Page 96 of Rage of Her Ravens

I didn’t know what to say to that, though maybe he was right. The children did need to learn how to read, and music lessons would be a dream. My parents couldn’t afford to buy us instruments, so we’d used the only ones we had—our voices. I’d always wanted to learn how to play the flute or the harp. How fortunate the girls would be if they learned how to play musical instruments. And Mrs. Euphemia certainly was kind. I knew she would be a patient and loving nursemaid.

Aurora pointed down at Mrs. Euphemia’s feet. “You have furry legs like Cook.”

She dabbed her wet eyes while smiling down at her. “That’s because he’s my brother.”

Ember tugged on Mrs. Euphemia’s skirts. “Have you had his tarts?”

“Oh, yes.” She knelt beside the girls until she was eye level with them. “They are the best, a secret family recipe passed down from our great-great grandfather.”

The girls shared excited looks, and I could tell they were mentally speaking.

“They’re our favorite food in the whole world,” Aurora finally said while moving closer, pressing against the nursemaid’s knee.

“Mine, too.” Mrs. Euphemia squeezed their hands, her eyes lighting with mirth. “I love the cherry and the spinach ones. What about you?”

The girls shared confused looks.

“I don’t know.” Ember shrugged.

“We didn’t know there were other flavors,” Aurora added.

“Oh, he makes all kinds.” Mrs. Euphemia tenderly brushed their hair behind their ears, a sweet gesture I found myself doing often enough. “We will have to ask him to make a variety for lunch.”

Both girls pressed up against her knees, leaning on her as if they were the best of friends.

“Auntie,” Ember asked as she blinked up at me, “may we stay with Mrs. Euphemia?”

My breath hitched at the thought of leaving them.

“Then you can focus on Nikkos and maybe get a little rest,” Draevyn said to me before I could answer.

“Alright,” I finally relented, forcing out the words before I changed my mind. “Aurora,” I said to my niece, giving her a knowing look, “you know to come back to my room if you and your sister are frightened.”

She eagerly nodded. “Yes, Auntie.”

I hugged them both until they complained that I was crushing them and squirmed out of my embrace. And before I knew what was happening, Draevyn was escorting me back to my room.

I chewed my bottom lip, worried he would follow me into my bedchamber and try again to court me. I was feeling way too vulnerable to be alone with him, my emotions muddled, my heart crushed beneath the weight of my sorrow and fears.

I tensed when he followed me into the sitting room adjoining my bedchamber. When the door clicked shut behind him, I turned on him with a snarl. “If this was a ploy to get me alone—”

“It wasn’t.” He held up his hands, his back pressed up against the door, his expression unreadable except for a strange gleam in his eyes. “I just wanted you to know if you need anything at all, don’t hesitate to ask.”

I motioned through the sitting room’s open doors toward Nikkos sleeping as still as a corpse in my bed. “I have all I need, thank you.” And with that, I held my breath while walking toward Nikkos, fearing if I dared to breathe, I would fall apart before I reached him.

The door clicked shut, and I was left alone with my injured mate and my dark thoughts. I crawled into bed, laid my head on his warm chest, and cried myself to sleep.

* * *

“Auntie!”

I woke with a start as the girls climbed across the bed, their dresses crinkling with the movement.

I blinked up at Ember as she straddled my chest, clutching my shoulders. “It’s time for tea. Come see all our new dolls.”

Groaning, I rubbed the sleep from my eyes. “W-what?”

I grunted when Aurora sat on my stomach. “Mrs. Euphemia said we can eat in our nursery, and we get tea and spinach and cherry tarts.”

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