Page 110 of Cages and Crowns
“Each one connects to a room.” I nod, my eyes widening. I wonder if they have that in Noterra? “Your missy here is starving. You could have at least fed her.” She hits him with a towel and goes about mixing something on the stove.
“My missy?” He cocks a brow and looks at me. His eyes widen as he takes in what I’m wearing, before they darken. “Oh, right.” He holds out his hand. “Come on then.” I hesitantly take it.
“Thank you, Miss Collette.” I whisper and dip my chin as a sign of respect.
“You can call me Mama.” She says back with a smile as she clears my plate. I thank her again and let Nero pull me out of the room.
“Please tell me why thequeenis in the kitchen in the middle of the night practically naked?” He says sternly, his hand still gripping mine. I pull my fingers out of his grasp and wrap my arms around my stomach.
“I couldn’t sleep, and I was hungry.” I say quietly.
“You have servants.”
“I am more than capable of getting myself food.” He leads me back up the stairs, his tunic wrinkled. “Were you asleep?”
“What else would I be doing at two in the morning?” He asks with a snort.
“Sorry.” I mutter. I stop in front of the library and step in.
“What are you doing?”
“I want to stay in here.” I say softly.
“Well you can’t stay by yourself.”
“Why?”
“Safety.”
“I am capable of defending myself.” I roll my eyes and drop down on the sofa.
“At least let me get someone. Your brother or the king?”
“Donotget Nithe.” I snap as I pull my legs under me. “You can stay if you must, but I can’t go back to my room tonight.
“And why is that?” He pushes and I avert my eyes.
“He kicked me out.”
“What?” He crosses the room and kneels down in front of me. “Are you alright? Did he hurt you?” His hands grab my shoulders.
“Gods, no.” I push him away. “You are getting too comfortable, general. You need to be careful.” I warn as I lean back against the couch.
“Being comfortable is what got me promoted in the first place. If I treat you royals like equals, you tend to treat me like one too.” He admits, a half-grin on his face.
“I see us as equals.”
“But we aren’t.” I stay quiet as he rises from where he was crouched down and sits in the settee across from me. “What happened?”
“With?”
“The king.”
“We fought, as couples do.” I shrug and pull a blanket on my lap.
“About?” I lift my gaze and narrow my eyes.
“You can leave now, Nero.” I order. His eyes widen slightly before he rises again and walks to the archway.
