The Beginning of Everything by Kristen Ashley Page 0,120
do anything for her Lorenz and for her realm.
Further, he was most enjoyable.
But now, her chest burned.
Her head felt too full.
And she knew her husband’s did the same.
Even feeling thus, she stroked her plaything’s silky, golden hair, beheld his face, soft and handsome in sleep, and only when she knew his sleep was deep, did she get off the bed and move from the room.
Her husband was busy at the palace.
But he would come at her call.
Then he would take her violently so she could expend some of her wrath (and titillation at what she’d just witnessed).
After that, he would listen to her words.
And she felt certain he would agree.
Persephone had her own pursuits.
As did Saturn and Faunus.
But this one would give up his white robes.
Because this one, they’d be keeping.
30
The Snoop
Lady Silence Mattson
Second Floor, East Corridor, Catrame Palace, Fire City
FIRENZE
I rushed down the corridor, clutching my dressing gown around me over Jasmine’s body stocking.
The fitting was complete for my wedding gown and I was delighted with the results. There were some last touches, but Mars’s servants were clearly honored to help Tril with such an important project for their beloved king and future queen. They had the rest of the day and most of the morrow, and there were many of them, thus I knew it would be completed in time.
And it would be perfect.
I could not wait to see its final incarnation.
More, considering his reaction to my red dress, I could not wait to be wearing it when Mars saw it.
For now, I could not wait for something else.
This being bathing in the pool in the garden with Farah and Ha-Lah.
Elena, Hera and Jasmine said they’d meet us there later. And my future mother-in-law said she would try to join us, but with the wedding preparations and all the guests that were arriving, she was quite busy, so this might be unlikely.
Sofia had begged off, saying that she wished to give us younger girls time together without an old fuddy-duddy around (though she didn’t use the word “fuddy-duddy”).
I didn’t agree with this. She was welcome with us anytime. But with her manner, which was growing more morose as time went by and Elpis remained remote, I did not say anything.
I could do naught about that.
But it made me sad.
I had my wedding gown on my mind, Mars’s reaction to it, my impending nuptials on the whole and a lovely afternoon in the pool under the sun with my new friends as I dashed down the corridor, so I was not thinking of aught else when, outside my king and queen’s bedchamber, I heard:
“It cannot be countenanced. Your son commits treason.”
And this was said by Carrington, my uncle’s counsellor.
Hearing these words, words I assumed were said about True, words that could in no way be correct, in extreme shock and complete dismay, I instantly drew my shadow over me and moved to the wall so no one who might be coming or going would run into me.
It was then I realized what I’d done, right in the middle of the corridor, and my gaze darted to the end, where there was often a servant boy (or two) to attend to the guests of the palace.
And guests at the palace were growing in number. Those personages of import in Firenze were arriving to attend the marriage ceremony of the king, something which would happen tomorrow, early evening. They would also present their wedding gifts to their king (and me, their future queen) tomorrow morning.
Indeed, we were to dine with some of them that night.
Which I hoped meant Mars would not be in meetings. Something like that would be much easier to do at his side.
There was a boy there, though he was bent over, tying the strap on his sandal, so he did not see me shadow myself.
I glanced to the other end of the hall and saw no servant.
I heaved a sigh of relief but choked on it when Carrington carried on, “If Cassius is allowed to usurp his father’s throne, do not think, my king, that True won’t get the same ideas.”
Cassius usurped Gallienus’s throne?
When did that happen?
How did that happen?
I kept my gaze on the servant as he straightened, pleased to see he was looking down the corridor, but it was clear he didn’t see me.
My shadow was not faulty as it had been last night.
Perhaps it was my agitation at getting caught in Mars’s rooms that had led to it abandoning me.