Page 58 of Of Storm and Emerald
Piper chuckled and continued to twirl the rose. “This was sitting on the pillow next to your head when I came in this morning. There’s also a note.” Her eyes flicked toward the pillows to Auraelia’s left before she tossed her the rose.
Auraelia’s heart skipped.
Stupid.
Picking up the rose, she turned to where Piper had indicated.
There, sitting on the dark blue fabric, was a folded piece of cream parchment, sealed with a midnight blue wax seal.Daemon.
Deciding to ignore the letter for the time being, Auraelia turned back to where her friend was still perched on her bed.
“You’re not going to read it?” Piper asked as she lifted a brow, curiosity lacing her features.
Auraelia shrugged, feigning nonchalance. “Not right now, no.”
Piper’s smile turned devilish. “Is it from who I think it’s from?”
“Hmm?” Auraelia lifted the rose to her nose, inhaling its sweet fragrance.
“Oh, ok. I see.” Piper jumped off the bed and rushed around the side in an attempt to grab the note.
Throwing herself at her pillow, Auraelia barely managed to grasp the note before Piper got her fingers on it. Clutching it to her chest, she narrowed her eyes at her friend, while Piper stared back–a knowing smile on her face.
“I’ll leave you to it then, and I’ll let the ladies know that they can set up breakfast in the sitting room. Oh, and Rae, put some clothes on, yeah?” Piper winked, and then left the room, pulling the door closed behind her.
Auraelia looked down to where she clutched the letter to her chest.
Nude.
She was completely and utterly naked, and her sheet had fallen down to her waist in the mad dash to grab her letter from Daemon.
Pulling the loose sheet from her bed, she wrapped it around herself before crossing the room to pull back the curtains. She stood there a moment, basking in the early morning glow that streamed through her windows. Then, taking a deep breath, she broke the seal on her letter and steeled her heart and mind for whatever it contained. As she unfolded the parchment, something clattered to the floor. Laying by her feet attached to a delicate silver chain, was a magnificent sapphire that glittered in the light. Stooping to pick it up, she palmed the stone and began to read the letter.
Auraelia read the letter again, her heart hammering in her chest as she committed every word to memory. But despite her eagerness to be with him, to see where this could go, she needed to think. There was so much that needed to be processed and figured out, but none of that was going to happen right at this moment–or without coffee.
Taking a deep breath to calm her racing thoughts, Auraelia shifted her attention to the pendant nestled in her palm. The stone was a deep cobalt with veins of white coursing throughout, and upon closer inspection, it looked as if there was somethinglivingwithin it. Swirling ribbons of sparkling onyx moved deep within the heart of the stone.
Daemon’s shadows.
Auraelia looped the chain around her neck. It was long enough that the sapphire pendant hung between her breasts, and it seemed to pulse and warm against her skin.
She refolded the parchment and tucked it beneath her pillow, placing the sheet back onto her bed, Auraelia hurried into her bathing chamber to wash up.
“Piper!” she shouted as she crossed her room.
Within seconds Piper was poking her head into the room. “You bellowed?”
“What’s on the schedule for today?”
“I believe it’s just training with Ser Aeron, why?”
She met Piper’s curious gaze with one of mischief.
“Oh, I know that look. Where are we heading?”
“It’s a beautiful day for a swim, don’t you think?”
Piper’s smile was brighter than any star in the night sky as she turned and headed out of the bathing chamber.
