I stirred awake as kisses trailed down my neck. I didn’t want to wake up. I was exhausted. Plus, Seb had made me wait 30 minutes before he’d returned to pick me up and I was still salty about it. I pushed him away and snuggled back down into the pillow, closing my eyes. Seb renewed his assault on my neck with fervour, pulling me onto my back from where I’d been comfortably positioned on my side. “Seb!” I called, exasperated “You’re so beautiful” “I need beauty sleep to stay that way” “Nope. Pretty enough” He’d pulled up my top now. I knew he wasn’t too happy about my choice of sleepwear. He’d been vocal in his preference for satin nightgowns. He smothered my stomach with kisses, before pulling my bottoms and panties down and inhaling deeply. “You’re so delicious” he whispered huskily “Seb! Please!” I tried again “Please what?” He looked at me, green eyes swirling with dark and light, smokey blues... what was I going to say? He began kissing me aroun
“What do you mean she keeps leaving Seb? I thought you two were joined at the hip?” I smirked. Seb looked uncomfortable and, frankly, I enjoyed the idea that the Mighty Chosen One was being disobedient. Not that I’d tell him that. Seb sighed “I took her with me because I had hoped it would stop her wanting to leave, My Lady. Unfortunately, it seems it has given her an overinflated sense of importance. She does not wish to spend her days researching the deaths of our people-” “Deaths she is supposed to have stopped and yet which are still occurring” I interjected. Seb nodded. “Yes, My Lady” he looked so awkward, like a naughty schoolboy. I smirked. Beneath me in every sense is where Seb belongs.
“NO!” “STOP! LET GO OF ME!” The guards simply continued dragging me by the tops of my arms down the winding corridors. I’d stopped walking about 30 feet ago, now the heels of my trainers were catching on the uneven flag stones. “YOU CAN’T DO THIS” I tried kicking out my legs, but still no reaction. Wriggling my upper body just caused them to clutch my arms more tightly – any harder and I was convinced they’d sever them from my body. I was starting to feel crazy. Carlotta was just being a massive bitch, I’m sure when Seb finds out he’ll come and get me. She likes Seb, she’ll listen to him. We reached the dungeon. It was surprisingly clean – a pretty much empty corridor. Slightly wider than those on the upper floors, it was split down the middle by iron bars. Just like any self-respecting medieval dungeon should be. I found myself thinking before remembering I was the one about to be thrown into it. One side of the iron railing had been separated by more railings. I guess
“Kælighed.” Lise was about to respond when the dulcet tones of Lord Brandt floated toward my ears “I hope you have made some progress, Leda, elskede” I shot him a look and he just grinned at me. “It’s time to take my belle to the ball. Did you not want a beast?” those malachite eyes were swirling with malice now. I knew I’d regret telling him about my little daydream. “Tischler, you may leave.” Lise glanced at me, a small smile on her face. Then she nodded to Seb and walked out. Seb threw a garment bag at me. “Get dressed” he ordered. I looked at him, both guards were now in the room, looking at me with interest. “What? Well, you can all turn around.” “I’ve already seen it, elskede.” Seb sneered “You can’t blame these guys for wanting to see the Chosen One in all her glory.” I huffed, knowing I wouldn’t get out of this. I grabbed the bag and headed toward the shelves; they would give me some cover at least. Good old books. “Uh, uh” Seb caught up with me far too easily and
She’s stunning. But there’s something wrong. I entered the ballroom, and my eyes were immediately drawn to Leda. Majestic in maroon taffeta. Strips of shot-silk make up the bodice, accentuating her slender waist and emphasising her breasts. She’s too skinny. Lise can’t have been kidding when she said the food here was awful. Her skirts whirl out around her; there’s a too-high slit giving everyone an eyeball of those shapely legs and I must stop looking at her like this. She’s not mine. I tear my gaze away from her. But she looks so sad. So, I do the gentlemanly thing and ask to cut in. Brandt is so dense he doesn’t recognise me but, from the way her shoulders relax, I’m fairly confident Leda does. As I sweep her away in my arms, I don’t recall the last time I was this worried. The way she’s clinging to me – it's like she’s using me to keep her upright. “You’ve not come to see us lately. Something we said?” I try to lighten the atmosphere, but at the sound of my voice she
I hissed in pain as Seb shoved me roughly back into my cell. The door clanked shut and sighed before collapsing heavily onto the bench, the chains that held it up rattling. I looked up. The guards from before weren’t here and I was alone. I tugged at the back of my dress. Now would be the time to change before they came back and started leering at me. I hauled myself up, tugging again at the back of my dress. I hope I can get this off; it’s too damn tight to stay in. I quickly went over to where those bastards had dumped my clothes in a pile and picked my cardigan up off the top. Underneath, in a crumpled heap lay my bor
I chuckled into my wine glass. The memory of shoving Adelaide Knox into my dungeons in my castle made me feel powerful. Her face! The almighty Chosen One! Nothing in comparison to me. The True Queen. I didn’t want to have to bring her out, but Magnus was right – we needed to show a united front as far as possible and parading the Chosen One around was a show of strength, such as it was. I relaxed into the throne, absent-mindedly swirling my wine. Maybe I could start work on Magnus again? He still hadn’t let me experience that magnificent moustache.
I’d been glaring at these two bellend guards for so long my eyes hurt. I’d forgotten I wasn’t wearing a top under my cardigan, but they’d noticed straight away. Dickheads. Alive for however long and still don’t know how to be respectful. I leaned back; head resting against the wall and sighed. Now all I can do is wait. *** I startled awake; no idea what had woken me. I blinked the sleep from my eyes and looked around. My two ‘guards’ were fast asleep – mouths wide open – snoring like grumpy old men who’d drunk too much down the pub. I should take this opportunity! I stood up to make my way over to the door and almost tripped over a bottle and pork pie lying on the floor. What? ‘Be ready’ a note on the pie read. This must be Lise? Why didn’t she get me out now?! It seems like the perfect opportunity! Fuck. Is this a trap? I’m not eating or drinking any of this. I sat down on the bench and hid the bottle and pie next to me. It really did look like Lise’s writing. And