Chapter 26 Ariah
ARIAH
I’m unsure how long it takes us to get back to the castle and honestly, I don’t care. The thought of the Queen watching us plucks at my conscience, but I push it out and ban it from returning while wrapping myself entirely in Iann’s presence.
Despite the cold brought on by the rain, my body runs warm. Every touch Iann gives me releases an intensifying heat, one that sets my soul ablaze.
We find ourselves back in the castle teasing, flirting, and devouring kisses the entire way. His lips, touch, even glances are gentle, making me want him more.
In his room, the servants already have a fire going, it sets a warm tone throughout.
As soon as the door closes behind us, he finds my mouth with his again.
His hands roam over the curves of my body and eventually end up in my soaked hair.
Delicately he pulls at the ribbon bound around my curls and sets them free.
He tugs at my hair tilting my head to the left and breaks our kiss to begin trailing his lips down my neck and over my collarbone.
Hours ago, I was worried about being in his presence and now I want nothing more. My hands go for the buttons of his shirt and undo them with haste. Once free, my hands glide up each line of his abdomen and then grip his firm shoulders.
He begins peeling off the soaked fabric of my top and suddenly stops kissing me as he rests his forehead to mine.
“Can I just say how pleased I am that you aren’t wearing that outfit with hundreds of buttons on it.
” I raise my hands as he pulls off the layer over my corset.
It smacks against the hardwood floor when he tosses it.
“I happen to like that outfit.”
“I’m not saying it didn’t look good.” His mouth is on mine again and my tongue stops him from speaking.
Just as he begins to undo the strands of the corset there is a knock at the door.
“Can you use your princely powers to make them go away?” I say before planting a kiss on his chest, and then two more.
“Not now, Eli,” he calls and pulls me back to him.
I want to tell him that I know it’s really his brother. I want to tell him everything about the Foxes and that I want to go with him to Farella, but it will make for good pillow talk, so I hold it in for now.
There is more knocking, growing in intensity.
He grumbles and pulls back, buttoning up his shirt halfway and marching to the door.
“I said not—” He stops and opens the door wider. “Apologies, Lady Vera. I thought you were Eli.”
Vera?
I slip the soggy top back on and go to the door.
“I apologize, Your Highness.” Vera does a quick curtsy. “I came to let Ariah know the Queen is requesting her. Immediately.”
Red beams from Vera’s necklace and I wonder how long the Queen has been spying.
The guards close the door, locking Vera and I inside the Queen’s study.
Inside I see Sky standing—waiting—almost reminiscent of my first meeting here.
The Queen writes away at her desk and the fox she usually holds is fast asleep near her feet. Vera and I stop a few feet away and wait next to Sky.
“Well done last night.” She doesn’t look up from the parchment. “I suspected you were going to fail but you managed to make it through.” I assume her words are for me, unless she had someone else carry out another bidding for her.
“Thank you, Your Grace.”
“Tomorrow is the big day.” She throws her pen on the desk and rests back in her seat.
“If our guests are going to attempt anything, tomorrow would be the night to do it. With Chana still unconscious I need all of you to pay extra attention. The last thing we need is for more people to go missing or be poisoned. Sky, how is the antidote coming along?”
“I’m still working on it, Your Grace. I believe I’m up against more than just poison.” Sky sounds tired, and his eyes are swollen, like he’s been crying or hasn’t slept in days.
“I didn’t order my enchantress to…” The Queen’s thoughts trail off and she keeps them in her head. “Ariah, are my dresses finished?”
“Yes, Your Grace. I completed them yesterday.”
“And what have you been doing today? With all your free time the servants could have used your help setting up or you could have assisted Sky in waking up your friend.”
Vera looks at the ground with the faintest grin on her face knowing what I was up to. I also don’t like the way she said “friend” as if it was meant to be used against me.
“I went into town with Prince Iann. He wanted to look at some of the shops.”
She looks at me for the first time. Her eyes roaming over the damp clothes and wild hair, making me self-conscious.
“Did Vera interrupt you at a bad time? Or perhaps, maybe it was a good one?”
Vera’s necklace was red when she knocked on Iann’s door and I know with certainty the Queen was watching.
“You said, ‘do what it takes,’” I answer her quickly, trying to scour for a good lie. “I know the Prince has feelings for me, so I was using them to get information out of him.”
“Is that so?” Her grin is a wicked one. She either thinks I’m utterly stupid for trying to fool her or that I am growing accustomed to this new life in her court. “Information of what kind?”
I have no intentions of betraying Iann directly, but she doesn’t know that. I need her on my side until we leave for Farella. “Our mystery guest—all Saden’s royal sons are here, Your Grace.”
Her eyes expand to twice their size, and a few fingers play with her lips as she processes the news. I even have the attention of Vera and Sky.
“You’re sure?” the Queen asks.
“Yes,” I answer without hesitation.
“Do you know where the other brother is?”
“Not yet,” I lie. “But I can find out.”
“Do that and report back immediately. I have a parting gift for our princes. We mustn’t leave one of them out.
” She gets up and walks past Sky, then Vera, and ends with me.
“All of you are to go straight to your rooms and rest up for tomorrow. Any one of you caught outside your beds, or caught in another’s, will be punished. ”
She is doing her best to keep Iann and me apart. For now, I will play her little game until tomorrow. All I need to do now is convince Iann to leave after the ball and not wait another day. She can’t stop me if she doesn’t see it coming.
In the hall, we wait until we’re far from everyone to speak.
I check Vera’s necklace before saying, “Be ready to go tomorrow.”
