“I...” Kitt looked down at the flowers in her hand. Roderick was certainly handsome, but she had always thought of him as Princess Lyneah's paramour, not hers. The fact that he was still interested in her, even after hearing the truth about her, was stunning. “I don't know what to say.”
“You don't have to say anything yet, my lady. I only wanted to make my intentions clear.”
“I see. Well...” Kitt chuckled nervously.
“You're blushing,” he teased her. “It's a radiant blush, but a blush nonetheless. I'm sorry if I've made you uncomfortable.”
“I'm not uncomfortable!” she corrected him. “If anything, I guess I feel flattered. You called yourself a nobody once, but at least you're a knight. I am truly a nobody!”
“You are not a nobody. You're a lovely young woman, and I intend to convince you of your worth.” He suddenly reached toward her, tucking her hair behind her ear. When she felt his fingers brushing her ear's outer rim, her entire body erupted with tingles. “There is... something else I must tell you. It concerns you, but I'm not sure you are yet aware of it.”
“Oh?” He suddenly sounded painstakingly serious. Kitt could feel her body tensing up as she braced for what he might say.
“In two days, it is the princess' twenty-third birthday. And there will, of course, be a celebration,” Roderick told her. “Specifically, there is to be an airship race.”
“Airship race? That sounds somewhat entertaining.”
“Indeed,” he agreed. “One of the prizes is a substantial monetary reward. The other prize is... a kiss from the princess.”
“Ah...” She suddenly sounded significantly less excited. “I see.”
“And with Lyneah absent, of course you will have to do the kissing.” Roderick chuckled, even though she didn't look amused.
“So, in other words, I'm going to have to kiss some strange man?” Kitt's nose was wrinkled so hard, it was a wonder it did not stay wrinkled forever.
“Perhaps not. You see, I intend to enter the race myself. And with any luck...”
“You have an airship?”
“Not exactly.” Roderick shook his head. “But my father is Vice-Captain of the Royal Black Wings. He's agreed to let me enter the race with one of his ships.”
“What are the Royal Black Wings, exactly?”
“They are a major part of the Royal Family's own Navy,” he explained. “And they possess some of the finest and fastest vessels in the world. For that reason, I think I have a fairly good chance of winning.”
“Please tell me you're not entering because you want that kiss!” Kitt laughed at the idea.
“My dear, everyone is entering because they want that kiss! Most men can only dream about getting that close to the princess.”
Kitt caught herself staring at Roderick's lips. It wasn't as if she hadn't kissed him before—under entirely different circumstances, of course. And the thought of kissing him again was far from unpleasant. The corner of her mouth twitched into a smirk as she imagined it. “Well then, Roderick... I hope you win.”
“And I hope I win as well. I shall certainly give it my all.” Roderick simultaneously winked and bowed. “Believe me, the prize is worth fighting for.”
23
“Remove your shirt,” Loreina commanded the young man standing in front of her. She extended a hand, waiting for him to relinquish his clothes to her.
The brown-haired, bronze-skinned man pulled off his shirt and passed it to the queen as gently as possible. When she saw his lean young body, a primal growl erupted from her throat. He was either twenty or twenty-one, she didn't exactly remember. Either way, he was definitely younger than her daughter, and she wasn't even a little bit ashamed. Loreina reached for him, letting her hand glide along his chiseled abs. She could barely remember the last time she had felt something so powerful, nubile and perfect.
“Get down on your knees,” she demanded, and her young lover immediately obeyed. “What is your name again, young man?”
“Simbe, Your Highness.”
“Simbe. Mmm. I like it.” She held out her foot to him. “Remove my slippers, Simbe, if you please.”
Simbe cupped her ankle in the palm of his hand before slowly sliding the shoe from her foot. He removed one, then the other. The queen wiggled her toes under his nose.
“Now... kiss them.”
When Simbe brought his lips to her toes, Loreina shrilled with delight. He kissed her feet again and again without being told to do so, and she was loving it. So when a knock on the door ended her pleasure, she didn't take kindly to being interrupted. In fact, she nearly screamed.
