“But, miss! Your Highness, your shoes!”
It wasn’t proper to be seen outside her chambers in nightclothes, and it was even more uncivilized to be seen barefoot. Aerity didn’t care, driven by some frantic fear for a complete stranger. She ignored the open stares from servants as she passed, and she barely noticed the guards following as she burst from the castle doors and ran down the path to the west commons area. It wasn’t until she neared the vine-covered gates and men came into view that she began to worry about her state.
Based on the gawking of the guards at the gates, she must have looked a fright, tangled hair and all. She stopped and peeked through the end of the gate until she found Tiern again. He appeared stern as he cleaned his boots, but not heartbroken. Aerity hastily ran her finger through her hair and twisted it over her shoulder.
She then moved forward, speaking to the closest guard. “Excuse me. Can you please fetch that lad, Tiern Seabolt? I wish to ask him about the hunt.” He glanced at her bare feet and blinked before obeying. Aerity wiggled her toes against the cool stones, feeling foolish and nervous as guards watched her.
Tiern ventured out of the commons, and stopped in his tracks at the sight of her. She resisted the urge to smooth her hair back again.
“I apologize for my appearance. I was eager to hear how last night went . . . ?”
Tiern’s face darkened as he recalled it.
“Is your brother all right?” she blurted before he’d had a chance to speak.
His eyebrows rose. “Er, aye. He’s in the castle for his injuries, but he’ll heal.”
Aerity let out a breath, embarrassed. “What happened, then? Did you see the beast? Has it been killed?” Her blood pumped rapidly, only slowing when Tiern gave a regretful shake of his head.
“It still lives.”
The princess was torn between disappointment that the beast would live another day, and relief that the fate of her future marriage was not yet sealed.
“What happened out there?”
Tiern retold the night’s events, each detail making Aerity’s skin crawl.
Aerity considered calling Harrison over to discuss it all, but hot shame filled her at the thought of him seeing her like this. He’d only laugh and tease her, but he knew her well enough to know she had to have been out of sorts to leave her room in such a state. She thanked Tiern and rushed back into the castle before one of her parents or aunts caught sight of her.
Twenty minutes later she bustled down the infirmary hall wearing her favorite pale pink gown that cinched extrafirm at her waist and dipped a bit lower at the top than her other dresses. She told herself she’d grabbed it from her wardrobe at random, but she knew it was a lie.
Aerity stopped a nurse her age. The girl’s eyes widened and she dipped into a curtsy. “Your Highness.”
“Hello, miss. Can you please tell me where the hunter Paxton Seabolt might be?”
“Certainly, Princess. Last door to your left.”
Aerity rushed to the closed door and paused, hesitating with a hand pressed to her nervous stomach. She only wanted to see him, to see for herself that his injuries weren’t too grave, and then she would leave. She knocked softly, but heard nothing. After a few seconds she slowly pushed the door open and peeked inside. A gas lamp dimly lit the room. Aerity held her breath as she beheld a sleeping Paxton on the cot, one arm curved over his head and the other draped across his middle. He lay shirtless, his brown trousers slung low. Muddied leather boots were splayed on the floor.
She stared openly from the doorway at his body. It was the most skin she’d ever seen on a grown man. He had a small, brown trail of hair down his taut stomach. Aerity found herself holding her breath as the air around her closed in.
She wondered how it would feel to touch him, this lad she hardly knew who intrigued her so.
High seas, why did her skin feel so prickly and her blood so . . . heavy?
He was obviously well. She needed to close the door and leave before someone caught her staring. But then Paxton inhaled a ragged breath and sat up, as if waking from a dream. His eyes were alert and untrusting as they darted around the room, landing on the princess. Aerity gripped the door, caught.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “I didn’t mean to wake you. I only wanted to see how you fared. You look . . . healthy.” She swallowed and backed up. “I’ll leave you to rest.”
“Wait.” He slung his legs over the side of the cot and gripped the edge. “Have you seen my brother?”
Aerity stopped and nodded. “He told me what happened last night. I can’t believe it can swim.”
Paxton dragged a hand through his dirty hair and grimaced. “Aye. That complicates things indeed.” He was speaking to her in a civil manner. Aerity hid her surprise.