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Her fingers found the keyring in his back pocket and withdrew them, careful not to make a sound. Her mission was accomplished, but she could let him keep kissing her all night.

Then a memory flashed against the back of her eyelids. The last man she had kissed was Prince Aleksy. The thought sharpened in her mind, and she could suddenly feel every inch of herself. She felt the buttons of Sabien’s shirt digging against her chest. She felt his teeth scrape her bottom lip. She felt his hand tighten around her thigh as he touched her body—no wait. There was something wrong about the way his hand felt her leg. He wasn’t running it against her curves. He was grabbing clumps of her dress, and not in a way to lift it up.

The poison vials in her pocket clanked against one another as he found them through the folds of the fabric. If he reached into her pocket and withdrew one, her mission would be over.

He was kissing her for the exact same reason she was. He was trying to find out what was hidden in her pockets.

She shoved her free hand between their bodies and forced him away. He didn’t back off gently, taking much more of Dagmara’s strength to separate them than she would have liked. She slithered out from underneath him, creating space between them as she hid the keys behind her back.

“This isn’t right,” she panted. The way her body reacted said otherwise, but she forced that thought away. “I’m marrying the king.” She was lightheaded, and wasn’t sure if it was because of Sabien or her health. She quickly stepped closer to the circular table and leaned her weight against it.

Sabien laughed, running a hand through his hair to fix what she had messed up. “Whatever you say, Princess,” he said, though there was a hint of sarcasm.

“I’m serious,” she said, a new annoyance erupting inside her. First he kissed her to find out what was in her pockets—then he was laughing about it? “You should go.”

He leaned his shoulder against the bookcase, crossing his arms. “You could’ve asked for the keys.”

Shock rippled through her body. She knew he was feeling her up only to search her pockets—of course he would know she was doing the same to him. They were too like-minded.

His eyes darted to her neck again, seeing her muscles constrict, and a smile reappeared on his face.

“But then you wouldn’t have had the chance to kiss me,” she said, revealing the keys and playing with them in front of her.

His grin turned wicked. “As much as I enjoyed that, I don’t enjoy being used.”

She scoffed. “My hands weren’t the only ones roaming.”

“What’s in your pockets?” he asked.

“Wouldn’t you like to know?”

“Would you rather I wait until your clothes are fully off before searching your pockets?”

Heat flushed her entire body, and the sudden rush nearly caused her to drop the keys. She cleared her throat, controlling her emotions. “I would rather use the Scribestone to check in on my mother after weeks of travel.”

Sabien gestured to the glass case, “By all means.”

A shadow flashed across her face as a bird flew toward the window, landing on a ledge outside. Her eyes narrowed, inspecting it. It was the same bird she saw on the balcony the first day she met King Claude.

Sabien glanced out the window, following her gaze, before raising an eyebrow. “What are you waiting for?” His head inclined toward the Scribestone.

With another glance out the window, the bird had vanished.

“N-Nothing,” said Dagmara. She crossed to the case and inserted one of the keys, having luck with the first try. The lock clicked open, and the glass case unfolded. She reached her hand out and rested her palm against the stone, letting the mystical book read her identity. To her shock, letters began to appear on the page.

One message from Teos Zosia, Azurem.

A gasp escaped her lips.

“Who’s Teos?”

Nearly jumping out of her shoes, Dagmara whirled around to face Sabien. “A little privacy maybe?”

“It’s alright,” he said. “I don’t mind that you have a man in Azurem. I like my women to be experienced.”

“Ew!” Dagmara blurted out before she could stop herself.

A curious expression crossed Sabien’s face.