We’d always just… clicked, but we’d been best friends and that was it. I’d have to be a fool not to recognize that he saw us as more or hoped for it. My father even had the gall to suggest that a bond had snapped into place, but I refused to acknowledge it.Ridiculous. I wouldn’t cause unnecessary pain.
For as much as I cared about him, I knew he wasn’t my mate. However, the only reason that my father hadn’t tried to marry me off to some other high-ranking noble was merely because he was holding out for Damien and me to get together. If that thought process kept me from being traded like livestock, then I’d let them continue in their deluded fantasy.
I loved my father, and he’d been through so much in his long life. He would never force my hand on something I wasn’t comfortable with, but sometimes… Sometimes he didn’t have a choice. So he would nudge me in the direction he needed me to go. To my complete and utter dismay, marriage had been a reoccurring topic.
He hadn’t pushed it, at least not while my mother was alive. As their eldest daughter, I had certain responsibilities to my kingdom. Between my sister and me, there was a silent understanding that Helia would fall into my hands. I’d been groomed for the role since my birth, and I was proud of my position as heir.
Helia was my mother’s kingdom; my father marrying her to gain the title of a king, but she was the queen first and foremost. She had been remarkably loved by her people. Thank the gods our kingdom was more progressive than others. The laws that bound Helia required that the ruling authority be passed to a woman of noble birth. If the king and queen didn’t have any daughters… Well, no one knew what would happen as it hadn’t ever occurred. At least not in any sort of recorded history that we could find. In other kingdoms, women were left out when it came to choosing an heir. Although times seemed to crawl toward change throughout the country, it was only the sons in positions of power and never the daughters.
My sweet sister didn’t have the constitution to be a ruler, though. She was too submissive and tender for the role. I, however, was a hurricane. A force of nature capable of wrecking everything in my path, should I wish it. I carried power in my veins that surpassed the likes of my father and mother. It was difficult keeping it under control, but I’d learned little tricks of the trade over the years. I had a tendency to lean on it for basic activities to help curb the constant thrum I felt underneath my skin. The gust of wind I used to throw Luka out on his ass was nothing. At least, nothing compared to what lay beneath the surface.
A sharp knock at the door dragged me from my lazy daydreaming, and I called for whoever was at the door to enter. My sweet handmaid Briar came bustling into my bedroom, rattling on about how late it was and how I should have been out of bed by now. She came by, pulling me into the room after her. I just smiled as she continued her chattering as we disappeared into the adjoining bathing room to start the hot water. The oils she used to scent the water surged through the room and I breathed them in. I had no sooner gotten into the water when she began scrubbing my hair.
“Lord Orion is back today. The entire palace is nervous with gossip.” She mentioned as I rolled my eyes. Briar knew everyone and everything within these palace walls. There wasn’t a damn thing that got past her. I swore she had eyes in the back of her head.
“Orion is just as much of a busybody as you are, Briar. It’s no surprise that the entire palace is aware of his arrival at this point. I’m sure you helped announce it, if he didn’t make a damn grand entrance for himself when he arrived,” I said back. Her only reply came in the form of dumping water over my head, which caused us both to burst out in laughter.
“You might be right, girl. But remember, I’m also aware ofyournighttime activities,” she chided. I decided it was best to just shut my mouth for the rest of my bath, so I wouldn’t compromise myself further.
Briar ushered me out of the bath and plopped me down in front of a mirror. I stared back at my reflection as she braided my hair. It was one of my favorite features, one of the few traits I inherited from my father. All the women in my family had hair as golden as the sun, but mine and my fathers were black as night. It fell to the middle of my back. It was the one commonality we shared, and I felt closer to him because of it.
I could tell that the lack of sleep was catching up with me as I took in the dark semi-circles that had taken root underneath my eyes. My naturally golden skin had become curiously pale, so the addition of the darkness wasn’t helping my complexion at all. Briar painted a shade of blush across my full lips, accentuating and drawing them out. She berated me on my body, declaring that I’d be losing my womanly figure if I didn’t snap out of whatever funk I was in.
I knew I’d lost weight, but I could see how it was taking a toll on my body. I would never be thin and frail like my sister was. Years of training saw to that, and I was damn proud of the curves I’d received from nights spent basking in all the cheese and wine I could ever consume. Damien commented on my thinning figure last night while we were laying in each other’s arms, but I brushed him off. Maybe he was right, though. Maybe I’d stayed cooped up in my bedroom for too long. But my damn nightmares had come back in full force, sending me into a spiral of depression I was having a hard time getting control over. I made a mental note to ask him if we could get into the training rings today after the council meeting. The exercise would help curb the moodiness and being in the fresh air wouldn’t be a bad addition, either.
