Page 26 of The Princess In A 'Prince' Disguise

Pull yourself together, Emeriel! Do not look at him. Stop glancing his way!

Picking up another bottle of red wine, Emeriel carefully placed it in the barrel with the others on the lower level.

"Two white wines and a perry for the twins at table four," Amie said as she walked up to him. She was one of the slaves serving drinks to the many customers at the tavern.

"Coming right up," Emeriel said quickly. He prepared the order and handed it to Amie, who took the bottles and rushed off.

Glancing at Master Boris again, Emeriel noticed his creepy eyes were now following Amie instead.

Those watchful eyes were far too unsettling.

"She is awake, my lord," Livia had informed Grand Lord Vladya on the military grounds of Blackstone.

Now, he was on his way back to his quarters.

Three days had passed, and the girl had not regained consciousness. Grand Lord Vladya had started to doubt if she ever would.

He had considered ordering his soldiers to dispose of her body, but he refrained. Instead, he instructed his healer to care for her and had Livia watch closely.

The girl held answers to questions Vladya desperately needed. Answers to the questions that disturbed his mind.

As he entered his quarters, the maids bowed to him, and the soldiers escorted him to the chamber where the girl was being kept. They opened the door, and Vladya stepped inside.

"Wait outside," he ordered, and the soldiers closed the door behind him.

Aekeira watched the male figure step into the room. This was the second time she had been in his presence, and this time, they were alone.

Grand Lord Vladya terrified her deeply.

Her body still ached, though the pain was not as severe as it had been that dreadful night. The herbs had provided some relief, but they had not completely erased the pain.

Aekeira bowed her head slightly. "My lord."

"You have finally decided to rejoin the living. I was beginning to wonder if you ever would."

"I did not think I would, my lord," she replied truthfully, meeting his eyes. "Where is my brother? Is he well?"

"I ask the questions here, human princess. Not you," Grand Lord Vladya said coldly. "How did you manage to survive being mounted by his beast? Honestly, I did not expect you to live through it."

Aekeira clenched her fists tightly.By the gods of light, she hated this man. She hated all of them.

"I do not understand what you mean, my lord," she retorted. Her tone was sharp, and Aekeira realized she was glaring at him.

Grand Lord Vladya's cold, gray-yellow eyes locked onto hers. "Allow me to rephrase the question. This time, give me a response that satisfies me, or I will summon the nearest slavemaster to strip you and give you thirty lashes. Do you understand?"

Aekeira believed him. The hint of rebellion in her vanished as her heart raced. "Yes, my lord."

"Good. Now, tell me everything that happened from the moment you entered the forbidden chambers."

Aekeira recounted the events in detail, stumbling over her words a few times as she tried to distance herself from the horrible memory as much as possible.

"I lost consciousness several times. I thought I would die. Truly, I do not know how I survived," she finished.

Grand Lord Vladya studied her intently, and Aekeira made sure to look innocent. To look as if she were not hiding anything.

"Do not celebrate just yet," Lord Vladya said at last. "Rest well and take your medicines, for in five nights, our people will celebrate the moonlight festival. On that night, you will return to the forbidden chambers."

What...? Aekeira’s blood ran cold.

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