Because of the location nearer to the poorer parts of town, we figured it would be a great opportunity for the children in those districts to get as much sunlight as possible.
After the tiring day of coronation, my head swimming with the introduction and presentation of all the knights, guards, and people of wealth and lineage that were present, I was more than grateful to retreat to my bedchambers.
“Didn’t queens have ladies in waiting or something?” I announced to the empty room, but at the same time, glad I didn’t. I didn’t think I could bear having anyone watch me undress. That sounded like a nightmare. “Ghastly stuff they wear here. I can’t wait to get into something more comfortable!” I threw aside the heavy dress, the layers and layers of petticoats and slid out of the corset they made me wear. In just a thin gown I could finally breath easy.
I eyed the huge bed longingly. I just wanted to fall into the deepest sleep of my life. I turned to the balcony outside our chambers, feeling the cool wind of this foreign land ease the stress in my shoulders.
I was too young for this, but hadn’t my mother been even younger? I could do this. I knew I could. Even if my dreams were haunted with the Keeper’s jewel I had destroyed. What did that voice mean, and had I really heard it?
I had a feeling my adventures here in Elestra had just begun.
And I was excited for what that meant.
“Alayna,” Sebastian whispered in my ear as he came from behind me and slipped his arms around my waist. “I thought I’d find you here.” I pressed against him and we swayed for a moment together, some invisible music of our own design sweeping over both of us. As if he read my mind from moment ago, he murmured in my ear, “You never did tell me what the Keeper’s jewel said that day.”
“It said he had more than one body and taunted us to find him.” I turned to face him.
“Ah.” He kissed me quickly. “It would seem we both have adventures ahead of us.”
“Adventures?” I laughed. Hadn’t I just thought that before he had slipped into my room? “Did you forget I have a kingdom to run?”
“That doesn’t mean we can’t escape for a while, right? Diplomatic visits and such?”
“And risk another invasion? Besides, what do you know about diplomacy?”
“What do you know?”
“Well, I did drop out of high school,” I admitted.
“What’s a high school?”
I looped my arms around his neck and laughed. “Never mind.”
Sebastian shrugged and dropped his grasp from around my waist.
“Sebastian?”
“Yes, Alayna?”
“You have an adventure in mind.”
“I do?”
“You do!”
“Are you sure, milady?”
“Sebastian!” I tried to glare at him, but I couldn’t help but smile.
“Remember when Bailia...” he trailed off, the pain sparking in his glossy eyes. “Well, she told me the name of my real father.”
“The suspense threatens me.” I gasped as soon as I blurted it, remarking at how much my language had changed since when I entered this world.
Apparently even Sebastian noticed it. “Said like a true Queen of the Realm,” he announced with a smile, but it quickly disappeared into a deep frown. “Cleric Gregory tells me my father is from the Coastal Realm that borders Elestra just beyond Sea City.”
I stepped toward him and took his hands in mine. “Is Sea City anything like Clock City, then?”
“There are tales of air pirates and sea monsters, but I suppose I’ve heard some stories over the years from travelers.”
I raised an eyebrow.
“Another time, queen.”
“I like it when you call me that.”
“Aye, I suppose you would.”
I tried to frown at him, but then a thought occurred to me. “What are we waiting for? I am the queen, after all. We can go to Sea City any time we’d like! Let’s go!”
He laughed. “What, now? In the middle of the night?”
“Well, tomorrow.”
He smiled slightly. “Thanks to the Keeper, I may never know the entire story. We’d have no idea what we were walking into.”
“Well, we must at least visit soon and get to the bottom of it,” I begged.
“Yes, but first you have a kingdom to run, Queen Alayna.” He reached up to pry my hands from his neck.
“Where are you going?” I was blushing again, but alarmed he was apparently leaving. “Why did you sneak in my room?”
He backed away to the door “Why, for that goodnight kiss, milady. What else?”
“I thought—”
“You assumed by sneaking in your room I meant to ravish you, then?”
I gaped at him. Well, yes, I wanted to say. I bit my bottom lip. “You didn’t?”
“It wouldn’t be proper for the Queen to be seen not only with a knight, but with a rogue of low-birth.” He reached behind him and yanked the grand doors to my chambers open.
I bit my bottom lip. “Are you sure you can’t stay?”
Sebastian laughed. “I love you Alayna, but no, I cannot stay, as much as I might want to. Goodnight, my queen.” With a flourish, he backed out of the room, pulling the doors shut in front of him.
I couldn’t help but smile as he left. Wrapping my arms around myself, still feeling the touch of his lips to mine, I climbed under the soft covers and blew the lamp out by the bed. Settling against the softest pillow I had ever felt in my entire life, I closed my eyes and let sleep finally take me.
I never dreamed that day in the woods by touching a simple rusty dagger would have led me to this. A life of finery with the promise of adventure on the horizon, in the arms of the man I loved. I was surrounded by people who loved me, from Dinga’s support, to that of Wyatt, Aila, and even Pearl and her mother. It had been a long journey rife with tragedy, one that transformed me from girl to queen, and at last I could say it now with confidence.
I was the Clock Queen.
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Did you love Clock City? Then you should read Timekeeper by Rebekah Dodson!
Most educated people would say that our DNA, the building blocks of our existence, only carry physiological traits and characteristics. How we look, the color of our eyes, our bodily proportions and even the proclivity for certain ailments and medical conditions. But a few researchers will tell you it goes beyond those attributes and that our DNA can carry knowledge and experiences passed through the generations.
Parker H. Whipple might just be a body of proof to this theory. The young Whipple was rescued by gentleman George Parker Whipple amidst the World's Fair in 1904. Growing up he was a quiet and shy young lad, avoiding the rough and physical contact games his peers at the orphanage engaged in on a daily basis, preferring to play quietly with his sister, Lydia. Instead, he would pass his time away by tinkering and creating intricate do-dads. He seemed to know what they did, at least in his mind, but they made no sense to anyone else.
When tragedy struck on the night of the winter solstice of his 18th year, Parker faced losing the one thing he loved the most, the beautiful Lydia. Parker will stop at nothing to keep her safe, but time and evil men are set on drawing them apart. Several of the children who had been taunting him earlier on reported that when he inserted a key looking fob into the locket he simply vanished, a jeweled dagger at his side.
Transported to a world beyond his wildest dreams, it was time to confront a task that was more daunting than any he had endeavored in the past. For this time, there was a personal cog in the gears of this challenging quest. His locket contained the only picture of her, and he would find her no matter the cost.
He murmured, "My time
will come, they will see. No more will the children torment me, and no more will they see the light of day. Lydia, my dear sweet Lydia, I am coming."
Parker left his name behind that day, he is now Timekeeper.
Read more at Rebekah Dodson’s site.
Also by Rebekah Dodson
Realm of Elestra
Timekeeper
Clock City
The Curse of Lanval
Mirrors
The Curse of Lanval Series
Marie
Magic
Merlin
Magi
Watch for more at Rebekah Dodson’s site.
About the Author
Rebekah Dodson is a prolific word weaver of romance, fantasy, and science fiction novels. Her works include the series Postcards from Paris, The Surrogate, The Curse of Lanval series, several standalone novels, and her upcoming YA novel, Clock City. She has been writing her whole life, with her first published work of historical fiction with 4H Clubs of America at the age of 12, and poetry at the age of 16 with the National Poetry Society. With an extensive academic background including education, history, psychology and English, she currently works as a college professor by day and a writer by night. She resides in Southern Oregon with her husband, two teenagers, and three dogs.
Read more at Rebekah Dodson’s site.
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