Page 11 of Mated to the Crown
I exit the kitchen and the cool air of the dining room hits me. The table is set but only enough plates for Isla and her family. I personally have never been a part of the dining service, so I’m not actually sure where everyone eats. Isla is technically the current Queen, so it makes sense that she’s the one who would eat here.
I think back to the new list of notes - Prince Malik is eating in his room. Maybe the others are too.
I push through another set of doors and slam right into Lyra.
“Oh my Goddess. I need to talk to you, like stat.” I clutch her shoulders and she drops the worried look on her face and smiles.
Her curls are frizzy and frazzled, but she gives me her softest smile, no tears on her face.
Hopefully she is feeling better.
“Let’s go. Stables?” She asks, turning and grabbing my hand.
She interlaces our fingers and pulls me from the room. The stables are the last place I want to be in, but it has always been our sanctuary, up in the hay loft.
I stay quiet beside her as we walk. Night has started to take over, the sun setting behind the mountains, and the air cooling off. Stars begin to peek out from the sky, trying to shine brighter than the next. The walk to the stables isn’t too far, but far enough to feel like you are in a completely different town. This place always humbles us, makes us imagine we weren’t servants of the Royals and think of a different reality.
The path is dirt, so the noise of our feet on the rocks echo across the vast fields. The horses are still out, but the stable boywill be putting them in for the night. The black stallion I love perks up, as he hears us walking, trotting over to the edge of the fence that meets the road.
“Hey, Wrangler,” I reach out and scratch behind his right ear, his favorite spot.
He leans his head against my hand and nickers.
“Tell me about your day.” I say cautiously.
“Um, it was shit. I found Jonas and Marcie in the laundry room together. Queen Charlotte died so now it is going to be busy.” Lyra says quietly. “Then I got stuck with Marcie for the new routines and all I can think about is how his hands have been on her and his mouth. It makes me sick.”
Lyra leans against the fence and Wrangler moves over to her, pressing his face against her shoulder.
“I know, big guy, you are the only one for me.”
I feel for her, not sure if I should darken the mood even more and tell her all my drama with Prince Malik.
What would I even tell her? That I was there for Charlotte’s death, when she died peacefully? That he came in, and I felt something deep inside when he touched my skin? That all I wanted was to be close to him?
“How was your day?” Lyra’s soft voice interrupts me and I shake my head.
“Oh, perfect. I’m meeting a hottie at 7 down here.” I smile, reaching back out to pet Wrangler.
“Oh, what’s his name?” She laughs.
I hesitate, trying to figure out who I can say it is. Any servants she would go right to and ask them about it. I can’t tell her it’s Malik, it would be too much to decompress.
“Frankie.” I blurt.
“Frankie? Is that why you are down here? Since when were you into stable boys?” She nudges me and laughs.
Now I just needed to get to him and let him know to play along.
“Yeah well, gotta get laid somewhere.” I joke back.
Wrangler’s ears perk up and he straightens, whinnying before trotting off to the barn.
“Wonder what that was about.” I whisper.
“So, I guess I won’t keep you from your sex. Wait, are you doing it in the hay loft? Please don’t desecrate our special space.” Lyra giggles.
I glance at her before bursting out laughing. Not only was I definitely not going to be fucking up there, it wouldn’t be with Frankie either.