“What?” Loreina shrieked at the invader. When the butler entered the throne room with a message, she was tempted to throw a vase at him.
“Your Majesty...” the butler bowed deeply as he addressed her. “Captain Francis Doon has returned and has requested an audience with you. He says it is urgent. Shall I show him in, or should I tell him to return at a later time?”
“Doon?” Loreina squealed his name, and a moment later, she was out of her throne and shoving Simbe toward the door. “Do show him in, Pike,” Loreina said to the butler. “And be quick about it! A man like Captain Doon should never be kept waiting.”
“Of course, Your Majesty.” The butler bowed again as he retreated from the room.
Once Simbe was gone, Loreina returned to her throne and crossed her legs. She repositioned the slit in her skirt, making sure an ample amount of her leg was exposed. Then she adjusted her decolletage. If Doon was coming, she wanted her breasts to practically spill from the top of her dress.
When he entered the throne room, she let out a little moan. Captain Doon looked as handsome as ever. Though his hair was windswept, it looked like he had recently made an effort to comb it. He wore a billowy white shirt under a dark blue greatcoat. His boots were filthy. In fact, they were quite possibly the filthiest boots that had ever been allowed into the throne room, but Loreina didn't care. His untidiness was part of his appeal.
“Ahh, Captain Doon!” Loreina snapped open a fan and fluttered it beneath her burning cheeks. The roguish Doon had an unprecedented effect on her hormones. “Such a pleasure it is to see you again. It's always such a pleasure.” She briefly glared at the two guards who flanked him. They were there for her safety, but she hated it. She would have much rather been alone with her with favorite privateer.
“I've returned from my mission, Your Majesty,” Doon matter-of-factly stated. He had a large box tucked under his arm, which he lowered to the floor in front of him. “And I have brought something for you, but... perhaps we should be alone before I unveil this box's contents?” Doon surreptitiously eyed the two guards standing beside him.
“Oh, yes!” Loreina exclaimed. She wanted to be alone with him as soon as he walked through the door. Doon's request was to her benefit. “Guards, I'm afraid I must ask you to leave.”
“Are you quite certain, Your Majesty?” one of the guards asked. He was glaring at Doon with blatant mistrust in his eyes.
“Of course I'm certain! Don't second guess me! I want you to leave. And if I have to ask you again, I won't be happy!” Loreina's words were so forceful that the guards practically sprinted to the door. When they were gone, she continued, “Now that we are alone, feel free to discuss anything you wish.”
“When you sent me on my mission, you asked to see proof of the Duke of Suffick's death...” Doon was smirking slightly as he ripped open the box. “I'd say the proof doesn't get much better than this.”
Doon grabbed the Duke of Suffick's hair and yanked his severed head from the box. A small tickle of blood leaked from the hewn flesh to the marble floor. Loreina held her fan in front of her face, blocking the bloody head from her sight.
“Th-that's quite g-good!” she stammered. “I can clearly see your mission was a smashing success... there's no mistaking that! Now, if you would please put it back in the box and dispose of it...”
“Of course, Your Majesty
.” Doon dropped the head back in the box and closed it. “Out of sight, out of mind.”
The queen peeked around her fan, making sure the duke's head was out of view. “Very good, Captain. Well done. I will see you rewarded now, of course. And you haven't yet been rewarded for returning my daughter to me, so you will be doubly rewarded. Congratulations.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.” Doon bowed rigidly. “I'm very grateful.”
“Your service is greatly appreciated, Captain. No one executes missions with more stealth and efficiency than you.” As she rained praise on him, Loreina tugged on her skirt, exposing her entire ivory thigh to his gaze. “Do let me know if you would like a reward of a more... personal nature. In fact, I would be very interested in giving you a special payment.”
Doon didn't say anything, he just nodded slowly. He understood what she meant, of course, but he wasn't sure how to respond.
