Page 36 of Glass Hearts
She shrieks as I scoop her up in a hug. And fuck, her body feels so good pressed up against mine. She pulls away from my embrace, me still holding her off the floor, and looks into my eyes. I stare longingly into those blue eyes that appear in every waking moment in my thoughts. I lean in to kiss her, but before my lips can meet hers, the door swings open and Bri walks in.
“Oh! Prince Koi, my apologies! Prince Sylas said you were bringing me a new hire.” She has a devious grin. Bri is just like her mother, Margie. Nosy.
I sigh and begrudgingly place Arabella back down. “Bri. Your timing, as always, is quite poor.”
She walks over to us and elbows me in the side. She turns to Arabella with a kind smile and extends her arm, offering a handshake.
“My name is Bridgette, but you can call me Bri! Don’t listen to anything this tool tells you about me. I will help you get all situated. Then after that, would you be willing to start work right away? We kind of need some extra hands for the high tea event.” Bri turns to me. “In of which- you should already be dressed and ready to attend.”
“Ever the thorn in my side, Bri,” I joke as I bend down to kiss her cheek. “Look after my girl.” I don’t miss the little shocked gasp from Arabella’s mouth. I turn to kiss her on the cheek as well and leave, thinking more about what she had said.
The council really shouldn’t be orchestrating my life.
Especially since they are trying to keep me from my heart’s desire.
And I would rather bask in my Sunshine.
Arabella
“Look after my girl.”
His girl? Since when?! The irony isn’t lost on me as the jerk goes to get ready for more dates. Pfft. Men.
I pride myself on not being a weak woman, yet here I’m melting like ice cream at all the princes sweet words.
I turn to Bridgette, grateful for the distraction, anything to pull me from the war on my mind. She stands taller than me, her olive skin catching the light with quiet elegance. Her brown curls are piled into a messy bun that looks like it was thrown together in a moment; but still falls perfectly. There’s an effortless beauty to her that leaves me quietly stunned. It’s hard to believe she isn’t at one of the courting events. Her eyes are a striking shade of grey, stormy and alive, but it’s her smile that softens me. Open, easy, disarming. Just like her mother’s.
“Bri, it is so lovely to meet you. I am ready to jump in as soon as I can get a room, so I can change into a uniform. I assume they will provide it in my room?”
Shockingly, she interlocks her elbow with mine. I think I am going to like this woman.
“In due time, we will get ya workin’. What I want to know is why Koi looked like he was ready to hang the moon for you. Then Mum was telling me Grayer was also sending gifts your way? Those two boys have never settled or even had a girlfriend, yet here they are chasing after you. Spill the beans.”
We start walking to the servants’ quarters as I quietly fill her in on everything, omitting the fact that I am The Shadow and that I talk to animals. In this story, I am simply just a silly girl trying to steal from the princes. By the time we reach the rooms, we are laughing, arms still joined.
“And here is where you will be staying. Sylas pulled a few extra strings to get you a room you will not have to share. Though none of the suites have attached bathrooms. The communal bathroom is just down the hall and to the right.”
Rest in peace, my precious bathtub. I will forever miss you.
“I will let you get adjusted to the space, and yes, your uniform is in the top drawer. I will be back in a few!”
I open the door and take in my new, quite small, space. A part of me enjoys the familiarity of living in a tight space, the space already feeling a little more like home. There is a set of drawers, a small twin bed on the left and a little desk. A decent-sized window that overlooks the city is in the middle of the wall at the end. My city. I yearn to go out and be The Shadow again. I am still a few floors up, so I don’t think I will be able to climb down this wall either.
“This will do just fine,” I say out loud.
“Can we come out now, Arabelly?” In answer, I open the pouch pockets of my dress.
“Hmm. I think we are better suited for the other room.”
“With the princes that serve us!”
“Sorry, guys, we had one day of fake royalty. Now back to work for us! Would you boys be willing to do some light spying again?”
I may have told a bit of a white lie to Sylas and Koi earlier. I did use my mice to spy on them, though initially it was just to get answers as to why they had been so distant. It was just a serendipitous turn of events that I could catch their plans for me.
I put on my new uniform while I fill the boys in on their mission: figure out how I will sneak out of this stone prison, if only to see Lo.
Then there is the mage. I need to get out and see if I can get him to break this curse. My days grow limited as the courting events continue. I also need them to keep an eye on the princes.
