Slamming the door closed, I flip the lock and undress before I fall back onto the bed. Staring at the ceiling, I can’t help my mind from wandering and when it does, as it has done over the past day, it makes its way to Sybilla.
My cock hardens the moment I think of her naked body open and waiting for me. She smiles at me, her voice a whisper in that odd accent of hers. Wrapping my hand around my cock, I jerk myself to memories of Sybilla’s body.
When I come, it’s with her name on my lips along with a curse, because I should not feel anything even remotely like I do for this woman.
Chapter Sixteen
SYBILLA
Two weeks.
That’s how long Elias has been gone. I don’t really count the first week though, since apparently, I spent the entirety of seven whole days in bed. I’m over that now, though something still aches inside of me each day that passes without Elias here.
I am finally starting to move around and explore the inside of the castle. Soon, I am hoping to venture outside, I can’t deny that I’m getting a little cabin fever.
Stepping into the dining room, I’m surprised to see not only Merek, but Rowan, Henry, Aleida, Godiva, and Cornwall seated at the table. They all stand as I enter the room and I shake my head at their formality as I make my way toward my seat.
Merek immediately stands, pulling my chair out, then guides it beneath me and pushes me in against the table.
Turning my head, I look back at him with a smile. “Thank you, Merek.”
He dips his chin, his lips twitching with a wink before he heads toward his seat. I’m acutely aware of everyone’s eyes on me, watching the exchange, but I don’t pay them any attention.
I like Merek. Sure, he’s kind of uptight and growls at me sometimes, but in general, I like him. He got me out of bed, out of my funk. Then there’s just the way that he truly loves Elias, I like that he has that inside of him.
Reaching for a bowl of what I now know is some kind of vanilla yogurt, I scoop some out and put it in my bowl. Reaching for the fruit, I grab a few blackberries and raspberries before I sprinkle some oats on top. Then I reach for the honey and drizzle it all over.
I’m aware of the people watching me, probably in disgust, but I don’t care. They’re all eating their weight in bacon, biscuits, eggs, and ham slices. Which, I love, but I’m trying to keep my weight under control since it seems that women don’t really exercise here.
I’ve decided to start walking, I don’t care where, but I’m going to at least get some cardio in by walking around the castle grounds. Then, when I’m all alone in my room, I’m going to try to do some yoga. Though I’m sure I’ll fuck it all up, because I can’t remember the last time that I actually attempted a downward dog.
I mean, even though they would probably lock me away for being crazy if I did it in front of everyone, what they don’t know won’t hurt them and I need to stay fit, for myself at least.
“Cornwall,” I call out, turning my head slightly to look over at him. He’s got a biscuit held up to his lips, it’s smothered in butter and jam and looks mouthwatering. His eyes widen and I shake my head once. “I would like to start going over whatever my duties are with you. Elias and Merek both mentioned that you no doubt had things for me to do.”
Cornwall, his food still suspended in the air, nods. “Yes, Your Highness, I do.”
Smiling, I reach for the small goblet of juice in front of me. “Then after breakfast, we’ll meet and discuss these things.”
He nods, his eyes widening. “Yes, Your Highness.”
Turning to Aleida, I bite the corner of my lip, my eyes searching her as she watches me. “May I also have a private meeting with both you and Godiva?” I ask, my eyes flicking between one and then the other.
I hear Rowan clear his throat in the background. “You may not be alone, Your Highness, King Elias’ orders,” he growls.
Shifting my gaze to meet his, I give him a small smile. “You can be on the other side of the door. It’s a private matter, a female one,” I whisper.
His eyes bug out, and he shifts uncomfortably in his seat, the way that I knew that he would. It seems men are men, no matter where they live, no matter how badass they are. The mere mention of female matters makes them squirm. Good to know, I may need to use it on Elias if he ever returns.
The rest of breakfast goes quickly, yet quietly. Cornwall clears his throat when we’re all finishing.