Vera nods. “Okay. Sky is trying to find a way to wake Chana. If she doesn’t, we’re going to have to leave her. Unless anyone has a clever plan to get her on that boat.”
“I told you I can’t wake her,” Sky whispers between us. “Chana isn’t just poisoned. She is in some kind of trance. One more powerful than anything I can pull off.”
“Wait.” Is he saying what I think he is? “Are you an enchanter?”
“Not exactly. My mother is one and she taught me a few things. Most of which I’ve forgotten since being here. The Queen doesn’t know, or she’ll use it against me, so you better not tell anyone.”
I surrender both palms. “You have my word.”
“There’s a bigger issue,” Sky continues. “The Queen isn’t responsible for Chana or the Saden servant. Which means someone more powerful is and they went after one of our own. We not only have the Queen to fear but whomever is responsible for rendering two individuals into an indefinite slumber.”
My clothes are still damp and starting to itch. “Great. Give me some time to think everything over. I’ll have a plan come morning.”
They nod and just as I’m about to walk away Sky stops me. “Here.” He holds out a hand and lets a chain dangle from his fingers. “It’s like Vera’s necklace only in bracelet form. It will let you know when someone is watching.”
“Thank you.” He helps put it on me. “You got anything for blocking her from seeing us completely?”
Sky’s tired eyes fall to a squint. “I might be able to come up with something.”
“Good. Once we’ve escaped, we’re going to need to ensure that she can’t find us.”
Ithink about going back to Iann’s room. Not even to finish what we started, though that would be a good distraction, but just to see him. To talk to him.
Instead, I find myself in a hot bubble bath, infused with peony and lemon. My chest has been feeling tight and I suspect stress.
The bracelet Sky gave me drapes over the side of the tub and I watch it with growing intensity, afraid at any minute it might flash red.
As a distraction, I use this time to catch up on the newest round of letters I received.
Starting with Luna’s, she tells me of hers and Morren’s travels.
She says they will be going north to the village of Kemp, where they plan to stay for a few weeks.
She also writes about how unimpressed she is by my last letter to her and the measly few paragraphs I threw together.
She threatens to come all the way here just to make sure I’m adjusting well.
I laugh at her valiancy and the irony of just how poorly I find myself fitting into this life.
Moving on to my mother’s letters, she writes of two princes who stopped in Foxhead.
To my sweetest daughter,
There is so much to share with you, but the most important is of a surprise visit from two Saden princes. Both tall and dashingly handsome. Don’t tell your father or anyone else I said that. How dare I say such a thing about a Saden.
One, Prince Iann, has visited far more places over the past year than I have my entire life.
He was much too kind to be a prince. I think you two would have found comfort in each other.
In many ways he reminded me of you. He also stayed in your bed, which not many can claim a prince has been in their bed.
But enough about them, I miss you my sweet girl. I truly wish I could take your place. I know the life of a Fox and it’s not one I wanted to ever subject you to. If you ever find yourself feeling homesick, just know you are always welcome home, no matter what.
P.S. I may have some enemies there and apologize in advance for any cruelty heading your way because of me.
P.S.S. Your father says hello and to not strain yourself, or your breathing condition will have its way with you.
We love you,
Mom
The warning of enemies is a little too late, but I appreciate the sentiment. Starting to prune, I wipe my remaining tears, get out of the tub, and dry myself off. The bracelet goes back on my wrist before slipping into a silk nightgown.
A light knock comes from the door of the main room. I’m certain it’s Vera, but when I open it, I’m happy to find Iann.
“I wanted to make sure you were okay,” he says sheepishly, seeming unsure if he should have come here.
“I am.” The Queen said to stay in my room and not end up in another’s bed, but she didn’t mention anything about someone else in mine. “Would you like to come in?”
He dips his head and enters my bland quarters as I shut the door behind him.
“How is Chana?” He takes a seat on a nearby chair.
“She still hasn’t woken. And your servant?”
“No, not yet.”
I pour us each a glass of water and I sit at the edge of my bed, facing him. “Can I ask you something?”
“Anything.”
I think of all the things I could share with him but there is only one thing I desire right now. “Will you stay with me tonight?”
He sets the glass down on a bedside table. “If that’s what you want.”
I get up and feel his eyes follow me across the room where I blow out my lanterns and set my glass on a stand. When it’s dark I make my way to him and slip a hand in his, pulling him to his feet.
He grazes his nose along mine and just holds me. It’s all I need right now. All I crave is to be held by him.
We move to the bed and tuck ourselves beneath the covers. My bed is far smaller than his but it’s just enough for two. Our heads stay close, foreheads resting against each other.
With a fingertip he traces unseen lines over my body starting at my head and moving down to my thigh. “Can we stay like this all night?” I whisper. It’s the calmest feeling I’ve ever known.
“Yes.” His finger comes back up preparing for another lap around.
“Are you happy, Iann?”
“Yes.” His answer makes me smile. “Even more when my name slips from your lips.”
The beating of my heart speeds up. We tease each other, our lips drawing in on one another’s but never fully connecting.
“Can you tell me about your greatest adventure?” I continue our little question game.
“No,” he says flatly but then gives me his dazzling smile. “I have had many adventures, but I honestly don’t think the greatest one has happened yet.”
It’s at this moment when I realize I trust him with everything in me, including my heart, something no one has ever held. Not a single person. It’s also at this moment when I unravel.
Catching a quick glimpse of my bracelet I see it is still yellow.
“I have something to tell you.” I stroke his cheek with my thumb. “A lot of things to tell you, actually. Are you ready?”
He stops tracing his finger over me and his tone is more hesitant than before, but he still holds on to me. “Anything,” he says. “You can always tell me anything.”