Total pages in book: 157
Estimated words: 156907 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 785(@200wpm)___ 628(@250wpm)___ 523(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 156907 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 785(@200wpm)___ 628(@250wpm)___ 523(@300wpm)
Ah.
“And we will spend the coming days in each other’s company not only so I can keep an eye on you, but also so I can help you navigate things until Mama arrives.”
“I think that would be good,” she murmured, then began to look uncertain. “Do we, erm, need to host an orgy in the garden?”
Mars started to chuckle as he pulled her up so they were face to face, doing this still holding her closely.
“For Miet, there will be a number of them throughout the city, the largest in the Heden District, and yes. It is tradition that Catrame Palace has one in the royal garden.”
“Oh faith,” she muttered.
“If you do not wish to do this, you are queen, Silence. This can be your decision. We can offer food and drink, and if they must, people can fuck behind the hedges.”
A giggle burst from her.
Mars stroked her back and smiled through her amusement, and only when it had waned, did he suggest, “How about we proceed with that plan, and if you change your mind, so be it.”
“That would be fine.”
“Mm,” he murmured.
“Mars?” she called.
“I am right here, piccolina,” he stated, again smiling at her.
“I love you very much.”
He was, indeed, right there.
But at her words, he was right there.
He could, of course, return her words.
However, Mars preferred to show it.
105
The Friends
Princess Serena
The Shanty, Notting Thicket
WODELL
She heard the noises outside the door, and thus had awakened on the pallet and was reaching for her steel star when the knock came.
There were seven knocks Brix and Gal had made her memorize, for they did not know who might be watching and did not want it to appear as if they had a secret code.
Thus, instead, they had seven secret codes.
They were most cautious, Brix and Gal, and she had to admit, good teachers.
Perhaps Chu would have gotten into such if they had taken on this task together.
But she would never know.
She took no chances regardless she knew it was the gnomes outside and had pushed off the blankets to sit up on her arse, had her star in her throwing hand, her dagger in her other for a quick switch if it was needed, when the door opened.
A human came in.
She tensed, until Brix called out, “It is fine. It is us.”
Only when she saw Brix and Gal both walk in around the tall man’s boots did she set aside her star in order to strike a match to put to the candle on the floor by her pallet.
Once she did that, the door closed.
The candle did not do much to dispel the murk in the room, but fortunately Brix and Gal wasted no time lighting those at the mantle and on the table.
And thus, Serena saw King Noctorno of Hawkvale standing there, now with the hood of his long, tatty cloak pushed back.
She had only been around him a few times.
However, even if he was dressed much like her (though he was cleaner, then again, she had now not bathed in weeks), his raw magnetism, his big body, the fierce expression on his handsome face made the dingy room they were in seem small.
Cassius Laird had that magnetism, that frame, that fierceness.
And he was Elena’s.
Chu had all the same, except his demeanor was cool and haughty and tremendously attractive.
She would never have said she was a female who had use for a male outside his cock.
In fact, she would laugh in the face of anyone who would suggest it.
She had been wrong.
She had been wrong before she even met Chu and learned how it felt to sleep in the arms of a man you felt affection for. Learned how it was to go about your business with the skills ingrained in you and the intelligence granted to you by the goddess and have a man look upon you with respect.
Learned how it was to have a partner and not be alone.
She now knew in some part of her, although she denied it, even fought it, she had always desired this.
But a man like King Noctorno would not be for her.
A man like Cassius Laird.
A man like Chu.
She shoved up to her feet, wishing she did not have a mind to her state, her smell, but she did.
“You need to eat,” Tor’s deep voice came her way.
“I am in disguise.”
“You still need to eat.”
“I need to embody my disguise.”
“No longer, True wants that building taken.”
She looked to Gal standing on the mantel, then to Brix on the table.
Both nodded.
She then returned her attention to Tor.
“It’s my understanding True has only one man covert in The Rising, and he is but a newly recruited soldier,” she said.
“We now have three, but they may not be needed. Because we also have names.”
They had names.
Bloody brilliant.
“True is positioning throughout his land and has sent word to Mars and Cassius for them to do the same,” Tor continued. “The best scenario would be that all strike at around the same time. As that would take some weeks to arrange, and we do not know what they are up to, True and Alfie have decided that we will move now. You need to eat and garner strength, for True wants you to command the taking of that building.”