“Are you all right, miss?” the servant asked, voice full of concern.
“Yeah,” Gemma demanded, “what the hell is going on?”
I blinked and took a deep, calming breath. “My pet sloth... pooped on me.”
Their eyes widened as they pitifully assessed the disaster that was now my dress. Behind them, the king pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration, and a few of the princes sniggered.
“Who the fuck has a pet sloth?” one of the guys asked. I didn’t know which one. I obviously hadn’t learned their voices yet.
“Apparently jewel miners,” another answered comically.
“Oh, she’s a jewel all right, I’m sure. More like a poser after the crown jewels...”
My cheeks reddened at his words and anger flared to life shortly after embarrassment. “You know I can hear you, asshole?”
Gemma chuckled, but Mom and the servant girl’s eyes went fearfully wide. Apparently, people weren’t supposed to address the royal family so flippantly. Well, too fucking bad. They were being assholes, and someone needed to tell them off.
After the maid wiped my dress as best as she could, I stormed from the carriage with my hands on my hips and pointed a finger right at the king. “Your Majesty, I will, of course, address you with due respect, but considering your sons are now my potential suitors, I would hope you’ll allow me a little more leniency with their... titles.”
The Storm King smirked. “You mean titles like asshole?”
I smiled pompously. “Yes. And dickhead, douchebag, jackass, cocksucker, prick, bastard, motherfucker—”
“Enough!” the king shouted, silencing everyone and everything, even the nearby birds.
I bit both lips and shut the hell up.
He then let out a slow breath and cracked his neck. “Let’s just get to the introductions, shall we? Gentlemen, this is Lady Alexis Ravenel. She’s special, as I’ve mentioned before, because she’s the first woman in thousands of years to possess the power of the gods. I expect you’ll treat her as your equal, because... she is. I told her she could marry one of my sons, and I intend to leave the choice of whom up to her.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” one of the princes demanded, the blond muscle-bound man. “You know Princess Bria is all but betrothed to me. If that union falls through, it’ll mean war with Timberlune!”
The Storm King merely shrugged and tucked my arm into the crook of his, eyeing the yellow-green shit stains on my gown with understandable disdain.
“Alexis, this is Prince Calvin Storm, Lord of Nightshade Castle in Northern Blackwood—where you’re from.”
I nodded nervously. “I am familiar with his name.”
Then I peeked at Calvin, the tall, muscular blond who’d just gone off the deep end.
“Please,” he said with a slight bow, apparently composing himself, “call me Cal.”
“A pleasure to meet you, Cal,” I said in response.
It really wasn’t. The bratty son of baby-killing king? How pleasing could he be? Okay, fine, he was pleasing on the eyes, but that was probably all he had going for him.
The king moved us down the line to the left. “Prince Daniel Storm, Lord of Ebony Chateau in Western Blackwood, including the Ebony Isles.”
“Nice to meet you, Daniel.”
“Just Dan. Can I call you Lexi for short?”
Everything about him was smooth and seductive. With a slight accent tinting his tone, he could probably talk a fish into drowning.
"Yes, of course," I said, fumbling with my words like an idiot.
He took my hand, but instead of kissing it like I’d guessed, he leaned in and whispered in my ear.
"It’s nice to meet you too, Sexy Lexi. Hopefully we can meet again soon. Perhaps later tonight?"
His breath was hot at my ear, and it sent tingles the whole way down my neck and spine.
King Zacharias had to literally pull me away from him.
"Prince Benson," he announced with a hint of frustration. "Lord of Obsidian Palace in the deserts of Eastern Blackwood."
The prince awkwardly waved at me, staring at my hand like it was covered in sloth shit.
I grinned at his weak stomach but waved back nonetheless.
"Shall I call you Ben?" I asked, picking up on the pattern.
"Yes, ma'am."
Oh, I liked that. Ma'am. It sent warm fuzzies tickling across my lady bits—bits that were already pretty hot thanks to Dan. I was suddenly curious if Ben was the type of man who'd let me take control in the bedroom...
