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I stepped outside and leaned on the railing, gasping as I laid eyes on the most gorgeous view. Gardens surrounded the castle, and beyond the blankets of red, orange and purple petals, the midnight blue sea shimmered under a full moon. It was a sight that rivaled any art piece I’d ever laid eyes on. No paint could ever mimic the vivid beauty before me. And the scent…I took a deep breath of that sweet and salty air and let it calm my nerves and soothe my soul.
For a moment, I thought about raising my arms and dancing in the breeze, but I quickly realized that my balcony wasn’t private. Below in the gardens, I saw a few stragglers who hadn’t yet gone to bed.
Upon closer look, it was Ladon and a few of the servants. They were carrying the rest of my luggage inside the castle, and I expected they’d be up to my room at any moment.
I walked to the corner of the balcony, hidden behind a tall green bush, and watched as Ladon commanded the men. I couldn’t help but notice his dominant stature. He stood straight and his broad shoulders were pulled back. From the backside, I could see how nicely he filled out his black pants. The body and muscles of a warrior.
I couldn’t hear what they were saying despite my efforts to strain my ears. I could’ve called upon the wind to carry their voices in my direction. It would’ve been a gross, inappropriate use of magic, of course, but…
It was too tempting to resist.
I concentrated and the flower beds that surrounded Ladon and the servants fluttered in the light breeze. Their voices came quietly at first, then louder.
“These are all going to the third floor—the bridal suite. Make sure you take that one to the second-floor guest suite.” Ladon turned to another servant who had just arrived.
“The horses are all fed and stabled for the night. Do you need anything else from me, sir?”
“No,” Ladon answered. “You’re free to go home. Thank you for the help tonight.”
“It’s nothing, sir.”
“It’s not nothing. I know you weren’t on the schedule to work today. I appreciate your extra efforts and I’ll be sure to make sure the additional funds are included in your wages.”
“Thank you.” The man turned to leave, and the others were already carrying my suitcases inside. Ladon now stood alone in the middle of the gardens.
And then he turned, and I swore he looked directly to where I was hiding behind that bush. But, no—he couldn’t possibly know I was hiding up here, could he?
But his eyes were locked in my direction. And then he whispered.
“Emilie.”
I gasped and then clasped my mouth.
He dragged a finger over the row of lilies that were still swaying in the breeze—the breeze that I had created.
“If you’re going to spy, you need to do better than that.”
His words carried as if he were standing right next to me. Like he was whispering in my ear. His voice was calm but I didn’t miss the unspoken threat. I allowed the wind to die, but stayed frozen in horror. How did he know?
He plucked one of the red lilies and then stalked back to the castle entry and out of my sight. It was only then that I allowed myself to breathe.
My heart was still racing when there was an abrupt knock on my door.
“Fuck,” I shouted and nearly jumped out of my skin.
Please don’t be Ladon. Please don’t be Ladon.
I opened the door and breathed a sigh of relief. It wasn’t Ladon. It was only the servants there to deliver all my suitcases.
“Where would you like these, miss?”
I took a quick look around the room and settled on an empty corner near the bathroom door. “Over there is fine.”
They stacked them in a neat pile and I knew I should’ve started to unpack, but my head was still spinning. I was still thinking about Ladon’s voice tickling my ear. The threat in his words had sent shivers up my spine. The horror, knowing I would have to see him in the morning and face his judgment.
How in the world had he known I was listening to his conversation? It chilled me to the core to think he might be some sort of mind reader. My privacy felt invaded, which was ironic considering I was the one that had invaded his privacy.
I locked the door and thankfully only had to search through one suitcase before I found my nightclothes. I changed quickly and crawled into bed. It didn’t take long at all before I was fast asleep, dreaming of shimmering seas and blooming flowers. Definitely not picturing a handsome, silver-haired Castelli brother.
