Page 55 of The Time Of Queens

I closed my eyes, unsure where we went from this point on. Only that his words had managed to soften my resolve enough to know that running from him now would be pointless. He had made a mistake, admitted it, and was trying to fight to keep me. Perhaps this meant that if given the choice he would choose me over his Fate after all. But how could I be sure? How could I trust it? But more importantly, why did I need to?

Why did I need to put him through this test?

Was it because back in my own time I never had the opportunity to do so? Was that why I pushed for it now? Because this felt like my one chance to discover what came first for him.The woman he fell in love with, or the Fate he was destined to love no matter what the choice.

He failed at the first hurdle, but would he fail me again?

There was only one way to find out. Which was why I asked,

“Are you finished?”

“That depends, are you going to continue to try and escape me?” he asked back in reply.

“No,” I told him after releasing a sigh.

“Then I am finished.” At this he opened up his arms, and I shifted from his lap back to the other side, finally able to take in his expression. One that now looked cautious and at the ready to capture me in his hold once again if I decided to go back on my word. So instead of trying to reach the door again, I smoothed my hands down my skirt before looking back up at him.

“This changes nothing,” I stated and before he could speak, I held up a hand, stopping him, and added,

“I am coming back to Witley Court to continue in my position as a lady’s maid. For whatever there might have been between us, whatever might have developed given its chance, well now… now it is over.”

He sighed, but wisely didn’t speak, giving me the time to continue with my conditions.

“We will keep our distance from one another,” I told him, and finally he responded… and not in the way I thought he would.

“As you wish,” he said surprising me… although I should have expected it to be short lived, for he was quick to add, “Although I think you will find that hard to do.”

“And why is that?” I asked, taking the bait.

“Because you are no longer a lady’s maid,” he stated, making me frown in question before the obvious words followed.

“Then what am I to be?”

In response, his knowing grin was the first thing to unnerve me before his next statement had me once again reaching for the door to escape.

To get away from the Fate he obviously had planned for me…

“You’re to be my maid.”

21

SERVING A KING

“Oh no you don’t,” Draven said, and at the same time he reached to stop me from jumping out of the moving carriage. However, it was also in this moment that the coachman must have found a place to turn around. The movement caused the carriage to tip enough that during our tussle, I ended up falling on top of Draven as his back landed on the bench seats. This meant I was now facing him with my body against the full length of the man I was admittedly obsessed with.

“I… I…” I scrambled for something to say, but with the feel of his hands at my waist, holding me to him, it was as if my mind was short-circuiting.

Our eyes locked and, once more, we were caught in this irresistible pull we both felt powerless to escape from. I felt the way his fingers flexed against my sides as if itching to travel the length of me. As if he was fighting against some Godly force to stop himself from exploring my body. But this was also when my insecurities came rushing back to me. I asked myself if he would be here now if he had another lead on his Chosen One to follow?

It was enough to jar me back to my reality as I placed my hands on his chest and started to push myself up from lying on top of him. Once more, his hold on me tightened and I, in turn, froze as my mind questioned if he would let me go or not. Half of me wanted him not to. To never release me from his arms.

The other half won.

I knew no good would come of this.

I was leaving.

And he was searching for another woman. So, with my mind made up I told him,

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