Page 81 of The Ruler
“Did you go into the woods for an executive meeting?” Boulder teased when we joined them in the dining room where they were enjoying dinner.
“You could say that.” Khan grinned and gave Boulder a hard squeeze on his shoulder when he passed him to take a seat.
“You know there are predators in these forests, right?” Magni mumbled and I had a feeling he was talking about me.
Khan shrugged. “We didn’t see any.”
Christina was smiling widely and pointed discreetly to my hair, where a bit of moss was stuck.
“Something you want to tell us, brother?” Magni asked.
Khan looked at me, but I wasn’t ready to make any announcement and asked for the restroom instead.
“We’re just having some long talks about a possible union between our countries, and we got so involved in our discussions about our visions for the future that we wandered a bit far,” Khan explained behind me.
CHAPTER 17
Freedom
Pearl
It was an odd feeling to walk around the Gray Manor freely and to see the guards step aside, no longer under orders to keep me in Khan’s room.
We had slept together last night and I was pumped with oxytocin, endorphins, serotonin, and other happy hormones after the best sex of my life.
With a smile plastered on my lips I walked out to meet Christina and Kya in the park where breakfast had been arranged for us.
“You look absolutely radiant,” Christina said and took my hands.
“Thank you, I did sleep well last night; that must be it,” I answered, not revealing anything but knowing they probably guessed it anyway.
I moved on to take Kya’s hands before I sat down with a raging appetite and filled my plate.
“Thank you so much for making a stop here on your way back,” I told Kya.
“My pleasure, it’s fun to see the palace.”
I looked back at the Gray Manor. “This is actually modest compared to Mr. Zobel’s place on the east coast; he’s the richest man in the country and a collector of money and possessions.”
“I can’t imagine something bigger than this,” Kya said sweetly.
“Did you have a chance to look over the list I gave you?” I asked her.
“Uh-huh,” she said with a nod and popped a grape in her mouth.
“Tell me, which of the children do you think would make the best candidates?”
“It’s hard to say without meeting them, but there are three that I want for sure.”
“Yes?”
“You told me Willow was your choice and I agree, but there’s also a girl called Raven that I want.” Kya’s eyes lit up. “She’s not on the list, but I teach her in my school and I know her mother would let her come with me.”
“Why?”
“Raven and I are very close and her mom has spent half her life in places of reflection because of mental problems. The last time she went in, she asked me if I wanted to adopt Raven since she didn’t feel like a fit mother.”
“But you didn’t?”
