How to Seduce an Earl

Chapter 7

"So I heard you've been having fun spending time with the Earl, Lady Annabeth."

Piper smirked at Annabeth as they browsed the Imperial library. No one but the royal family or invited guests could enter. The library was even bigger than the one in her family's mansion, which was known to hold countless books from the former Duchess Athena's love of knowledge. It was a rare opportunity for someone like Annabeth to visit, but Piper knew how Annabeth loved books. On that account, Annabeth decided she would not tease Piper back too much.

On second thought, nah. Only true friends could really tease each other to the limits.

"Not as much fun as you've been having with my cousin. I'm surprised no one's walked in on you two yet. You should really tell Jason to keep his voice down."

"Yeek! How did you know that we've-"

Piper took one look at Annabeth's smug expression and shook her head exasperatedly.

"Well, then perhaps you should tell the Earl to leave his love bites in less conspicuous sites like your neck."

Annabeth's hand immediately flew to her neck. "W-what are you talking about?"

"I'm joking. You have nothing on your neck. But wow, Annabeth, your face is even redder than I am. So this means, things are starting to get really steamy with the Earl, huh?" Piper waggled her eyebrows, all notions of propriety of the next Crown Princess gone.

"Not at all, I don't know what you mean." Annabeth said haughtily.

Flashbacks of what happened in the carriage flew through her mind, as well as some other moments. Beat it, thought Annabeth to some thoughts that should not be mentioned.

"Pfft," Piper laughed, and Annabeth joined in. "How's your plan of seduction going on? I assume there's been progress recently." Piper pulled out a book to peruse.

"Well...it seems like it's working but..." Annabeth tapped her fingers on the spine of a brown leather book. "Somehow I feel like he's doing a counterattack, and I'm the one who ends up flustered in the end. It's like my legs turn into jelly and my mind turns to mush. It's not like I know how to properly seduce someone in the first place, anyways."

"Looks like the Earl isn't as easy as you thought."

"Ugh, I can barely keep up with him."

They rounded the corner to the next set of bookshelves.

"You say that, but you actually enjoy spending time with him, don't you? It's good that he's not making things easier for you. I never expected you to end up with some bland nobleman who would only make your life dull and uninteresting."

Annabeth smiled as her eyes laid upon some blue books. They were the exact same shade as the books Percy had gifted her on the architecture of the Atlantis Empire. A man who willingly listened to her ramble on and on about a topic he wasn't interested in and got her a present that was actually something she would enjoy? Sign her up!

"I do like him a lot," she admitted. "But Piper, what are we looking for exactly?"

"A secret," Piper smiled.

Uh-oh. Whenever Piper smiled like that, Annabeth knew there was going to be trouble. Trouble that never actually got Piper in hot water, but caused the people around her some grief and awkward situations.

Piper looked around but no one else was there on account of her orders for the guards to stay outside the library.

"What are you being so cautious for?" Annabeth asked curiously. "You're not searching for black magic books again, are you? Because last time you did that, Leo ended up with a donkey tail and Jason butt naked but with kitten ears. Which trust me, I never wanted to see my cousin in that way again. Goodness knows how that image will attract people with those fetishes for human-beasts."