Page 45 of Fates Fulfilled
“You mean calling to it?” Em’s lips twisted as she chewed her food and considered. “It’s rather instinctual. I suppose if I had to define it, I would say it begins with a tingling sensation.”
A tingling.Nope. Lex didn’t remember any tingling. Then again, she’d been out of it when she somehow gave the others back their abilities. “Is there anything else?”
Em shrugged. “I’m sorry I’m not more help.”
The conversation moved to court clothing—all of it apparently flimsy for the younger generation—and they soon tucked themselves into bed, Lex wearing one of the nightgowns Em had set out.
A thought struck her, and she pushed the thick covers back and sat up. “How do you and the others stay busy while the prince is gone? You said you entertain yourselves.”
After kissing Garrin so they’d feel comfortabledoing it in front of others, Lex could imagine how these women preferred to pass the time with him around.
A sick filling gripped her stomach. Fake relationship or not, she didn’t like thinking of him with anyone else.
“The prince is very busy,” Em said. “When he is away, we entertain ourselves with battle play.”
Lex’s eyes widened. “What is battle play?”
Em rolled onto her side and faced Lex, her head perched on one hand. “This Sunland must be a very strange place. You do not practice your fighting skills?”
“Um, that would be a no.”
Em’s mouth held a silent O. “Well, perhaps you can practice here? The ladies and I find great joy in honing the battle arts.”
What in the…That sounded like a terrible idea.
Then again, Lex wanted to be less dependent on others. “Sure,” she said. “What could it hurt?”
19
Lex took back everything she’d thought of the statuesque Fae females in Garrin’s court. They weren’t just for looks. They were ass-kicking ninjas.
“One more time?” Em said, in full battle gear, which included a giant sword she wielded like a twig.
Lex limped off to the side of the mat where Em had been teaching her how to use her own sword, because she had one now too. Forget for a moment Lex had never held a weapon before in her life—and the weight of the darn thing—the maneuvering alone was insane. And these women were pros, battle cries and all. “I think I’ll sit this one out.”
Who needed male soldiers when your court had long-haired killers in frothy skirts? No wonder Garrin felt assured of Lex’s safety.
Lex’s muscles ached, but every time she thought she’d collapse in pain, she regained her strength. It was the only reason she’d managed several hours with Em inside the gymnasium decorated like an empty Victorian ballroom.
The room had all the plasterwork and intricate detailing of the other rooms inside Garrin’s court, but it was huge—like basketball-court-sized huge. There were ropes and weapons hanging from every wall, and mats that could only be compared to something she’d seen in an Earth gymnasium, except not made of vinyl. The material was probably made from the skin of the animals she ate that she didn’t want to think about.
Zirel entered just as Lex eased her sore, but rapidly healing butt onto a bench. Since her “true self” had taken effect, her body healed faster than usual. And she could eat the same amount of food as a full-grown man and never have a food baby—which was a huge bonus.
“Lexandra?” Zirel said, scanning her super-cool new workout gear. She too sported the thick, clinging black pants, tunic, and fighting boots the other women wore. And she felt damn powerful, truth be told. He looked around. “You are training?”
Was it such a stretch of the imagination? Yeah, probably. “What did you need, Zirel?”
“His Highness suggested you join me on an errand.”
Lex’s mother was living with Zirel’s family. He must be taking her to see her mom. “I’d be happy to,” she said, and quickly rose to her feet, withholding detailed questions until they were out of earshot.
Moments later, Zirel led her through a narrow stairwell and handed her a heavy ankle-length coat. “Cover yourself,” he said. “Your head and face as well.”
Lex pulled the hood down over her eyes, making sure it covered her face, as instructed. Zirel hadn’t explained why, but Lex knew what sneaking around looked like. She’d spent most of her life avoiding the attention of others. Not to mention, Zirel seemed to be taking her on a circuitous route out of Garrin’s court and into a part of the castle where few people wandered. Even if one of Garrin’s harem saw her, no one would recognize her with the hood covering half her face.
She held on to Zirel’s arm or risked running into a wall. “Where are we going?”
“Silence,” he said, and exited the castle from a side door.
