Page 13 of Destiny Redeemed
Ignoring her, I turned back to Anderic, only to find him watching me with undisguised amusement. His lips quirked up in that infuriating half-smile of his, and I suddenly remembered I was still clutching his shirt.
I snatched my hand away as if burned, taking a step back. This was the first time I’d seen him since the assassination attempt, and I found myself at a loss for words. The memory of his lips on mine and the taste of wine on his breath flashed unbidden through my mind.
“Lady Ilyana,” he said, his voice low and smooth as silk. “Might I inquire as to why you’re skulking about the gardens in the dead of night, dressed as… a bride?”
I opened my mouth, closed it, then opened it again. How in the seven hells was I supposed to explain this?
I stared at Anderic, my mind racing for an explanation that wouldn’t make me sound like a complete lunatic. Finding none, I settled for the next best thing – indignant deflection.A genius idea.
“That’s none of your business,” I snapped, gathering my pearl white skirts. “Now, if you’ll excuse me…”
I turned to flee, but Anderic’s hand shot out, catching my wrist. His grip was firm but not painful, effectively halting my escape. I tugged, trying to dislodge myself from his grasp, but to no avail. His grip was like a band of Aetherian steel. After a few futile attempts, I huffed in exasperation.
“Would you kindly stop manhandling me?” I glared at him, my cheeks flushed with a mixture of embarrassment and irritation. My heart started beating… for no reason at all.
Anderic raised an eyebrow, his lips quirking into that infuriating evil smirk that was only reserved for me and probably some criminals, since I had never seen him smile like the cunning bastard in public. “You’re not leaving so easily this time, Ilyana.” Despite his words, he released my wrist.
I rubbed the spot where his fingers had been, more out of habit than actual discomfort. “Fine,” I growled, deciding honesty was my best bet at this point. “If you must know, I was playing ghost. There, I said it. Now can I go? This is hardly appropriate, after all.”
“My image is pristine clean,” Anderic replied, his eyes twinkling with amusement. “You should worry about your own.”
I scoffed, giving him a mock curtsy. “Well then, I should leave. Wouldn’t want to ruin your ‘pristine image’ now, would we?”
Without waiting for a response, I gathered my skirts once more and turned on my heel. “Laurel, follow me,” I barked, not bothering to look back and see if she obeyed.
My heart pounded in my chest as I strode across the moonlit garden, a mix of relief and lingering embarrassment coursing through me. At least he hadn’t brought up that night when I’d kissed him. Small mercies, I suppose.
I was nearly halfway across the garden when Anderic’s voice rang out behind me. “Don’t think you can avoid talking about that night, Ilyana! We have ‘much’ to discuss!”
His words hit me like a physical blow. I stumbled, nearly face-planting into a rosebush before Laurel steadied me. Whirling around, I shouted the first curse word that came to mind, then hiked up my skirts and ran.Modesty can go to hell.
Anderic’s laughter followed me, rich and warm in the night air. The sound sent an involuntary shiver down my spine, and I cursed myself for the way my traitorous body responded to him.
As I fled through the palace corridors, my mind raced. What did he mean by ‘much’ to discuss? And why did the thought of that discussion make my stomach flutter with something that felt suspiciously like anticipation?
Chapter 4
Things were going well. My ghost tactic worked extremely well, and in the last few days, I had managed to buy a few shops on this street. I also dismantled the funeral shop and merged it with an adjoining shop to make a bigger space for Magnolia Boutique to move in. Tommy was also doing his part and had been spreading the word about Magnolia.
I stepped into the bustling Magnolia Boutique, the soft tinkling of the bell above the door barely audible over the excited chatter of customers. The once-empty space now teemed with life, with racks of dresses in varying shades and styles lining the walls. The scent of fresh fabric and subtle perfume hung in the air.
“Well, well, well. Looks like moving here worked wonders,” I muttered to Laurel, a smirk playing on my lips.
Annalise, her face flushed with exertion and joy, waved us over. She directed the customer she was handling to a new employee she had hired. “Lady Ilyana! Laurel! I’m so glad you’re here. As you can see, business is booming!”
I raised an eyebrow, feigning nonchalance. “Oh? Do tell.”
Annalise beamed, her words tumbling out in a rush. “It’s going excellently! Your idea of selling good-quality but practicaldresses at a more affordable price? Genius! We’re catering to those who can’t afford the extravagant, impractical gowns from places like Primrose.”
I nodded, my mind already racing ahead. “That’s a good start, but we need to tap into the noble ladies and high-class dress market to truly beat Primrose.”
Laurel, ever observant, piped up. “My lady, what about the rumor of the Queen wearing Magnolia’s dresses? The one you had Tommy spread?”
I waved a hand dismissively. “Oh, that? I’ll gift Her Majesty a dress from Magnolia as a thank you for her help with the divorce and care at the palace. Two birds, one stone.”
I didn’t have the time to meet Her Majesty and thank her since I was in a hurry to move out of the palace. Queen Felicia was under strict security since that attack on the palace. If I had to meet her, I needed to get an appointment, which would take some days, days I didn’t have.
“But how will people know if Her Majesty wore the dress? There’s no ball coming up soon,” Laurel pointed out.
