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Sandra shrugged, but she smiled. “Yvonne has been here longer than me by another thirty years and gives me plenty of freedom for this small service. Besides,” her eyes took on a distant expression, “She’s my friend, a fellow-slave, and she’s kindness personified. So, yes, I’ll go from the magic of being with you to tending her aching feet. She works long hours and has very limited self-healing ability.”
He leaned his forehead against hers. “You have a good heart, Sandra.”
“So do you.” She caressed his face. “But, Griffin, I didn’t know.”
“What? What didn’t you know?” He needed to hear her say the words.
“What we have between us. It’s love, isn’t it? Until now, this night, I thought it was friendship. Or maybe what I’m feeling is just some kind of fortress desperation.”
He wanted to say ‘No, it’s love’, but he feared saying the words out loud. Life in the fortress was a struggle. If Margetta or any of the Invictus servants knew how he felt about her, it could be used against them. “This is unwise.”
He felt her body grow still. “You’re right, it is.”
He drew back meeting her saddened eyes. “I didn’t mean to hurt you by saying that.”
“You didn’t. You just reminded me of our reality.” She planted her hands on his chest then gently pushed him away. “I should go.”
He stepped back a few feet, giving her space. He was still aroused and would need a minute to calm down. She pulled two linen towels off the shelf as well as a bar of soap.
With her hand on the door, she looked back at him over her shoulder. “You’re not my type, you know. Not even a little. You’re too handsome, too big, too strong, too much a warrior. Sweet Goddess, help me.”
Though the room was dark, his vampire vision warmed up her features and he couldn’t let her go thinking he was okay with her scheme. “I won’t help you hunt for the key.”
She looked up at him, her eyes glimmering with tears. “I’m not asking you to. I don’t want you in any kind of danger because of what I’m doing. But you should head out to spar before you’re found and punished.” She opened the door and slipped through.
He heard her call to the housekeeper. “I’m here, Mistress. I have towels and soap. Let me fetch the hot water.”
Griffin remained in one spot, fists on hips, his gaze pinned to the floor. If he was at all wise, he would forget about her.
Then he smiled. She thought him handsome, strong, and too much a warrior. Like hell he was forgetting anything.
After waiting several minutes, long after hearing Sandra’s voice, as well as the housekeeper’s, fade to nothing, he left the storage room.
Heading to the north-facing door near the guard’s room, he passed into the fortress vegetable garden then trotted in the direction of the training camps. The night was dark, almost moonless and as in the storage room, his vision lit up the vista as though the sun shone.
His chest tightened at the sight of hundreds of rows of tents as far as the eye could see. Wraith’s shrieked as they flew overhead. Margetta had found a way to harness the unruly Invictus pairs and shape them into a formidable army. Goddess help the combined Vampire Guards and Shifter Brigades of the Nine Realms, because the Ancient Fae’s army was bigger than the ruling mastyrs had ever thought possible.
CHAPTER TWO
Sandra took her time easing the pain in Yvonne’s feet, as much by a soothing massage as by the healing she released into the woman’s knobby toes and flattened arches. Afterward, the housekeeper prepped the tray for Sandra to take to the tower. When she wasn’t waiting on Margetta directly, Sandra served the overburdened housekeeper in any way she needed, including taking meals to the Ruby Fae.
Once there, she found Mistress Regan sitting on the high window sill. The powerful fae often levitated to the otherwise inaccessible place to look out over the army grounds.
Sandra didn’t speak with her since the troll could hear their conversation. He waited on the other side of the now locked door, peering into the room through the barred window. The troll reported everything to Margetta.
Sandra gripped the tray in both hands, waiting in a submissive pose with her neck bent forward slightly.
Mistress Regan wrapped her long gown tight to her legs as she made a slow descent, careful not to hit any of the furniture while coming down. The tower was not a large space, just really tall and impossible to escape except by the door.
Regan was a beautiful woman with light brown hair and dark eyes. She had strong cheekbones and a lovely straight nose. But her real beauty lay within. She had a spiritual calm that somehow made Sandra feel better just by entering the small round chamber.
Once Regan sat down at the table, Sandra laid out the silverware and food in the usual order, careful to obey Margetta’s rules to the letter: bowl and plate first, then an embroidered cloth napkin, large spoon, and a small ceramic cup of blackberry wine. Even this would be reported.
Fortunately, Sandra had exceptional telepathic abilities and had been able to path with Regan from the beginning. But even in this she kept their exchanges brief. Lingering too long in the room because she was pathing with the Ruby Fae could alert the troll as well. She might despise the guard for the soulless creature he was, but he wasn’t stupid. Mistress, I wish you to know that I’m attempting to find the duplicate key to your room, since the guard would notice if the original was missing. Once I have it, I’ll bring it with the next meal.
Regan took Sandra’s hand, a gesture hidden from the troll because Sandra’s body blocked his view. I wasn’t sure it was something you could do, but I’m very grateful. I have the worst feeling Margetta is planning to bond me to a chosen mastyr soon.
Sandra was surprised. A mastyr? Not a wraith?
