His Chamber Maid

#4

Camilla

Was he referring to marking me as in the whole marking and mating ceremony? We barely knew each other? Or was he just bluffing?

My thoughts spiralled in my head, as I willed him to look at him, but no. His gaze was steady on Kael.

I blinked, looking away.

“Hold on." Kael closed his eyes, gritting his teeth hard.

He turned away, and dragged a hand through his hair.

Instintively, I shifted even closer to Filius.

He placed his hands on the wall before him, and stood there for a while, without saying a word.

When he turned back to us, he was very stiff, and this time, there was a new look in his eyes.

"So, you're trying to say she can't remember anything about herself?” Skepticism was thick in his voice.

"Yes. I'm trying to find her people. If you know who she may…"

“I don't know her. I haven't taken my tonic, so I must be seeing things."

Tonic?

His gaze lingered on me before he dug his hands into his pockets.

"How do you trust her to bring her in?”

"I actually do not intend to bring the Kingdom into jeopardy by bringing in a stranger. It is why I was hoping she could join the list of maids applying to be your chamber maid. That way, she gets some sort of status attached to her name, and if she's managed to fool me, she certainly won't fool you.”

Kael stared at me.

"Indirectly, you want her to be my chamber maid, so if she's dangerous, I can get rid of her?"

That was intentional.

The malice in his voice was final.

Kael… even now would be happy to murder me all over again.

How dare he?

How could he?

Even while staring at me, he couldn't feel a single iota of remorse. He was here pretending not to know what happened, and not to know me.

Filius answered, "Yes.”

"But you intend to mark her? A stranger?”

“Well, I'm getting older, and the elders keep nagging me to find myself a mate. I find her beautiful, and since she currently doesn't have a complicated situation, I feel more inclined that she is a gift from the moon goddess."

Kael looked at me, but I kept my expression flat, as a maid should.

"Does she want to be marked by you?” He asked.

I nearly scoffed.

Was he thinking I'd refuse any other man marking me? Did he think I was that Camilla who wanted her everything to be given to Kael Greenbriar?

"Aries?” Filius called.

I looked up into those cold blue eyes, and all I could wonder was who would want to get bound to an emotionless man like him.

I feigned a shy blush, "Yes.”

"Follow me then,” Kael said to me, and turned away from us.

Filius raised a brow.

“What are you waiting for, Aries? Follow the Alpha."

I followed Kael.

We walked past the large double doors leading into the Grand Palace foyer.

Just days ago, I was following Kael around like this. Only that I had a veil on, and a heart that still beat hard for Kael.

We went all the way to his chambers, and the minute the large doors closed, he turned to me so fiercely, I thought he was going to kill me again.

He took a step forward.

Naturally, I stepped backwards, my head down.

His hand struck out to land on the door behind me.

"Camilla.”

"I do not know how you wish me to reply to you, my Lord.”

He lifted my chin. My eyes met his.

"Are you mad at me? Did something happen? You know you can hide almost everything, but not your love for me."

How wrong, Kael.

Who loves a man who tried to end them?

“Kael?" Nicasia's voice came from within.

She was emerging from the inner chambers, wearing a white flowing silk night gown. Her blonde hair was down her shoulders, her form like that of an angel.

"Kael, stop,” she came to us, speaking softly, as she stood between me and Kael, "Has the healer given you a new tonic? You can't be doing this to a stranger. Do you want the Kingdom to know?"

Know what?

Nicasia whipped around to face me.

“Who are you?"

“I'm… I think I'm the new chamber maid.”

Did she know the face of the girl she replaced?

A frown crossed her face, and she turned to Kael.

"I told you not to pick a beautiful one!” She snapped.

What was this dynamic?

"Well, she will have to pass the tests if she wants to remain as your chamber maid,” she said, turning back to me.

What?

"What is the first rule of a chamber maid tending to her master?”

My lips parted, but nothing came out. Was she asking me?

"Filius brought her. She doesn't know who the hell she is.”

“First rule when you're tending to your master is to never find him attractive. If you find him attractive, you cannot work as a chamber maid," she said, walking to me.

That didn't sound like a real rule to me.

She pulled my hair out of the bun it was tied in, and pushed me to Kael.

"Kael, test her.”

"She's just a child,” Kael said, sounding much like Filius.

"Kael, I need to be sure nothing would happen between the both of you behind my back. I need to ensure that she isn't affected by you.”

"And does that matter? What if I'm the one attracted to her? Will she refuse me?”

Nicasia took a deep breath, "I do not need to worry about you, Kael. You've proven your love to me over and over again. It is her that I'm worried about.”

Kael looked down at me.

Kael had never touched me in the way a man touched a woman.

Kael had been so respectful, so caring, so…

Even if… even if he hated me, he wouldn't try to… would he?

Nicasia watched, her arms folded, while his eyes seemed to bore holes into my face.

And then he reached out… for me.