Entonin was waiting for her by the ocean. He'd said he would be, and Entonin never said anything he didn't mean. He turned when he heard her approaching, and frowned.

"You're being hunted across the Queendom. There are rewards for your head offered in every town from Osvald to Amlia. Could you manage to be any less inconspicuous?"

Mya pfted dismissively. "You could thank me, you know. For the clothes. You look positively divine."

"It's a bit frilly," Entonin muttered, plucking at the ruffled sleeves.

"Oh please. It was the simplest thing I could find. Anyway, you'll fit in wondrously."

"Where? A brothel?"

"Darling, you'd fit in at a brothel no matter what you wore. We're going to see an old friend of mine." She frowned. "Well, he's coming to see me, actually."

Entonin eyed her wardrobe dubiously, wondering just what kind of "friend" they were going to see.

Mya caught him staring and smoothed her bodice, settling her hands around her hips and scowling petulantly up at him.

"Are you jealous?"

"You've never dressed like a pirate queen for me."

She tossed her head back and laughed. "A pirate queen, truly? Perfect."

"How so?"

Mya pointed to the horizon. Following her gesture, Entonin went pale. "Pirates?"

"Not just any pirates, love. I trust you're familiar with the famed Pirate King of the Southern Seas?"

Entonin grasped her shoulders and glowered down into her eyes.

"Tell me you're joking."

"Why should I be? He's been desperately in love with me since I stole his ship last summer."

"Since you WHAT?!"

She shrugged. "I got bored."

"So your grand plan to escape the Queendom is to run away with a pirate?!"

"Do you have a better idea?"

He glared at her, and she beamed at him. It was all he could do not to melt. He pitied the Pirate King, pining after the renegade sorceress princess as beautiful and deadly as a winter frost.

"What if he betrays you?"

"He won't." 

There was an edge to her voice, and Entonin glanced over her attire again. Maybe it didn't look like it could hide much, but knowing Mya it held an arsenal of potions, powders, and the tiny razor-sharp daggers she favored.

"What if I say no?" She couldn't spell him, at least not magically. He had Queen Kyrak to thank for that. The tattoo she'd crafted between his shoulder blades was crude but effective.

Mya smiled innocently, eyes wide. "You won't." She produced a rose from somewhere and stepped closer, holding it up to him.

"You're stepping on my foot," he said flatly.

"I know. And I'll keep stepping on your foot until you agree to come with me, so you'd better say yes."

Entonin rolled his eyes. "When was the last time I told you how crazy you are, Your Highness?"

"It's been at least an hour. You might want to tell me again."

Entonin caught her by the waist and kissed her, wondering how in the space of two months he'd managed to fall in love with the girl he was supposed to kill.