“She knows Esther’s weak spots, as well as the Warden’s. If she turns out to be untrustworthy, we can get rid of her,” Kallie said with a shrug. “But I think this is too valuable of an opportunity to throw away.”
The way Kallie saidget rid of herdidn’t imply firing Abigail. I supposed that was good enough for me.
I summoned everyone back into the room. Abigail appeared… almost nervous. She was excellent at keeping a flat mask, but I was good at reading people, and she definitely wanted this position. Whether it was to keep her place here in Ilamanthe, or because she wanted to spy on me for the Warden, I guessed we’d find out.
“I suppose you can stay,” I said. “But it’s going to be a while before I’ll know for sure if this situation is going to work out.”
“Understood,” Abigail replied. “I will do everything I can to serve you well.”
An immense rage boiled inside my chest and flooded outward. I found myself consumed by a red-hot anger thatcaused my skin to burn. I thought my Fire magic was going to come erupting out of my form and reduce everyone in this room to ash.
I didn’t know where it had come from, but I thought my rage was directed at Abigail, and how absolutely insane it was she thought she could serve me when she had previously been connected to Esther and the Warden.
Then I realized the fury wasn’t coming from me. Holy hell, Charlie wasmad, and I could feel it.
“Is there something wrong?” Opal asked, and she wiped at her face with a napkin. “You’ve elevated the temperature around us by at least ten degrees.”
Sweat formed on the faces of others in the room. I subdued my Fire magic and gestured for the servants to open a window. “It’s my husband,” I explained quickly. “He’s absolutely fuming. Something bad must’ve happened.”
I was really worried. Was Charlie safe? Who could even attempt to hurt him here in Ilamanthe, where he was a prince and had total control?
“I believe he was scheduled for lunch with his father,” Abigail replied. “The servants were gossiping about it this morning.”
That would explain why I wanted to pick this table up and hurtle it across the room. I didn’t think the reunion with Charlie’s dad would go well, but something hurtful must’ve been said. I felt Charlie’s anger rise and fall, then explode. He briefly lost his bearings as magic was siphoned out of him.
Shit, he must be fuming. Someone— probably his grandfather, as I thought he would be the only Elf powerful enough to do so— had taken his magic for a moment to calm him down. I felt him come around, and magic flooded back into his body. I attempted to reach out, but he was so pissed I didn’t think he heard me.
We should give him some time,Oberi noted.This is not a problem we can fix. Charlie and his father must resolve it on their own.
Or I could just settle it with Cameron myself,I shot back.
Unlikely. Let it be.
I felt Charlie’s anger dim, and resolved we’d talk about it later. This was between Charlie and his dad, and I knew better than to get involved unless the situation absolutely required it… though if Cameron continued to hurt Charlie, I was going to lose my patience and take matters into my own hands.
“We should move along,” Elrye stated. “There is still much to see.”
Elrye took us out of the parlor room and down the hall, to another set of double doors. “This area is known as the Ladies’ Court. This tower is strictly reserved for the women of the palace. Only females are permitted in this area, and it is an area that is under your control entirely. Not even the Emperor or the princes are allowed to enter.”
A pair of servants opened the double doors, and we roamed inside. I was delighted to see a beautiful area that was full of Elvish women. There was a lovely round pool beneath a waterfall that fell from one of the palace roofs. Around the pool were lounge chairs, and there was a bubbling tub that had been built to resemble a hot spring. Palm trees provided shade, and a female band played relaxing music in the background. There were massage tables, and people were getting manicures near a drink station which served mocktails that changed color. A mini-workout station stood on a platform above the pool, where Elvish women lifted weights and practiced sparring.
“Awesome, no men around.” Kallie gave a broad smile. “Might as well call it paradise.”
Clearly she wanted somewhere to hide from Marcus.
I was ready to get in the pool immediately, but Elrye led me on. “There are other bedrooms here, if you wish to take some time to yourself.”
“It’s not like I’m going to need it.” I couldn’t imagine a situation where I’d need a bedroom separate from Charlie’s. It wasn’t like we’d ever sleep apart, but maybe I could use this place for a girl’s night.
“Perhaps you will, one day,” Elrye replied. “All your clothes and treasures will be stored here as well.”
Treasures?I didn’t know what she meant, untilI did.Elrye led us to an absolutely enormous walk-in closet the size of a small house, and when I ventured inside, I nearly died of happiness. Clothes and dresses lined the walls on hangers at my level, and designer bags were lined on top of dressers according to color.
And ancestors, shoes,glorious shoesspanned the entire length of the closet in small cubbies that were easily accessible for me to reach. There were literally hundreds of them. I could wear a different outfit every day for a year and still not go through everything in the closet. I swear, a tear slipped out of my eye.
“We wanted to make sure the princess was well-dressed, as we heard from your friends that you enjoy fashion,” Elrye said with a coy glimmer in her eye. “I hope that you’ll come to cherish every piece.”
“There’s so much pink!” I squealed. I hugged the ballgown closest to me and buried my face in the puffy tulle skirt. I loved Charlie, but it would’ve been worth marrying him for the closet alone.
