Page 84 of An Empress of Fire & Steel

“Here.” Artem passed it over to her. “I thought it might have been Blacksteel declaring his love for you, and I couldn’t help myself intercept it.”

“I noticed.” She glared before grabbing the letter from his hand. He gave her a mocking smile and she gave him one back.

Picking the seal from the folded letter, she opened it and read aloud.

“Really?” Artem huffed. “After sundown? I could eat a diseased cat, I am so hungry. Who makes a palace full of hungry hunters wait until sundown? That’s asking for trouble. Absolutely ludicrous.”

Emara let out a laugh and agreed. She hadn’t really eaten much today at all.

Another knock on the door startled her. She wondered if she would ever get used to such a busy social life.

She went to move towards the door, but Artem wedged in before her.

She huffed at him.

“You can never be too sure,” he reminded her. Artem was a warrior again; no playfulness lingered on his features as he made his way to the doorway, the weapon belt around his waist reminding her of his lethal intent if anyone should present themselves a threat.

Opening it, he stepped aside after a moment and two women dressed in black entered and bowed before her.

“Looks like they are here to get you ready for tonight,” Artem said. He smiled charmingly in their direction, and both beamed back at him, their cheeks red. “I don’t need to be present for this. I will leave you ladies to it.”

He smiled again, and the dark-haired girl almost swooned as he walked past her.

“I will be outside if you need me,” he reminded them.

“I am sure I won’t need you.” She faked a smile and he closed the door.

Emara turned her gaze to the two girls who stood before her.

“I am Lorta,” the dark-haired girl said, bowing her head again. “This is Kaydence.”

The girl with bright eyes lowered her gaze and bowed deeply. “We will be your help as long as you stay within the palace walls. We are the empress maids of House Air; we belong to your coven.”

Your coven.

Emara’s chest nearly heaved.

Naya didn’t inform her about empress maids!

“It’s lovely to meet you.” Emara dipped her head too, out of respect for them. “But I am sure, I can manage okay. I don’t want to trouble you.”

Kaydence spoke this time, her voice high and angelic. “You are not troubling us. It is an honour for us to be at your service for as long as you are here, for as long as you want us.”

She was young, probably a few years younger than Emara, and she could tell by her youthful skin and the eagerness in her eyes that this was probably her first time in the role.

Emara’s lips thinned into a line, and she took in a deep breath. “It would be my pleasure to have you help me.” She smiled, feeling like she had appeared ungrateful. And to be honest, she needed all the help she could get.

The door opened quickly, and ocean blue eyes met her stare. Torin was back in full, clean, silver-grey guard regalia, and it drove her heart into an unimaginable pace. It looked like he had washed up too, his hair still a little damp, and it instantly reminded her of the waterfall. His face was cleanly shaven, and his swords at his back.

Her throat closed in on itself and she stuttered out, “Did you need anything?”

Her maids gawked at him too, waiting for his response.

Torin shook his head, biting into that full lip of his. “No.” He smiled, and it practically shattered her heart into a million tiny pieces. “You just hadn’t replied to my letter.”

“Oh,” she said. “Your friend distracted me with his insufferable crusades to annoy me.” How she managed such a casual tone when he looked like that, she would never know. “But you will be happy to hear that I played nice.”

A wicked grin cut over his white teeth and his dark brows pulled together. “Good girl.”

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