"And finally," the king said, gesturing to his fourth son, "Prince Robert. Lord of Onyx Fortress in the frozen tundra of Southern Blackwood."
I smiled. "Nice to meet you... Rob?"
He stared at me with harsh gray eyes, features stagnant, not even a slight curve to his plush lips.
I backpedaled, afraid I'd insulted him somehow. "Unless you prefer your whole name? I was just guessing since your brothers all—"
He sighed and shook his head. "I need a fucking drink."
And with that, he stalked off toward the palace.
My mouth fell open. What an epic dick!
The king shook his head. "Ignore him. He's always exceptionally moody."
Ben grinned. "It's true."
Dan chuckled, and Cal tried to hide a smile.
It made me feel a bit better, but not much. One of the princes hated me already. One of them wanted to use me like a two-jewel whore. One of them was already engaged to someone else. And one of them couldn’t even stand the thought of touching me. Lovely.
Chapter 4
"All right," the king said with a clap.
He pointed to a servant. "Show the ladies to their rooms. It’s getting late and tomorrow’s schedule is packed full. They’re going to need their beauty sleep.”
He pointed to another servant. “Bring dinner to their rooms as soon as they’re settled.”
Both servants bowed. "Yes, Your Majesty."
One of them darted off to prepare our dinner. The other led us into the palace, which was even more extraordinary on the inside.
Everything was grandiose and practically dripping with gold and jewels. Every ceiling was vaulted and lit up with at least one diamond chandelier. The floor was made of sleek, polished marble and lined with a strip of deep purple carpet down the middle. Statues of the gods were positioned every so often on each side of the hall, and exotic potted plants filled in the gaps between them. Huge, frosted glass windows allowed in an enormous amount of natural light, and the sound of spilling water meant there were probably more fountains flowing up ahead.
A grand staircase stood right at the edge of the foyer, at least twenty feet across, and probably led up to a fancy ballroom or banquet hall. Countless other staircases branched off from the main hall, leading up and down to other floors, the purpose of which I had no idea.
The servant led us over to the third staircase on the right—another odd number, thank the gods—but instead of going up right away, she pointed down.
"Servants’ quarters are downstairs," she said to Gemma. "Gwendolyn will meet you at the bottom and give you your room assignment."
Gemma winked, then curtseyed to me, and skipped off like she hadn't just been sent to the shittiest place in the castle.
The servant smiled brightly. "This way, my ladies."
Mom and I glanced at each other before following. I didn’t know what she was thinking, but so far, this wasn’t exactly what I’d been expecting. I guess I just expected everything to be dark and dingy and awful. This actually didn’t seem too bad.
The first stop we made was Mom's room, which was located in the same wing as the King's room and his royal harem. I didn’t like it, not one little bit. My wide eyes met Mom’s for just a moment before she slipped inside her room and silently shut the door.
The servant led me up yet another set of stairs and into a wide, long hallway. Floor-to-ceiling windows lined the entire left-hand side, and tall doors l
ined the wall on the right. They were terribly far apart, as if the rooms beyond their frames were simply massive. Everything was bright white and pristine.
She stopped at the second door, and I cringed.
"Is there something wrong, miss?" she asked with a fearful frown.
"No, no. It's just that... I hate even numbers. Is there a different room I could be assigned to? Like, maybe the third room?"
The servant blushed. "Prince Daniel's room is the third, miss. He did request that you be placed in his care, but the king insisted you have your own space."
And thank the gods for that. As hot as Dan was, I was not ready to be all up in his shit twenty-four hours a day.
I pursed my lips. "What about the first room? Or the fifth?"
"Prince Calvin is in the first room, miss. And, while the fifth room is unoccupied, it is located directly beside Prince Robert in the fourth. I assumed you wouldn't want such close proximity."
Well, she'd damn well assumed right. Rob was a dick.
But fuck, I hated even numbers. Almost as much as I hated jewels. I mean, the rooms were huge, right? Surely if I took the fifth, it wouldn't be that close to the prick.
