Flames of Auriel (A Caeles Adventure Book 1) (18 page)

Marie glared at Olivia’s back at the dining table. “Do not believe anything that ninny says. She doesn’t know what she is talking about.” She grabbed her son’s arm and led him toward the dance floor. “What you need to do is dance with some of the ladies who have been gracious enough to come. Leave hopeless romantic antics for later.”

Asher scowled, he was not getting anywhere with her. It seemed like he was just going to have to take matters into his own hands. He held his hands up in mock defeat and turned pleading eyes to his mother.

“What if I dance with the main candidates you had in mind, then can I leave?”

Queen Marie forced back her squeal of delight and grabbed her son into a backbreaking embrace. “Yes, yes. That would make me happy indeed.” She swept her gaze across the ballroom in search of the ladies she wanted him to get to know better.

He definitely had to dance with Amelia, her father’s money would be quite useful to them. Even if Olivia was related to them, she would have been a no way in hell. The Sabbathian girl could be a problem as a daughter in law but her family was good at keeping out of war, so he should at least get to know her better. The Princess of Azra was too depressing for her tastes, plus their patron, Azrael, tended to take their first born at a young age. Princess Mia from the Labbius Isles would be very useful if they ended up going to war. They were very calm in the face of conflict, plus she had such a lovely personality, light and refreshing.

Satisfied with her choices, Marie pushed Asher toward the first candidate and gestured to the musicians to play a slower song. She was sure that he would find one of them to take his mind off Zoe. If not, she would scour Caeles until she found them.

***

Asher threw himself down on his duvet, his weary eyes focused on the canopy of his bed. Tonight had ended up being exactly the way he had thought. He had not been able to get away from the ball as soon as he had liked. Instead, he had spent the last couple of hours getting to know all of his mother’s favorites, which unfortunately included Genevieve.

The moment the blonde princess had been placed into his arms, she had plastered herself as close as propriety would allow. His ears still burned from her words that were meant to seduce and tempt him. In any normal circumstance he would have been easily swayed into a dark corridor by her, but his heart would not let him consider it.

Asher cursed the conniving woman. Somehow she had managed to convince him into taking her to the festival in Gavinston this weekend. The large town was only an hour ride by horseback but she would likely want a carriage and everything, which would add at least an hour to their trip.

He wondered if she would let him ride his horse instead of sitting in the carriage with her. He shuddered at the thought of being stuck in such a contained area with her. It was not a safe place to be. He had no doubt she would try to use this opportunity to come on to him.

At least the festival should prove entertaining. He was not sure who was supposed to be performing but a small part of him hoped that Joe would be there. It had only been a few days but he missed her already. He wanted to confirm his previous suspicions about her similarity to the Aurelian royals. From what he had seen of her on stage and off, he suspected her fragile exterior was just a front for a more abrasive personality. If she was a relative of the Aurelians, she would no doubt hold the same short fuse for which they were famous.

Asher chuckled and placed his hands behind his head. He was sure to find out this weekend if she was anything like his beloved. Zoe could not stand the Sabbathian Princess any more than he did. On several occasions, she threatened bodily harm on Genevieve and her snide backward compliments. Asher looked forward to see Joe’s reaction to Genevieve. This weekend had just started to look up for him.

Garrett shoved his hood off of his head as he approached the gates of Aurelius. He suppressed a shiver as the cold chill snuck in under the neck of his clothes. He glanced to the man riding alongside him, admiration clear in his eyes.

His brother, Sir Geoffrey Fairemane, sat on his horse, back stiff and eyes focused on the wall before them. Geoffrey’s hair was a shade darker than his, and though he was revered by many, he sometimes had a hollowness to his eyes that Garrett had never been able to figure out. However, for all of his accomplishments, at the age of thirty, he still had not settled down and found himself a wife. Garrett snapped out of his thoughts at the sound of his brother’s heavy brogue.

“Don’t worry about things on this side, I will take care of that. You just focus on getting our princess back safely.”

Garrett snorted, “Like that will be easy. She doesn’t exactly blend in, you know.”

Geoffrey glanced over at his brother, eyebrows lifted. “I thought you said she was living as a gypsy?”

The young lad scratched the back of his head with a sheepish grin. “Well, yes. But even as a gypsy entertainer, she still draws all eyes to her. I don’t think we’ll be able to get her through the gate completely unnoticed.”

“Have a talk with the guards before you make your way back to the princess.” He gestured a hand toward the guards patrolling the gate. “Maxwell of Eyren is currently stationed there.”

Garrett’s eyes light up at the man’s name. “Max! What is he doing there? I thought he was still stationed on the north wall by Azra?”

“After Armanel took the throne he had many of our men moved to the west and south walls.” Geoffrey crossed his arms and looked over at his brother. “I can understand upping the defenses on the Camel border, but tell me Garrett, why do you think our new sovereign is worried about an invasion from our friends in Aldabel? Queen Marie is not one to attack without provocation.”

