself into it with a feline sort of grace.

“I am hungry,” she acknowledged. “In spite of the dinner last night.”

“Yes, most of us aim to eat somethingeveryday,” Cassius told her innocently.

She ignored him, swiping the solitary spoon that had been provided for him and helping herself to a boiled egg.

“Please feel free to use my spoon,” he said politely.

“I will.” She was becoming more brazen by the minute, and he loved it. “I’ll take it as payment for your insistence on exposing me to the gossip of your servants.”

“There’s always gossip in a castle,” he informed her. “No matter how circumspect you are, it won’t stop people talking about the oddity of a female guard. I wouldn’t let it bother you.”

“That’s easy for you to say, Your Highness.” Shesounded disgruntled. “I doubt you would suffer any real consequences—social or otherwise—even if everyone concluded youwerehaving a dalliance with a servant. I’m the one who would be sanctioned.”

“You’ve told me in no uncertain terms that you’re not my servant,” Cassius reminded her. “And I’m wounded at your suggestion that princes think nothing of engaging in such…dalliances. Is that how the Siqualian princes conduct themselves?”

“I wasn’t commenting on the Siqualian princes,” said Flora with dignity.

“I could be excused for taking that evasive reply as confirmation,” Cassius pointed out.

That drew a chuckle from her. “I’d best give a plain answer, then. Prince Theodore, absolutely not. He’s far too honorable for anything clandestine. Prince Xavier…” She considered it. “He’d want you to think so. He certainly behaves with a great deal of license. But to tell the truth, in the year I’ve been serving Princess Miriam, I don’t think I’ve ever actually witnessed him doing anything scandalous. Or at least, not of that nature. He just wants to appear that way, I think.”

Cassius raised an eyebrow. “Why would hewantto appear scandalous?”

“Oh, well…” A mischievous smile quirked Flora’s lips, the expression outrageously endearing. “I can understand it, but I’m not surprised you don’t. Not everyone wears the role of royalty as comfortably and capably as you do.”

Cassius blinked. “Was that…a compliment? It’s hard to tell with you.”

Flora just smiled more widely as she moved on to a piece of fruit. “Even princes need a bit of mystery in their lives.”

“Especially princes,” he informed her. “My days are drearily predictable.” He thought about it. “At least, until I met you. I can’t say that being magically tethered to strangers is part of my usual predictable routine.”

“Or mine,” Flora agreed. “Which brings us back to the topic you claimed you wanted to discuss.”

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