I sighed. "I would still prefer the fifth room, if it's not too much trouble."
She bowed her head. "Yes, of course, miss. Right this way."
She led me to my room, waiting until I bid her goodnight before disappearing down the hall.
I hadn't even shut my new bedroom door when another opened. Room number three. Dan's Room. I sucked in a sharp breath and tried to disappear before he could see me, but the bastard was quick.
"Sexy Lexi," he called out in that smooth voice. "Long time no see. I was hoping I'd find you out here."
I licked my lips and leaned into the doorframe. "You mean, you were hoping to find me in your room."
He shrugged and strolled up the hall, like a mountain lion on the hunt. We had those in Blackleaf, and they were terrifying. When he did it, though, the terror was also mixed with a heavy dose of sexual tension. He put a hand on either side of my head and smirked.
"My room, your room, the throne room... wherever. Doesn't matter. I'm down."
I took a deep breath and licked my lips again. "I'm not that kind of girl."
His grin widened. "What kind of girl? The kind that likes sex? The kind that's into men?"
I shook my head quickly, and a blush blazed across my cheeks. "No, no, I mean... I like those things. I just, I don't usually..."
"Fuck," he graciously filled in for me.
"Yes... um, before I've gotten to know the guy first."
He bit his bottom lip and stared at my mouth. Heat rushed between my thighs. Dear gods, he was hot.
"But we've already met, Lexi. See? I know your name. And you remember who I am, don’t you?"
I nodded nervously.
"Say it," he whispered, inching closer to my face. "Say my name."
"Prince Daniel," I muttered breathlessly.
He shook his head. "Too formal. Try again."
I swallowed hard. "Dan."
He grinned. "That's right, sexy girl. I can't wait to hear you screaming it in the sheets soon."
He snapped his teeth at me but backed away, revealing a servant waiting silently with a tray full of food. Apparently, no one interrupted a prince when they were in the middle of... whatever.
I took a deep gulp of air, because I was pretty sure I'd been holding my breath, and another flush of heat washed over me.
"Is this my dinner?" I asked, annoyed to find my voice was still shaky.
Dan chuckled but waved a hand over his head as he strolled away. "See ya later, Sexy Lexi."
I glanced at the servant, feeling embarrassed and exposed somehow.
She merely smiled.
"If I may, miss?"
"Sure."
"I just want you to know that Prince Daniel is always like that. You needn't feel embarrassed."
I'm not sure what part bothered me more. The fact that I was blushing like a stupid schoolgirl, or the fact that I was somehow jealous that I wasn't the only girl he flirted with. Not that I wanted his affection. I didn’t know. It was stupid and confusing. I mean, was I supposed to be thrilled to find I was just another target in a long line of conquests?
I nodded to the servant. "Thanks."
She smiled then took the tray of food into my room, placing it on a glass table in a sitting area next to another huge floor-to-ceiling window.
She bowed when she exited the room. "Anything else, miss?"
I shook my head, annoyed with her for no good reason whatsoever. "No, that'll be all, thank you."
I walked inside and looked around. The space was just as huge as I'd imagined, with a massive bed covered in silken purple sheets, a closet full of both elegant gowns and stylish suits, a sitting area that was almost as big as my entire shack back home, and a bathroom that was just as large as the sitting room, complete with my very own bath, toilet, and mirror.
I took advantage of the latter three, cleaning up after my exhausting carriage ride and, of course, the whole sloth-shitting instance. What a fucking disaster.
After I’d toweled off, I found a dress that was breezy, comfortable-looking, and still gorgeous. It was emerald green—I knew, because I’d mined millions of the little bastards over the years—and it was lacey, yet stretchy and soft.
Once I was dressed and feeling ten times more refreshed, I ran my fingers across the smooth material of the sitting room furniture. It was cream colored, plush and pristine, not a single stain or speck of dirt to be seen.
Sitting down, I lifted the lid to my meal. Steam rose high into the air, and I breathed deeply, taking in the aroma of juicy meats, roasted vegetables, spicy herbs, and...
