Page 43 of Fated Unkindness
I turn to find the housemaids standing at the door, waiting for my instruction. “Please bring in breakfast for us. We will eat on the balcony; it’s a nice morning.” She nods and leaves the room with haste. My gaze sweeps back to Ambriel; her eyes are closed and her foot still bouncing. While she can't see me, I take all of her in. She is wearing black leggings that leave little to the imagination. Her socks and boots lay discarded at the foot of the chair, and a matching black tunic with a silver chain belt just below her full breasts. The tunic is simple, with silver stitching along the collar that splits at the center, revealing just enough cleavage to draw my eye. Her hair is down, the soft curls spilling over the arm of the chair. She really is beautiful, and without a stitch of makeup on her face, she doesn’t even have to try.
I reach out to score a line up the center of her arched foot with my finger, but just before I do, she swings them, kicking my hand and placing her delicate feet on the ground. She furrows her brow and looks as though she is going to say something, but before she does, the maid knocks at the door, announcing breakfast.
“Enter.” I call out, and several people rush in with plates, bowls, and bottles. They begin to set up the table on the balcony.
Ambriel slips her socks on and then slides her small feet into the boots, and as I offer a hand to her to join me, she stands, brushing past my hand and basically dancing out the doors. Her hair blows in a breeze as she walks outside. Spinning around after she sees the breakfast set up, her eyes are wide, and a bright white smile on her face.
“I wasn’t sure what you liked. So, I had them bring it all.” I say as I join her on the balcony.
“I mean… eggs and bacon would have been sufficient… but…” Her eyebrows pull together as she thinks of what she wants to say. “Thank you.” Her usual golden skin turns pink at the center of her cheeks, and she averts her eyes. I give her a silent nod, pulling out a chair for her, which she actually takes, surprising the hell out of me. She pulls a napkin into her lap. Surprise must be written on my face because she looks at me with one eyebrow hitched.
“What?”
“Nothing. I just didn’t think you’d take the seat.”
“Why wouldn’t I take the seat?” she snaps.
I laugh. “Never mind.” She rolls her eyes. There she is.
Breakfast is uneventful, with small talk and occasional snark from Ambriel. Just as we are finishing our plates, there is a knock at the door. Flynn walks in hands behind his back like a well-trained soldier.
“Sir, excuse my interruption, but I thought you would like to know your next…uh, the meeting has been canceled. A letter carrier arrived in their place and sent this for you. He brings a piece of parchment from behind his back. I notice Ambriel shifts in her seat a little at Flynn’s arrival, but she doesn’t lift her gaze to the soldier.
“Well, Flynn? Give me the fucking letter; don't just stand there.” I bark at him. He stumbles closer, handing me the letter, which I snatch from his grasp. “Leave us.” I say, and he does so without another word. “I'm sorry, Ambriel, duties always.” I raise the envelope and give it a little shake.
“You can read it… I was going to have some of these sweet treats anyway.” She loads a small plate with different pastries and sugary, buttery, finger foods.
“Very well, excuse me.”
I open and unfold the crisp parchment, and as I begin to read, my face falls. The happiness I found for a moment with Ambriel is gone as I read the letter.
Cano,
I have gathered information that you would be interested to know. My contact is currently in Loema on a mission for me and won't be able to meet with you. However, a very interesting group of people stumbled through the front doors there. First, the cursed and his bitch. Bonded, by the way. Information you failed to mention. The very next day, the other two siblings with their guard dog and carved up beauty. All of which are being treated and will walk away good as new. You need to gather the regime and ride to Loema immediately, send word for asurrender… whatever you see fit to get close, but you will deliver what was discussed.
Yours Truly.
“Fuck.” I spit, slamming the letter face down on the table, making glass and silver jump at the impact. Ambriel lets out a little shriek too, covering her mouth with her hand. “I'm sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you. Sometimes my anger can get the best of me.” I take a deep breath, grinding my teeth as I continue. “I will be leaving Ravendene immediately. The Regime is with me; there will be no market this week. No one will be approved to leave Ravendene nor enter while I am gone.”
“What does that mean for me? I’m stuck here?” She asks, her brow furrowed. Her face begins to turn red with rage, and I quirk a brow up at her. “I’m not fucking staying here. I came for the market. If there is not going to be one, I will leave.” I don’t want her to do it; I want to keep her to enjoy, but as the thought enters my head, she shakes hers. “You can’t keep me here, Cano. Please.” The break in her voice tears at me, and I nod, agreeing with her.
“You may leave. Now, if you choose. If you are not gone within the next half hour, the guards will not let you pass. That is all the time I will allow for the barriers to be open.” She stands quickly, tossing her napkin onto the plate of sweets. “Ambriel, I am genuinely sorry for this interruption, and I hope to one day meet you again. Though you are brash… You are refreshing, and I did enjoyhaving you around.” She turns to leave without another word but stops short of walking through the doors.
Ambriel looks over her shoulder, our eyes meeting, and sadness washes into her eyes as a wrinkle forms between them. She walks straight over to me, pressing her body into mine. The embrace, a foreign feeling to me; I don't know what to do.
“Don’t be such an ass all the time,” she tells me with a coy smile as she reaches up on her tiptoes and brushes a kiss on my cheek, then spins, leaving the balcony and the room entirely. I stand there frozen as my head spins from all of the thoughts that are whirling within it.
“Fuck.” I curse, gritting my teeth and bringing a hand up, rubbing at my face with irritation. Can nothing in my life ever go right?
Chapter forty-one
The days and nightsare starting to blend; it seems like I have no sense of time since my memories left me. Every day I’m playing catch-up, trying to build new relationships with people who already know me. It's an odd feeling, but none of them have made it weird. In a way, this is making me get to know myself again too. My wants, my needs, and what is in my best interest. I still want to know what happened to my parents. Well, the parents I knew as my own. They were going to tell me. I know they would have. They were going to Castenelle to get something for me—something left for me by my biological parents. That is what got them killed. It had to be. I am curious to know what it is that wasso important. I will find out, but in the meantime, the Fae here are my focus. While I may have no family left, I have them, and I could not ask for more. Each and every one of them has been so welcoming and understanding.
I also need to learn what it means to become a Queen, and I only hope that the people of Aldramani understand that I did not know I was the heir. If I had known… My eyebrows drop as I think about it. All the Fae who are suffering… If I had just known… How could my parents allow the people of Aldramani to suffer like this? The Fae under Demetrey’s control… Heat rises in my cheeks.
“Are you ready to go see them?” Dax asks me as he walks up behind me, moving my hair to one shoulder and placing a kiss on the side of my neck.
“Yes,” I respond as I take a deep breath, clearing the negative thoughts from my head. His lips linger, causing my pulse to quicken as they skim the soft skin behind my ear.
