Total pages in book: 208
Estimated words: 209645 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1048(@200wpm)___ 839(@250wpm)___ 699(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 209645 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1048(@200wpm)___ 839(@250wpm)___ 699(@300wpm)
“I haven’t offered it,” Johan spat Mars’s way.
“I have,” True said.
Now Johan was spitting at him, though doing it somewhat respectfully. “No offense, my prince, but it isn’t yours to offer.”
“Yes, it is,” True’s mother, Queen Mercy, put in blithely, pouring tea into Silence’s now lowered cup. “All lands of Wodell are property of the crown.” She set the teapot down and leveled her eyes on Johan. “When it comes down to it. Am I right, my king?”
“Right, right, indeed,” his father, King Wilmer, muttered before biting into a large cut of breakfast sausage.
Johan started to get red in the face.
“And I’m sure Johan, Vanka and all the tenants, farmers and staff of the Arbor would be honored to play host to the King of Firenze and his new queen, their very own Silence,” his mother carried on, sitting back, smiling a very small smile and aiming her gaze to Vanka. “Isn’t that so, Vanka?”
“Of course,” Vanka chirped nervously, her eyes darting to her husband.
“So that’s settled.” Mercy folded her hands in her lap. “Lovely.”
“Is this your wish, my Silence?” Mars murmured to his bride.
She tipped her head back and replied, “Your wish is my wish, my king.”
Something about her expression, her demeanor, her answer or all three caused Mars to appear impatient for a moment before he muttered, “Would that was so.”
Angry pink tinged Silence’s cheeks as she looked to the table.
“Ah, mia rosa. Amo così tanto il mia rosa,” Mars whispered, but did it loud enough for others to hear.
My pink. I so love my pink.
Upon hearing it, that pink got pinker and Silence became very busy with smoothing her napkin in her lap even if it appeared she’d finished eating.
Mars chuckled.
Silence’s head snapped up and she told the table at large. “Before the tent goes down, I’ll return. I didn’t sleep well last night and could do with a wee rest before we carry on with our journey.”
She started to get up.
“Excellent, I’ll join you,” Mars announced, also making a move to rise.
She sat back down. “On second thought, Aunt Mercy just poured tea. It’d be a shame to waste.”
She then reached to her tea.
Mars settled into his seat and chuckled again.
His cousin’s eyes shot to True.
He gave her what he hoped was an, I’m sorry, I can’t help you though still encouraging smile.
She turned her head to the side, a side where Mars was not, and sipped her tea, sharing she was not encouraged.
True sighed.
“Maybe, prior to us all being off, Farah, Silence and I can take a walk and have some Sisters of the Beast time before we separate,” Elena forged into the breach.
Ah, Elena.
She missed nothing.
And if she could do something to help, she would, which she clearly intended to do if the speculative way she was glancing at Silence was an indication.
“Elena and I are heading to The Enchantments,” Cassius told Mars.
“You are?” Melisse asked.
“We’re all going,” Jasmine put in. “Hera and I and Cassius’s guards.”
Melisse looked to Elena.
She then smiled.
“The Enchantments?” Gallienus queried with distaste.
“We have time now, and we might not prior to traveling to Sky Bay after True and Farah wed,” Cassius replied. “I wish to see the home of my betrothed and it will be good for her to have some time there.”
“Waste of time, Ophelia won’t let you in,” Gallienus returned.
“We shall see,” Cassis murmured, reaching to his coffee cup.
“You will, and what you’ll see is that woman not letting you in,” Gallienus retorted.
“You do remember I’m marrying her daughter,” Cassius asked with faux concern, as if his father might be growing addled.
“Don’t patronize me,” Gallienus spat. “And go,” he bid. “Embark on this futile journey. With my leave. I could use the break from you and,” his gaze went specifically to Elena and his supercilious tone turned cutting, “our vaulted company.”
While Gallienus spoke, Cassius took a drink of his coffee with his eyes over the rim aimed at his father before he lowered the cup, set it aside and turned to Elena.
He then drawled, “Ah, the joys you’ll know when you reach the Sky Citadel, my lamb. Family breakfasts just like this every day. And in the evenings, it’s all the better, for there are dozens of courtiers Father can choose from to be an arsehole to.”
Jasmine snorted.
Elena hissed, “Cassius,” but her lips were twitching.
Vanka gasped in affront at the cursing.
True’s mother sighed.
Farah made a noise of amusement and True squeezed her hand.
“Have you not gone yet?” Gallienus asked snidely.
Cassius’s attention swept back to his father and when it did, True braced to move, he sensed Mars bracing to move, and Cassius spoke.
“As you can see, we have not, old man, and if you speak in that manner to my future wife again, I’ll ascend the throne of Airen a far more direct way.”
Elena repeated, “Cassius,” but this time in a pacifying tone, her melodious voice wrapping around his name, making two syllables into a song.