"How does this look?"

I spin slowly, stretching my arms out at my sides to fully display the gown. Renit, busy strapping weapons onto the many buckles of his armor, glances up and nods.

"That looks fine."

Slapping my hands against my sides in disappointment, I tug at the silk skirt framing my hips and try to get his attention once more. It's already back towards the many knives resting on the edge of the rickety bed. One after the other, he straps the sharp blades to the baldric across his chest and slides leather gloves over his exposed hands.

The rest of his armor is complicated, covered in straps and buckles from head to toe, even in the leather boots. He's already stocked there as well, the handles of two blades stick out from where they're strapped against the side. The buckles keep the billowing sleeves of his shirt tucked in tight against his arms and the same goes for his thighs, multi-purpose for weapons and for sliding in and out of spaces without getting caught on something and tearing.

His armor is mainly leather but to protect himself, the chest plate is metal. It was the finest set of armor he could find in Lona, along with the two gowns spread out on the bed behind him and the one I'm currently dawning.

With no mirror, I can't tell what I really look like. It's up to the prince—the one who has shown no interest—to decide if I look acceptable for one of the most important celebrations in Lona. The more esteemed residents are going to be there, the Lords, nobles, and whoever else have enough money to attend. Even some of the notorious killers that reside here will find themselves attending, underneath the good graces of the Lords themselves as keeping a strong relationship with the dangerous is wiser than not.

I tug on the skirt for emphasis and clear my throat. This gown is sleeveless and the skirt reaches my ankles in delicate blue silk. Renit straps a knife to the vambrace and glances up at me. "That color doesn't go with your hair," he mumbles.

Groaning, I sulk over to the side of the bed and stand over the other two gowns. One is silver and low cut, a deep dive between my breasts and the other is a simple lilac with lace over the bodice. Any of these gowns would work but if I want to draw the right attention to myself but also to the point I can slip Renit inside the residence without drawing any eyes...

"Just pick one," I plead. "Silver, blue, or lilac."

Renit comes across the bed to stand over my shoulder, examining the gowns in front of us. Next to the array of weapons he still has to strap to himself, the gowns appear delicate and intimate compared to what he is doing. Turning himself into a walking armory.

I don't want to ask why he needs so many. There are chances of something going wrong but if that does happen, it wouldn't be wise to kill our way out of it. Unless Renit is planning on using those weapons for something else, I don't know as I don't have the desire to.

"Silver," Renit decides, sticking out a gloved finger at the bejeweled abdomen and silk skirt. The sleeves are covered in small jewels, same as the abdomen, before branching out into moonlit fabric of the finest quality. "I had to punch a thief to keep that after it was purchased. Wear that one."

I snort. He came back with considerable options—after all that time of not caring about any other colors than black or grey. The right size, as well.

I change into the silver gown and frown at the low cut. This will have to do. I'll draw the wrong kind of attention but at least when I want to slip away, I'll be able to. The silk skirt is fitting, wrapping tightly around my hips but not revealing too much on the way down. Did Renit mean to pick something like this or did he merely grab it and continue on?

On any other occasion, I wouldn't wear this. I can barely go without pants and a comfortable tunic and the gown that Mani forced me in for our engagement ceremony was torture enough. This is an entirely new level. But, to my surprise, the longer I wear it, the less I mind it.

I brush out my hair one final time and pin back the top half and leave the rest to flutter down my chest. Through the presence of a broken mirror, a shard, I apply a light layer of cosmetics and decide that to be good enough. There is something missing, the dagger earrings I became so fond of after the engagement ceremony, the short span of time everything was normal. But without the earrings, I still have the most important piece to the puzzle—my mother's necklace.

The opal rests flat against my chest and warms my heart, the constant reminder my mother is still with me. If I can't hold her, at least I can place my fingers upon the design and remember that she was the one to craft this, to put her heart and soul into something she knew my eye would catch.

I slip out from behind the curtain shielding the tub and once again, spread my arms out wide to reveal the dress. I don't have to get Renit's attention this time—he's already looking at me. His eyes linger, first going to my face and then traveling down, down until they snap back up to my eyes. The prince nods quickly, flashing me a thumbs-up before strapping twin swords to his back.

"Come on, you don't have anything to say?" I mock while sauntering over to the side of the bed. "Just one compliment?"

