Jenna

JENNA

I should be seething at Azul, given he thought it was a good idea to pretend to be a prince when he actually was a prince. My head aches from the way everything changed after the overheard conversation between him and the other Glycon.

Why did he not tell me who he was? What other secrets is Azul hiding?

But the reason I’m not as angry as I should be is the way his face fell when he realized I’d found out who he was. For a moment, he wasn’t a big brave warrior, a huge snake who could crush the life out of anyone who pissed him off. He was a male who’d cocked things up, big time.

Azul knew what he had done.

It’s hard to be angry at him, no matter how massive, scaly, and scary he is. Not when it seemed like his world had collapsed.

I am angry though. Angry he couldn’t trust me. We have an arrangement…an agreement…and even if this is temporary, I want it. For now.

The irritable mothman gives me a cool look as I approach the machine and I’m done with playing a part.

“I can’t wait to see what you’ve done,” I say. “I’m sure it’s going to be amazing.”

He blinks at me, slowly, his antenna twisting as if in a breeze. He’s trying to work out where the princess went, I suppose.

“The cycle is complete. I have placed your new wardrobe in your rooms.”

“Wow, that was quick,” I say, delighted and exhausted at the same time.

“I aim to please,” he says hesitantly, as if it’s not a sentiment he usually feels. “Anything you dislike, or if you wish to have the fit changed, the resort will arrange it.” He gives me the full force of his dark eyes, as if daring me to want anything else.

I smile at him, and it feels good not to play a part. “I was told you were the best and I expect nothing less.”

To my surprise, the mothman preens a little, his wings gently fanning.

“Thank you, princess.” He twists up his mouth into a sort of smile. “If you require my services again, you need only ask for me.”

He clicks his fingers, and the machine grows wheels, rolling away to the main doorway as the mothman walks past it without looking back and exits in front of the thing.

So far, so weird.

I make my way into the bedroom and to the closet where my new set of clothes hangs.

I have any number of tight-fitting dresses in all different shades of silky soft material or covered in sparkles which are reminiscent of Azul’s scales.

Because I need reminding of the snake who got me into this in the first place.

In addition, wrapped in velvet cloth in a drawer are items which look like they’re underwear. I pull them out to inspect. One is a gossamer like corset in a lacy fabric which feels like steel, and the others are similar. And there are a number of matching sets of knickers.

“I take it back,” a sinful voice rumbles behind me. “I’d pay to see you wear those items.”

I drop them back into the drawer and turn to face Azul.

“You’re going to have to pay regardless.” I put my hands on my hips.

“My goddess,” Azul says, hands outstretched. “I merely wanted to save you from my fate.”

“Your fate being?”

“Confined to my planet until the end of my days, bored and producing one young one after another.”

I have absolutely no idea why, but my core pulses briefly. Azul’s nostrils flare.

“So, instead, you became a bounty hunter?” I put my hands on my hips. “You’ll forgive me if I don’t buy your story a second time around.”

“I was supposed to be matched.” Azul sighs, coiling himself onto the bed, his tail tip twitching. “To a good female from a well-connected family.” He looks up at the ceiling. “But when it came to it, I couldn’t bring myself to enter a loveless match. I ran.” He hangs his head. “Because I am a coward who is not prepared to do what my family needs me to do.”

“I…don’t know what to say, Azul.” I move my hands from my hips and wrap my arms around myself.

I want to wrap them around him, but I’m not entirely sure what he wants from me at all, given he’s just admitted to jilting a bride at the altar on his home planet.

But it’s abundantly clear he regrets his actions too, and my stomach goes into free fall.

What if it was what he wanted? What if all of this is the contract he claims? Why do I care at all?

“I’m only here because the authorities on Britannia wanted me to spy on the Starlight Brides program,” I blurt out.

Azul lifts his head and looks at me like I’ve kicked a puppy.

This entire mission is really not going well at all.