Spring was finally blooming around us, and while the mornings and evenings were still frigid, the afternoons were pure bliss. I enjoyed spending my free time basking in the sun, especially in the training rings.
They were located just outside the palace proper, near the sentries’ barracks. There was a large flowing river that lay just north and sometimes on quiet afternoons, you can hear the water rushing by. As kids, Damien, Luka, and I would often sneak off after training to swim. Often earning us some sort of half-hearted punishment from our fathers. Still, there was a certain special quality about our spot that has stayed ever since, even though I hadn’t been back since the night of my mother’s passing.
Briar must have been talking about the latest court gossip as she gave a slight tug on my braid, focusing my attention back on her. I nodded my head in a vague acknowledgment, even though we both knew I wasn’t paying attention at all. I don’t think she minded I wasn’t hanging onto every word. Yet she continued to talk, so we weren’t left in awkward silence.
She was a better judge of my moods, better than I was at times. Sometimes I needed to be left alone to my thoughts, but not alone physically. That was a difficult situation for some to comprehend, but Briar just got it. I was beyond grateful for her and what she did for me, the small kindnesses that she offered with her companionship. She told me I reminded her of her daughter, who had passed away long ago. I think that’s why she took a special interest in me after I was born. Many individuals would have coveted the position of both my nanny and my personal handmaid. Briar must have shown fierce loyalty to my parents to receive it, just as she had always shown to me.
As I finished dressing, a knock at the door alerted us to an additional presence in the room. Damien was nonchalantly leaning against my door, his tall body taking up most of the frame. He was the picture of grace, with his hands crossed against his chest. I couldn’t help that my eyes were drawn to how his tunic hugged his physique, tailored to his body. His light brown hair was somewhat ruffled, unbothered. He smiled as he watched my eyes roam his body and returned the gesture. Most likely taking in the way my gown accentuated certain aspects of my body.
I’d almost say it was a coincidence that our outfits seemed to coordinate with each other, but I knew with Briar there was no such thing. The tunic he wore was dark green with golden velvet accents on his shoulders leading down through his sleeves. It was paired with knee-high boots and tan breeches, which were my favorite on him because of how good his ass looked in them.
My attire was a mirror opposite. The gown was golden, with dark green velvet designs up the bell sleeves, paired with golden sandals. My earrings, which contained the essence of moonlight, shone brilliantly against my dark hair. I quietly cursed Briar for pairing everything so carefully. Damien loved these earrings, as they were a gift from one of his travels abroad. Thank the gods they matched with practically everything, because I knew they would have cost a small fortune to purchase.
I smiled affectionately at him as he strode forward and took my hand, planting a light kiss on top. “My lady, you look ravishing today,” he declared, dropping into a dramatic bow. We’d always made fun of the proprietary rules we had to follow, which earned us a lecture from Briar. She knew anything she said would do no good. We were grown, and far too set in our ways to change things now. Plus, it made courtly life that much more bearable. I curtsied low, which did indeed earn an eye roll from Briar.
“Ready for this council meeting?” He inquired as he hooked my hand around his arm. I fought the mild level of thrill that ran up my spine from his touch.
I cleared my throat, looking up at him. “I’m ready for anything.”
4
EVA
“Ishould warn you that my father is in an exceptionally foul mood this morning,” Damien cautioned as we walked side-by-side through the hallways of the palace.
I snorted. “When is he not? After all, you received your absolutely sparkling personality from him, anyway.” His arm squeezed mine in response as he stared down at me with those impossibly blue eyes.
“I’m serious though, Eva. I went to see him after I left last night, and I can tell something big is bothering him. I don’t know if it’s concerning news that he received from the allies in Angoria, or something that he might have picked up on the way back. He’s just… on edge.” That was unsettling news. If there was information that set even Orion on edge, it was cause for concern. He wasn’t someone that was easily rattled. In fact, I was rather certain that you could tell the man that his house was on fire, and he’d shrug it off.
“You know… I hardly made it back to my bedroom this morning before he came barging back in.” He dragged a long, slender hand across his face. “Bossing me around like normal.” Damien turned to look at me while he said it, but I could feel there was more weight on the statement than what he let on. What he meant was,“You know, I literally got no sleep last night after I spent all my time with you.”
I rolled my eyes. “Well, you know you could have walked away when Luka came to barge in. Speaking of, where is the little weasel?” I looked around, scanning the corridors for the tall redhead. I hadn’t seen him all morning, which was unusual, as he had a tendency to pop up with Damien. Generally, at all the wrong moments.
