The irony of my father needing to request a meeting with a lowly female who held no power or rank in Rivale was comedic. But for some reason, he’d always given her preferential treatment. Never had he treated any others with the same respect, not even his own family—especially not his own family.
My mother moved to the door, the floral scent from her soap filling my nostrils as she passed. She leaned into the corridor and sent the request to the guard standing sentry.
“The ships need waterproofing”—I hesitated, being sure to choose my words carefully—“but we’re unable to do so because of the dwindling supply of crude. Our trade routes have been affected, as well as our ability to defend the coastline.”
My father grumbled faintly, adjusting the blankets up to his collarbone. He was shivering despite the thick layers of bedding he was buried under.
“All non-essential ships are moored, and we are utilizing only those which are sound enough for travel to continue trade.” After speaking to Commander Tashe, the decision seemed like the only reasonable one I could make. Our kingdom hadn't experienced war in decades, so we could temporarily repurpose the battleships.
“You’ve made one decent decision on your own.” He lazily rolled his eyes. It was as close to a compliment as I could ever expect. “And King Grave? Has he responded to the request for a meeting?”
My father’s question made my stomach dip. Not that I hadn’t intended to tell him what transpired, but I’d hoped to buy more time before I felt the weight of his disappointment. I’d intentionally visited when I knew he’d be asleep, though that wasn't a challenge. Lately, it seemed he spent more time unconscious than awake.
“He arrived a few days ago?—”
My father interrupted, “You dared to waitdaysto advise me on the matter?”
“No, I came to see you several times, but you were resting.” I shot a look at my mother, silently begging her to step in and confirm my attempts to speak with him. “Unfortunately, there isn’t much to speak of. We weren’t able to find a resolution during the meeting.”
“Why would I expect anything other than failure from you?” my father scoffed. “Foolish of me to think otherwise.”
“It was only the initial meeting. We have another scheduled for the end of the week.” I chewed on my lip, realizing I’d bitten down too hard when the metallic tang hit my tongue.
“What was his request in return for the increased supply?”
I shook my head. “He says he has all he needs. It’s just a game for him … a crude game.”
My father lay still for several minutes, stewing quietly while I waited for either a dismissal or orders. Either would do; I only wanted to leave. The heat in the room was overwhelming. I adjusted my collar and looked for any sort of refreshment, but came up empty.
“You will offer Grave whatever he wants, as long as it is within reason.” He shifted and winced. “I have yet to find acontented royal, you simply have to exploit his desires. Focus on that.”
It was a sound plan, and one I stupidly hadn’t considered. Despite my father’s temperament, he’d always come through for Rivale. If I took bits and pieces of how he ruled and applied them to my reign, the people would recognize me as the best king they’d ever had; it was only a matter of time.
The door opened without a knock, and Elowen strolled in. Every step was unhurried and devoid of the reverence my father deserved. Her long black hair was braided and hung over one shoulder. The locks contrasted sharply against the amount of bare skin exposed from the black sleeveless corset snugly fitted to her thin silhouette. A silver shimmering skirt swished as she walked to my father’s side. As she passed, her eyes slid to me, one corner of her mouth curled upward.
My mother immediately stood and offered me a hand as she moved toward the door. I looked at her with annoyance. I wasn’t a child who needed to be led from the room while the adults engaged in conversation. But I knew whatever my father was going to speak on was not for me to hear; it never was.
18
AUDRYN
Ryder’s uncalloused hands moved to each side of my waist as he stood close and guided me to step forward. His touch sent my core tingling even with the fabric between us. With eyes covered, I had to rely solely on my other senses and trust the prince to get me to our destination unharmed.
“Are you ready to see where I’ve taken you?” His voice was smooth, and the heat of his breath kissed my ear.
“Well, I’m definitely ready to get this off.” I chuckled and reached for the blindfold. But just as my fingers brushed the knot at the back of my head, Ryder stopped me.
His steamy breath moved down to my neck, and he laid gentle kisses on my skin. Lips soft and touch tender, he unhurriedly drifted a finger against my cheek, sending shivers erupting down my spine. His throat rumbled as his mouth moved across my collarbone to the center of my chest.
Touch disappearing, his trail went cold. I was just about to beg him to return when he tugged gently on the blindfold and blackness slipped from my vision as the cloth fell away. I blinked a few times, eyes struggling to adjust to the suddenchange. Flickering light filled the room and reflected off of the surrounding treasures—crowns, necklaces made of gold, and shelves lined with assorted jewelry all stared back at me. Brilliant colors bathed the walls and ceiling, stealing my breath.
“This is the royal jewel room.” Ryder took my hand and led me to a counter where a tall crown sat atop. Aquamarine jewels decorated the swirling pattern of golden waves around the crown. “This belongs to my mother, but will be my wife’s once I take the throne.” He ran a finger over the metal. “Maybe yours.”
The intricate design was worked beautifully—it must have taken the jeweler ages to craft such a piece. The soldering was flawless, like the metal bloomed on its own and was untouched by man. I ghosted a finger over its ridge just as Ryder tenderly grasped my finger and guided my hand down. My breath caught as my touch slid over the solid, cold frame.
“Your beauty outmatches all the contents in this room combined,” he whispered.
I turned and looked up at him. Plenty of drunks had complimented me at the tavern, but hearing the sweet words from the prince was far more impactful than I’d expected. My mouth lifted into a smile, his words hitting me like water to a wilted flower. They were nourishing to my soul, water to a stem left in a drought that desperately needed some attention.