Renit laughs and turns to face me, making the final adjustments to the armor before we head out. The celebration will be starting soon, people are already flocking from the streets towards the palace on the other side of the city. Lucky for me, Renit bought a carriage ride that I'll take alone while he brings up the rear and waits outside the palace walls for me to open an entrance for him.

We're going into this blind, I could find myself in the wrong hands of someone that discovers I'm at the celebration for more than honoring a Lord's wife.

The prince studies my face and I keep my eyes locked on his, swimming in the silver that is the gown he chose. I want so badly for him to care about me in the same way I do him but I won't push him any further than I already have. We haven't mentioned what I confessed, I've kept myself locked up tight and he has avoided touching me in any way that isn't necessary.

"Your eyes are very bright," he whispers.

Before I can stop it, a grin grows on my cheeks and I think back to the first day I arrived at the castle. He said the same thing when I asked for one compliment to show my worth. If he saw anything in me...I didn't believe he ever would. But here we are now and his opinion on my eyes, apparently, has not changed.

He looks down to my dress again and jerks his chin towards it. "You won't be wearing that for very long. Once I'm in the palace, you'll change into your own armor and we'll get to finding that box."

"My own armor?" I ask.

"If you thought you were going to be escaping a palace in that, then you're very wrong." He smirks and opens the satchel on the bed, revealing the same set of armor that he is wearing. The only difference is the size, the closest one he could find to my own. I won't be strapped with weapons like his but if we do find ourselves escaping, it'll be much easier to do so in armor rather than a flimsy gown.

A holler echoes from down in the street and Renit turns towards the window. A new wave of fear spreads across his face and he slings the satchel over his body. All the while, he checks one last time for weapons. But he picked up everything he could find and is merely trying to look at something other than myself. Renit doesn't want to leave and have me go to the palace on my own. This city is dangerous enough.

With hands much steadier than my own, he wraps the black cloak around my shoulders and clasps it against my chest. This won't do much for warmth but it's extra protection against the night. "Remember what I told you?" He asks.

"If anyone opens the carriage, run. Don't try to fight. If I find myself cornered, use my power and if someone tries to do anything while at the palace, go for the eyes or between the legs," I recite. All things he told me over and over again as I looked through the gowns. Except his version of the rules were much sterner and more graphic.

Renit swallows. He adjusts the cloak one last time around my shoulders. "Good. Be careful on your way down. Don't—"

"Renit, I know," I say quietly. To make things easier, I smile up at his hard features and find the soft lines buried within. Softness he has shown time and time again, sometimes when I least expect it. I clench my hand into a fist to keep from running my fingers over his cheekbone.

He steps back and opens the door for me, exposing the cold and dark hall beyond. This could be the last time I see him or the first step to retrieving the final box. Once it's secured, we can return to the capital and seek a normal life beyond what we've already faced. Maybe when things are back to what they once were, our relationship can develop into something other than friendship.

If that's what Renit wants.

He doesn't say anything so I don't say anything back. Once I'm in the carriage and the door is shut, leaving me alone on a bench with another opposite of me, I run over the plan in my mind. My fake identity, what I'm to do around these people, and who to avoid. Renit gave me all the answers, now it's up to me to figure out how to execute this.

The carriage bumps along the cracked stone, turning every corner and avoiding every crowd. Every time I hear a mix of voices, I wonder if they'll come for me and rush the carriage but they don't. Running my hand over my thigh, I remind myself the dagger is there and if I have to, I'll use it. As a last resort, Renit didn't fail to remind me.

If you can reach the dagger easily, chances are your attacker has caught sight of it, too. Stab them in the skull.

Renit's words, not mine.

As soon as I find myself antsy, iron gates open in a whine and we're ushered through. Pushing aside the velvet curtain, night drapes over a large palace capped to three strong points mingling with the stars. The king takes good care of his Lords, even those that don't agree with his policies.

The carriage slows through a crowd of guests making their way to the palace doors, shedding light onto the clean stone of the courtyard. This is it. I'll be arriving alone and hopefully, exiting with Renit at my side. Laughter echoes through the carriage and as the door is opened, that noise becomes louder until I'm swimming in it, shifting in with the crowd and becoming part of them, instead of just Roux Aimrey.

To my surprise, hardly anyone pays me any attention. They're too busy within themselves and their company. Before long, I'm through the palace doors, staring up at the tall ceiling to a golden ballroom.