A Curse So Dark and Lonely

Bonus Content

Grey

Music swirls through the Great Hall as courtiers dance and spin under the light of the
chandelier. They’ve been at it for hours, but this is the crown prince’s birthday celebration, and
they won’t retire until he does. He likely won’t stop until he grows bored of being the center of
attention—which, knowing Prince Rhen, won’t happen for a while.
I stifle a yawn, and it’s harder than it should be. The festivities started at daybreak, but
Ironrose Castle is packed with people for the celebration, so everyone in the prince’s personal
guard has been on duty since then.
I almost wish someone would pull a knife or throw a punch just to break up the monotony.
The music shifts to a new song, and the prince bows to his dance partner before heading
toward a side table where a servant waits to pour wine. He doesn’t even offer a backward glance,
and the girl he left in the middle of the dance floor gazes after him with a forlorn look in her eye.
She’s no stranger to court, so she shouldn’t be surprised. He hasn’t danced with anyone more
than once, save for his sister Isadore—and I suspect he only dances with her because she is
young and quiet and has no desire to be chased around the ballroom. I’d never say it out loud,
but I don’t need to. Everyone knows Prince Rhen is as fickle as his father when it comes to
women.
When he shows no interest in returning to the dance floor, I move along the side wall
silently, shadowing his movements, and take a spot near the doors that open into the courtyard. A
breeze streams in from outside, still carrying the scents of summer, with the slightest hint of
woodsmoke heralding the beginning of autumn. This is always my favorite time of year, when
the weather begins to cool, so horses are fresh, tempers are more amiable, and the weight of
weapons and armor isn’t so stifling.
A new courtier has approached the prince, dropping to a low curtsy before extending her
hand. I’m not familiar with this one, so I watch her carefully, even though the risk should be low.
Everyone who comes to court is lovely, with perfectly coiffed hair and jewels adorning every
neck and ear and wrist, but this woman is especially so, her black hair cascading in waves down
her back, her eyes glittering as she smiles up at him. Most courtiers are shy and blushing, but this
one holds his gaze.
She’s bold. That gets his attention.
It gets mine, too, for an entirely different reason.
I shift to the opposite side of the doorway to join one of the other guardsmen. Marko is
assigned to the prince’s other sister, Arabella, but she’s been lounging in a chair for hours while
handsome suitors cater to her every whim. Marko is stony-faced and straight-backed against the
wall, which means he’s as bored as I am.
“Cards later?” he says.
I’ll likely pitch face-first into bed later, but I say, “Haven’t I taken enough of your money
this week?”
“Yes, so you should give me a chance to win some back.”
“Or a chance to go a week without pay.”
“Ah, have a heart, Grey.”
I almost smile, because he knows I’ll throw some games his way if he’s really running short
on coin. But the guard commander catches my eye from across the Great Hall, and I make sure
my expression is as severe as Marko’s. I inwardly sigh and stick to business. “Do you know this
woman?”
“Even odds say she’s asking you to call for breakfast with a blanket wrapped around herself
in the morning.”
Better than even odds, from the looks of it. The prince is watching her sip from a goblet of
wine. Their eyes never leave each other’s.
“She is overly familiar,” I say to Marko, but as I say the words, I’m not sure that’s what I’m
seeing. I can’t quite put my finger on it, but something about her is . . . different. I glance around
to see if she has guards in attendance, or even a lady-in-waiting, but she appears to be alone.
Marko snorts. “She knows acting coy is not the way to His Highness’s heart.”
That’s true. There is no end to demure, blushing ladies who would throw themselves at
Prince Rhen’s feet if it meant a chance at becoming his future bride. And perhaps my boredom
seeks to find a challenge where there is none.
Still, I have a duty here. I ease across the space silently to stop beside the prince.
He doesn’t look at me, but there is no way he’s missed that I’m here.
 “My lord,” I say quietly.
His brown eyes shift to me in a way that says he’s irritated by the interruption, but he says
nothing. He’s been drinking all evening, and it smells like it’s been more than wine. For an
instant, I regret approaching him. When I grow bored, I stand by a wall and fight to stay awake.
When Prince Rhen grows bored, he takes it out on his guardsmen.
I speak into the silence before his temper grows, but I keep my voice very low. “I would be
remiss if I did not remind you that this woman is not familiar at court.”
His eyes don’t leave mine. “Look around, Grey. I’m surrounded by guards.”
The woman giggles. “How quaint. Your guard fears me.”
Her voice is unusual. Too melodious, somehow. But that’s ridiculous. Maybe she’s a bit wine
drunk as well.
A muscle in Rhen’s jaw twitches. “Forgive me, Lady Lilith.” He shifts his gaze away and
takes a sip from his glass. “Leave us, Grey.”
“My lord.”
“Go.” His eyes snap to mine. “Wait at my chambers. I no longer need your services.”
I inhale to respond, but his voice is sharp, and I see the guard commander watching.
I nod. “Yes, my lord. As you say.”
I glance at Marko, who rolls his eyes so subtly that I barely catch it, and I head for the
staircase.

