I’m not in any way partial to spending more time with Camden; my awareness of him is already intensifying, which leads me to believe my draw to him will soon strengthen. That means I won’t be able to trust myself around him for long. If a tick in his cheek and close proximity is enough to get me hot and bothered, I don’t want to know what bodily reactions being alone with him would create.
“Can’t. I’m busy,” I respond airily.
“After dinner, perhaps?” he offers. “We can chaperone Leisel and my brother to the library.”
I tilt my head to the side. “The fact that you think chaperones are necessary is deeply concerning. Do you not trust your Beta?”
Camden’s lips thin. “I’d have thought that would put your mind at ease.”
I think for a breath. “Are you going to force Leisel to spend time with your brother?”
“I’ll strongly encourage it. They’re mates, Sierra. With Leisel’s age, Wyatt will have an intense drive to protect and support her.”
“I hope you understand I’ll stronglydiscourage their time together.” Mostly because the only person I truly trust around Leisel is myself, and I can’t stand the thought of there being a figure in her life that might draw her away from me.
Camden’s gaze flares with both irritation and bemusement, and he gives his head a slight shake. “I’ll see you at dinner.” It’s a promise that holds a note of warning.
***
At seven on the dot, a knock sounds on my door, followed by one on Leisel’s. Since the joining door between our rooms is open, I see Leisel tense up from where she’s lying on the floor in front of her fireplace with a book on her chest, reading. Chip is curled up on her stomach, dozing. Leisel sits up abruptly, catching Chip as he nearly tumbles off her body.
She looks to me for direction.
“Go ahead and answer it, my love,” I tell her. “I’ll be right here.” Since we’re expecting visitors, I’m not terribly worried.
Keeping an eye on her, I walk over to the door of my room and open it, revealing a woman who looks like she’s in her mid-thirties wearing a bright smile. She has black hair pulled up into an elegant bun, warm hazel eyes, and smooth walnut skin. She wears a modest knee-length black dress, with a white apron draped over it. Her hands are folded in front of her, and she looks…eager to please, for lack of a better term.
“Hello,” she greets, looking like she might start vibrating with excitement. “My name is Cara. I’m sure the King Alpha has told you I’ve been assigned as your personal lady’s maid. Anything you need, I’m here to help with. I’m so pleased to be able to serve our future queen. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Your Majesty.”
I give her a slow up-and-down, deciding whether she’s one of the people I dislike on sight—like just about every other shifter I’veencountered. After a moment, I battle down the part of me that has a disdain for all mythics because Cara genuinely looks eager to help. I don’t want to repay kindness with cruelty.
Besides, my intention is to be diplomatic and open, not to give shifters reason to view me as a bitch. I need to make nice with as many of them as possible. Not including Camden or Wyatt, because I simply can’t conjure up any goodwill towards them, but I can try with others.
“Please, call me Sierra,” I say. “It’s nice to meet you. To be transparent, I have no idea what customs are in the shifter world, so it’s a relief to have someone to ask and talk to.”
Cara practically beams. “I’ll be happy to answer any questions and explain anything. For now, I was told to prepare you for dinner. Is that alright?”
I nod, just as another woman appears in the doorway joining Leisel’s room to mine, sporting a bright smile and an outfit identical to Cara’s. Leisel slips by her through the doorway and comes to stand near me as I look her lady’s maid up and down.
She appears to be somewhere in her sixties—though she might be centuries old for all I know—and instantly reminds me of Mariketa. Like Aesara’s town baker, I sense that Leisel’s lady’s maid is very grandmotherly and a caretaker by nature. The nurturing energy emanating from her calms me, as does the fond look in her eyes every time she glances at Leisel. Hopefully she’ll be a good fit for my little sister.
“Your Majesty,” she greets.
I barely hold back a grimace. “I’m not one for titles. Call me Sierra, please.”
She inclines her head. “My name is Greta. I’ve been assigned to the Princess and future Beta female—”
“My name is Leisel,” my sister interjects, her browsdrawn together.
Greta smiles warmly at Leisel. “Alright. Shall we get you cleaned up and dressed for dinner?”
Leisel, again, looks to me for direction. I run my hand through her hair. “Go ahead,” I say softly.
Quietly, Leisel asks, “Can we trust them?”
Dear gods. A mere few days in Kinrith, and she’s already becoming jaded and untrusting. Though that soothes me because there are likely people out there who will try to take advantage of her, it also worries me. Leisel’s just too young to be so wary.
“I think so,” I murmur, knowing that despite my soft volume, both Cara and Greta can probably hear us perfectly, courtesy of their enhanced shifter hearing. “Listen to your gut, sweet girl. A witch’s intuition never leads her awry.” That’s a valuable lesson I learned from my mother.
