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“Ow! You bit me.” She brought it to her chest, cupping her slightly injured hand. It hadn’t been a gentle bite. “You are feral, then?”

“I thought you said you had no secrets.”

“To those who can find them. If a person does not ask, then how do they know if I hold secrets or not?”

His eyes looked off to the side while he thought on her words, like he wanted to rebuff them. His mouth drew down as he nodded.

“You have a fair point.” His eyes came back to her. “You have also yet to affirm my statement.”

Valerie lowered her voice, seeing no way of getting out of answering.He is far too perceptive.She knew she needed to be careful of him and the things she said, the lies she spun.

“You are correct. I have no true desire to marry King Bradwick,” she nearly whispered. “I have no interest in being queen. Duke Grayson pushed for me to attend this gala against my wishes.”

“Fathers of noble daughters often do, so I am not surprised. Do you have no interest in the wealth and power he will grant you?”

“I have no care for pretty things like that. Being someone as wonderous as queen, I will constantly be under supervision and speculation. I imagine that will be tiresome.”

Geryon nodded like he understood her words. “If given the option, I would not wish to be a king of hu – these lands,” he stuttered, almost causing her to frown. “What will you do if you are selected by Bradwick, then?”

“I will do as I am instructed and become the queen consort. I would try my hardest to be accommodating and loyal to Bradwick, for that is my role and position.”

“But it is not what you want.” Geryon seemed oddly perplexed by this conversation.He is a nobleman. He should be agreeing with this notion, not disagreeing with it.

“If I may be so bold, Lord Geryon.” Valerie’s voice became stern, her face hard. “As a woman, it is not my choice. I will do as I am told by the will of men who control me, because my life has been dictated simply by my sex. Perhaps I could have denied a lesser person, but he is the king. To deny him is to bring dishonour on my family.”

“Perhaps I can assist you then, Lady Cecily.” Geryon gave her a grin, one that promised mischief. “I am King Bradwick’s confidant and often his council. I may be able to sway him towards the others.”

“You do not need to interfere,” she told him calmly.I may not want to marry King Bradwick, but I do need to get close to him.She didn’t need Geryon getting in the way. He raised his brow in suspicion, so she quickly added, “Unless it appears I am truly in fear.”

That seemed to pacify him, and he nodded.

Phew,that had been too close of a call.

Valerie looked at him from under her lashes.He is kind.He was willing to assist a woman in wanting to avoid unhappiness. It was all under falsehood, of course, but with the picture she painted, what he believed as truth, he offered to save her from a fate she didn’t want.

Although he was forceful with his hands and mouth, he had given her the key to getting him to release her.He would not take a woman against her will.So far, his actions had proven this to her.

Her eyes widened when a flush of arousal swept through her.Perhaps I find this man desirous, not just merely for his face.She knew enough about him to believe he was a respectable man, one she could trust her body to, at least to some extent.

He also liked her, which was confusing. Her mother always told her no man would want a woman who was unresponsive. To prove her wrong, Valerie had gone to the human towns and lifted her skirt for any man she found attractive.

They had both been right. Some merely wanted her because she had made herself available and knew she was beautiful, in a porcelain doll kind of way. Others didn’t, due to the fact they wished to converse with her first and she’d been rather off-putting to them with her dead voice and eyes – she hadn’t elicited passion in those men.

Valerie wondered how Geryon seemed to find what others found colourless, exciting.

Her nipple still ached from his sucking, and the other found the lack of attention unfair. Her desire was quickly growing again, since she could still feel the mould of his fingers inside her core, her channel eager to accept them again. It dampened from her thoughts alone, as if in preparation for something bigger.

From what I felt against my hand, he seemed large.She’d been shocked at the girth she’d felt.

“Okay, this is the best spot,” he said, bringing her out of her thoughts.

If he caught her staring, he made no mention of it. Instead, he walked over to a window to open it, but there seemed to be a hint of wicked humour in his eyes.

“What do you mean?” she asked when he climbed over it and sat on the edge of the windowsill.

“The court will find it strange if I take you to the dungeon. This is the best way to get there from the outside. The room beside us will cover our escape from the palace, and there are no guards that can see us from here.”

Then he was gone, jumping down.So, we are truly doing something troublesome?