Page 24 of The Starlit Ring (The Chronicles of Liridin #1)

“I did, I suppose. For good reason.” He sighed, and stretched out his legs, crossing them at the ankles.

“I don’t understand why my betrothed would lie to me about your real purpose here.

” He grinned, wide and foreboding. A cat taking great joy in the final, gasping moments of its prey. “Unless, of course, you’ve gone rogue?”

I looked around wildly, half-expecting soldiers to creep from the shadows, to shackle me and drag me down to the dungeons that I hadn’t seen yet, but knew must be around here somewhere.

But my gaze found only books and more books.

Most of the bustle was on the first floor, where the history, strategy, war, and science tomes were contained.

Up here, we were alone; two hermits whose paths occasionally crossed.

“I haven’t done anything wrong,” I insisted. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“You haven’t done anything wrong yet ,” he purred. “I’m not stupid. I know an artificer when I see one. The question is why you’re pretending to be a maid.”

I sat very, very still, and did not react at all. Maybe he’d go away.

He didn’t.

“That’s… not true,” I said after he met my eye. “If you’re accusing me of what I think you’re accusing me of… That simply isn’t true. Your Highness,” I added for good measure.

“It isn’t?” His eyebrow arched. “Because I think I’m looking at a very bored artificer.” A grin stretched across his face. “And I have a proposal to make. Perhaps we can come to an arrangement.”

“The last time someone accepted your proposal, it didn’t go very well,” I snapped. The words burst out of me before I could stop myself. Horrified, I clapped my hand over my mouth.

Prince Marius only laughed. “Perhaps you’d make a better fool than artificer,” he said lightly. “That might be the only way to keep you out of trouble.”

“Tocchia doesn’t have a fool,” I reminded him. “Besides, I don’t fart on command.”

He snickered with genuine childish amusement. “Can’t or won’t?”

“Neither,” I said primly, crossing my arms.

“How courtly of you,” he gritted out, though it seemed he was trying very hard not to laugh.

“It isn’t funny!” I snapped .

Honestly. Men .

“Your reaction is,” he countered, still smirking.

“Tell me, do you speak to Princess Valeria in such a manner?”

The laughter in his eyes died at the mention of her name. “I hardly speak to her of anything,” he said, shoulders slouching. “It is a marriage of necessity, as I’m sure you’re aware, and she is hardly fond of me.”

“Perhaps if you were less crass,” I suggested.

“To be any less so would end me. My life is already terribly dull.” He groaned, and sat up properly, planting his hands on his knees. “Back to the matter at hand. I’ve found myself in need of an artificer, and I think you’re bored. I believe I have a solution to both of our problems.”

“Believe away,” I said, waving my hand. “I am no artificer.”

“An amateur artificer would also be acceptable,” he amended, looking at me expectantly.

“You’ve got the wrong maid,” I told him.

“What if I assured you that I have no intention of exposing you, and that you will suffer no punishment for your deceit so long as you assist me?”

I said nothing. I couldn’t risk being caught in a lie. What would Queen Tarra think if she learned an artificer posed as a maid? The deception wouldn’t be tolerated—the circumstances were just too suspicious. Any sane ruler would think I was a spy or saboteur, and I couldn’t blame them.

“What if I offered you an apprenticeship at our forge?”

That got my attention. An apprenticeship? At a forge?

Gods, that was endlessly appealing. No more organizing dresses and tying corsets and cleaning rooms.

But the fear of discovery lingered in the back of my mind. If word reached Olmstead, how long until Father came to collect me, likely with an army at his back?

A deal like this would decimate our already tense political relations .

“What do you want?” I asked finally, because I knew he wasn’t letting up, and the idea of an apprenticeship was tempting indeed.

His shoulders relaxed. A minute motion, but one that I noticed, regardless. “I need an artificer to examine an object. It’s cursed, but it isn’t dangerous. Not directly, anyway.”

“And the artificers in your employ won’t help you because…”

An exasperated huff of air escaped him. “They have stated that I am wasting their time with utter nonsense.”

That piqued my curiosity. I’d never had a court artificer turn me down. Did he seek something forbidden? Or just tedious? “I see.”

“I may have become a bit… desperate,” said Prince Marius, straightening his spine. “There are a number of things I’d like some help with, and yet, I seem unable to attain any.”

“So this is a secret, then?”

“For now,” he said, after a quick glance around. “Meet me here tomorrow. At midnight.”

“That is highly improper,” I protested.

“I cannot ensure our privacy otherwise,” he said quietly. “Jorg will let you in.”

“Fine,” I grumbled.

Prince Marius gave a tight smile, rose to his feet, and stepped into the darkness, melding into shadow.

I remained in the library for a long time, heart in my throat, wondering how big of a mistake I’d just made.