Seven minutes and two blow job later, they both looked presentable.
That was, perhaps, the most insulting part.
Lara had expected disaster. A ruined uniform. Sarisa's lipstick all over her throat. Some obvious sign that would have the entire palace taking one look at them and fainting into the nearest decorative fountain. Instead, with ruthless efficiency and a great deal of muttered swearing, Sarisa had fixed everything.
Her own hair was smoothed back into place, her gown straightened, her expression rebuilt into that polished, impossible calm she wore like royal armor.
Lara's shirt was buttoned again, her collar pulled straight, and the dangerous flush in her face had faded to something only someone very familiar with her would notice.
Which was unfortunate, because Sarisa was very familiar with her.
Lara leaned against the side of the desk, catching her breath while Sarisa stood before the mirror and adjusted one earring, then the other.
The silence between them was not quiet, exactly. It crackled. It still tasted like heat and reckless choices and the sort of trouble that made people lose crowns.
Lara watched Sarisa's reflection and let out a low whistle. "You're terrifying."
Sarisa's gaze met hers in the mirror. "You were just begging me not to stop."
Lara's mouth twitched. "I contain multitudes."
"You contain bad judgment."
"You say that like you weren't the one who locked the door."
Sarisa turned then, slow and graceful, and Lara's stomach did something deeply embarrassing all over again. It was absurd.
They had barely survived the queen at the door, had narrowly avoided being discovered in a scandal large enough to topple half the palace, and still one look from Sarisa made Lara feel like she was standing too close to a fire she had no intention of stepping away from.
Sarisa came toward her, stopping just close enough to fix the edge of Lara's collar. Her fingers brushed the side of Lara's throat, lingering there for a fraction too long.
"You need to stop looking at me like that," Sarisa murmured.
"Like what?"
"Like you're about to drag me back onto the desk."
Lara smiled, slow and crooked. "Maybe I am."
Sarisa huffed a breath that was suspiciously close to a laugh. "You are impossible."
"And you are trouble."
"That is rich coming from you."
Lara reached up and tucked an escaped strand of silver hair behind Sarisa's ear. "We should probably go."
"We should," Sarisa agreed, and made no move to step away.
For a heartbeat they just looked at each other, both of them aware of how ridiculous they were. Future queen and bodyguard, co-parents, idiots.
The whole palace balanced on etiquette and appearances, and here they were, one locked door away from complete ruin because neither of them had any self-control where the other was concerned.
Lara laughed first. It came out low and disbelieving. "We are so incredibly screwed."
Sarisa's mouth curved. "Very."
"Not helping."
"I wasn't trying to."
Lara leaned down and stole one final kiss, quick and hot and entirely unnecessary. Sarisa made a soft, offended sound against her mouth, then kissed her back harder for one treacherous second before pulling away.
"That," Sarisa said, smoothing the front of her dress with far too much dignity, "was your last one until after the meeting."
Lara lifted both hands. "Cruel."
"Correct."
They finally moved then. Sarisa unlocked the office door and listened for a moment before opening it, every inch the princess again.
Lara followed a step behind, already shifting into her public self, shoulders straight, expression unreadable, the obedient shadow with sharp eyes and a sharp blade.
The corridor outside was thankfully empty.
The palace had changed in the last hour. Evening had deepened into that blue-gold hush just before night properly settled.
Lamps glowed in their niches along the walls, and servants moved more quietly now, all soft shoes and bowed heads. Somewhere deeper in the palace a bell chimed, announcing the final summons for the meeting.
Sarisa started down the corridor. Lara fell into step beside and slightly behind her out of habit, though her body was still too aware of every inch of Sarisa, of what had just happened behind a locked door that now looked far too innocent.
"Try not to look smug," Sarisa murmured without looking at her.
"I'm not smug."
"You absolutely are."
Lara considered that. "Maybe a little."
"A lot."
Lara lowered her voice. "You're the one who said five minutes."
Sarisa shot her a warning glance, but the corners of her mouth betrayed her. "Be quiet."
Lara obeyed for almost twelve seconds.
"Do you think your mother suspects anything?" she asked.
"Yes."
"That's comforting."
"She always suspects something. It's one of her favorite hobbies."
Lara snorted softly. "I thought her favorite hobby was controlling your life."
"That's her profession. Suspicion is recreation."
That drew a real laugh from Lara, quick and rough. Gods, she loved when Sarisa acted silly.
They turned the final corner toward the council wing and nearly collided with one of the queen's senior attendants, a narrow-faced woman in pearl grey who looked as though she'd been born old and disapproving.
"Your Highness," the woman said, bowing. "The council is assembled."
Sarisa nodded. "Thank you."
The attendant's gaze slid to Lara, taking in the uniform, the bruised knuckles, the face that probably still looked a little too pleased with life. If she noticed anything else, she gave no sign of it.
"The queen requests that only invited members enter," she said crisply. "Lara will wait outside. This meeting is not for her."
Lara's good mood vanished with startling speed.
Sarisa stopped.
For one tiny, dangerous moment Lara thought she might argue, and part of her wanted that, wanted Sarisa to turn cold and royal and say that if Lara was her bodyguard then Lara stayed.
But that would raise questions, and tonight they had already played with fire more than enough.
So Lara only straightened and said, with infuriating calm, "Of course."
The attendant inclined her head and stepped aside for Sarisa.
Sarisa looked at Lara once, brief and unreadable, and Lara gave the smallest nod.
Then the doors opened, warm council light spilled into the hallway, and Lara was left on the outside while Sarisa stepped in alone.