Chapter 25 Azalea
Azalea
Today’s the day that I’m breaking into Braxton’s study. I decided that almost immediately upon waking this morning when I got a bouquet of forget-me-nots with a note from Braxton on my bedside table.
We should talk.
- Braxton
I roll my eyes at his note, before shredding it in my hands and idly dropping the remnants in the waste basket under my desk.
It had been almost two weeks since the incident in his study.
Of course, he realized almost instantly that his key for it was missing, but I put on my best performance in feigning stupidity.
I knew he would never believe me if I tried to act innocent.
Though he didn’t believe me either way, telling me that “playing dumb was beneath me” and searching my room anyway, regardless of how loud I shouted my protests.
Thankfully, I’d already tucked the key into my bustier before he turned my room upside down.
When my room came up empty, he, of course, didn’t apologize before moving on to search other rooms of the castle.
I knew with his heightened awareness around the study having to remain unlocked, I needed to be patient before making my move, and now the time has finally come.
I heard rumors that he called upon one of the servants who was a retired blacksmith to make him a new lock and key for the door.
With the limited materials within the castle, it took longer than the precious prince would have liked to weld these new iron locks, but apparently, now, everything is ready to be switched over tonight.
So, if I don’t act today, then that entire encounter that still makes my cheeks tinge with shame would have been for nothing.
If anything, Braxton’s paranoia about having his study unlocked only confirmed my suspicions that he’s hiding something in there.
It also forced him to start a new routine; one that I have meticulously studied.
Every morning, he does a perimeter check of the castle grounds before shutting himself in his study all day until supper.
Then, after supper, he goes back to his study until he’s ready for bed, which is usually an egregiously late point in the night. I swear this man doesn’t sleep.
I think his patrolling the grounds has more to do with the non-wolf, wolf attack, though I still don’t understand his fixation on that, and I find he’s being unbelievably dramatic about all of it.
But, lucky for me, this little patrol of his takes a minimum of three and a half hours every morning.
The downside is that he practically starts it at dawn, which I think only further constitutes that what he is experiencing is nothing short of psychosis because who willingly gets up that early?
I was fully prepared to sacrifice my precious sleep in order to sneak into his study while he was patrolling, but I overheard him talking to Gravesley last night, telling him he would be doing a perimeter search after he finished his lunch today, since he figured he would be up late with the servant ensuring the new locks were installed.
That means I’ll have at least three hours to search his study from top to bottom, and I didn’t even have to rise before the sun this morning to do it.
Currently, I’m absent-mindedly flipping the pages of the book in front of me while I wait for my signal to commence my snooping.
I’m gliding my tongue across the pad of my pointer finger and readying it to turn another page when Rhoden comes barreling into the library.
I bolt upright, tossing the book down on the table with careless ease.
Doing her best to compose herself and look at least a little less suspicious than when she came hurtling into the quiet library, Rhoden tucks a few strands of her silky black hair behind her ear before casually waltzing over to the stack of books beside me on the table.
Her almond eyes bore into mine as she nods her head once before saying, “I believe I heard lunch is ready for you, Lady Azalea.”
I try not to cringe at the title. She truly is awful at acting natural. Pushing a huffed breath through my nose, I give her a tight smile and nod, knowing this is her way of telling me Braxton has officially left his study and is now patrolling the grounds.
I rise to my feet, step around Rhoden, and head toward the library doors.
I made sure to wear flats today so as to better walk around the castle without being heard.
Rhoden is quick on my heels, jumping in front of me dramatically before I throw the library doors fully open.
I look at her, exasperated since I only have a small amount of time to pull this off.
“Let me make sure the coast is clear,” she whispers under her breath before more loudly stating, “Let me help you with your mid-day meal.”
She pokes her head into the hallway, looking one way and then the other, before giving me a nod and stepping out past the doorway’s threshold. We fall into step together down the hallway.
“You can check if the coast is clear, but you can’t come into the study with me. I can’t risk you getting in trouble in case I get caught,” I murmur, barely moving my lips in the process.
Rhoden pushes out her bottom lip. “How noble of you to sacrifice yourself like that.”
I roll my eyes. “Believe me, it’s for purely selfish reasons. I would be exponentially more bored if I lose your company in this skyforsaken castle.”
“You flatter me.”
I swallow my laugh and give her a look that says, ‘Be serious.’ Taking my cue, she scuttles down the hallway and looks around the next corner.
I can’t help but laugh at the way she’s tiptoeing around to stay as quiet as possible, but all the while looking entirely suspicious.
I don’t bother correcting her, though, since I can clearly see down the expanse of the hallway and know that there is no one else near us.