“Would you like to discuss your duties in the chancery?” he asks.
Nodding, I agree, then turn to the witches. “I will send one of my girls to collect you when I’m ready and we’ll discuss things in my chamber receiving room.”
They both smile as they dip their chins, but don’t actually say anything. Standing, I turn toward Cornwall and follow behind him, Rowan and Henry bringing up the rear as they have been for the past week.
Rowan and Henry slip into the chancery behind me, closing the door behind themselves. Cornwall walks straight over to the desk and sinks down in the thick large leather chair.
I remember seeing Elias in that same chair, but it didn’t swallow him the way that it does Cornwall. My heart clenches at the thought of Elias, though I don’t know why, since I can’t seem to keep my mind off of him. He’s constantly in my thoughts, every minute of every waking hour.
“Your duties as queen aren’t too taxing, Your Highness,” Cornwall begins, obviously not one for chitchat.
Walking over to a chair, I sink down, sitting on the edge, crossing my ankles beneath me. I smooth down my deep burgundy velvet dress. It’s too tight, just like all the others, and Jasmine has informed me that I need to have the royal dressmaker over to measure me.
Apparently, he was supposed to do this weeks ago, but hasn’t yet, mainly because I’ve been dragging my feet. I haven’t felt like it, not wanting Elias to spend any money on me, but maybe it’s time to do just that.
“Some queens prefer to take over public duties while their kings are away, you needn’t do that, as King Elias has already appointed Merek to that particular duty. There are orphanages that you could visit, sick, and elderly. You could do a variety of things. Some queens have talents for healing, it truly is up to you to do as you wish, Your Majesty.”
Pressing my lips together, I shift my gaze to the window. My heart races, unsure of what I can do. Out of those things mentioned, visiting people is the only thing that is slightly appealing, but even then, I am not really part of this world. I don’t know their traditions, hell, I don’t even know what half of their words mean.
“Cornwall,” Merek’s voice rumbles.
Both Cornwall and I jerk, my lips part slightly. I hadn’t even heard him walk into the room. Looking back at him, I watch as he makes his way from the door over to the desk.
“Why don’t you ask Her Majesty what types of things she enjoyed in her previous country?”
Cornwall nods his head, then turns to me and asks, repeating Merek’s words verbatim, what I liked doing in my world. I stare at him, blankly. Frowning, I look down at my lap, then lift my gaze back up to him.
Shifting my eyes between Merek and Cornwall, I try to think about how I’m going to tell them how absolutely boring my life was. Clearing my throat, I close my eyes for a moment and think back to just a few weeks ago when I was living in Portland.
Thoughts of Drusilla enter my mind and I smile. “I called my sisters sporadically to check on them. We all live spread out from one another. Drusilla is the closest to my age, and we talked often. Other than that, my boyfriend had just left me the year before and I lived alone in an apartment. I went to work, came home, and that was my life.”
Merek blinks, Cornwall shifts in his seat. “I know not of what all that means, but I can assure you that you won’t be doing any of those things while you are Queen of Bunafi,” Merek snaps.
“Doing what? Working?”
“Talking to your sisters, working, or taking a lover,” he growls.
My entire body
jerks back as though he’s hit me. It feels like he has, his words are like a physical blow. The thought of taking a lover makes me feel ill, but that isn’t what makes my entire body ache as though he’s just hit me.
Not talking to my sisters, ever.
I think about the prophecy. Then it hits me. It slams into me.
“I’m under guard so that I don’t come into contact with my sisters. You guys really think that something bad is going to happen if we’re together?” I whisper.
Merek doesn’t even flinch. His gaze is focused on me and nowhere else. Cornwall shifts in his seat. Rowan and Henry shift behind me, no doubt to guard the door so that I can’t run the fuck out of here.
I’m not going anywhere. I’m not even going to try. It’s pointless. These dudes are far bigger than me and I don’t even know where I would go at this point. I honestly don’t think that I would survive out in the glittery snow.
