Page 19 of A Lie so Pretty and Poisonous

“Absolutely, sweet girl. Be there in a moment,” I called back to her. The bouncing behind the ajar door started again.

“I’ll send the chamber attendant to this room. Should you need anything, please let them know,” Gabriel said matter-of-factly. “I will collect you for breakfast in the morning.”

Before I could reply, he turned on his heels and strode down the long hallway without another word or a spare look. The muscles of his broad shoulders moved under the strain of his tunic, and the silver daggers glinted in the dim light. The swing of his demeanor when I turned down his offer of having my own room was puzzling. Maybe he was as tired as me and was ready to get to his rooms for the evening. I needed to keep reminding myself to strategically keep my noble mask at the ready, my eyes open, and my guard up…no matter how tired I was.

As Gabriel turned a corner into a hallway, disappearing from view, I slipped into the bedroom. The size of the rooms was bigger than our entire home above Greta’s apothecary. A deep walnut-colored chest sat at the foot of the bed, and a matching wardrobe boasted ornate designs of ivy and leaves. The sitting room hosted two plush velvet sofas in hunter green in front of a lovely marble fireplace. The same flecks of gold swirled through it like the floors of the foyer. In an attached bathing chamber, a golden clawfoot tub lined with bottles of expensive, fragrant soaps and oils sat beckoning me to it, my body aware of the grime and stickiness from sweat. A gorgeous full-length mirror sat in the corner, catching my haggard reflection. Dark under-eye circles, knotted hair, dirt smudges, and torn clothes stared back at me. A picture of how my day had gone. My appearance was in opposition to the extravagant rooms we were placed in.

I returned to the main chamber with Cora, curiously opening drawers in the wardrobe and rummaging through the trunk. “Find anything interesting?” I asked as I leaned against the doorframe.

She looked at me and crinkled her nose. “Some robes, undergarments, and stockings. Nothing fun.”

Knocking interrupted our search, and a woman appeared in the sliver of the doorway before we could even respond to let her in. Long, dark curls cascaded over her shoulders, and her deep brown eyes looked us up and down, roving over our disheveled state. “My apologies, my ladies. I was told to bring you some food and help you get ready for bed. I’m Anya, one of the ladies-in-waiting of the queen. She directed me to tend to you during your stay.”

“Oh, I would not expect one of the queen’s ladies to wait on us. That is generous.” I bowed my head, my past training kicking in. Normally, nobility in a queen’s service did not attend to anyone other than the Queen. Either she was being punished, or the Queen was indeed generous.

Anya wordlessly opened the door more to reveal a cart with trays of food and drink, wheeling it in and stationing it in the sitting area. She kept her expression blank, but curiosity sparked behind her eyes like she was trying to glean information about us. I didn’t know what she had been told, but I didn’t feel safe to openly tell people who and what we were. Not yet.

Anya’s demeanor stayed passive. “I would be happy to draw you a bath and help look after your hair, my ladies. I have brought you both nightclothes. The commander and the queen hope they are suitable and to your liking.”

I gave her a genuine smile. “Please, call me Rory, and this is Cora. No need for formalities.”

She nodded solemnly. “As you wish. You may call me Anya.”

In Edenalee, the aristocracy was full of self-serving phony relationships, and they would turn on each other in an instant if they felt it would let them climb the social ladder. I would have to be cautious getting to know Anya while also positioning myself in her good graces.

Anya drew a bath and set out clothes for Cora and me on the plush bed. She stood in the sitting area with her hands folded in front of her as I unbuttoned my blouse to undress for the bath, and Cora shoveled fruit into her mouth like she had never seen food before. “Thank you, Anya, and please thank Her Majesty for being so accommodating. I think we should be fine to bathe and dress on our own if you have other responsibilities to attend to.”

“I will leave you for the evening, then. Should you need anything, you can let one of the guards patrolling the hallways know, and they will fetch one of the servants. Otherwise, I will see you in the morning with a few clothing items for you both.” She set a small smile and turned to leave.

“Guards?” I asked.

Pausing with her hand on the golden doorknob, she turned back to me with a forced smile on her face. “We always have guards moving about the castle. Nothing to worry about.”

She quickly and silently swept out the door just as she came, leaving no time for me to question her further.

Cora and I took turns eating and bathing, changing into fine dressing gowns, before climbing under the covers of the giant four-post bed. The mattress was soft, and the silk sheets glided over my now clean legs. I extinguished the lamps but left one candle burning on a table nearby so we could faintly see the room. Cora smelled of jasmine from the soap of the bath, and she snuggled up to me with heavy eyelids.

“Mom?” Her voice was dreamy and quiet.

“Yes, sweetheart.”

“I love you. Please don’t leave me.”

I caressed her face and gently brushed fallen, damp curls from her brow. “I love you, too, my sweet girl. I promise to never leave. Why would you think I would?”

“You tried to have Alec take me without you and then said the dryad man could take you, leaving me by myself in the woods.” Her voice was so small.

“I was trying to protect you,” I said gently. “Save you. Only the gods could take me from you. Never willingly. I won’t leave.”

“Daddy did,” she said.

The weight of her words cracked my heart. Her fear of abandonment seeped in during times of uncertainty. Occasionally, Cora would talk about Micah and wonder why he had left us. I always answered her questions honestly, but I hated that I could never give her the reason he left or where he went. An answer I wished I had for myself.

Before I could respond, her breaths grew slow and shallow, and her eyes closed. Her little arm wrapped around my waist, like she was ensuring I couldn’t slip away in our sleep.

Exhaustion couldn’t keep my anxiety from leaving me wide awake. I stared at the ceiling, questioning over and over how everything got so messed up. Greta must have been told by now what happened and was likely beyond worried…or bereaved.

Upon hitting the two-hour mark of not being able to sleep, I gently slid out of bed. Cora was curled up in a ball, snuggled under the thick down comforter. I put on one of the robes that hung in the bathroom and crept out of our rooms. The hallway was vacant and still, save for the light footsteps of my bare feet on the cold marble floor. I had hoped to find someone to ask for chamomile tea, but at this hour, the castle staff was likely limited.