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“After what happened in the castle recently,” I tell them, shuddering as I remember, “Cinder insisted that my skin heal perfectly. She refused to let the healer give me any pain medication, but just cream to ensure that my skin was perfect. I have always thought she still wanted to sell me off to the highest bidder.”

“Never,” Isaac snarls. “We won’t let that happen. You just have to be willing to step up when we need you to.”

Biting my lip as the guys redress, I think about if I could logistically take over as queen. “Cinder rules the castle with a bloody, iron fist, guys. Most of them love her antics, at least I know that the guards do, because when women are punished in the castle, it means that they’re getting their dicks wet.”

The five of them wrinkle their noses at my description, but it’s considered a perk of Cinder’s leadership. “We’d have to send the entire guard packing, as well as over half of her auditors who are loyal to her. It means an entire overhaul,” I explain. “I don’t want to be a blood-drenched queen. I refuse to be my sister.”

“This is why you’re perfect for this,” Andrya explains, wrapping her arms around me. “You’re one of the most fair people that I know. Just say the word, and Sidney, Ayden, and I will spread a mysterious illness through the castle. We’ll find a way to plant people in the kitchen to serve the tainted food just to the people we’re removing. Pieces of shit shouldn’t be allowed to survive. It’ll be as painless or as painful as you’d like, baby girl.”

The idea is having more and more merit as I think about it, and my mind is whirling with the possibilities.

“You’re thinking really hard there, Dangerous Girl,” Grayson chuckles, pushing my chin up to look at him. Ducking his head without waiting for me to answer, his warm, full lips brush mine. As my lips part for him, his breath hitches as if he wasn’t expecting it. Andrya kisses my neck, sucking on my pulse point that’s beginning to beat rapidly. Moaning into Gray’s mouth, I rise on my toes to deepen the kiss.

“No, no,” he chuckles. “You’re not ready for me yet, Beautiful. Bed, everyone?”

They snicker, moving away as I whimper in need, my thighs rubbing against each other. Andrya smacks my ass, making me gasp as I rub it. Fuck if my pussy didn’t also clench on nothing, making me shudder in annoyance.

“None of that, Baby,” she purrs as she walks away.

Making a face, I move to the computer, opening it to an adult toy website. “Fuck that,” I grumble under my breath as I throw a few items into my cart. A clitoral sucker with a bendy vaginal part that threatens to pull my soul out of my clit, nipple clamps for the hell of it, and a dildo to fuck myself with. I think it may even have a suction cup, but I don’t know why I’d use that. Checking out quickly, I close the computer with a smirk.

“You good, Kitten?” Ayden asks, popping his head around the corner.

Giving him a lazy smile to cover my vengeance, I nod. “I am now. Totally ready for bed.”

“Why do I think you’re up to something?” he asks with a smirk.

“You’ll never know, and it’s not a bad thing so you can’t complain that I’m keeping secrets from you,” I tell him, walking over to wrap my arms around his waist.

“Sneaky Kitten,” Ayden mutters, lifting me up to throw me over his shoulder.

“Ayden!” I squeal, gasping when he spanks my ass.

“To bed we go!” he yells, running for the bedroom as I bounce.

Everyone laughs at his antics as he walks in. Whatever, I’m all keyed up, with no one to help. Rude.

* * *

Tonight isthe night of the masquerade. I’m nervous, but Andrya won’t allow me to stop moving.

“Braid your hair, throw a knit hat over it, and let’s go get our nails done?” she suggests with a grin.

The guys groan. “You’re going to leave us for forever,” Ayden mutters dramatically.

“No, we won’t,” his sister denies. “I suck at doing nails, and people notice when you go to an event like this without them done.”

Sidney rolls his eyes. “You’re stealing Silla away, and you’re being a sneaky shit about it. You’re lucky we all love you, Sweetness.”

“She grows on you,” Gray snickers.

Andrya pouts, and Isaac diplomatically smacks him over the head for her.

“Fuck, I’m going to have to start working out again. That actually hurt,” Gray mutters.

“Yeah, yeah, old man,” Isaac chuckles.

“Run,” Andrya says urgently, pulling me along as Grayson launches himself at Isaac.