“Unless he is expecting repercussions for something.”

“Exactly.”

“So Max will help me get back through the border with the princess in tow? How do you know he is still loyal to Zoe and not to her uncle?”

Geoffrey looked at Garrett as if he had just asked him why the sky was blue. “One thing Zoe’s uncle did miscalculate was how many of our soldiers are still enamored with our princess, many of whom were stationed at this very border.”

The thought of others being infatuated by Zoe caused a frown to form on Garrett’s face. He honestly was not surprised that others had fallen in love with their fiery princess, just like him. Garrett could not help the distressed sound that came from the back of his throat at the thought of Zoe and his recent argument back at camp. Would she still feel the same way?

“You aren’t still pining after her, are you?”

Garrett avoided his brother’s inquisitive gaze by pretending to be studying the landscape around them. He never was good at hiding what he was feeling when it came to his older sibling. The damn man was too observant for his own good. Garrett flinched when Geoffrey chuckled and smacked him on the back.

“Come now, brother. There are plenty of other women you could be bedding by now. You were supposed to take your time as her bodyguard to get out all your lingering fantasies and move on. Not become another one of her wretched followers.”

The younger man growled and jerked away from his brother’s grasp. “I’m not some pathetic sap, pining after something he can’t have. She loves me. She said so herself.”

“Yes, but does she love her kingdom more? She is already betrothed to Prince Asher, and if you ask me those two hot heads were made for each other.”

“She is not made for that sorry excuse for a prince. He wouldn’t know perfection if it bit him in his royal ass.” Garrett crossed his arms and glowered at his brother. He could not believe him. Made for each other? Ha!

The knight eyes turned sad, he knew exactly how he felt. Geoffrey had loved a woman once that was not his to take. He only hoped his brother could get over her and move on before it destroyed any chance he had of loving another.

“Either way. She has a duty to her crown and her people.”

“He doesn’t deserve her.”

“Deserving or not, an alliance between them is what both of our kingdoms need.” Geoffrey turned his horse away from the gate and glanced back at his brother once more. “Take it from me, Garrett, forget her and move on. You will be better for it. Auriel guide you.”

“And you brother.”

Garrett watched his brother gallop back toward the south border, his thoughts grim from the old man’s words. His head told him that life would be simpler if he could love someone more available, but his heart was having a hard time being convinced otherwise. A life without Zoe would be a dull life indeed.

Eyes settled back on the gate before him, Garrett resigned to figure it out as he went. In the end, it would be her decision and there was nothing he could do about it. However, first he had to find Max to get their plan in motion.

“Come on, boy. No time to lose.” The young guard patted his horse before he nudged him forward toward the guarded gateway before them.

***

“Do you think the angels really look down on us from up there? Or are we really just on our own? Like are all the stories really true? I mean they can’t all be, right?”

Zoe squinted at Rebekah’s sprawled out form next to her on the camp’s dirt floor. “Well, that is really up to you, I suppose.” Zoe sat up and gazed up to the night sky. “If you want them to be in your life then they will. If not – well would you go somewhere you’re not wanted?”

Rebekah frowned up at the stars, “I guess not, but if they aren’t watching us how do they know what is going on? Like, what if we change our minds, how do they know? Are they like God and can be everywhere at once?”

Zoe shrugged at the younger girl’s questions. “Who knows, but I would think that God would be able to tell and let them know. They’re his servants after all, we just have to have faith that they are taking care of us.” She laid back down on her pile of bedding and sighed. “I’m not so sure about anything anymore, not since….”

She trailed off letting her thoughts wander to the family she had lost. The pain of their deaths still pierced her chest and made it hard to breathe in moments like these. She was not the one to be asked about anything to do with the Celestial beings.

Zoe had not stepped into a temple since her mother died. The white marble temple that was more often than not filled with the sounds of the priestesses’ hymns had always been one of her mother’s favorite places. Now the thought of entering such a place left a bad taste in Zoe’s mouth. There was just too many things she was afraid she would say to anger their patron if she had the chance to talk to him.

“I know what you mean.”

Zoe eyed her companion and the hand she had placed on her shoulder. Rebekah’s eyes mirrored what she was sure was the same fear and sorrow that was in her own eyes. The princess tried to give her a little smile to encourage her.

“When my parents died I blamed our patrons for not saving them. I lashed out at everyone who tried to help me. Sometimes life isn’t fair –” Rebekah laughed a little and pushed Zoe’s shoulder. “– but look at you. All honor bound and determined to save your kingdom. Though, if I had been you, I would have stayed dead and ran off with that delicious guard of yours. You’re an angel to me if any exist.”

Zoe frowned at Rebekah’s comparison. She did not feel much like a celestial being, she felt like her insides were trying to tear their way out of her body at any moment. She ached for her family, but she also mourned for the loss of her easy friendship with Garrett.

Zoe knew they would never be the way they were before, like Garrett wanted. The princess could only hope that one day they could be some semblance of friends again. Until then, the only thing she had to look forward to was an infuriating man that may or may not love her in return. Zoe turned her attention back to the girl beside her.

