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Aiden glared down at the man with arms crossed. “That is no excuse, Sir Eb. I have been gone for several days, yet all seems to be in order.”
“W-w-we were told y-you were sick,” Sir Eb said, trembling. “R-r-r-resting before the d-d-Dei Electi started.”
“Do I look like I’ve been resting?”
“N-n-n-no, your m-m-majesty!”
“Have someone take this beast and deal with the guards at the gate for not recognizing their ruler. I expect the court to be in the main chamber in one hour and explanations to be made.”
Tempest handed the camel’s rope to a servant and followed closely behind Aiden as he strode up the palace’s steps. The rage emanating from him was palpable, but something else bubbled under the surface, which intrigued her—there was a calm under the storm. It made her very glad his anger was not directed at her.
Chapter 6
Forthefirsttimeever, Tempest wished she had brought some of her personal items from her previous life with her. She had expected her most recent move to be a typical one; change her name, her occupation, and start over completely fresh, with no strings or traces of her old life to make it easy to find her.
Now she sat in a massive bedroom, nursing an ache in her chest, with nothing to change into. She used her fingers to comb the knots from her hair. Sand and dust shook from her clothes and hair onto the indigo rug. It had been too long to remember since Tempest last sat on such a soft bed. A soft sigh escaped her lips as she finished with her hair and laid back on the white and blue mound of plush pillows and blankets.
She had been escorted to a wing near the royal one, built generations ago for the contestants of Dei Electi. Tempest hadn’t seen any of the other eleven contestants on her way to her room, but she also wasn’t sure how many of them were already there. Then again, she hadn’t even known Dei Electi had been called until Aiden told her.
She’d spent the last hour exploring the room. Two tall shelves of books sat on either side of a fireplace. Tempest couldn’t imagine it got much use, but the nights did tend to get cold. A long blue couch sat in front of it with small round wooden tables on either end, which were painted with highly detailed white flowers and lines. A pair of tall-backed chairs sat near double doors that opened up onto a courtyard with a tiled fountain and lush greenery. She noted the four other sets of doors that shared the courtyard with her.
Every bit of the room was clearly designed to show the wealth and status of the emperor’s household. The attached bathroom was no exception. It had been so long since Tempest had more than a chamber pot and washbasin—truly, not since she left the land of the gods. The deep, tiled bath with hot and cold water faucets, gold-leafed ornate mirror, and white stone sink set in a carved wooden cabinet were more elaborate than the ones she’d had in the land of the gods.
Tempest sat up on the bed at a light knock on the door. “Come in.”
A willowy woman in simple red clothes entered, with two guards carrying a large trunk in tow. “His Majesty asked me to supply you with a few items to hold you over until you can acquire your own clothing.”
“Thank you.” Tempest rose and brushed off the skirt of her dress. “I greatly appreciate a change of clothes.”
The woman’s eyes widened at the sight of Tempest’s bare feet and ankles and motioned for the men to place the trunk near the wardrobe.
“I brought everything you should need.” She watched the men exit and moved to open the trunk before continuing, “Do you wish to bathe before getting dressed?”
Tempest inhaled as the smell of jasmine hit her nose when the woman opened a box of soaps and glass bottles. “That would be lovely. Thank you.”
The woman smiled. “Of course! I can’t imagine you’ve had many opportunities to use running water indoors. Follow me, and I will show you how everything works in the bathroom. I will set everything up out here and bring you a change of clothes when I’ve unpacked for you.”
Tempest followed the woman into the bathroom and listened to her instruction.
“Do you need anything before I go unpack?” the woman eventually asked.
“I don’t think so. Thank you…”
“Sylvia. My name is Sylvia.”
“Thank you, Sylvia.”
“It’s my pleasure. I will just be out here if you need me.”
Sylvia exited, closing the bathroom door behind her.
Tempest turned towards the now filling tub and poured out a small portion of the heavenly smelling liquid from the bottle before undressing and slipping in. She sighed as she allowed the water to cover her body. The tension in her muscles began to ease immediately. She let her mind relax and drift away until she was almost asleep.
Her chest tightened, wrenching Tempest back to the present. Rubbing her hand over her heart, she tried to feel if Aiden was moving further away or coming closer. She assumed his meeting with his ministers must be over. She hadn’t felt him move for quite a while.
The tightness slowly eased, confirming that he was coming closer. She quickly washed and excited the tub, wrapping herself in a large white towel. While he could be heading anywhere, the last thing she wanted was to be in a state of undress if he came to check on her.
Exiting the bathroom, she found Sylvia straightening the pillows on the bed.
