“And me,” Faelith chimed in from where she stood beside the chair she'd taken again to wait.
“I want to be by myself with no one else inside the suite with me,” I stated.
Calista's spine twitched. “But my queen, I need to help you get ready for dinner.”
I flared my skirt, keeping my hand on my belly and the book beneath the fabric. “I'll wear this until I go to bed tonight.”
Calista plucked at my sleeve. “The queen mother will be dismayed to see you dressed in such a simple outfit.”
“I'm going to dine in my suite tonight.” I faked a yawn. “I'm exhausted from all my efforts today.” Not really. While it had been months, my body still held the muscle mass I'd developed over years of working with dragons and riding into battle. I hadn't slacked on my training after I left the fortress, either. At Lydel, I'd continued to work with various weapons, and I'd regularly jogged through the city to remain in shape.
It would take more than a stunningly powerful orgasm courtesy of Merrick on my throne—my throne! –-and slinking through the library to steal a book to wear me out.
“I’ll call for you if I need anything,” I added.
Surren pulled his blade and strode through the rooms, returning to give the other guards a nod. “All is secure.”
“Thank you,” I said.
Calista turned toward the others as Faelith joined them. Faelith kept staring at Surren.
“You heard the queen,” Calista said. “We'll remain in the hallway in case she has need.”
I closed the door behind them, the soft click of the latch sealing me away from the outside world. Quiet rolled in like a warm wave. I'd missed the times when I could be alone. While I accepted my new role in life, it was going to take some time to get used to people deferring to me, the bowing, and the need for multiple wardrobe changes throughout the day.
I joined Farris in my bedroom, shutting the door behind me and advancing on the bed. He rolled over, onto his back, thrusting out his feet and begging for pats.
I lifted my skirt and pulled out the book, tossing it onto the bed. He rose onto his haunches and sniffed it, releasing a low growl.
“Good book or bad?” I asked, not expecting an answer.
His front paw snapped out and smacked onto the cover.
“Don’t beat it up.” I dragged it out from under his paw and inspected it, glad to find it wasn’t damaged. The silver ravens glimmered, hinting at the book’s potential before the brightness faded back to its original muted silver form.
Ravens? My gaze blurred, then cleared, but I could swear for a moment they were dragons, not ravens.
Farris’s eyes remained on the book as I dropped onto my belly beside him. I ran my fingertips down his spine, and he huffed, flopping onto his side and rolling onto his back, his legs thrusting into the air. I stroked his tummy while he wiggled andsighed. When he started drifting to sleep, I sat up and laid the small book on my lap.
“What mysteries might you reveal, my pretty?” I asked, hoping I hadn’t stolen a book containing ancient recipes I had no interest in testing.
As expected, it didn't reply to my question.
And as I didn't expect, I couldn't get it open. Turning it this way and that, I found a band along the bottom that held it closed. A tiny hole in the center looked about the size and the shape for a miniscule key.
“Great,” I hissed. “Just great. I haveEmber's Shadowthat only reveals cryptic poems and a book that won't let me open it without a key I don't have.”
Pulling a blade, I slipped the tip beneath the slender band, but instead of slicing through, a shock snapped out of the book itself, hitting my knife and knocking it from my hand.
Spelled to keep anyone from opening it without the key? It appeared so.
Grumbling, I tossed the book onto the bed, determined to return to the library tomorrow and look for the key.
Because I hated doing nothing, I got up and dressed in my leathers. While Farris snored, I worked my way through a series of exercises. It felt good to slash my sword around and fling daggers at the back of the door, the dull thud when the blade struck true reverberating through my bones.
Moira brought my dinner, and I ate, dismissing the staff again after. Since she wasn’t alone, I didn’t ask her why she’d been asked to go to the kitchen.
The sun set. I paced the room.