“I think you need to rethink your definition of what an angel actually is, Becks.” Zoe smirked at the young girl’s huff. “And don’t let your uncle hear you talk like that, he’d have you on dish duty for a week. We still have a show to perform tomorrow and I need my assistant, otherwise I’m just a pretty face throwing daggers at a blank board. Do you think anyone would pay to see that?”

Rebekah giggled at the image, “Maybe if you were naked.”

Zoe mocked surprised, sat up and smacked Rebekah on the arm, “You should not be thinking such things at your age!”

Rebekah stood up and placed her hands on her hips. “I’ll have you know, I am in my best childbearing years. In any other family I would be married with six babies by now. I have every right to think how I want.”

“Six you say? Have you even started bleeding yet? You do know one child takes nine months to grow, right?” Zoe laughed at the girls widened eyes.

“You lie!” Rebekah moaned and threw herself back on her mat. “They do not take that long, do they?” When Zoe nodded her head, she kicked her feet against the ground and closed her eyes. “I’m never getting pregnant. Who wants to be fat for that long?”

Zoe settled herself next to Rebekah, a mischievous glint in her eyes, “Even if it was Garrett’s?”

“Hmm, maybe not him.” Zoe let a giggle escape at the pout in the young girl’s voice. “Do you think Garrett wants many babies? Cause I would be alright doing it once, but more than that….I don’t know.”

Zoe pretended to think on it for a moment, “Garrett is very family oriented, I would imagine he would want as many as he could get.”

“Do you think he would wait a little while at least? I mean I haven’t even grown much breast yet! I’d like to have a womanly figure for a while, before it gets destroyed by a baby.” Rebekah shuddered, the thought of being fat did not appeal to her at all.

“I’m sure Garrett would wait for you to get older. I wouldn’t imagine him wanting a little brat like you.” Zoe laughed when Rebekah stuck her tongue out at her. “Wait a few years until you have matured a bit and then worry about it. You want to get to know him first anyway. Not everything is about looks, you know.”

Rebekah’s eyes glazed over at the thought of Garrett. “It is with Garrett. He’s perfect. He is Michael, Gabriel, and Lucifer all rolled into one. He is one man I would follow him down from heaven any day.”

Zoe chuckled and rolled over to look at the girl, “He snores.”

Rebekah sniffed, “So does Uncle Dolph and I still love him.”

“He has a brother complex.”

The girl crossed her arms, “It’s good he loves his brother. I love mine.”

Zoe sighed at the girl’s persistent face. “It seems there’s no stopping you, is there?”

She felt bad for the girl in all honesty. Zoe knew what it was like to want someone who did not want you back and she did not want that for Rebekah. Garrett would never hurt the young girl intentionally but they did have a few years between them. She could not imagine he would get over her quickly and once Rebekah figured out he was still in love with her it would devastate the girl. Zoe just hoped she could convince her to not be in such a rush to claim her angel.

Zoe rolled back onto her back, her eyes still on the girl when she spoke. “Well, I guess I have no other choice but to demand him to marry you at once.”

Rebekah’s eyes brightened, “Really?”

“Yes, then you’ll move to Aurelius and live with his family. His mother, Sara, she’s a nice enough woman but his father is a little demanding. He thinks you have to be perfect at everything. That’s probably why Garrett admires his brother so much.”

The gypsy’s silence made Zoe explain further. “Geoffrey is actually the more attractive of the sons of Fairemane and he’s the first in line to the Marquee name.”

“So?”

“He’s also well accomplished, already a knight and everything. Garrett absolutely adores him. Are you sure you don’t want to marry him instead? He has his own manor, though he is quite a bit older than you.”

“No way! Garrett is the only one for me!”

Zoe smiled at Rebekah’s quick response. At least she was not flighty with her affections. If Rebekah could just reign in her expectations of Zoe’s friend, she might have a chance after all.

“You know, you might not see your family or friends for a while. I mean, they move around a lot. Oh, and I hope you like the cold because I can tell you up in the mountains –” She rubbed her hands over her arms and faked a shiver. “– it can get pretty cold if you’re not used to it.”

Zoe was about to tell her about all the other things that were expected of a girl as a wife in Aurelius when Rebekah covered her mouth with her hands. The princess smiled to herself at the panicked look on the gypsy girl’s face. Finally.

“Alright, alright. I get it. I’m not ready to be a wife and leave everything for a man. He’s a delicious piece of man pie but I’m not sure he’s worth all that.” Rebekah tapped a finger on her chin.

“At least not until we’ve gotten to know each other better. Like you said, there is more to a marriage than looks.” Satisfied with her plan, Rebekah laid down next to Zoe for the night. “Do you think you and the prince will ever get married?”

Auriel help her but she did not know. Zoe could not see it happening right now, not with her kingdom in the hands of Armanel. After everything that had happened, Asher might not even be available when she was actually able to marry him.