Then the auctioneer came out with the next job. “Classified job from the royal family!” was all he said, but it caught Jim’s attention. The offerings weren’t meager, either. Starting at enough that James could afford to pay his crew for it and take a hefty sum for himself. 
“What do you suppose ‘classified’ means?” he asked Daniel.
Daniel shrugged. “Means they don’t wanna talk about it in public. You thinking about it?”
James raised his numbered sheet of paper. “500!” he said. Five hundred thousand gold. It was less than what the royal family had offered, and lower than the last bid, but enough that James felt good taking it. 
Someone further up in the crowd raised his numbered sheet and said, “450!” 
James shook his head. Fine, four hundred would still be enough. But as he raised his paper, someone else beat him to it and lowered it further. “350!” James said next. 
“Is it still worth it?” Daniel asked.
James gestured for Daniel to hush. No one else raised their papers and the auctioneer called for a final bid. When no one spoke up, he slammed his gavel and motioned towards James. “645, the gentleman in the black hat! Collect your instructions after the auction.”

—Chapter 1: Up for Auction | Draft 2

King Valentine took James’s hand in both of his and bowed his head. Not knowing what to do, James bowed back. “Thank you so much,” King Valentine said. 
“For what?” James asked. 
Queen Daya said, “For accepting this job. It means the world to us.”

—Chapter 1: Up for Auction | Draft 2

Tessa pulled out of Craven’s hold again, this time managing to stay upright. “I’m not going back to the palace,” she said firmly. She crossed her arms and stiffened her body in case he tried to move her by force.
“I’m afraid you don’t have a choice, princess,” Craven said. He flicked open his cloak and removed a syringe from a pocket inside. A tiny droplet of liquid trickled from the needle.

—Chapter 2: On the Run | Draft 2

Her big eyes turned to James. “Have you ever been in love? With anyone other than Coincidence, of course.” She laughed at her own joke, but James felt it was a leading question. Still, he answered it.
“I’ve never had the time, no. I don’t stay anywhere long enough to fall in love. My life is too complicated for that.” From an open chest, James removed a glass, white dove. He handed it over to Tessa. “You may keep that,” he said. “As a token of our time together.

—Chapter 3: Freedom with a Price | Draft 2