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Rush snatched the cure from her and scanned the words.Break the spindle on the spinning wheel. He jerked his head up, his nostrils flaring. “What the fuck is this? I can’ttouchthe spindle.”
The corners of her lips tilted up at the edges as she tucked the watch into her skirt pocket. “Figure it out. You’ve overstayed your welcome.” The door flung open, a gust of wind rattling the herbs above. “Goodbye, King of Sin.”
Chapter Nineteen
Aura
Aura placed two more red roses into the wicker basket the gardener, Farah, had given her. She brushed the lingering dirt from her palms against her apron, adding to the stains after planting flowers, removing weeds, and pruning the bushes. Gardening was more work than Aura had thought, and yet, she found it relaxing and a distraction from everything that was happening. Rush had gifted her this opportunity when he knew how much she wanted to try it, even when he could’ve demanded her to await his return inside the palace…
“Do you need help with anything else?” Aura asked, handing the basket of roses to Farah, but the gardener nudged it back toward her.
“You keep them. You did well today. Tomorrow I’ll teach you more if the king allows it.” Farah looked as though she wanted to say more yet held her tongue. Aura had been there for weeks now, and no one dared to ask what her name was, most likely waiting for her to introduce herself. But she still wouldn’t risk that. And if anyone had discovered her true identity, possibly through court gossip about the Starnight Prince’s betrothed being taken on her wedding day, they remained mum on the subject. Loyal to their king.
“Oh, he most certainly will allow it,” Aura said, matter-of-factly. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” She turned on her heel and went inside the palace. Her throat was dry, even though she’d drank several glasses of water while working beneath the blazing sun. A while ago, Rush had taken off in dragon form which meant she wouldn’t be allowed into his room until he returned.Blasted.
If she had a chance to search his space again, the key could be anywhere. Astor always maintained a wide distance between them, so she wouldn’t be able to sneak his key from him either. What she needed was to ask Sorcha, to see if she would know. Perhaps the chance would arise soon…
Wiping the perspiration from her brow, Aura stopped in the kitchens and placed the basket of roses on the counter. Marion knelt in front of the cabinets and took out a large silver pot.
“I brought you something,” Aura said with a smile.
“You did?” Marion glanced at her, a horrified expression on her face when her gaze swept up Aura’s filthy form. “Stay right where you are! I don’t need dirt in the king’s meal.”
“You could tell him it was a gift from me,” she teased. “I only wanted to bring you these roses. I figured you taught me recipes and I never really had anything to offer in return.”
Marion blinked, then pushed up from the floor. She lifted a red rose from the basket and ran a finger across its velvety petals. “They’re beautiful. Thank you.” Her eyes glistened. “These were the princess’s favorite. Always the red ones.”
“Oh! I didn’t know. I’m so sorry.” But she should’ve known—in several of her dreams, there’d been red roses.
“No, no. Memories are good to have,” Marion said hurriedly. She then cocked her head and placed a hand on her hip. “You haven’t eaten properly today, have you?”
Aura shook her head. Besides some water, she only had a small slice of jerky and a piece of fruit.
“Let me grab you something to eat while you take a seat here.” She drew up a stool for Aura to sit on and handed her a glass of water. As Aura drank the cool liquid, Marion made her a chopped lamb sandwich, then cut her a slice of peach cobbler.
As Aura took the last bite of the heavenly dessert, Marion studied her while fighting a smile.
Aura furrowed her brow, watching her curiously. “What is it? Do I have crumbs on my face?”
“Nothing,” Marion sang. “You’ve just been here longer than I expected… Not that it’s any of my business, but you’re good for the king. Even though the circumstances are rather unusual with your poor sleeping habits.”
Rather unusual indeed. Her, his prisoner. And just because she could be good for the king, did that make him good for her? They may have elicited pleasure from one another, but he held secrets, ones that he would have to confess to her eventually. Why couldn’t he have told her precisely what the spell was and what it would do? It wasn’t as though she could leave his palace grounds anyway.
“I suppose I should bathe. Thank you for the meal. It was lovely,” Aura said, choosing not to respond to Marion’s comment about the king. He would have to let her step outside his palace gates without falling asleep before she would even consider that he could be good for her.
As she ventured down the hall to her room, Tanix stood outside Rush’s door and Laird opposite him against the wall. She gave them a polite nod before entering the bathing chamber to prepare the water, but, instead, Janee was already doing it for her.
“Hello, my lady. The king told me to draw your bath once you came in from the gardens. It’s still a bit hot though.” Janee smiled as she placed a handful of white petals into the water, then added a few drops of chamomile oil.
That was kind of him… “This is perfect. The hotter the better.” Her muscles needed it after the constant crouching and bending over in the garden.
“Do you need my assistance with anything else?” Janee asked, wiping her hands on a towel.
“No, but thank you. I’m going to rest in here a while.”
Janee nodded and left Aura alone in the room, the wonderful floral scent clinging to the air calling to her. Aura peeled off the dirt-stained attire and moaned as she lowered herself into the warm bath. Before washing herself clean with a neroli soap bar, she took the time to catch her breath, to not think about Rush, his tongue and fingers on her.
Setting the soap bar down, Aura leaned her head against the back of the tub and closed her eyes. It was only meant to be a brief rest, but then an invisible prick slid into her finger and hope filled her—this was the moment she’d been begging for since searching Rush’s room.