###

I thought perhaps that by ordering me to wait by his chambers that Prince Rhen intended to retire
soon.
I should know better. He is likely spending more time in the ballroom to ensure I have to
stand here guarding a closed door. The hallway is nearly silent, music drifting up faintly from the
Great Hall. The only others in this hallway are of the king and queen’s personal guards, and I
don’t know them well. Our stations are spaced too widely for conversation anyway. I stand, and I
wait, and I don’t bother stifling my yawns now, as there is no one to see.
 Hours pass. The queen is first to retire, followed shortly by the king into his own, separate
chambers. A courtesan enters the hallway later, presses a shining silver coin into the king’s
guard’s palm, and he grants her access to the king’s chambers.
I say nothing. This is no different from any other night.
Another hour passes. New guards replace the others stationed along this wall, but no one
appears to relieve me. The music from the Great Hall has long since gone quiet.
I sigh. Marko is probably losing his coins to someone else right now.
Eventually, a soft step sounds on the stair, and I straighten. Finally.
But it is not the prince. It is the raven-haired beauty who shared a drink with him. Lady
Lilith. She does not appear tired. She stops in front of me and looks at me as boldly as she gazed
at the prince.
“He said you would still be standing here, and so you are.”
I wonder if that is a compliment or an insult. I say nothing.
She steps closer. She smells too sweet, like roses and honeysuckle. Her voice is very quiet.
“The prince told me to wait for him in his chambers.”
It is forbidden, and she very well knows it.
Then again, she must have conned her way past the guard at the base of the stairs if she is
standing here at all—or perhaps Rhen himself did send her up while saying his goodbyes. There
is no way to know.
This feels like a test.
Everything here feels like a test.
Lady Lilith pouts when I do not move. “I would hate to disappoint him.”
Her eyes sparkle. She really is quite beautiful. It’s a wonder she didn’t snare the king’s eye
instead of the prince’s.
I hesitate. She lifts a hand to trace a finger down the front of my armor, and I must be
imagining it, because I’d swear I can almost feel the warmth of her finger against my skin.
I catch her wrist before her touch can make me shiver—which doesn’t make sense. “It is a
crime to touch a guardsman.”
A coin appears between her fingers, and I blink.
She smiles and flexes her fingers so the piece of silver reflects the light. “A crime? How
charming.”
 It’s an impressive bit of sleight of hand, but I frown. I now have the attention of the other
guards in the hallway. I wonder what they’ll say about this interaction later.
I wonder how much will get back to the guard commander.
She leans in a bit. “I would hate for him to find me here, with you handling me like a
common criminal when he expects to find me waiting.” On the last word, her eyes flash, her
meaning clear.
I just watched the king’s guard take a coin like it was nothing. Others have done the same.
I could always give it to Marko if he ends the night with an empty purse.
“Grey, was it?” Lady Lilith’s eyes are shining as she smiles up at me. “Are you a good
guardsman, or a bad guardsman?”
I wonder which kind of guardsman would be the one to let her in.
I spent months guarding closed doors like this before I was assigned to Prince Rhen’s
personal guard. I do not relish the idea of being returned to those duties, and if I fail him again, it
would be likely.
I consider the flinty look in his eye when he ordered me to leave the Great Hall. More than
likely.
“A loyal guardsman,” I say.
Then I take her coin and open the door.