Page 27 of #Resort Love
After being poked and prodded,I felt exhausted when the attendants finally finished clearing their things. They sent me out to the main floor in a dark lavender floor-length skirt with a fitted cream top that formed a deep v down the middle and showed off the swell of my breasts. The skirt wasn’t cotton or silk; it was soft and smooth, and I had been too afraid to ask the tight-lipped woman what it was made from. The attendant had braided the top of my ashy brown hair, letting the rest fall down my back in waves. I felt odd, like I was playing dress-up. The outfit was beautiful, though. I looked soft and feminine.
I found Ambrose waiting patiently on a chaise with a glass of wine. Spotting me, he raised an eyebrow, the corner of hislips rising as he swept his gaze over me. Ambrose stood and quickly closed the distance between us, extending his hand for me to take. My cheeks flushed and I took his hand, letting him spin me around before pulling me into him.
“You are absolutely breathtaking, my dear Sybil,” Ambrose said gently, pressing a kiss to my cheek.
I blushed and put the back of my hand against my face. “You’re exaggerating,” I breathed.
“Oh, I assure you, there is no exaggerating how lovely you look.” His voice darkened as he took me in, his eyes lingering on the deep cut of my shirt. My body felt too hot, too thin under the intensity of his stare.
Taking a steadying breath, I faced the door, the blush on my cheeks deepening. Ambrose laughed softly, then led me to the chaise to sit while he settled our account. Embarrassment coiled inside of me. I was too old to be acting like a schoolgirl with a crush. But those eyes, that touch, I couldn’t help but want more.
We left the boutique, and Ambrose took my hand, pressing a soft kiss to it as we walked down the cobbled street. “I was thinking we could stop by a little tea shop that I think you would love. We can rest and talk before we return to the palace. Does that sound okay?”
“I think that sounds amazing,” I said, placing a hand on my empty stomach. Like yesterday, Samian and I had planned to have our breakfast in the library to avoid Arianna and the dining hall. Because of that, and thisdateas Ambrose called it, I hadn’t been able to eat, and my stomach cramped as if it were devouring itself.
We walked to a quaint tea shop that had a small section laid out for tables. The shop was busy, but the owners were able to find us a table right away. The inside was a light blue with aflowery wallpaper that gave it a whimsical feel. Ambrose ordered for us while I studied the fae around us. They were all so beautiful that their elegance and grace never ceased to amaze me.
Given Ambrose’s status, many of those in the shop eyed us, curious about who I was and, I’m sure, my relationship with Ambrose. The constant stares made me want to slip further into my chair and hide. Ambrose acted oblivious to the constant attention, like he was used to it all, but the pleasant smile plastered on his face looked forced.
“So,” he purred, “what questions could our dear Sybil have for me?”
I paused, thinking back to the question that had been nagging me all day. “Why did you add me to your court?”
“Hmm,” he murmured, pausing to consider his answer. “To reside in the palace, you must be a noble or linked to one with noble blood in some way. I wanted to keep you close, therefore, I made you a part of my court.” He shrugged, simple as that.
Thinking of Samian and his warnings, I hesitated with my next question, but the need to know ate away at me, so I forced myself to ask. “Is Samian a part of your court, as well?”
“No,” Ambrose said, his forced smile twitching. “He is not part of my court, nor will he ever be. He is not officially a noble, though he resides in the palace under special circumstances.”
I shifted in my seat at the sharpness in his voice, but continued my questions. “Samian told me about Queen Cassia. Wouldn’t she need to approve of me being added to your court?”
Any pretense of pleasantry, fake or not, was abandoned with my question. Ambrose’s smile faltered; his face hardened, and his eyes glinted with warning. Tapping his finger against the table, Ambrose leaned back, staring, unblinking, at me beforetaking a deep breath. Slipping his fake smile back into place, he let out a small laugh. I shrank at how easily he slid back into that charming pretense of his.
“No, I do not need her approval. As the queen’s advisor, I take her place in palace decisions when she is not available to do so. What exactly has Samian said about the queen?”
“Not much, just that she was kind, and that she’s traveling, I think.”
Ambrose hummed and picked at the table. Our conversation halted with the arrival of our tea and plates of pastries and petits fours. The silence grew thick as the servers arranged the plates and poured our tea. After they left, Ambrose flashed a smile, but his eyes remained distant as he gestured for me to try the tea. I took a sip; the floral taste felt warm and relaxing. Ambrose filled my plate with an assortment of sweets and watched me try each one. Each tiny cake looked perfect and delicately soft, but they tasted like ash in my mouth.
I had just taken a bite of my third petit four when Ambrose set down his cup with a sigh. “I apologize,” he said softly. “I fear I may have made you uncomfortable with your last question. It wasn’t my intention. Being the queen’s advisor comes with certain difficulties, such as accusations of overreaching. That is why I tend to shut down when asked such questions. However,” he said, reaching out and gently wrapping his hand around mine, “I should have realized that you were just asking to learn how our world works here. For that, I am sorry.”
Tightening his hand around mine, Ambrose rubbed his thumb in tiny circles along the top of my hand, and I gave him a weak smile. It was true that I was curious about how the palace operated and his role within it, but I also couldn’t deny my lingering suspicion after Samian’s warnings. However, after spending time with Ambrose, my perception of him wasquickly changing. He was charismatic and enchanting. It was easy to fall for his sweet murmurings and warm touches. He had acted like we were close companions from the moment we met, and that made me feel comfortable and safe. It was getting harder to believe Samian’s cautioning.
“It’s okay,” I said, placing my other hand on top of his. “I get it. It’s hard not to react when you’ve constantly had to deal with issues like that. I’m the same way.”
“It seems like we have something in common,” he said, giving me a soft smile before pulling my hand to him and placing a tender kiss on top.
My mind zeroed in on where his lips met my hand. His lips were soft and pleasant, and my body seemed to hum at his touch. My heart jumped when he placed another kiss a little higher on my hand. I swallowed thickly, a rush of heat sweeping through me and pooling low. I let out a nervous laugh, and he gave my hand a soft squeeze before letting it slide away. Images of him kissing other places flashed across my mind. I quickly reached for my tea, taking a sip to wash away those thoughts before they morphed into something else. Ambrose was a flirtatious man; I needed to remind myself of that. He was just being nice to me. None of it meant anything to him. But even as I repeated that silently to myself, I knew he was someone I needed to be very careful around.
Chapter 16
Samian
Keeping my eyes on the table in front of me, I ground my teeth, recalling the moment that Ambrose led Sybil down the stairs, away from me. My breathing came in quick bursts, the sound of my blood roaring in my ears. I couldn’t move, knowing if I took one step, I would hunt them down and remind Ambrose just how I was able to find my place in the court.
My jaw clenched so tightly it ached. I fisted my hands, taking a deep breath, letting the air expand my too-tight lungs. My heart was racing, but I needed to calm myself before I did something I would regret. Ambrose was trying to goad me, hoping that I would slip and make a mistake that allowed him to get rid of me, like he had done with Queen Cassia.
Taking another few deep breaths, I finally walked to the table, reordering the books Ambrose had scattered. I could feel the eyes of Ambrose’s spies on me, waiting for me to do something damning they could report back to him. Shifting throughthe books, I schooled my face into a look of indifference as I carefully—casually—took in my surroundings. Unable to pinpoint the spies’ locations, I fought the urge to snarl and grabbed Sybil’s notebooks before making my way back to my room.
