She hadn't meant to spy. In fact, Ariadne was trying as hard as she could to break herself of old habits. The Red Dragon and his path of destruction was a long way from Trench, she understood. And even if he himself arrived in this place, he would never be able to pose a threat to her again.

So she was no longer a spy. And there was no longer a resistance.

But she was soft spoken. Lithe and quick. With a talent for making herself invisible. And when she saw the bright petals of the flower, she couldn't resist slipping around the trunk of a tree to stare at it. It didn't even occur to her that it would be fine to just walk up.

He did look like he was deep in thought, though. Maybe that was why she hid. But when he saw her, she guilty stepped around the trunk, dipping into a polite curtsy, even though she was wearing her leathers, not a gown. "Yes, sir," she replied, raising her head just enough to glance up from beneath her lashes. Her cheeks flushed pale purple. "It was."