Red Rose Rising by A J Manney

Author:A J Manney [Manney, A J]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781706847700
Published: 2019-11-11T22:00:00+00:00

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She awoke the next morning and looked over to where Valen had laid during the night. His spot was empty. She wasn’t sure when he had left during the night, but she had slept without any nightmares the rest of the night. She sat up and stretched and climbed out of bed.

She needed to get a bath and get dressed for a full day of training. If she moved quickly, she would have time to help Mari get breakfast ready.

Zalia headed to the kitchen a little while later. She was greeted by a smiling Mari and a big hug. Mari pulled back and looked at Zalia. “So...”

Zalia looked at her innocently. “So what?”

Mari gave her a knowing grin. “So, you and the Prince, huh?”

Zalia blushed. “I guess,” she said.

Mari was gracious and let the matter drop. They worked together in happy silence until Valen came in a few minutes later. Zalia had just picked up a heavy pot of potatoes and was carrying it to the stove. Without saying a word, Valen took it from her and set it on the stove. He turned back to her.

“Thank you,” she said quietly. He nodded and stepped closer, gently pushing back a few of the curls that had escaped her braid.. Then he left her and walked over to get coffee. Zalia could feel that her face was red. She just kept working, trying to ignore Valen. Finally, he left, and she was able to take a deep breath. When she looked at Mari, Mari was grinning at her from ear to ear.

Zalia turned back around to focus on the jelly she was making. A few minutes later, Raven came into the kitchen and joined them. Mari kept a lively conversation going with the two of them. They worked hard, and soon everybody started joining them for breakfast. Zalia found herself getting nervous. What if somebody says something? How do I act normal? Will he expect me to sit by him?

By the time Valen came back into the kitchen for the second time, Zalia was a ball of nerves. She had just decided she would skip breakfast and was heading towards the door when Valen came in. She froze. He looked at her and stepped close to her. Talking in a low tone so nobody but Zalia could hear him, he asked, “You weren’t leaving just now were you?”

Zalia lifted her chin into the air. “Maybe,” she said.

He smiled and pulled her chin back down. “Don’t point your chin up defiantly at me like that or you might not like the consequences,” he said.

She opened her mouth to argue with him, but he leaned even closer.

“I didn’t say I wouldn’t like the consequences,” he whispered suggestively next to her ear. Then he turned and walked away.

Zalia felt her face turn red. She knew she was lit up like a Christmas tree. That man knew how to get to her! She looked up and saw him sitting at the table smirking at her. She wanted to throw something at him.

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