Page 64 of A Yulean Sister’s Guide to Getting Kidnapped

“Captain asked me to bring these to you,” she said a bit skittishly.

“Thank you,” I said, reaching for them.

She released them easily, and I started riffling through them to find the dress I was looking for.

“I’m sorry about the other day,” she said. “I swear I didn’t know that the Captain wanted to trade the food for forcing you to work. He never told me.”

“Good to know,” I said, finally putting my hands on what I was looking for.

Shadowhart did have good taste. I would have never picked this out for myself. It was a bit plain, and the skirt was very narrow, but it suited me well when I tried it on. And he seemed to think so too. If I thought too hard about it, I was sure my face would warm all over again.

And I never blushed for anyone, not really. But this stubborn captain drew it out of me, whether it was from anger or…

“What are you doing?” Anne asked, cutting through my thoughts.

“Getting dressed,” I said. But first I needed to get undressed, and this corset was not made to take off alone.

“Will you untie me?” I asked Anne. Initially I planned to tell her to get lost, but she was the other set of hands I needed.

“Oh, sure.” She came towards me and pulled the ties apart easily.

I shimmied out and put it back into the closet.

“What are you getting dressed for?” she asked.

“I’m going out.”

There was a long pause as I slid the darker dress on. It had a low neckline, elaborately framing my cursed gemstone, but that would just have to do.

“I… does Captain Shadowhart know you’re leaving?”

I huffed. “I’m an adult, who doesn’t need your captain telling me where I can and can’t go.”

“R-right,” she stuttered. “I’m just saying that normally there’s a schedule, and rules about not going alone.”

I lifted a brow at that. If I was going to go out, I was going to look like I went out, so I sat at the desk and opened my small makeup kit.

“People can’t go out alone?”

“No, it’s very strict,” she said. “I’m not sure why, the rule has been in place since before I was on board, but everyone is supposed to leave with someone.”

I tucked that information away, wondering why. A safety thing? But what could he have thought was going to happen?

I swiped a bit of kohl over my eyes and added a few brushes of mascara. My cheeks were pinked as I was a bit heavy handed with the rouge, but I liked the way it looked.

“Well, I’m not a part of the crew, so it shouldn’t be a problem.”

She did that nervous shift on her feet. Anne really reminded me of one of the deer I had to constantly chase away from the garden. Her face had that same cuteness, but she was skittish. One wave of the hand would have her running from my plants, or this room in this case.

“It’s not really optional,” she said. “It’s for everyone’s safety. And the captain would be really worried if he found out you were out alone.”

“Well, he can take his worry and shove it,” I said, sick of the conversation.

Luckily, I was presentable enough. I grabbed my bag, shoving the flyer inside and throwing it over my shoulder.

She stood in front of the door, blocking my exit. “You really shouldn’t go alone.”

I pursed my lips. “Fine, if I can’t go alone, then you’re coming with me.”