Page 36 of Warrior Princess
Ronan lifted me and softly laid me on the bed. “To hell with everyone else,” he murmured as his lips trailed from my neck to my chest. “Tonight it’s just you and me.”
“Just you and me,” I whispered.
For the rest of the night, we forgot about everything else outside this room.
A gentle tapat the door roused me from a deep sleep. Soft morning light filtered through curtains not thick enough to shield us from the day's obligations. Ronan's arms were still wrapped around me, lending a warmth that contrasted sharply with the chilliness of a room where the fire had long burned out.
“Ronan?” I whispered, my voice thick with sleep. “What time is it?”
With a reluctant groan, he unwound his arms and slipped out from under the sheets, then padded over to the window and eased the curtain aside just enough to peer out. A sliver of daylight cut across his face and he cursed softly. “It's daylight,” he confirmed with a hint of annoyance.
The knocking grew more insistent, paired with a polite but firm voice. “Excuse me? Sir, it is time for you to vacate the room.”
Scrambling out of bed, I gathered my clothes strewn across the floor from the night before and dressed quickly as Ronan pulled on his trousers and shirt. He glanced back at me, ensuring I was decent before he opened the door.
“Apologies,” he said smoothly, his voice still rough from sleep. He handed the attendant another Glint, which sparkledbriefly in the muted light of the hallway. “We’ll vacate as soon as possible.”
The attendant nodded with a professional smile. “No problem, sir.” He departed without another word, leaving us to gather our belongings.
“I can’t believe we fell asleep.” I ran my fingers through tangled hair and considered the implications of our unplanned overnight stay. “Silas must be worried.”
“You’re right.” Ronan’s tone was laced with a mild frustration at himself. “I didn’t even tell him we were going to the Rose Petal. Let's get back to the clinic.”
We hurriedly packed up our few belongings and left the Rose Petal. The early morning air was crisp, a stark reminder of the responsibilities awaiting us beyond the secluded comfort of our temporary haven. As we briskly walked back to the clinic, the weight of our roles and the tasks ahead pressed down. The fleeting escape of the night before already felt like a distant memory.
Silas was pacingthe main room of the clinic, his footsteps muffled against the old wooden floorboards. His head snapped up as we entered, and his expression shifted from worry to palpable relief.
“By the gods!” he exclaimed, his voice laden with a tinge of irritation. “I thought Caelan had gotten to you both.”
A blush crept up my cheeks as I managed a sheepish smile. “No, uh... sorry for the scare.”
“Where were you two?” Silas's gaze flicked between Ronan and me, his brow furrowed in concern.
Ronan clapped a reassuring hand on Silas's shoulder and offered a wry smirk. “Don't ask, brother.” He chuckled and strode towards the back room to fetch some water.
Silas's expression shifted from confusion to embarrassment, and he quickly muttered an apology. I laughed gently, trying to ease the tension. “No need to apologize, Silas. We should've informed you about our plans, especially when we decided not to return last night. We... ended up falling asleep.”
His cheeks tinted with a flush as he nodded, clearly relieved but still a bit flustered. “Of course, of course.”
“But wedohave something important to discuss,” I said as Ronan returned with a glass of water. “We met with someone unexpected last night—Princess Avery... Caelan’s sister.”
Silas’s eyes widened, surprise and curiosity lighting up his features. “Caelan has a sister?”
“A younger sister,” I confirmed. “With all those sons, they never had much use for the girl. She’s been kept out of the public eye, which now makes perfect sense.” I exchanged a knowing look with Ronan. “She’s used the time to build a secret army.”
Silas exhaled a heavy sigh. “Damn. Please tell me she’s not aligning with Caelan?”
I shook my head quickly. “Her forces aren’t for Caelan. But she did reveal that Caelan has his own hidden forces in Ellyndor, which explains the soldiers who ambushed us.”
Ronan interjected, his voice steady and firm. “Caelan’s ambition is to unite all of Asteria under his rule. However, the two strongest militaries—Keldara and the Crimson Clan—are currently beyond his control. We're not out of options yet.”
I shook my head. “Avery warned that Keldara is unstable following the king’s death, and there is a civil war looming. We can't count on them for support right now.”
“But we have Shiro!” Silas countered, a flicker of hope in his tone. “His power is formidable, as everyone saw during the battle in Keldara.”
“True,” I acknowledged. “Shiro is a significant asset, but remember, he is but one entity, and he’s not invincible.”
Frowning, Silas nibbled his lip in thought. “Could Valoria help in any way?”
