He scowled. “Fine.”
Trew guided me toward the small shop tucked between a cloth merchant and a spice dealer.
Pherin’s claws tightened on my shoulder, her small body vibrating with anticipation. She knew something was about to happen.
The guards started to follow us inside.
Trew turned, positioning himself in the doorway. His body language shifted, coming across less deferential bodyguard and more an immovable obstacle.
“The princess requires a private moment to compose herself.” His voice carried absolute authority. “You will wait outside.”
The head guard’s eyes narrowed. “Our orders?—”
“Are to ensure her safety, not to witness every moment of her day.” Trew’s hand rested casually on his sword hilt. “Unless you’d like to explain to His Majesty why you insisted on crowding around his daughter while she composes herself after an emotional visit with her people?”
The phrasing was perfect. It reminded them that I was the king’s daughter, that embarrassing me would mean answering to my father, and that Trew was simply protecting my dignity.
The guard’s jaw worked, but he stepped back. “We’ll be right outside.”
“Yes, that will work well. I’m confident I can watch out for her inside.” Trew closed the door with a soft click.
The shop’s interior smelled of mint and chamomile and there wasn’t a single patron inside.
Lexie stood behind the counter, her face serious, her eyes sparkling with humor. “What can I get for you today, my lady?”
I ordered a pot of chamomile tea.
“It’s more comfortable in the back,” Lexie said, tilting her head toward the open doorway behind her. “Please have a seat, and I’ll prepare it for you and bring it right away. Cookies?”
“Yes, please.”
It didn’t take Lexie long to appear in the room with the tray holding a tea pot and even cookies. She kicked the door to the front room shut behind her. After placing the tray on a table, she secured a pendant on a chain around her neck. A snap of her fingers and my own face started replacing hers.
Lexie grinned, her features identical to mine down to the freckle near my left eyebrow. She’d captured not just my appearance but the way I held myself, the tilt of my head, and even the nervous habit of touching the pendant I wore around my neck.
“Your Highness.” Her voice sounded like mine as well. “So lovely to see you again.”
She removed her cloak, revealing her wearing a gown exactly like mine. In one smooth motion, she swung the cloak around my shoulders.
“Stay still,” she said as she adjusted the fabric. “We need to get this perfect.”
Trew moved to help, smoothing the cloak into place. His fingers brushed my neck as he adjusted the hood, and heat flooded through me despite the danger and the guards waiting right outside.
Our faces were so close I could see the tension in his jaw and the way his pupils dilated as his gaze dropped to my mouth.
We couldn’t kiss. Couldn’t touch beyond this necessary contact. The guards could burst in at any moment.
But his fingers lingered on my shoulders, and my breath caught in my throat.
“Perfect fit,” Lexie said, her voice rich with amusement.
Trew’s hands dropped away, though I felt the reluctance in the movement.
Before I could process the loss, the rear door opened and Derren stepped inside.
He crossed the small space in two strides, and Lexie threw her arms around him. They held each other, her face pressed to his chest, his hand cradling the back of her head.
They separated, though their fingers remained tangled together.