“We know not, therefore we are not willing to take the chance. So, you must think of something to occupy your time, Queen Sybilla,” Merek murmurs, his deep voice rumbling throughout the room.
Shaking my head, I close my eyes for a moment. “I don’t know. I’m not good at anything,” I breathe.
“What did you do for work? Were you a bar wench?” Cornwall asks.
I blink at his obvious disgust over the thought of me being a bar wench, whatever the fuck that is. All I can do is picture a woman in German lederhosen with a beer stein in each hand and double Dutch braids.
Narrowing my eyes at him, I hear Merek chuckling beneath his breath as if this is the funniest conversation he’s ever heard in his life. “I wasn’t that, whatever that is. I worked in an office, I was an escrow assistant,” I grind out.
They both stare at me as if I started speaking another language. Rowan and Henry clear their throats behind me, but these assholes just stare. Rolling my eyes, I let out a heavy sigh.
“I worked in an office, I assisted people who were purchasing a home. I helped with the paperwork.”
They continue to stare, Merek actually frowns then tilts his head to the side as he tries to figure me out.
I let out a sigh. “Do you people not purchase your houses here?”
Merek smirks. “If you’re in the good graces of the King or related to royalty, you’ll be given a small castle and land. If you’re a servant, you most likely live where you serve, or in a small cottage with your family.”
“How do people get small cottages?” I ask.
Cornwall clears his throat. “They build them, or they’re passed down from your family who built them, Your Highness,” he explains.
Shaking my head, I let out an exhale. “Well, where I’m from, people purchase homes with money they earn from their jobs. There are no kings in my country,” I attempt to explain, although I do it extremely poorly judging by the looks of confusion on their faces.
“So, you were a servant in your world then, you assisted others?” Cornwall asks.
Pressing my lips together, I breathe through my nose and realize that I was exactly what he claims, at least by his definition of the word. “I guess so,” I mutter.
“Perhaps you can visit children? Do you like children? It would look favorable for the new Queen of Bunafi to get to know her subjects and children are easily won over,” Merek suggests.
“Are you saying that I couldn’t win over an adult?” I ask, crossing my arms over my chest with a huff.
He grins, leaning back against the edge of the desk with a shake of his head. “I fear that you could easily win over the most cantankerous man on this earth, Your Highness, but shall we start with the wee ones? Some of them have not felt the touch of sweetness from the likes of you ever in their lives.”
His words make my heart leap. They’re sweet. Too sweet. I’m sure he’s manipulating me somehow, but I find that I don’t mind it too awfully much. I could use some softness delivered to me, considering I’m still reeling from waking up here each day and not in my apartment.
“Though,” he begins and judging by the way his eyes are dancing I know I’m not going to like what he says next. “Perhaps you’ll wait until the dressmaker comes ‘round and fits you properly. I’m thinking the old and the young will enjoy all of your charms a bit too much.”
My eyes widen and my lips part in surprise. “Merek,” I hiss as I hear Rowan and Henry guffaw behind me. Cornwall lowers his head, no doubt almost as mortified as I am.
Merek simply stands straight and makes his way over to me, his voice dipping just low enough that nobody else in the room can hear.
“Though I will not object if the damned dressmaker never comes ‘round. I find that I quite enjoy everything that you have to offer, Sybilla.”
Without another word, he saunters off, and I can do nothing but watch his retreating form and wonder how he made those words sound so sexy, as if I were inviting him to look at me. I inhale a shaky breath wondering why I’m not offended by his words, instead, I’m wrongly turned on.
ELIAS
The celibate’s eyes round when I tell them the story of Sybilla, the prophecy that the witches explained to the best of their ability and the fact that they do not sense any magic within her, which goes against the prophecy.
Clearing his throat, the man in charge dips his chin. “Follow me to the library,” he announces.
