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Chapter 7
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The Right Choice Chapter 8
Grayson I hardly slept that night. My thoughts were full of Abigail’s words and Catherine’s rejection. I had no idea what would happen to me if Catherine refused to marry me in the morning. Would my father blame me? The dawn came sooner than I would have liked, and as soon as I heard the servants moving around, I got up and dressed for breakfast. I arrived at the hall to find it empty except for Abby. She was dressed casually, in breeches and a tunic, twirling in the creeping sunlight like a small child. She looked beautiful, the sunlight catching the highlights in her hair as she spun, laughter on her lips and in her eyes. I wasn’t paying attention and walked into a chair, knocking it over and causing a loud bang. She startled and stopped twirling. “Oh! Grayson! I didn’t know anyone else would be here this early.” She blushed. “Don’t let me stop you,” I said walking over to her. She smiled and took my hand as I approached. “Twirl me,” was all she said. How could I say no?
The Right Choice Chapter 9
Abigail The last thing I remembered was pain. I had been fighting alongside the others when I suddenly felt the worst pain I had ever felt. Then everything went black. I woke up in the infirmary, Grayson sitting by my side. He had his head resting on my hand and had fallen asleep. I reached over and gently stroked his hair. He was so gorgeous and peaceful when he slept. He opened his eyes and smiled at me. “Saved your life,” I remembered saying the same thing to him in the temple and smiled. After that was a whirlwind of people appearing, arguing, and then leaving. I held Grayson’s hand while his father tried to belittle him, to no avail. When we were finally left alone, I breathed a sigh of relief. “Come here,” I said. I patted the bed next to me and slid over. He smiled and climbed up onto the bed, laying down and wrapping me in his arms, careful not to bump my bandages. I laid my head down on his chest as he stroked my hair, and I fell asleep listening to his heartbeat. Lat
The Right Choice Chapter 10
Grayson While we were waiting for Aryk to clean up, I checked Abby’s shoulder, changed her bandages, and made sure she was able to move without pain. I massaged the muscle and felt butterflies in my stomach when she let out a pleasurable moan. “You have magic hands,” she joked. If she only knew. I looked down at her and smiled. I said a quick prayer to the Mother asking to keep Abby in my life, no matter what happened. Even if all we could ever be is friends, I needed her and her kindness in my life. “Abby?” “Mmm” “I lo-“ Just then Catherine burst through the doorway. “You guys have got to see this.” Then she ran back out again. Looking at each other, we got up and ran after her. “I wonder what’s lit her pants on fire?” Abby asked. She led us to the courtyard, where we saw my father in a shouting match with Lord Aryk. “How DARE you question my loyalty to Queen Sarah!” Aryk shouted at my father. “Why wouldn’t I?” Father shouted back. “You are a sorcerer! You’re much more
The Right Choice Chapter 11
Abigail Our conversation stalled, and we rode along silently for a long time. After a while, I spurred my horse on to catch up with my sister, leaving Grayson behind to bring up the rear. “You okay?” Rose asked. “Yeah,” I replied dryly. “Was just tired of seeing your ass.” Rose laughed. “I figured you’d spend the whole trip back there flirting with the prince.” “Yes, well,” I sighed. “He seems to suddenly be interested in Cat and what she is like.” Rose looked at me sadly. “They are still set to be married when we return. I’m not exactly thrilled about it either, but it would be easier for them if they did take this time to get to know each other.” She lowered her voice, “We all have to accept reality. They are still getting married when we return. This trip changes nothing except the number of people attending the wedding.” I sighed. “You’re right.” I paused. “I can’t spend the whole journey flirting with him and falling for him more, just to watch him marry someone else w
The Right Choice Chapter 12
Grayson The next few days were terrible. Catherine wouldn’t talk to anyone, except to bark orders. Abby avoided me completely, and I still didn’t understand why. Only Rose would talk to me out of the three girls. “I’d like to pull that stick out of Cat’s ass and beat her with it.” Rose mumbled to me one morning, after listening to another one of Catherine’s rants. “I would pay good coin to see that,” I said, causing her to laugh. Even though she wouldn’t interact with me, I still found myself staring at Abigail often. Everything she did was graceful, like a dancer, and I loved watching her move. I would sometimes catch her dancing when she thought she was alone, her curls catching the last of the day’s light. She was so beautiful, and I had lost her. Abby had told me to get to know Catherine, which was proving to be impossible. When she wasn’t barking orders, Catherine kept making comments to make me feel like a burden she would rather not deal with. I wasn’t the only one facing
The Right Choice Chapter 13
Abigail *WARNING: MILD REFERENCE TO ATTEMPTED SA* I let him hold me. I couldn’t calm down unless he was near, and I felt safe in his arms. The thing had brought back a memory of the time the real Jacob had attempted to corner me in the armory after drills. He had me pinned to the wall, and was trying to get his hand up my shirt. “Jacob, stop!” I yelled repeatedly, hoping someone would hear. “Hush now, Duchess. You know I’m your only option. No one else wants someone as ugly as you. I’ll take you to paradise, Duchess, and then your father will have to let me marry you.” I head-butted him, breaking his nose. When he let go of me to grab his nose, I kneed him in the crotch, pushed him over, and ran. I started hyperventilating as that memory played through my head over and over. “Breathe, Abby, breathe with me,” I heard Grayson saying through the fog in my brain. I felt him put on hand on the center of my chest and the other on my back. “Come on, with me… in… now out… in… out… tha
The Right Choice Chapter 14
Grayson I saw pain in Abby’s eyes when I asked her that question. I regretted it immediately and said, “Never mind, Duchess. You don’t need to answer that. Master Thomas just needs to mind his own business.” I looked past Abigail and glared at him. Thomas pretended not to notice. “I will be sure to ask the princess the next time we speak,” he said smugly, “And I’m sure the Duchess can speak for herself.” He turned to Abby. “Well, Duchess? Has the prince enchanted you?” She looked into my eyes as she answered his question, the pain still evident, “The prince is very enchanting.” She turned to Thomas and said, “He’s also been my best friend since we were four years old. So if you are asking if I care for him, the answer, Master Thomas, is yes. I do.” I felt my heart swell. “Well, I guess that answers that,” Thomas said. He slapped the top of his legs and stood up. “It seems to be my turn to make dinner. I’ll leave you two alone for a bit.” I watched as he walked off. As soon as he
The Right Choice Chapter 15
Abigail The next day, we entered Knocklean, and not 20 feet inside its borders the sky opened up, and we were caught in a downpour. “Well, this country is quite pleasant,” Thomas joked an hour or so later as we made our way through the mud. “Perhaps I will holiday here one day.” I rolled my eyes, and saw my sister do the same. She and Cat were holding hands, helping each other through the mud that already came halfway up our thighs. The trees closed in around us ominously, as if they were trying to herd us in a certain direction. They hung overhead, their bare branches like boney fingers that offered no shelter from the cold, hard rain. There were things moving amongst the trees that I couldn’t properly see, and strange noises I couldn’t properly hear. The forest looked like it was drowning in sadness and illusion. We tried to trudge through, but the path was difficult to navigate. By the time we stopped at midday, everyone was exhausted. We huddled beneath the trees, trying t
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