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Sneak Peek for book two: Rise of the cardinal
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Flight of the cardinal Chapter 1
I heard the jingle of the keys before my bedroom door unlocked. This only meant that my workday was starting. The hauntingly black figure of the head maid appeared in the still black shadows of early morning and threw a burnt piece of bread at my feet, which would serve as breakfast. The maids’ and servants’ corners were in the north wing of High Hill Estate. The estate currently housed Duke Kestrel and his family. After the uprising, ten years prior, they were moved here to oversee governing the capital of Airedah—Seagull’s Bay. I grabbed the bread quickly before rats could spot it and immediately ate it to satisfy the rumbling in my belly. I would later have any leftover scraps from the duke’s breakfast. My day started around four in the morning, so this little piece of bread would have to carry me until then. I tried to savour it, but my hunger compelled me to shove it in my mouth and eat it promptly. I snatched my black maid’s garment from the small wooden peg near my bed and
Flight of the cardinal Chapter 2
A door at the far end of the corridor creaked. I took that as my cue to resume my work. I hadn’t started on anything essential, and there was much to do.Peering under my bonnet, I saw Maud coming out of what I assumed was one of the guest rooms. She took one look at me and quickly dashed around the corner.I thought her reaction was strange, but I was also jumpy from being on this floor.The sudden heat behind my back, and the hot whisper close to my right ear, surprised me.“You’re a curious one, aren’t you?” The voice was husky but also made me shiver in all the right places.I hurriedly turned around and was face to face with the half-naked man. I understood why Maud had left in a hurry. I bowed my head and tried to touch my back to the wall but couldn’t find it.The man stepped toward me, and I kept striding back while extending my arm behind me in the hope of finally touching the damn wall.“Did you see anything interesting?” The man asked interestedly.“No, my… lord?” I had sa
Flight of the cardinal Chapter 3
I bolted towards the servant’s stairs hidden behind the painting and almost hit Maud. She had a fear-stricken face, but her gaze softened a bit upon seeing me. Was she waiting for me to return? “A-are you okay?” She asked, skittish. Her eyes looked up and down to see if I was well. I also saw her glance at my back to see if someone was following me. I grabbed her black sleeve, dragged her with me within the confines of the secret stairs, and let out a deep breath I was keeping inside until I was sure to be safe behind the closed door. I held myself up with the unfinished wall and searched her face, hoping to decipher what she was thinking. Frankly, I only saw fear, so I sighed softly. She must have had a good reason to be acting this way. “Spill the beans, Maud. What’s gotten you so riled up suddenly?” “I-I saw you go in t-there. T-the room. Usually, w-when people go near that r-room, they don’t come back,” she explained with a shaken voice. “And you know this how? I mean, if n
Flight of the cardinal Chapter 4
The head maid had been giving me queer looks ever since the incident with the lord two weeks prior. They had not punished me for anything because neither Maud nor Lord Alexander said anything about it to her. Still, she kept giving me weird side glances every time she saw me. Luckily, they asked me to report on Lady Lucia’s floor these last few weeks. I enjoyed working for her. She was Duke Kestrel’s wife. A sweet lady with a playful side. She made me think she wasn’t born into nobility. She had a very laissez-faire attitude about many things—something no respectable noblewoman would have. While I waited for her, she would often talk about her youth and all the mischief she would get into. I adored working in her quarters. It was just so much simpler. Lady Lucia never reprimanded me and always asked how I was in the morning. She would even let me stay with her while she had tea and read her poetry books aloud, so I, too, may enjoy it while cleaning and polishing chandeliers. I fe
Flight of the cardinal Chapter 5
I could still feel Lord Alexander’s burning gaze on me while his mother made small talk before sitting in her chair.I stayed even though I felt a bit out of place when they didn't dismiss me right away. The conversation they were having made me feel uneasy.“Could you please reason with that man, Mother?” Said Alexander.The young lord was resting on the edge of his seat. He hunched over with both his elbows lying on his muscular thighs. His demeanour was severe but almost desperate, and I noticed Alexander still kept eyeing in my direction. Maybe he didn’t like that I was forced to stay and listen to their conversation.I made an “ahum” sound in my throat and hoped that his mother heard me, but she continued her conversation regardless that I was in the room.“You know I cannot change his mind, my love. He’s a stubborn man, your father, and he only wants you to find someone and settle down. You’re the heir to High Hill; you should have been married a long time ago,” she replied; her
Flight of the cardinal Chapter 6
Alexander’s still dark gray eyes stared at me, analyzing my expression. Was he waiting for an answer? He inched closer. He smelled like the forest—a mix of pine, spruce, and earth that made me long for my missing freedom. I was convinced that smelling like this was not natural. However, his scent was intoxicating, and I knew I needed to tread carefully about the reaction my body was giving him. I kept eyeing his lips, imagining what they felt like. They looked so soft. I could see myself wrapping my hands behind his head, curling my fingers in his dark unruly hair while tasting his mouth, teasing him with my tongue, and nipping his full lower lip. My legs clenched at the sudden heat I felt down in my belly, and I became hyperaware that I was not acting like myself. I saw Alexander stiffen. I hoped he didn’t notice what he was doing to me. I was so ashamed by the wetness that overcame me I could hardly look at him when I replied, “I’m sorry, milord, but I’m afraid you will have to
Flight of the cardinal Chapter 7
I followed the footboy to the fourth floor. He hadn’t used the servant’s stairs; Instead, the boy had beckoned me to follow him through a new section of the estate I had never seen before and ushered me into a small-looking broom closet. An oil lamp was lit, and I noticed a bare tiled floor and wooden walls instead of brooms and cleaning supplies. He effortlessly slid close the door and pulled down a lever. I had a weird sensation that gravity was pulling me toward the ground. However, I soon realized that it was because we were going up. I didn’t know this estate had elevators—they were relatively new. I waited patiently behind my guide. The boy had soft brown baby hair curling around his ears. He must not have been over ten years old. He was wearing a black vest with a white dress shirt tucked into navy-blue pants with one white line following the outside seam of the leg. I had so many questions I wanted answers to, but when I opened my mouth to ask them, the boy let go of the
Flight of the cardinal Chapter 8
My eyes flew open, and my arms grabbed each side of the tub to sit upright. I brought my thighs toward my stomach, hoping to hide my nakedness. Water splashed everywhere, and nothing in my movements was graceful. I glared up at my uninvited guest. How dare he come in without announcing himself? Alexander had his left shoulder pressed on the bathroom door frame, a sly smirk on his godlike face that I momentarily hated. Both his hands were in his front pockets. He looked amused as my cheeks flushed with shame… and maybe want. Faiths, I really wanted him, but I also wanted to punch him! “Oh, don’t stop on my account; I was really enjoying this! Do make it a habit.” He winked. His eyes were still black. I thought I had imagined them ever being gray. Whenever I saw Alexander, I thought I saw their pale gray colour, but they seemed to darken unexplainably when he suddenly noticed me. I hugged my knees to my chest, looking at him, trying to pull the most infuriating, scolding, death st
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