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“Not exactly exhilarating.”
“You never have cared to get your hands dirty,” I quip.
Leeanna folds her arms on top of the table, leaning forward. “Can we have a serious discussion without the jabs, Victoria? You haven’t always been so juvenile.”
Schooling my features, I try not to react to her insult.
I make a show of wiping at the corner of my mouth with a white napkin, paying too much attention to the embroidered edging so as not to look at her.
When my eyes lift, Leeanna’s hard gaze causes me to squirm under the weight of it.
She’s always managed to set me on edge. Even before. She’s one of Heaven’s toughest warriors. I trained her, but she was obviously innately stronger. I’ve never admitted that, but we both know it to be true.
“What do you want from me, Lee?”
“Forgiveness.” She enunciates every syllable of the word.
It’s simple, yet so much. There was a lot of damage done, and I’ve thought our relationship irreparable due to it. Peering at her now, I see the truth. She’s remorseful for her part in our fallout. Perhaps it is time to let bygones be bygones. She apologized and I said I forgave her. It’s time I walk the walk.
“You have it. I swear it.”
She knows I mean it and acknowledges so with a nod, followed by a genuine smile.
“There you are,” River says, stomping into the parlor like a bull in a china shop. “Ready? The queen has requested I bring you to her chambers.”
“Her chambers? As in, her bedroom?”
Lee and I share an alarmed glance.
He shrugs. “That’s where she wants to meet you. I don’t ask questions, Victoria.”
“Are you going to stay in there with us?”
“Do you want me to?” He seems surprised by my request.
I don’t know what it matters. I don’t require a babysitter, but if I’m being honest with myself, I really don’t want to be alone with the queen. I didn’t even know she existed until recently, and I don’t know a thing about her.
It’s not that I’m scared. I’m more than capable of taking care of myself. It’s mostly due to my lack of understanding about their customs. I still know very little about the reapers in general. There’s a childish part of me that has some warped need to not mess up. To not offend the queen in some manner all because I’m naive.
As tough as I am, I can admit that there’s a lot I don’t know.
“I’d like you to stay.”
He nods. “Let’s go. She’s waiting.”
I offer a slight wave to Lee, who widens her eyes in agood luck with thatexpression. “See you later, Vic,” she says, as River escorts me from the room.
The inside of the castle is just as impressive as the outside. Marble floors, covered only by luxurious rugs to pad our footsteps, run throughout the entire palace. White marble columns act as the only divide from one room to the next outside of the bedrooms, from what I’ve seen.
Beautiful crystal chandeliers hanging from the ornate ceilings sparkle overhead, and I have a hard time pulling my eyes away.
“It’s definitely over the top,” River says, grabbing my shoulders to steer me away from the column I just about ran into headfirst.
“Oh, shit. I was... a bit distracted. This place is incredible.”
“Camille loves shiny things.”
“Will you tell me a little bit about her? Something other than how wonderful, smart, and gorgeous she is?” I smirk at River’s annoyed expression.
