Rose hesitated. Should she respond to the crown prince's parting words? It felt rude not to. With a soft breath, she gathered the hem of her dress, dipped into a polite curtsy, and said, "Goodnight, Your Majesty." As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she went to the door without looking back.
Caius watched Rose go, silently cursing himself. What was he doing? She was supposed to serve one purpose in the castle, and yet—again—he was letting her walk away. His desire remained unsatisfied, gnawing at him each time she slipped through his fingers.
The ache in his groin was maddening—enough to drive even the most disciplined man to the brink. There was a point to this, he told himself, but right now, he couldn't see it.
———
The morning came sooner than Rose would like, but thankfully, she got a good enough sleep. The first part of her morning didn't change; the maids brought her breakfast on time. There was no sign of either Lily or Edna, just Welma and one other maid.
