Rise of the King by TJ Green

Author:TJ Green
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: TJ Green

Tom had never stayed in a five-star hotel, but imagined this would be a very similar experience. His room was enormous, and it contained the biggest bed he had ever seen, covered in sheets of silk and linen, and the most enormous puffy pillows. The furnishings were as bright as the marble was dark. Thick rugs covered the floor and paintings hung from the walls. A door led to an ensuite bathroom where the bath was filled with hot steaming water smelling of cedar. Thick towels hung on a stand to the side. His bags were in his room, unpacked, and his clothes were clean and fresh. Tom doubted even a five-star hotel could do that so quickly.

Tom soaked in the tub wishing he could stay there for hours. Whatever was in the water was soothing his aching muscles, and he scrubbed himself clean with an energy he hadn’t felt in days.

Feeling refreshed, Tom met the others in the hall outside his room. “How long are we staying here?” he asked.

“Considering our long days on the road and the journey ahead, I think we should stay a few nights,” Arthur said. “If Raghnall has no objections.”

“I agree,” Brenna said. “We could use the rest. You can put up with us for a few more days, Nimue?”

Nimue looked better than she had done in days. Her eyes were bright, and she was no longer hunched over from her injured shoulder. “It’s fine with me – anything to put off being alone here with Raghnall.”

Arthur rolled his eyes. “I doubt you’ll be alone, Nimue. Besides, he’s not that bad.”

“You wait. You haven’t spent an evening with him yet. Anyway, the longer you’re here, the better I get. I may be able to come with you!”

“I think you jest, Nimue. I doubt you wish to see Merlin so soon, especially with the sylphs. And he certainly won’t want to see you.”

She smirked. “You may be right. But will you at least release my binding?”

“Only once we’ve left.”

“Why not now?” Nimue glared at Arthur.

“Because I said so,” he said, sounding like he was talking to a child.

“Perhaps,” intervened Woodsmoke, “we should discuss this later. I’m starving.” And with that he led the way downstairs, the others quickly following.

Dinner was elaborate, delicious and uncomfortable. As good as the food tasted, Tom couldn’t wait for it to be over. Nimue was right. Raghnall was an insufferable show-off, a tedious bore. The conversation flowed, but only because Arthur, Beansprout and Brenna worked hard to be sociable; the rest of them struggled.

The longer the evening went on, and the more Raghnall showed off, the more competitive Arthur became. And unfortunately for Raghnall, when Arthur put his mind to it, he was very good at storytelling. Arthur didn’t usually boast, so Tom could tell Raghnall was annoying him. The sorcerer relayed a long tale about a large party he had thrown for the visiting sylphs. He described the food, the decorations, the lights, the clothes, and then the music. Tom stifled a yawn.

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