"Chocolate!" I squealed.
Oh, gods, I'd always wanted to try chocolate. I'd heard stories about it, but there were no cocoa beans in Blackleaf, nor any of the surrounding villages. We could have ordered some in, but the local shopkeeper swore it'd cost more money than my life was worth.
I took a bite, and my mouth almost orgasmed.
The shopkeeper was absolutely right. This shit would have been worth every coin I owned, and then some—considering I didn’t actually have all that many.
I gobbled up each cube of chocolate, savoring the rich, nutty flavor for as long as I could, then I started on the pastries. We did have berries where I was from, but we'd never concocted desserts like these. These were filled with sweetened syrup, drizzled with gooey icing, and they were warm and crumbly when you bit into them. Basically, my mouth was in heaven, and so was my stomach.
A light knock sounded at the door, and my brows furrowed.
What were the odds it was the servant back with more sweets? Or would it be another prince, possibly even Dan, back to finish what he started? I really didn't want to see any of them. Not yet. They were spoiled, rich brats, and if I was ever going to survive courting them and marrying one, I was going to need an ass-ton of alone time.
But... my mind went full circle... what if it was more sweets?
Sighing, I rushed to the door and opened it.
My eyes widened, and Calvin chuckled. "Good evening, Miss Ravenel."
I gulped down a huge wad of dessert, and it nearly caught in my throat.
"Hello," I said, voice raspy.
"You have a little…." He reached for my face, then hesitated.
Quickly, my hand shot up to my cheeks, and I rubbed furiously. I must've looked like a pauper in a penthouse.
He chuckled. "No, you're missing it. Let me just..."
His thumb brushed the corner of my bottom lip, and my insides fluttered. Who knew the brawny blond would have such an effect on me? I stared up at him in surprise. He was at least a foot taller than me, but rather than making me feel small and dominated, he somehow made me feel... safe.
"Thanks," I muttered, once my wits came back to me. I dusted my sticky fingers along the sides of my dress, instantly regretting it. That gow
n was worth more than anything I'd ever owned, and now it was possibly ruined. I sighed. "Is there something you needed?"
"Oh. Yes. I was just going to ask if you'd like to take a quick stroll around the castle. Through the greenhouse, perhaps?"
My lips quirked into a half smile. "What's a greenhouse?"
His smile widened. "It's sort of an indoor garden. The servants have fountains set up and cobblestone paths with benches in case you need a rest."
I stared at him for a moment, trying to figure out his motives. "Just a minute ago you were pissed off at having to court me. You said it would mean war for Blackwood if I chose you."
He looked down and smirked, as if he were trying to play shy. "Exactly. If you chose me, which you won't. Until then, I've been ordered by the king to, as you mentioned, court you. So, if you wouldn't mind cooperating, I'd really love to take you on a walk and get to know you better."
An interesting choice of words. Ordered. Cooperating. It definitely felt forced.
"Well, I suppose that's better than Dan," I said, shutting my bedroom door and reluctantly threading my arm through his. "I think he only wants to get to know my body."
Calvin chuckled. "That certainly sounds like my brother."
"And Rob," I added. "I'm pretty sure he hates me already. Oh, and Ben. He acted like I'd give him the plague if I touched him."
Cal shook his head and shot me an amused glance. "Rob is... complicated. And Ben just knows so much about everything—including diseases and contagions. After that sloth shit on you, I'm surprised he didn't go off on a sanitation lecture."
I laughed out loud, then quickly snapped my lips shut. I wasn't supposed to be laughing and acting all buddy-buddy with these guys. They were the Storm Princes. Sons of the man who’d inadvertently caused my father’s death. I was supposed to hate them.
Cal nudged my shoulder with his arm. "You're allowed to laugh, you know."
"I'm sorry," I said, forcing my eyes down to the floor. "I'm just... not used to this."
He nodded. "It's going to be a learning experience for us all. It’ll take time to figure it out."
Taken by Storm (Storms of Blackwood Book 1) Page 4
