Page 104 of Of Skulls Of Shackles

He smirked. “Lack of forgiveness bodes better for ruin, queen of The Real End.”

“Not if you have already forgiven her in your heart,” I said. “Then it is pointless and just because you fear the opinion of others.”

The king contemplated me and did not answer.

Of all the kings I wished to throttle, he was my current choice. Though I had wished to throttle all kings at one point or another and had not. Perhaps one evening I might not wish to throttle the ruining king so much.

But it was not this night.

I joined Princess Change after, and entered the bar out of curiosity more than anything. I had never touched alcohol since trying moonshine in my early teenage years. “Would you care for a drink, Princess?”

She did not put aside numbness to answer me.

I called back the stitch that held together her hands. “Since you will have no urge to dig tonight.”

She did not reply.

“He is not angry at you,” I said next. “Not really.”

Where were the glasses?

Princess Change murmured, “I am angry at myself, though. That is enough.”

“Enough for you to keep digging for a bouquet that you will never find?”

“I am done with digging,” she said.

I cocked a brow, facing away from her as I opened the lower cupboards.Wherewere the glasses? “The taste of dirt does not appeal?”

“The taste of dirt is unrivaled,” the princess replied. “That is the source of life, and that is what I taste and smell when I feast upon it.”

When she put matters that way, I could see nothing strange in eating dirt. There was some profound beauty in her explanation. Though I would not rush out to feast on compost.

“I am glad you are done digging,” I said instead. “Perhaps we will find common ground in time.”

She stood and smoothed her garden apron over her bridal gown. “I will never give you that.”

I tilted my head, struck by the similarity of what she had said to what her king said not many minutes prior. They were on the same page well and truly. Perhaps withholding understanding was their last resistance. I would not rob them of the illusion.

But where were the glasses?

I crouched down and leaned forward to open the cupboard before me.Glasses!The movement was too much for my corset to continue containing what it had contained until now though.

One breast popped out, and I covered my mouth, then hurried to push it back in.

A large hand caught mine, and I sucked in a breath and looked up so very high to King See.

“Allow me,” he said darkly.

“I was trying to find a glass.” My cheeks warmed in a curious way that I would not have expected.

King See stroked fingertips over my midnight blush as he lowered. See pulled me high on my knees and drew my nipple into his mouth. His tactic did not seem likely to end in the return of my breast to the corset.

Warmth flooded me, and I gripped his black hair with both hands, upsetting his silver circlet. See freed my other breast and growled as he claimed that nipple too.

I dragged him to the floor, and he tore the crotch of my leotard, not leaving my breasts to chase breath. I lifted my hips in clear demand for him to hurry up. His fingers found my entrance, and I arched back, still gripping his hair tight.

His circlet clanged to the stone floor, and we both jerked. His eyes were fixed on me. The dwindling conversation beyond the bar floor caught up to me.

---