Page 54 of Rook of Ruin
“I’m thinking that your eyes are beautiful.” I sound like a lovesick teenager.
He chuckles. “That is the first time anyone has ever told me that.”
“I find that hard to believe. You are the most gorgeous man I have ever laid eyes on,” I say sincerely.
“My ego is already inflated. Are you sure you want to go further?”
Nora knocks on the door and opens it quickly, practically shoving the cart of food at us and running out, giving me a wink. Alec walks over to the door, and I hear a click. My heart races. He brings over a slice of dark chocolate cake with chocolate ganache and a sharp raspberry running through it. There is a red leather book in his hands, and I realize what he is going to do. This simple act has my heart fluttering. It is sexy beyond words.
“Dessert first.” He hands me the plate, sits himself on the floor and positions himself so his back is leaning against the coffee table, and pulls me in between his legs. “The few times I was semi-coherent, there was a book you wanted to read to me, but you were stuck reading that.” He points to his farming book. “Idecided that we could read something a little more exciting.” No wonder Nora was blushing when she came out of my bedroom.
Alec reads to me most of the night. Listening to his silky voice describe some of the most intimate positions while holding me tightly is the epitome of voice sex. The book he chose was ripe with intrigue, battle, and reckless affairs. After my third yawn, he scoops me up into his arms and gently lays me on my bed.
“I’m going to miss this,” Alec murmurs.
We both want to lose ourselves in passion, but we must have silently agreed that the heartache would be too much. I can’t hurt him any more than I already have.
“I already miss this.” I curl into him, laying my head over his heart. Alec continues to read to me until I fall asleep. When I wake up to a cold bed, I silently cry over what could have been in another life.
Igave my statement about the ball to a female Rook, visited my sister, and now, two days later, I’m trudging through the muddy gardens on my way to the stables. The clouds are holding out, sun shining through, and I am actively trying to push Alec out of my mind. Nora was unusually prickly this morning—I actually had to compromise on my outfit. Nora insisted I wear my Rook leathers, but I didn’t want to bring further attention to myself. The compromise is a cream undershirt, a black leather bodice reaching a quarter of the way up my neck with a built-in sheath to hide a small dagger that Nora somehow acquired, with thick black boots. My black skirt offered no protection, so she brought out a black leather overcoat to give some type of defense, mainly from the elements. She twisted my hair into fierce braids, more befitting a warrior preparing for war than someone walking around the castle.
The grooms pause to bow curtly as I walk inside—the smell of hay and horses is wondrous. “You finally came, my lady. I waswonderin’ when I would see you.” The same groom who gave me Artho smiles kindly. “I suppose you will be wanting to ride too?”
“Perhaps. I was told there is a surprise?” I’m unsure of what to call it.
He grins, his leathered face crinkling up into his greyish-brown hair. “I think you will like this. I haven’t seen anythin’ like them since I was a wee lad.”
We walk into the stables, passing large stalls filled with beautiful horses, through two large doors, and out into a large corral. A stark white horse with a black mane and tail walks around the corral. One of the most gorgeous beasts I’ve ever laid my eyes on. Next to her, a large playful foal completely white, like his mother, but with brown hair.
“Descended from Enbarr, so they say. A powerful horse that could go across both land and sea, swifter than the winds themselves. That foal there is from Artho. The mare, her name is Salann. Not many like Salann anymore.”
“Beautiful,” is all I can manage to get out while watching them.
“Will you be wanting to ride her, my lady?” His grin broader.
“Can I?” I ask breathlessly.
He laughs. “They are yours. You can do what you wish.”
“What?” I spit out, incredibly shocked
“They are gifts from Sir Caddel, my lady.” He looks at me in surprise that I don’t already know this. “Artho is his horse. He gave me strict instructions to allow you to use him whenever you wanted. These two were brought in before the ball. Quite a nice gift, if I may say, my lady.”
“It’s a wonderfully generous gift. Yes, I would love to ride her.” I smile brightly. “What is the foal’s name?”
“Doesn’t have one. Wanted to wait to name him. His groom said to see if you were worthy to name it.” He shrugs.
“Worthy?” The foal is almost five months old—it doesn’t make sense.
The groom shrugs again and walks off to saddle Salann. Taking my time, I saunter back through the stables, pausing at each stall to speak to the horses like I did when I was younger. Only when I hear the voice dripping poisonous honey with each word do I slide into the shadows by the entrance.
“Sir Caddel, your horse is very handsome. Much like yourself.” I try not to make a gagging noise. Clairene is outside, and if I can avoid her, I will. I assume Simon has been in a battle or two; what’s the worst that can happen with Clairene? I peek around the large doors, and Simon is feeding Artho. I hide a grin, seeing my apples made it to the stallion. “Is it true you were the one leading the charge in the Battle of Kelorn?”
“I doubt you could say I led the charge when there were many warriors who fell before I had an opportunity to come to their aid.” There is no smile in Simon’s voice, rather thick politeness.
Kelorn was a brutal battle between the kingdom of Bethal and the large island of Ulvan, who had, under the cover of darkness, taken Bethal’s seaside town of Cycal. They had slaughtered many Bethalian civilians, capturing the women and children and taking them to the island’s heart, Kelorn. Queen Inara offered support to their kingdom, but they refused. Bethal had won that battle, outnumbered and with vast casualties. Simon must be both a great warrior and very lucky in order to have lived through that battle. My thoughts drift back to what he said about his brothers during our meal over a week ago. One alive, one deceased. And his brother, Callan, is set to inherit the throne. It must have been Prince Cian Caddel who died then if Callan is alive. Cian was also in the battle of Kelorn. He was the great hero of Bethal; it was he who won that battle.
“You’re too modest, YourHighness.” Clairine fucking knows about Simon. Of course she does. Her attention shifts to the groom. “My, that is a beautiful horse. Don’t you agree, Your Highness? Oh! Did you bring her out for me to ride?”
