Page 3 of Brighter Than Gold

“Just a handmaid. Silva is the lady’s maid. She’ll be serving you most of the time.”

“Couldyouperhaps be my lady’s maid instead?” I asked shyly.

“I am not as highly trained as Miss Silva. She can certainly attend to all of your requests,” Briar answered politely.

“Yes, but she’s very…”

“Thorough?” Nyx suggested.

“Exactly.”

“Ma’am, officially,youare the highest-ranking person here. We are obliged to do as you command,” Briar offered with a look.

“Me?”

She smirked. “Yes, ma’am. So long as your requests are not in direct conflict of the King’s own demands.”

“So, I could demand you as my lady’s maid then?” I garnered.

“Certainly, if that’s what you wish.”

“But I can’t refuse Kaspian’s ludicrous request about sharing a room with Callan…”

“Unfortunately no. His Grace’s orders outrank yours.”

I mulled over this newly discovered dynamic as I quietly ate my mango.

“All right, pack up and fire out. We mount in ten minutes,” Callan announced after a while.

The group grumbled as they picked their weary bones up from around the fire.

“No,” I said sternly. “We’ll stay another half hour and rest.”

The group darted their eyes from me to Callan, waiting for his response. By his narrowed glare, he had guessed I was testing our recent change of hierarchy.

“Certainly,” he conceded, something like a smirk edged onto his lips. “The lady is very tired. We’ll allow her to rest a while longer.”

“Prick,” Nyx whispered under his breath.

“May I speak plainly, ma’am?” Briar asked.

“Always,” I insisted.

“Perhaps try not to bait Callan. From what I’ve heard, he is one to carry a grudge.”

“Pity that I’m his superior now,” I muttered. A moment later a roll of nausea washed over me. “Shit,” I grumbled, rising and turning away from my friends. I walked to the border of the tree line, cringing and holding my stomach. A cold sweat crept over my skin, and a thick salty taste gathered at the back of my throat. I took deep breaths, trying to allow the cool air to settle my nausea, but it wasn’t working. I held onto a tree trunk as my stomach emptied itself.

I spat the foul taste from my mouth and cursed.

“Here,” Briar said, bringing me the flagon of water.

“Thank you.” The cold water hit my stomach and immediately soothed the roiling sensation.

Nyx came over shortly after with the jar of medicine the doctor had given me for my sickness. I swallowed a few sips in quick succession.

“The last fucking mango,” I whined miserably as I wiped my mouth with my sleeve.

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