After a few more turns, we’re standing outside of Braxton’s study, and I have the key to open the lock at the ready in my hand.
“Wish me luck,” I whisper while slowly pushing the key into the lock and turning it.
The sound of the lock twisting and clicking open feels like an alarm alerting the entire castle to what I’m doing, but I continue when no one comes bounding around the corner as if waiting to catch me in the act.
Now, I’m considering that maybe I’m the paranoid one.
Turning the nob gently, I gingerly push the door open and wince at the soft creak it makes.
“Good luck,” Rhoden says in a hushed tone before giving my arm a gentle squeeze and skittering down the hallway once again.
I quickly slip into the study and look around at the countless drawers and hiding places where a contract theoretically could be placed. Releasing a heavy sigh, I blow a few stray curls from my face and realize just how much luck I’m going to need.
My eyes dart up to the pendulum clock sitting on top of the shelf above the fireplace in Braxton’s study, checking the time once more. It’s been nearly three hours. I have to wrap things up and get out of here before Braxton comes back from his patrol.
Slumping down, I fall back against the armchair with my butt on the ground.
I had to have checked every single drawer in every piece of furniture in this place twice, and I haven’t found anything.
Not only did I find nothing on our curse, but I couldn’t find any even remotely questionable or secretive documents in here at all.
Everything in this office was either discussing monetary situations of the kingdom or pertained to the maintenance of the land and castle.
Oddly enough, though, every document I came across was horrendously outdated, which left me to wonder where Braxton was keeping the up-to-date paperwork about the kingdom and castle.
The only conclusion I’ve been able to come to, though I can’t fully accept it, is that this isn’t where Braxton keeps his more sensitive or secretive documents.
I slowly bring myself to my feet, my joints aching from being crouched on the floor for so long.
It never ceases to amaze me that I’m both at the age where my body could easily carry and birth a child, while also not being able to kneel for more than 15 minutes at any given time without being convinced that it has just experienced the hardships of war.
I stretch my arms over my head and sway my upper body back and forth, trying to loosen up my stiff muscles and feeling a few relieving pops ricochet through my joints.
Figuring it’s better to be safe than sorry and slip out of the study now, I look around the room one last time to make sure everything has been put back in its place before making my way to the door.
First, I press my ear to the door to see if I can hear any commotion on the other end of it.
When I’m met with the sweet sound of silence, I open the door barely enough to peek into the hallway and look around to make sure no one is standing there.
Seeing that the coast is clear, I quickly step out before turning back to the door.
My fingers fumble with the key momentarily as a fresh wave of nerves erupts in my belly before quickly placing it in the lock and locking the door.
I breathe a sigh of relief before taking a step back from the door.
My entire body goes rigid when I feel my back press into someone’s hard torso.
Swallowing heavily, I turn slowly to find Gavin, one of the servants, standing behind me.
His mousy brown hair is pushed up and out of his face, the thin strands looking straw-like as a few stand up in odd directions.
He has a chubby face that doesn’t match his burly physique, and gives him an oddly boyish look.
Currently, his features are pulled into a haunting smile.
Gavin is a huge kiss ass for Braxton and completely terrified of him at the same time. He followed him around like a lost puppy after the “wolf” incident, and the sad thing is, I don’t think Braxton even knows his name. I’m fairly confident I heard him calling him Tim or John the other day.
“Hi Gavin.” I try to plaster on my most innocent smile, but by the cruel smirk on his face, I know I’ve been caught.
“What were you doing in Braxton’s study? And dare I ask… is that his key you have?”
“Uh-y-yes.” I stammer and immediately want to kick myself for my lack of conviction in my words. “Braxton gave me his key before he went on his patrol.” I flip the iron evidence between my fingers as if showcasing it will make me appear less guilty.
“And why would he do something like that?”
I do my best not to scowl at his curiosity and instead lift my lips into a syrupy sweet smile as I round my eyes to look more innocent.
“I lost my earring in there the other day,” I force a laugh.
“We were… spending some time together.” I don’t have to feign my blush as I recall how it felt to have the hard planes of his body mold into my soft curves.
“He gave me his key so I could go find my earring.” My fingers fly to my thankfully empty earlobe.
I can tell by the borderline glee gleaming in his eyes that he doesn’t believe me.
“Sure, okay.” He nods his head.
I give a small nod and quickly turn away from him, hoping to skitter away. If he goes and tells Braxton his theory on his own, I can lie and hope Braxton believes me over him.
Before I can even take a full step away from him, Gavin reaches out quick as lightning and wraps his meaty paw around my forearm, squeezing tightly.
“Well, if that’s the truth, then you won’t mind going to Prince Braxton to confirm that story, and of course return the key.”