Page 34 of In The Shadows

The Keep is quiet at this late hour. The sound of my footsteps on the black stone ground echoes through the hallway. The faint sound of the rushing waterfalls thunders in the distance, as well as the occasional noise from the guards on duty.

Stepping through the large wood doors of the dining hall, I head straight for the hearth on the far side, where a low fire burns with a pot set nearby. The moon glows outside the tall windows of the hall, its light filling the space. I pass tables of various shapes and sizes set with mismatched chairs. A hodgepodge of sorts, much like my kingdom. The sprawling serving table set right inside the large walnut entry doors allows for community-style meals.

A note addressed to me sits on the walnut mantel of the hearth. Inside the note reads,

Your Majesty, welcome home. I made one of your favorite meals to honor your return to us. I also prepared your favorite dessert and left it in the chilled box. Your faithful cook, Pyke.

Gods, I could kiss him. My people are always kind, but Pyke is another level of care and understanding. I would starve without him. Ok, maybe not starve, but I wouldn’t enjoy eating as much as I do.

Opening the pot, I instantly drool as the scent of spices and herbs hits me and a delicious meal of salmon with potatoes and roasted vegetables in a buttery sauce with garlic, onions, and herbs is revealed. I take a seat at a nearby table to dig in. I moan a little as the flavors explode across my tongue.

I devour my bowl and quickly wash my dishes in the kitchen sink. I snatch my dessert from the chilled box. A sweet custard tart piled high with strawberries, blueberries, and cherries. Sugar and honey coat the top. The balance of sweet and tart complements the fruit, creating a delectable treat to end any meal.

I devour my dessert as I head to our apothecary. The familiar scent of herbs reaches me as I enter the shop to find Loma behind the counter. Loma and the other healers are the most invaluable assets to my crew. As the mercenaries of Omnia, villagers of other kingdoms hire us to do their dirty work. That could be threatening someone, stealing items, or killing someone. You never know what could happen on a quest, so having our healers close is essential.

Loma’s long, gray hair is half braided back, allowing it to flow down her back. Her light-hazel eyes rise from her task and a sweet smile warms her face. Without Loma, more jagged scars would mar my body from my time with Oren. My wounds were expertly healed by her gentle hand.

“Our queen has returned,” she says brightly.

She walks around the counter, arms outstretched, and pulls me into a tight hug.

“What brings you in this late? You’re not hurt, are you?”

She pushes off me, snatching my arms in her hands, and turns me side to side, inspecting for injuries.

“I’m not injured, Loma,” I laugh at her theatrics. “I need a lady’s tincture, please,” I say, looking down, and I glance anywhere to avoid eye contact with her.

“Oh, you dirty girl,” Loma answers, lightly pushing my shoulder.

My cheeks heat with embarrassment. I can’t recall the last time I had to ask for one. I’ve found myself in the beds of beautiful women more often lately than that of men. Women smell and, frankly, taste better.

Finally, I look back at Loma, who gives me a playful smile and heads to the wall of vials. She plucks a small violet one off the shelf and hands it to me. The lady’s tincture is a well-guarded secret in Omnia. Many kings have tried to eliminate it entirely under the pretense of needing heirs. Since the ingredients and the creators are unknown, their attempts have failed.

“Thank you for this and your discretion,” I try to give her a stern look, but I know it doesn’t faze her.

“Your naughty exploits are safe with me, Lily,” she replies. She pulls me in for another hug before allowing me to leave the apothecary.

I hurry down the hall, back to my chambers, ready to bathe and slide into my bed. After a few minutes, I enter my quarters and strip off my clothes as I walk to my bathing chamber, leaving a trail on the floor as I go . The candles in my quarters were lit earlier in anticipation of my return, casting a soft glow.

As I enter my bathing chamber, I notice bottles of different oils and creams set along the counter. Picking one up, I head over to the spigot on the wall over the large, deep-set bathing tub in the center of the chamber. I turn the dial and water rushes from the wall. Placing the stopper in the drain, I let the water rise before uncorking the vial and dumping it into the water. The scent of roses fills the air. My favorite.

One major perk of living in a land overflowing with water is you can use it, allowing easy access with pipes and channels. With the turn of a knob, you can have water on demand. Something the other kingdoms don’t know about and can’t imagine. We work hard to keep it a secret as it is a great resource that some might just kill for.

I climb into my tub excited to wash away the past week of grime and filth. My back stings as it touches the water, and I flinch before settling in. I close my eyes, and let the luxurious bath ease my tense muscles. Suddenly, the hair on the back of my neck rises, and I feel as though someone is watching me. I crack open an eye to find I’m alone. My shadows respond and tingle in my palms: the king senses that the queen has returned.

After scrubbing my body and hair clean, savoring the feeling of being back in my space, I step out of the tub and glimpse my back in the full-length mirror. Long scratches cover my upper back from where the alley wall dug into it. The red lines crisscross with the white scars covering my back.

I slip into fresh clothes from my closet before flopping into my bed. It feels like a cloud is swallowing me whole. My heart aches as I close my eyes. I miss Theo, but at least I got to have him for one amazing night. I’ll always remember the feel of his calloused hands tracing my body and his soft snores as he slept.

I allow myself to fall asleep thinking of Theo, knowing that in the morning it’s back to a life where a king and queen must hide in the shadows.

I’m forcibly pulled out of my sweet dreams of Theo and the alley by a loud knocking on my door. Whoever dares to disturb my sleep is going to regret it. I haul myself out of bed and storm to the door, swinging it open with as much authority as one can while wearing just a shirt.

On the other side is Kira. Her golden-brown skin is darker than when I saw her last. The summer sun has done wonderful things to her complexion, causing it to become richer as it tans, and little freckles dot her cheeks. Her chestnut brown hair frames her face with pale orange streaks. Her light brown eyes scan over me before meeting mine.

It isn’t hard to tell why I continuously find myself in her bed, getting lost in the feel of our bodies together for hours. She’s breathtakingly beautiful. But she wants more than the orgasms I can offer her: a genuine relationship that can never happen. While I can find pleasure with any mortal of my choosing, I can never break my bind to the shadow king and give myself fully to anyone.

Kira’s motives have always been a mystery to me, but the need for power has always felt like her hidden agenda. I assumed she had been using me for physical pleasure in order to gain the favor of the queen, until she professed her undying love for me. I knew I had to end things then.

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