Page 35 of Queen Takes Rook
At the top of the stairs, he paused and gestured up at the gorgeous stained-glass windows. “The artisan examined the windows and declared them mostly sound, though she recommends that a few sections be re-leaded. In the spring, we’ll have them very carefully cleaned, both inside and out.”
He turned to the landing. Like Mayte’s house, one door led to the master suite, and other rooms and hallways led off to the right. He swept open the French doors to the master suite. “Your library, Your Majesty. It was mostly cosmetic in here. Some paint, deep cleaning, and new draperies. We found some true treasures hidden away on the shelves, including some beautiful first editions.”
I wanted to twirl like Belle when the Beast showed her his impressive library. Mine wasn’t quite as grand, but the twelve-foot floor-to-ceiling shelves were filled with books. Another fireplace and stone wall made the room warm and cozy, with plenty of comfortable leather chairs and sofas for reading and lounging. “Incredible, Winston. I can’t wait to…” I caught myself and sighed. So far, I’d done nothing but run from one fire to another, including urgent trips to Venezuela and Mexico.
Rik gave me a heavy-lidded look, his sensual mouth curving enough to reveal just a hint of fang. “You need some down time, Shara. Rest and relaxation and lots of reading.”
Daire stepped closer and flashed his adorable dimples. “You should let us take turns reading to you.”
“I get to read to her first.” Mehen butted in, literally pushing Daire aside to get to one of the shelves. “Fucking hell. A first editionLes Trois Mousquetaires! That’sThe Three Musketeersto you cretins. Let me read this one to you first, my queen.”
“Sure, but if you read it in French, I won’t understand it.”
“I’ll teach you. I’ll read and translate it as we go. By the time we finish, you’ll be an expert in French.”
“Or we’ll all die of boredom,” Daire muttered.
Mehen let out a very draconic hiss of displeasure, and they continued the banter as we walked to the private staircase in the back of the library. I braced for sadness to flood over me at Daire’s casual words, afraid the joy of seeing my manor house coming together would be tainted by the fear about who might die, and when.
But in my nest, surrounded by my loved ones, I couldn’t be sad. Not when they teased and laughed and tried so hard to please me down to the most insignificant details.
“There are a few things still outstanding, so it’s not perfect, yet, Your Majesty. But I thought you would rather be here since you’ll have more space than the guest house.” Winston pushed open another set of French doors and stepped back, waiting for me to go inside my new master bedroom.
Oh. My. Fucking. Massive. Bed. Alert.
The largest bed I’d ever seen sat in the middle of the room, loaded with so many pillows that it looked like a puffy cloud. We’d have to try it to be sure, but it certainly looked like it would be large enough for all of us.
Finally. I’d be able to sleep with all my Blood near.
One whole wall was lined with large windows that looked out over the river far below. Rugged Arkansas mountains rolled into the distance, carpeted in a thick forest. I could only imagine how gorgeous all of the trees would be this spring when the leaves started to come in.
“This isn’t the final bed,” Winston said, wringing his hands. “It’s being shipped from the East Coast and won’t be here for another week. This is the best I could do. I ordered two California kings and pushed them together.”
I threw my arms around his shoulders and kissed his cheek. “It’s absolutely fabulous. I love it! Thank you, Winston.”
I turned back around and wanted to jump up and down and clap my hands like Xochitl exclaiming over her unicorns. The ceilings soared incredibly high, two full stories to be exact. The raw rafters gave it a rustic, old world look that I adored. Another gigantic fireplace lined the exposed-stone wall. White sheer curtains hung at the windows and cascaded down onto the thick planks of the original hardwood floor. In the summer, I could open the windows and let the breeze and fresh air flood the room.
“I can’t believe it. Honestly. It’s exactly what I pictured in my head.”
Winston dabbed at his eyes with his handkerchief. “I’m so pleased, Your Majesty. So very pleased. Come this way, and I’ll see if the new bathroom meets your specifications.” He led me to a set of two doors. “We took the liberty of reclaiming space from one of the guest rooms to make a walk-in closet.”
He opened the left-hand door and flipped the light on. I made a choked sound of surprise and amusement. This “closet” was bigger than my entire tower bedroom in Kansas City. Built-in shelves and racks lined the walls, with a cushioned ottoman in the center of the room where I could sit and try various shoes on.
“There’s no way I’m going to ever have enough clothes to fill this much space.”
Daire snorted. “Wanna bet? I could fill this in an afternoon.”
There was another door tucked in the corner of the closet. “This is the small room I was talking about.” Winston opened the door and turned on that light for me to peek inside. “The contractor was going to tear it out and make the master bath even bigger, but one of the walls butts up to the chimney from the dining room fireplace.”
It was dark without any windows, but I was well used to that. I’d chosen my old bedroom deliberately because it didn’t have any windows—which meant fewer ways for the monsters to break in. If only I’d known the greatest monster already lived inside of me.
He’d set up a desk, several lamps, and an inviting chaise lounge draped with a soft, fluffy shawl. Perfect for cuddling on a rainy day, reading a book, or… talking with a fearsome queen.
Tlacel set the box on the desk. “Should I cover it as well, my queen?”
“No, I think the box will be fine for now. Thank you.”
We stepped back out and Winston showed me the showstopper bathroom. More windows framed a bathtub large enough that easily six of us could use it at once. Fresh, white marble floors were accented with lapis, emerald, and ruby mosaics. He opened a cabinet beside the tub to show me an array of bath salts, candles, and fluffy, thick towels.
