Page 130 of The Discount Damsel

“But your studies.”

“Before dawn.”

He had amended his precious routine for her. He had done far more than that.

Whether Bradley knew it or not, he had discerned the essence of her lady pirate persona and had carefully curated an entire wardrobe for her. All in her favorite colors and cuts, too.

For someone who wasn’t her friend, he’d paid an awful lot of attention to her preferences. Even the bedroom furnishings reflected her personal taste: a king-sized bed to cradle her after a long day, rugs with piling as thick as moss so her feet wouldn’t ache on the stone floor, a tub she could submerge her whole body in, and while her favorite flower was a tulip instead of a desert rose, the decorative motif was exceptionally pleasant to look at. It made her feel feminine again, something she felt she’d lost a little of since committing herself to a life of piracy.

The apprentice had created a space that was entirely hers. He had gifted her a home. Here, she could be her true self. Indulge in the things that made her happiest, like long soaks and beautiful clothes and watching the sunset from her western window.

Carefully, as if the fabric would evaporate the moment she touched it, Millie rubbed the lace hem of the nearby lemon dress between thumb and forefinger. This shade of yellow was her favorite color, though her governesses had forbidden her to wear it for fear of washing out her complexion. “This was torn.”

“I mended it. They’re all fixed, actually. You’re rough on your clothes, Tula. Oh, and I added pockets to all of them, too. ”

Pockets? That meant she didn’t have to bother with reticules and satchels and the like unless she wanted to use them as fashion accessories. She turned, searching his face. “Why would you do this?”

He couldn’t look her in the eye.

A week ago, Bradley had been prepared to answer that question with a very different collection of reasons than the ones currently overwhelming his thoughts.

Because I can’t concentrate when we share the same air.

Because I’m not supposed to want you.

Because the more I fantasize about you, the more my future slips away from me.

Hells of the deep, he was the idiot Dirk said he was. He had five weeks left to change his fate, not lose all he’d worked for over a fantasy. The only way to save himself was to get away from her. Her smiles, her teasing, her kindness.

Yet when he reached over her shoulder for the candle, he couldn’t help but risk a look at her face. To check, against all sanity, if perhaps the same turmoil between ambition and desire plagued her. Her expression was hopeful, the gratitude in her eyes gutting.

Ever since he’d left the fishing village, no woman had looked at him without greed. The female apprentices at the College had only sought him out for the advantages they would gain if they could twist the vulnerable, powerful apprentice around their little fingers. When he denied them, they’d spat in his face and called him a freak. Stupid. Worthless.

But not this princess, who could gain the world with a sorcerer at her side. She’d wanted nothing from him, except now . . . was she leaning into the space between them, her bandaged hand reaching for his, or was he imagining it?

He couldn’t think about what he’d do if she touched him. How he might lose himself.

“Because I’m not an arrogant prick,” he answered her gruffly, and blew out the flame.

CHAPTER 54

THOSE ARE NOT SCONES, A TRAITOROUS ORGAN, THE NAUTILUS NECKLACE RETURNS

“This is most undignified!” The frog prince hopped awkwardly to the side, narrowly evading Fink’s pounce. “I am a prince, you little mongrel. I am not to be chased.”

“A prince who’s getting fat off too much sashimi.” Bradley glanced from the five books splayed out across the desk to the big grandfather clock leaning fifteen degrees off-center in one of the workroom’s heaps of clutter. “You have two minutes left.”

The ferret released a savage little trill and bounded after the frog. Henri yelped and dove under Duchess’s fur. The regal creature had deigned to treat the rest of them with her presence this morning, but she would not be partaking in any of this tomfoolery. The cat leapt to the top of the stone frog statue, whereupon she loafed and flicked her tail lazily back and forth.

Henri evaded the ferret’s pounce and wormed his way into the crevice between a huge potted fern and an old ship lantern, his webbed foot disappearing right before Fink’s jaws snapped shut. The ferret dug with his tiny paws and rooted with his wee snout, but the frog prince had found a good hiding spot.

Dirk pretended to sneeze, launching the fern and the lantern into the air with his air magic, and the ferret squealed with delight. Henri released a string of curses that no dignified prince would ever utter and sprang away. Snickering, the Mini Red turned back to his own stack of books.

“You know you don’t have to be camouflaged up here, Dirk.” Bradley glanced at the dragon overtop the stack of books. He was glad their spat had blown over, and he knew what he was going to say next could incite another one, but he couldn’t help himself. “You should give your body a rest.”

The Mini Red didn’t take offense.

“The camouflage spell doesn’t wear on me like the amplio one.” Dirk caught himself scratching his forearm and rubbed his paws together instead. “Besides, you never know when another Hero is gonna show up. Sir Eustace says there’s always a big push towards the end.”