CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
Calista
The door burst open, and I leaped out of my chair, dropping the book I wasn’t really reading. My thoughts were too scattered to focus on anything else. Not that I could understand their written language. Goblins marched in, carrying the tub and buckets of water. Jessandra followed with a neat bundle in her arms. She deposited it on the bed and untied the ribbon holding it all together. I joined her as she pulled the pieces out and spread them on the bed.
Thin, silky garments the colors of the wildflowers at the tree brightened the dark velvet duvet. My pulse sped up when I took in all the lingerie. He can’t seriously think this is happening tonight, I thought to myself as I pinched the edges of a deep mauve lace thong and held it up.
How do they even know what a thong is?
My eyes widened. “He wasn’t asleep.” The bastard.
Confused, Jessandra snatched them from my hand and held them up, inspecting the strap in the back. “This doesn’t cover anything.”
“That’s the point.”
“This goes?”
“Between your cheeks,” I mumbled, and peered at the goblins as they finished filling the tub. The females giggled and the males tried not to look at me.
Jessandra grimaced then hooked her finger around the strap and stretched the fabric. “It would make a better slingshot.”
I snatched them back and balled them up in my fist. “This is moving too fast,” I hissed. “I just accepted.”
Jessandra laughed. “He will not allow for you to change your fickle mind. Be grateful he gifted you time to acclimate and come to it on your own.”
“Grateful… gifted,” I sputtered. “Time to acclimate? I have issues with that entire statement.”
“Be that as it may, it is truth.”
“On your timeline maybe.”
“He could have demanded it as soon as you arrived. However, you accepted.”
I squeezed my eyes shut and dropped my head back. “I know. I just figured it would happen… naturally.”
“Stay nude then. ‘Tis better than wearing these dreadful things.”
My head snapped in her direction when she completely missed my meaning.
“You’re receiving what you asked for. Remember that.” The male goblins followed her out of the room.
When the door shut, the female goblins descended on me, tugging on my clothes and trying to strip me down.
“We will prepare you for the king,” one said as she tugged my pants down.
Another jumped on the bed and tugged my shirt up. “Your skin will glow, and you will smell of everberries. It will surely intoxicate his senses.”
“That sounds like a bad idea.” I wrestled to keep my clothes on and a shred of my dignity. “I can bathe and prepare myself.”
“Nonsense,” another one said and jerked my pants back down. “We will tend our future queen.”
I froze. Future queen? Bobbins’ words replayed in my mind as they shoved me onto the bed and fought to pull my jeans off. “How many times have you done this before?”
They looked at me in shock. “Never.”
“Have there been other women here?”
A shared glance passed among them. “Why would you ask that?”
