Total pages in book: 182
Estimated words: 171176 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 856(@200wpm)___ 685(@250wpm)___ 571(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 171176 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 856(@200wpm)___ 685(@250wpm)___ 571(@300wpm)
I bit my lip. “Really fucking good.”
“Fucking A.” He bumped my shoulder with his.
“I want to be trained.”
“I would, too.”
“It sounded like I’d have to go there to get trained, though. I’d be high status and have a bunch of gold and be in their court.”
“Sounds like a dream come true.”
“It does.” I chewed my fingernail. “My job would be to emote. Making drugs would become a hobby.”
“Fun hobby.”
I squinted as I looked off to the right, to the sun blaring through the tops of trees. “She didn’t say it outright, but she did give an example of an Emoter encouraging an enemy to divulge information.”
“That would be useful.”
I continued to chew my nail, not really liking the sound of messing with people in that way. “She said she’d bring in a pack to train me as a shifter.”
This time he didn’t respond immediately. When he did, I could only describe it as careful. “I don’t know if that setup would fit your needs for a pack, but I could be wrong.”
“I don’t even know what my needs for a pack are. I still haven’t experienced one.”
“Maybe you should.”
“I don’t want to step on any toes or mess up what’s already established.”
He looked at me. “I get that, Aurelia. I really do. But you need to make an informed decision. You’ve been solitary all your life. You’ve existed without a pack bond. You know what that is like. Now you need to know what it is like to have one. If the desire to live with the fairies is more appealing than a pack bond, well . . .”
“Yeah,” I said softly. “She said Weston could go. That he’d be an alpha there.”
“Did you talk to him about it?”
“Not yet.” I remembered Finley saying that he would stand beside me. “Calia said that here I would be kind of alone. The royals are a step above and don’t really make friends below them, and I know Weston stays removed from the pack socially. She said she and I could be friends, since we’d be of similar status. Is that true about the people here?”
He adjusted in his seat, getting a little more comfortable. “Truthfully, I don’t know. I can see your being friends with Finley behind closed doors. She wasn’t brought up a royal, and she chooses when to follow those rules. I know Weston has a beer with them on occasion. I think Calia might’ve been painting a picture that’s a little too black and white. But if you were to take a beta position, if that is something you’re able to do, I know it’ll get a lot more complicated with those below you. Weston stays removed for a reason. Whether you will have to do that as well, I don’t know. He was raised and trained for the position he is in. You were not. That might make a difference with how each of you sees things.”
He turned his head, meeting my eyes.
“What about you?” I asked quietly. “What about Hadriel?”
His answering smile filled me with relief. “We aren’t the type to follow rules or give a shit about status. You don’t need to worry about our friendship going to shit, Captive Lady. We’re with you to the end.”
I returned his smile and then went back to watching the trees sway in the wind. We didn’t talk about it anymore, and when the light started to drain from the sky, I made my way to my room only to find Hadriel already there.
“Hey,” I said as he and Leala looked up from the table.
“Hello, miss.” Leala stood. “We got a note from the royals. They asked if you’d like to dine with them this evening.”
More fireworks went off in my belly as I remembered what Finley had said: she wouldn’t kill me, but I might need to leave to avoid a political mess. Would the royals of this court make an offer like Calia did? Or would they want to punish me for entertaining Calia’s offer behind their backs?
Before I knew it, it was nearly time for dinner. I looked out the sliding glass door at the fading light. The first of the emberflies were making their way closer.
I summoned my courage. Suddenly I wanted to escape right now.
I finished off my daily journal entry in silence and then organized the notes I’d taken that day to make things more concise, noting I’d need to hit the library for a map. Then I made some food. The dish was fairly simple—roasted chicken and vegetables—but I worked with the spices, new and old, to see if I could make it more interesting somehow. Once it was done, I left it in the oven to keep warm for Hadriel or whoever barged in here with an appetite.
A short time later, Leala popped her head in the room and said, “Ready?” I’d put on plain black clothes—no dicks—and put my hair up, then added a touch of makeup.