He gave her a slow, wicked smile. “Sweet dreams, my filthy little darling.”
Envy returned to his bedroom and shut the door, chuckling softly as she called him every cursed name in the book.
“THAT IS ABSOLUTELY not a clue,” Lo said for the fourth time. “Put it down.”
Camilla closed her eyes, praying for some sort of divine interference. After she’d slept for only a few short hours, more frustrated than ever after Envy’s win last night, they’d all had breakfast, then immediately began their day of hunting.
By now, they’d been searching for the next clue for ages and the demon princes were driving her well past the point of madness. She was feeling downright murderous.
Perhaps that had something to do with the fact that she’d done exactly as the antithesis of Prince Charming had suggested, unable to sleep without finding release after he’d driven her wild once again. That he’d somehow outmaneuvered her at her own game ought to be criminal. Next time, she’d have to plot her victory better. Clearly, he’d been repaying her for the Sin Corridor.
This morning they’d all been methodically searching through one chamber after the next, deciding that the three of them, plus two research assistants, would complete a more thorough search if they worked together, room by room, shelf by shelf, using Lo’s meticulous records to compare what was in the room with anything that might have been added.
Which sounded fine in theory until one factored in the princes’ inability to work with each other without fighting. Every. Cursed. Minute.
Camilla scanned the room, her attention pausing on an artifact that looked like a dark moon. Glass, smoky and opaque. A few shelves over, an enormous nautilus shell was displayed, measuring at least two feet in length, larger than any she knew of in the mortal world.
“Give it to me now,” Lo said to Envy.
Using gloves, Lo gingerly plucked the illustrated manuscript out of Envy’s hands, setting it back under a glass encasement.
“You’re certain it’s not a clue?” Envy asked. “I don’t see it listed.”
“This book has been part of this collection for three hundred years. In a House with this many artifacts and tomes, it’s unfortunate that one was missed in the ledger, but not unheard of. Put it back down.”
“If you’re sure Lennox didn’t plant this clue back then,” Envy said, “show me the proof.”
“Tell me why you need to win so badly, and I’ll consider sharing my court secrets,” Lo lobbed back. “This game just began in the last month or so, correct?”
“Lennox has been known to plant clues whenever the opportunity arises.”
“You’re not answering my question,” Lo said.
“Maybe the gossip column was correct. Maybe you’re playing for much more this time.”
Camilla’s brows rose. “Gossip column? What did it say?”
Envy shot his brother a contemptuous look. “It didn’t say anything.”
“How very odd,” Camilla said, “that a paper should print nothing at all. Yet here we all are, discussing something.”
“Bloody hell, do you ever cease with your games?” Lo said. “The paper is public knowledge.” He shook his head and looked at Camilla. “Rumors suggest Envy’s circle has been magically warded. No one has been able to go in or out. It started just when the game did.”
“I don’t see how it matters whether it is true,” Envy said.
Camilla watched him closely. His demeanor had shifted slightly—it was nothing very noticeable, but he’d tensed for the briefest moment before adopting that frustratingly blasé attitude. As if he couldn’t be bothered about the rumors.
Which was categorically false, as he’d just tried to keep that rumor from her.
She couldn’t sort out why he’d attempt to downplay its significance unless he was hiding a much darker truth.
“Exactly,” Lo said, interrupting her thoughts. “You refuse to tell me any of your court secrets, so I have no desire to share mine.”
As the princes continued to bicker, Camilla wished to throttle them both. They’d now been at this particular disagreement for an hour. She half wished they’d pull their cocks out to compare sizes and get on with it.
Envy’s attention snapped to her.
“Mine’s much larger, Miss Antonius.”
She rolled her eyes. Leave it to Envy to pick up on that.
Lo glanced between the two of them, brows knitted at their silent conversation.
“Nothing.” Camilla waved her hand, irked. “Please, continue this scintillating argument. I’m sure we have several more hours we can dedicate to it as well.”
The two males picked up where they’d left off, completely missing her sarcasm.
At the rate they were going, they’d never make it out of House Sloth.
