Page 53 of This Prince Is Not Charming

“You shouldn’t ever go to anyone’s private quarters unannounced,” I pointed out.

Siobhan shot Margaret a confused glance “Why was your encounter with Prince Cillian awkward?”

Margaret pressed her lips together. “Well, I surprised him while he was in bed with a bit of a situation . . .” She pointed downward.

My eyes bugged, and Siobhan’s mouth dropped open. He’d been on the rooftop with me the night before . . . all night.

Margaret couldn’t be implying she’d interrupted him pleasuring himself, right?

Especially not right after he’d spent the night sleeping next to me on the rooftop.

I clenched my legs together as heat spiraled through me. It was a huge jump to even think he’d be imagining me while touching himself. That I would be the reason for it at all. We’d been friends too long now for Cillian to ever see me as anything else. So he’d spent the night with me, then gone home and stroked himself thinking about some other woman, probably. That was far too depressing, and I didn’t want to explore why.

Margaret nodded. “He wasn’t very happy that I’d interrupted his . . . session.”

“Okay!” I threw my hands up. “That’s enough of that.” I was imagining Cillian’s strong hand wrapped around his cock, his mouth open, head thrown back. Was it getting hot in here? It felt hot.

“Ceri!” Margaret shrieked. “You’re flushed! Siobhan, fetch Healer Enid. Mr. Morgane would want his daughter to see the town healer right away if he thought she might have a fever.”

I groaned and covered my face.

“I don’t think that’s why she’s flushing,” Siobhan said slowly, and my cheeks flamed hotter. “Thank you, Margaret. You’ve been very helpful as always. Why don’t you find Enid and we’ll be along shortly?”

That was all I needed. A trip to Enid to explain to her why I was flushed and practically panting.

“Always happy to help!” Margaret skipped out of the painting.

Morton’s voice rang through the library as he berated a patron. “You dog-eared these pages. Why would you do such a thing?”

Siobhan stared at me like she was finally putting together a missing piece of a puzzle, and I wanted to sink into this chair and disappear.

“I have to get back to my shop, but I hope you and Cillian had a lovely date last night.” I moved to get up when Siobhan grabbed my arm.

“That’s what I have to talk to you about. Our date.”

I sighed heavily, realizing she was likely who Cillian had been thinking about yesterday morning when Margaret interrupted him. “I really don’t want to hear about your date right now. I have a lot going on⁠—”

“I think Cillian is in trouble,” Siobhan burst out, and I stilled.

“What do you mean?” I straightened. “How could he be in trouble? Is he hurt?”

Siobhan bit her lip and whispered, “Something happened between us last night.”

Oh, godwitches. I did not want to hear about this. “You don’t need to confess anything to me,” I said quickly. “As long as you both consented, that’s all that matters.” My stomach twisted with the words. “Now I do really need to go.”

“No, that’s not⁠—”

“Siobhan Monte!” A woman rounded the corner, her hair lavender like Siobhan’s, her body tall and slim like a willow. They could’ve been twins except for the faint wrinkles lining the woman’s face. “I’ve been looking for you all morning.” She glared at her daughter. “You’re not even wearing makeup, and your hair is a mess.”

I glanced at Siobhan, who looked as stunning as always, but her head was now hanging as she stared into her lap. “I’m sorry, Mam.”

“You should be. This is exactly why the castle thought you weren’t worthy of being its queen. What do I always say?”

She stared down at her hands, twined together, and suddenly it made sense why she so badly wanted this.

“That a true queen always acts like one, even without her crown,” Siobhan said quietly.

“Exactly. You should be acting like the queen you want to be. Now come along. Let’s get you properly dressed, and then we will go over today’s lesson about how a queen should decorate her home.”