Font Size:  

The tuxedo, ordered from the U.S., fit Stone like a glove. It had cost a small fortune. But as he tugged on his cuffs, the only thought in his head was whether or not Rosamunde would like him in this get up.

The clothes felt odd since he rarely wore shirts of any kind. Now he had on a couple of additional layers and he found it irritating. Yet it seemed like a very small price to pay for the event that had been inciting interest throughout the Nine Realms, and especially Tannisford, for over two months now.

Delia had booked a room for him at the Sterling Arms. After Rosamunde had returned to Ferrenden Peace, he’d flown to Sandismare with his tuxedo and shoes in a bag over his arm. A shower had followed.

The Sterling Arms was the swankiest hotel in Tannisford’s main city and the rooms had been fully booked in the skyscraper within hours of the gala announcement.

Fortunately, Sandismare had several conference level hotels so that the prominent officials from most of the towns and cities of the Nine Reams had been able to get accommodations.

The local merchants were over the moon.

Several smaller events were being held around the downtown area, but the main gala was in the premier ballroom of the Sterling Arms.

After a good hour had passed since he’d last seen Rosamunde and with his long hair secured in a silver facsimile of the Guardsman clasp, he contacted her and learned she’d made special plans of her own.

He was pleased that she wanted to have drinks with Vojalie and Davido. The latter was already at the castle and happily teleported Stone straight to Rosamunde’s private parlor.

Davido, as ugly as he was, beamed with his usual charisma and seemed like the most striking person in the room. And that was saying a lot since Vojalie’s beauty outshone most of the women of their world and Rosamunde tonight gave her some serious competition.

Her unruly red hair had been tamed into a soft fall of curls over her bare shoulders. Her olive green strapless gown showed off her beautiful creamy skin as well as a line of cleavage that had him wishing they were alone. Her violet eyes held him entranced for a long moment broken only when she turned and reached for a martini for him.

“Davido made them for us.”

He took a sip. “Gin and vodka and nicely chilled. Perfect.”

Davido smiled. “Thank you, Mastyr.”

But as the drink eased down his throat and sent the usual warmth flowing through his veins, he was struck by an undercurrent in the room.

He saw that Rosamunde’s lips were in an odd tight line and that Vojalie kept taking deep breaths. Even Davido cleared his throat a couple of times.

Stone set his martini down on the nearest table. “What’s going on?”

He watched Rosamunde grab for some air as well, which set up a racket inside his chest. He wasn’t fae, so he didn’t get hints about the future. But the tension in the room was enough to set his jaw-muscles to flexing.

Rosamunde lifted her chin. “Davido has something to tell you, something I’ve known for a long time. It’s about your birth parents. I was sworn to secrecy, but given the events of the past few nights, I felt it was time that you knew the truth.”

He stared at her for a long moment, digesting each word. He didn’t know which aspect of her statement to address first, but finally decided on her complicity. “So this is something you’ve known for how long?”

“Decades.”

“And you didn’t tell me?” He had a hollowed out feeling that she’d betrayed him yet again.

She straightened her spine a little more. “This wasn’t my secret to tell, Stone. But given our growing level of intimacy, I’ve forced the telling. As to the details, they belong to Davido.” She gestured with her hand in the old troll’s direction.

He glanced at Davido. “Am I to deduce that you’ve known who my birth parents were all this time?”

Vojalie tilted her head. “I’ve known as well, Stone. But let Davido tell you everything, then you’ll understand. And we both hope you won’t blame Rosamunde for keeping the secret. It was no small thing that we’d asked her to do so.”

He’d weigh in on that subject later, after he knew what this was all about.

For now, he shifted to face Davido, “So, tell me, old man, did you know my birth parents? If so, I’d sure as hell like to know why you kept the information from me all these centuries.” He wished his damn heart would settle down since he felt like it was about to jump from his

chest.

Davido also set his martini glass on a nearby table. He then turned and sat down on a leather ottoman in front of a chair by the fireplace. Like most short trolls, his feet didn’t touch the floor.

He was half bent over, his lips turned down. Stone had the worst feeling about what he was going to hear. Davido rarely lost his confident composure.

Source: www.allfreenovel.com
Articles you may like