“In fact...” Loreina continued unabashedly. She did not want to be denied. “You might find that your special prize is even more worthwhile than any monetary reward.”
“Uh huh.” Doon turned and eyed the door. “If there is nothing else you require of me, might I be dismissed?”
Loreina's fist was clenching at her side. While she enjoyed a challenge, getting Doon into her bed was nigh on impossible. “Very well,” she conceded. “You are dismissed, I suppose.”
Doon collected his box and exited the throne room. On his way out, he passed both of the scowling guards. As mistrustful as they were, he was surprised they didn't insist on following him down the hall and escorting him back to his airship.
“Doon!”
When he heard the voice calling his name, he knew it was Kitt before he even turned around to greet her. He stopped walking, let out a weary sigh, and waited for her to catch up to him.
“Doon!” Kitt grabbed his arm as she approached from behind. “I didn't know you were back! Why didn't you say anything?”
“I just got back, Princess. Did you expect me to pound on your door as soon as I set foot in the castle?”
“Well... no.” Kitt's nose crinkled at his rude response. “And you're just as friendly as ever, I see.”
“I know. I'm the absolute pinnacle of friendliness,” he said with a chuckle.
Kitt's gaze dropped to the box he held under his arm. “What's in there?”
Doon shook his head and chuckled again. “ You don't want to know. You really don't want to know.”
“It smells sort of... unpleasant.”
“Tell me about it. Now, if you have nothing else to say, I really must be going.”
“Wait...!” Kitt tightened her grip on his arm. In some incomprehensible way, she was relieved to see him again. To see him disappear again so soon would have been disappointing. She stood on the tips of her toes and whispered in his ear, “I need to talk to you. Doon... I need to leave the castle. I can't stay here anymore. It's driving me mad.”
“You mean you haven't warmed up to being a princess?” There was an incorrigible glimmer in his eye as he spoke. “I think living in luxury would be kind of nice, myself.”
“Well, I'd be lying if I said it didn't have its perks, but it just feels so... perilous. I feel like I'm in constant danger.” Kitt stared down the hall, searching for any potential eavesdroppers. Fortunately, there was no one around, but she kept her voice quiet. “We have to end this charade.”
“Soon. But for now, I really must insist on taking my leave.” He bowed his head and took a step away from her. “Farewell.”
“B-but wait!” Kitt tried to charge after him, but his strides were long. “I barely had a chance to talk to you! Doon! I have so much more to tell you!”
“Later, Princess! We'll talk later, I promise!” He turned around and gave her a dismissive wave. “Right now, I must focus my attention elsewhere. I have a race to win!”
24
Kitt was determined to talk to Doon before the next day's race. Ever since he told her he was entering, she couldn't stop thinking about it. He was participating in a race where one of the prizes was a kiss from her, and for some reason, she couldn't get it out of her mind.
When Kitt left the castle and went to the skyport, she had at least four guards tailing her—and maybe more of them lurking in the shadows. After Lyneah's escape, the princess was almost certainly considered a flight risk. The guards who watched Kitt's every move just reinforced the idea that she was living in a gilded prison. In fact, when she reached Doon's ship, she begged them to wait outside, and yet they still insisted on following her aboard. She barely succeeded in getting them to wait by the stairs while she searched for Doon below deck.
The airship was mostly empty, since the majority of the crewmen were currently enjoying some shore leave. The hallways felt oddly hollow as she wandered the ship in search of Doon. Kitt finally found him in the engine room, where he was tinkering with some tiny gears on one of the engines. His hair, which he had attempted to tame for his audience with Loreina, was back to being a mess. His billowy white shirt was gaping open as he leaned over the engine, his sleeves were rolled up, and there was an unlit cigarette perched over his ear—presumably, he meant to smoke it later.
“Doon.” When she entered, she said his name as loudly as she could because she didn't want to frighten him.
“Oh, for the love of...” Doon stopped what he was doing and dragged a hand over his face. “I wonder... what god did I upset to deserve this interruption?”
