King of Battle and Blood by Clair Scarlett St

Author:Clair, Scarlett St. [Clair, Scarlett St.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fantasy, Romance, Vampires, Paranormal, Adult
ISBN: 9781728258416
Amazon: 1728258413
Goodreads: 56651967
Publisher: Bloom Books
Published: 2021-11-30T08:00:00+00:00

Thirteen

I rose early the next morning and dressed. My options were limited to the gowns provided by Adrian, all of which were tight and heavily embellished. I would have to speak to him about providing me with something I could train in regularly, though at the moment, the thought of facing him at all sent me into a spiral of confusing emotions. Perhaps I could convince Ana to communicate my need for something that included a place for my blade, even as I worked it into the bodice of my gown. I left my cuffs on the table by my bed. This dress, a high-necked, sleeveless gown with a minimal flare, would not serve to hide the weapons.

Violeta and Ana had arrived. Violeta carried a tray with bread, butter, jam, and tea. Ana followed behind, dressed in a structured silver dress that moved like liquid as she walked.

“We thought you would prefer breakfast in your room,” Ana said.

“Is there no formal breakfast?”

In Lara, my father dined with the court every morning and evening; the only meal he took on his own or with me alone was lunch. It was almost ritualistic—he rose, dressed, and dined. After, we would take a walk in the garden.

“Among vassals, yes,” Ana explained. “But they are rarely joined by Adrian or the noblesse.”

She did not need to tell me why. I could guess the reasons for their sporadic visits.

“I would like to walk this morning,” I said. “Is there a garden here?”

“Yes, a beautiful one,” she said. “Adrian tells me you love midnight roses.”

I opened my mouth to respond but hesitated, wondering when they had spoken about me.

“I do. They remind me of my mother.”

Ana only nodded, and I got the sense that Adrian had told her about that too.

“Then we shall begin with the gardens.”

The gardens of the Red Palace were very different from what I had formulated in my mind. I’d imagined something slightly more grand than what my mother had created and my father had maintained at Castle Fiora. What I walked into was far more magnificent. In addition to lush flowers, trees, and plants, there were statues, fountains, and decorative stones that created a maze of distinct gardens, each with their own theme and flair. I was enchanted, to say the least.

“This is beautiful,” I said as I walked ahead of Ana, down a bank of white marble steps that led into a formal garden, encased by a frame of box hedges. The center design, crafted from aromatic florals, reminded me of the stained glass windows in the palace. “Did this survive from King Dragos’s reign?”

“It was very small,” Ana said, keeping a few paces behind me. “It was Adrian who insisted on something far more extensive.”

That both surprised and intrigued me. “Why?”

“He felt it was important,” she answered. Just like when Sorin answered questions about Adrian, I felt she was being evasive, which was even stranger given we were discussing the design of a garden.

I looked up at the red

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.