Page 38 of Royal Bite
And to make matters worse, Hegna had her relocated to another wing in the castle.
Stormey was sure there was talk around the castle. She had made sure she had introduced herself to everyone. If she was to be the other lady of the house, then she wanted to be involved. There was no point in sulking in her room.
The day they’d moved her belongings was the day she decided to have Cici take her to the dining hall. She’d sat for half a day, greeting and speaking with the humans. Everyone was welcoming and kind. She even helped in the kitchen, making dishes that she loved cooking. Val even allowed her meals to be served. The assistants in the kitchen took her recipes, adjusted them for the amount of people who had to be fed, then served them. They were all a hit.
“You shouldn’t be in here cleaning.” Cici glanced around nervously as if checking to see if anyone was watching them.
“There is nothing wrong with me helping around this place. I just want to be useful.” She shrugged. She took her bucket and went over to another table. The workers deserved a clean place to take their meals, and she actually enjoyed the quiet time to herself while she worked. The next lunch rush would be in a few hours.
“But you will be a princess,” Cici reminded her.
“Seriously?” Stormey arched an eyebrow at her. She snorted and went back to wiping down the table.
Cici couldn’t believe that, still. Hegna had no intentions of doing anything with Stormey. Hegna had approved her vampire society lessons which she enjoyed. Stormey had also started working with a warrior for self-defense education. Zeke was fast becoming a friend to her. He was patient with her. She may have been unfit when they’d first started, but he was quickly whipping her into shape.
“I can’t tell. I’m just a human without a purpose here.”
“That is not true,” Cici gasped. She rested a hand on Stormey’s, pausing it in mid-wipe. Her wide eyes softened. “I’ve received permission for us to leave and go shopping.”
“But I don’t need anything.” Stormey pulled her hand away and tossed the cloth back into the bucket. She literally had anything a woman could want. She was informed that she had a monthly allowance to spend however she wanted. She was still shocked at how much Hegna was giving her. Was she feeling guilty about how she’d treated her? Stormey had not seen the vampire since that night.
She’d picked up on rumors swirling around the castle. She was quickly learning if she wanted to find out anything, just spend time with the workers. They talked amongst each other, and word spread fast. Apparently, this lycan alpha had made threats to Hegna’s father and was desperate to overthrow the vampire’s rules. War was on the horizon, and Stormey didn’t know how she felt about it.
She had been a young babe when the human and vampire war occurred. Over thirty years later, and humans were still recovering. Their world had been destroyed to the point they’d needed to start over. It was taking a long time, and she hoped that someday in the future, their world would prosper, and all beings could live in harmony and peace.
“Sure you do. Everyone needs few trinkets and knickknacks.” Cici laughed. “Come on. You haven’t left the grounds since you arrived.”
“Um, okay. I guess it would be good for me to get out in the town.”
“Exactly. Many members of the coven live in the town, and an outing is just what we need. They will want to see the mate of their princess.” Cici tugged on her hand and led her out of the hall.
“If you think it’s important and a good idea,” Stormey said. She trailed Cici through the halls and up the stairs to her new domain. The quarters she had been given were just as nice as the old ones.
“I do, and so does Corbin,” Cici said. She guided Stormey inside her bedroom and pushed her toward the bathroom.
Stormey spun around and followed Cici into her closet.
“Wait, you’re saying that Hegna’s personal advisor thinks it would be best for me to go out in public to be seen? As the mate of Hegna?” Stormey was confused. Hegna didn’t want her as a mate. Why did she need to pretend in public?
“Well, you are the mate of the princess.”
“I am so confused.” Stormey leaned against the doorjamb and tried to figure out what was going on. “So she doesn’t want me but has to keep me. I’ll still be her mate, but yet not be her mate.”
Stormey pinched the bridge of her nose. She was learning that vampires, hers in particular, were truly more complex than humans.
“That sounds about right.” Cici held a dress up and hung it on a hook near the door. She rushed around the fancy closet, collecting accessories and shoes to go along with the dress.
“And I can’t go out in jeans and a t-shirt to shop?” Stormey eyed the outfit Cici was putting together.
“On no, my lady.” Cici looked appalled as if she were asked to never consume blood again. She gathered everything in her arms and scurried out of the closet. She arranged it all on the bed. “We must have you looking your best. Now, go shower, or do you need assistance with bathing?”
“You know I prefer to wash myself,” Stormey mumbled. She went into the bathroom and took a short shower.
Cici assisted her with her hair, makeup, and getting dressed. The spice-colored dress she chose was made of a thick material. The bodice was form-fitting, and the skirt flared out and stopped at her knees. Her tall boots were brown leather with three-inch heels. Cici completed the ensemble with a wide leather belt around her waist.
“You look beautiful, my lady.” Cici stepped back and admired her handiwork. “One last thing.” She hurried into the closet and returned with a soft cream hooded cloak.
Stormey’s hands drifted along the royal crest that was embroidered in deep purple on the left breast. It was a beautiful cloak, and she spun around in it, watching the bottom part flare out around her.