I stand, following behind him. Asher, Frederick, Lief and the rest of the celibates do not follow. It is clear that they are not invited. I expect to be taken to the main building, but instead, I’m led toward the edge of the property. There is a large wooden door flush with the ground.
“This is what is left of the original building, before the war one hundred years ago destroyed it and we were forced to rebuild. The basement stands, as do all of the ancient scrolls. We decided that they were safer down here, so it was decreed upon a hundred years ago to keep them hidden and safe beneath the earth’s surface,” he explains as he unlocks the heavy lock and chain before he tugs the doors open.
Behind him, I walk down the stone steps, stopping every few feet for him to light the lanterns that line the wall. When we finally make it to the basement floor, my eyes widen in surprise at the scrolls and books that line the walls. They’re all neatly tucked away, categorized I’m sure, but artfully displayed at the same time.
“What we’re looking for will be in the back, sire,” he murmurs as he turns toward the back corner and practically runs. “Now, I haven’t personally done much research on this subject, but in our teachings, we are often warned that it could happen in our lifetime, that the prophecy could come to fruition. I cannot exclaim how excited and honored by the gods I feel that it is coming to fruition during my reign here.”
I grunt, unable to share in his enthusiasm. Where he’s excited, I’m worried for my country, for my people, but also selfishly for myself. I have finally found someone that I feel could complete me in all the ways that I need and if this prophecy is fulfilled, it could be the end of that for me.
My stomach twists at the thought of not having her in my bed, of not having her as my own. It physically causes me to feel ill, in a way that I have never experienced before. Nay, I cannot lose her, not my Sybilla.
“What do you know?” I rumble.
The celibate nods then walks over to a table with a scroll in his hand. I watch as he carefully straightens the document out, clearing his throat as he reads the words to me. They are almost verbatim what the witch said, which makes my heart sink.
“Is there not more? The witch said much of the same.”
He lifts his gaze to me and grins. “There is, sire. It says here. Four sisters will be the most powerful creatures in this world. It is not known if this will be used for good or evil.
“The future is uncertain and unknown if these sisters gather together in our world.
“The four sisters’ hearts determine how their power will unfold on this earth. The love of their warriors also plays a part in the way their powers are wielded.
True, pure love meant to last a lifetime always prevails over the Earth’s evildoings.
“Their children, created in this love between the sister and her warrior, will become rulers of a new generation beyond compare. The sister and her warrior will have many obstacles to fight, inward and out, to bring these children to adulthood, but when they do, the world will celebrate and prosper under their strength and guidance.”
“So, the sisters should find one another? I shouldn’t keep the queen from her siblings?” I ask.
The celibate shrugs a shoulder, his eyes lifting to find mine. “Their hearts determine the power, Your Highness. As does the love that they find. If they do not find their true love, their power could be harmful.”
“How do I know for certain if they’ve found a true love? If I am Sybilla’s?” I demand with a growl.
“Trust and faith in the gods, Your Highness. There is no way to know if someone has found pure and true love. You must have faith in the gods and your queen.”
“This was useless,” I shout, turning my back to him.
The celibate clears his throat. “Do you trust her, Your Majesty?” he asks. “Would part of you die without her? Or is she dispensable?”
Turning to him, I look back from over my shoulder. “I ache being this far from her. Though, I do not know what that means.”
“Time, Your Highness. You must have time with her, to know her heart and to allow her to know yours for there can be no true love, deep down pure love, if you do not know one another’s true hearts.”
I let out a grunt, though I know that he must be correct in his words. My father knew no love, he only desired self-gratification. My mother loved me purely, and I have loved nobody since I lost her.
“Let us rest, feast and talk. The others may have advice as well, but as far as the prophecy goes, that is all that I know, Your Highness.”
I take a step, then pause before I swing around to look at him. “What about this other world? Do you know anything about it, at all?”
Bride of the Traitor: A Prophecy of Sisters Novel Page 13
