SKYE
Skye smiled as she remembered the letter she could feel rustling in her jacket. She looked around the library nothing as usual, it was empty at this time of the day. She rushed towards the back shelves, to the little nook where she reads her letters, letting out a girly giggle as she spied the familiar plain brown wax used to seal the envelope.
My Dearest S…
It began, sending flutters to her most intimate region as she remembered how his deep lilting baritone had groaned her name when they had…
She bit her lip to bite back a groan as she read through the rest of his letter. He had written in a special code only both of them knew just in case the letter got intercepted. God only knows how mad either of their siblings would be to find out they were in a relationship. Rome could be understanding but she didn’t think he’d like to know she had had intimate relations with the leader of the Blackfoot. One could only imagine how that conversation would go.
She sighed as she neared the end of his letter, seeing his familiar endearing address to her. It would be a long while again before either of them could see each other and even though she hated to admit it, she had spent many a night wondering what it would be like if she could spend all her waking and sleeping moments in his arms.
Shaking her head to be rid of such mundane thoughts, she settled in, preparing to write her reply.
Dearest Nauru,
I thank you for your letter.
It couldn’t have come at a better time.
I…
A noise in a row just beside hers drew her to attention. It sounded like small steps… Perhaps a woman in danger. But from what?
She drew closer and spied through a gap, frowning at the sight before her. Teriel’s sister, Riley, was standing, reading through a letter with a frown on her face.
“No. No. No. How can this be?” The small woman complained. “How can that whore be his mate?”
Mate?
Skye peered even closer, her eyes catching the curls of familiar penmanship at the back of the letter.
That was Elora’s handwriting.
Why would Riley be with Elora’s letter?
She didn’t even like her.
And whose mate was she?
“Stop!” She found herself yelling when the woman made to tear the letter.
She stepped into the row and pinned her hands, forcing the letter from her grip when she refused to release it.
“Give it back, Skye,” Riley complained. “It’s none of your business.”
Skye ignored her and scanned the contents of the letter, her eyes widening at the revelation in the small paper.
Elora and her siblings were innocent?
Oh, gods.
Oh, Rome.
Her soft-hearted brother wouldn’t like knowing he had hurt an innocent.
But in one way, it was good news that she was innocent.
Thank the gods.
They wouldn’t need to look for another woman to bear their heirs.
“Give me that letter, Skye.” Riley still demanded, her nasal voice grating on Skye’s nerves. “Don’t tell me you believe that whore’s words?”
Skye glared hard at her with the full extent of the anger she felt at the selfish brat’s actions. She could have rid Rome of the shackles weighing him down just for some silly childhood crush.
“You will hold your tongue or I’ll have you flogged for treason.” She threatened the smaller woman. “Where did you get this?”
Riley turned away from her with a childish pout on her lips stirring her anger even further. She couldn’t hide the bite in her words or ease her grip when she yanked her around.
“How dare you treat me this way?” Riley yelled trying to free herself of Skye’s grip.
“How dare I? How dare I?” Skye asked incredulously. “You have forgotten your place because Rome and I have been too accommodating. Answer me now Riley. My patience has already been worn thin and you know I’m not known as having a forgiving streak.”
“I don’t know. It was a piece of trash I found… Ow! You’re hurting me!”
“And I’ll hurt you a whole lot more if you don’t tell me the truth.” Skye forced some of her Royal Lycan authority into her words causing the smaller woman to whimper. “Speak.”
“I found it on Rome’s table. The whore… I mean his mistress had placed it on his table.” She explained, looking every bit a petulant child.
“And you decided to steal it…”
“I didn’t steal it!” She argued. “I was going to put it back.”
Skye raised a brow and then shook her head realizing their argument was going nowhere.
“From today, you’re banned from the King’s chambers and the Royal Quarters,” Skye warned. “If your mother wants to send any gift, she can do so through your brother.”
“Why? What did I do that was so wrong?” Riley complained. “I was only protecting Rome. He deserves more than that whore. He deserves…”
“And a child like you has a clue about what he deserves?” Skye laughed condescendingly. “You’re not worthy to look up at him but because of your brother’s office, you had that right. But no more. You are no longer to call the king by his given name or there will be dire consequences. Have I made myself clear?”
“But…”
“Have I made myself clear, Riley?”
The girl nodded and ran off with tears in her eyes.
Skye ignored her antics and turned to read through the letter again to be sure she wasn’t imagining the whole thing.
It did make a lot of sense that Elora’s family was innocent.
Oh, the poor girl.
Kain had used her mother as leverage to keep her silent.
Rome had to know the truth. If there’s anyone who could make things right, it would be her darling brother.
But how could she bring herself to tell him?
She understood Riley’s fear for him.
What if everything about the Elora they knew was a lie?
What if..?
There were so many possibilities that it gave her a headache just thinking about it.
Trust the mate bond. Her beast advised.
She sighed and nodded at the guards posted by the large double doors leading to Rome’s study. It wasn’t her decision to make if anything, so she would give him the letter and let him decide whether to believe or not