Kitt crossed her arms and glared at him. “It's nice to know how much you hate me.”
“I don't, I don't!” He tried to wave away her concerns with a flick of his wrist. “But this work requires my utmost concentration, and your presence is likely to impede my progress.”
Kitt stood beside him and studied the engine. “What are you doing, exactly?”
“I'm making some slight modifications, trying to get the ship to run faster,” Doon explained. He lifted the bottom of his shirt and used it to wipe the perspiration from his forehead. “I have no idea if it'll make a difference, but it's worth a shot.”
“You don't sound very confident,” Kitt said. “That's so unlike you.”
“Well, I'm confident in my ship.” He picked up a tiny screwdriver and leaned over the engine. “I'm significantly less confident in my mechanical aptitude.”
“I didn't realize you had mechanical aptitude.”
“Precisely my point,” he agreed, then added, “Now, will you kindly step to the side? You're blocking my light.” When she didn't react quickly enough, he gently grabbed her shoulders and coaxed her to step aside. “There's a good girl.”
Kitt rolled her eyes at him. “Your gentlemanly manners never fail to impress me.”
“I know. I'm positively brimming with charm!” Doon suddenly extracted a monocle from his pocket, held it over his eye, and brought his face closer to the engine.
As he was tinkering, Kitt asked, “Wait, is that Miles' monocle?”
“Indeed it is.”
“You stole his monocle?”
“Well, I wouldn't stay steal, exactly. More like borrowed it without his knowledge. I fully intend to return it.”
“You stole it,” Kitt insisted.
“My dear, you are arguing with a pirate about the definition of stealing. I daresay you are wasting your bloody time.”
“Still...” Kitt sighed wearily, as she so often did when she was in Doon's company. “You've left the poor man blind!”
“Blind? I say that's a bit of an exaggeration!” When Doon finished tweaking a gear, steam suddenly hissed from the engine. He looked perfectly pleased by it, so Kitt didn't question what was happening. After he finished tinkering with the engine, he crossed the room to check some gauges.
“So why are you entering the race, anyway?” Kitt had to ask. “You don't even like hugging anyone! You don't like affection of any kind.”
That got his attention. When Doon turned in her direction, his eyebrow was raised. “Who told you
that? Miles?”
“Yes, it was Miles. Don't be upset with him!” Kitt exclaimed. “But it's true, isn't it? So I'm surprised you'd want to kiss me. I thought you didn't even like me.”
A thunderous laugh suddenly exploded from Doon. It was such a loud, long laugh that Kitt started to feel offended as she listened to it. Doon snatched the cigarette from his ear and idly tapped it against the gauge as his laughter subsided. “Oh, Kitten, how you amuse me. I'm entering the race because I want to prove I have the fastest airship, not because I want a kiss. Bloody hell, if I do win, I might even forego that particular prize. Not the monetary prize, of course... but the, uh, kiss.”
“Well...” Kitt started as her gaze dropped to the floor. “Thanks for making me feel incredibly foolish.”
“I'm sorry, truly,” Doon's apology came quickly. “I simply thought... well... that it was rather surprising that you would think a kiss was my main motivation for entering the race.”
“Roderick led me to believe there were many men entering because they wanted a kiss from the princess!”
“Who's Roderick?”
“A knight,” Kitt said. “He's entering the race too. I think he fancies me.”
“Well then, getting a kiss is clearly Sir Roderick's motivation for entering the race. Hell, it might even be the motivation for others.” Doon was shaking his head with disbelief as he paced across the room. “Why you thought that would actually apply to me is beyond staggering.”
“You said you'd even forego the prize. Does that mean you really do have an aversion to affection?”
“Perhaps. But I'll neither confirm nor deny it as it's no one's business but my own.”
“Maybe you just have an aversion to me,” Kitt said with a shrug, then she collapsed into a nearby chair and folded her arms over her chest.
The Barefoot Barmaid (Belles & Bullets Book 1) Page 14