Kindred: Book 1 of The Immortal Beloved Tetralogy. by Zelda Tuffin

Author:Zelda Tuffin [Tuffin, Zelda]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2022-08-02T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter 9 - Reassuring The Beast

The crowd parted before her as she turned to leave. The eerie feeling of nails on a chalkboard followed her, the shivers of dread and turmoil dissipating only as she left the garden.

Slowly she trudged back into the mansion, its marble promenade lacking any of its former luxuries in the wake of the Prince’s anger. Though he had displayed his wrath for Elizabeta, Ashlyn only hoped he would spare her any public ridicule for her own part in what had just happened. Apprehension loomed over her like a spider on the skin; the fear that he might now reject her for making such a spectacle of herself was real and it chilled her to the core. Though he had treated her with respect in front of the gathered families, her reputation could not stand to be tarnished by any man, least of all the Master of Eternity. And more than that, she could not bear the thought that he might think ill of her.

Gradually she climbed up the steps towards the room where they had met, formally graced by one of the noble daughters who now seemed to be following twenty feet behind her. Ashlyn had not heard the command that she be followed and yet somehow, she knew it must have been given, for something within her told her so and spoke with an authority in her blood. They are here to protect you. To serve.

It seemed to take forever to make her way through the silence of the house. Without so much as a glance behind she followed the corridor’s path upwards to the room. The door was closed. Should I knock or something? She wondered, still ill at ease in her own skin. He had said he had a gift for her, but she could not tell from his tone what it was. Of course, he had to be tart because of the assemblage of noble houses, yet she wondered what it was he might give her.

Perhaps tonight is his gift, she speculated. Perhaps this was her last night alive before he took his kiss, his bite to her neck, and drained her blood? If so, if tonight was her last night on this Earth, she intended to enjoy every moment of it until her death. And then, if she could, she would savor that too, for if done by his hand, she could think of no sweeter demise.

Still hesitating at the threshold, she took a steadying breath and raised her hand to turn the knob, only for the door to open of its own accord. There, ten feet back in the shadows of the room, silhouetted only by a single candle flame was the Prince. Tall, regal, and bold he stood stone still. His features schooled, his eyes wholly on her.

“Leave us,” he commanded, and the girl that followed her turned and marched away. Ashlyn turned to watch her go a moment, only then realizing that a masked guard had also

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