Zephyra by Andrea B Lamoureux

Author:Andrea B Lamoureux [Lamoureux, Andrea B]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: General Fiction
Publisher: Andrea B. Lamoureux
Published: 2019-04-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 18

A softness I hadn’t felt in ages cradled my body. Could I be in a… no, I couldn’t be, could I? I opened my eyes, pressing my hands into the mattress. I truly lay in a bed.

I breathed deeply and stretched, taking in my surroundings. The soft pink décor and dark wood furniture framed with bronze gave the room a warm ambience. Sunlight filtered in through the sheer pink curtains covering the window, particles of dust dancing in the beams of light.

My vision landed on the corner across from the door, and my eyes connected with a stranger’s, who sat on a wooden chair, staring silently at me. He was clean-shaven and wore his onyx hair cropped short. His eyes, though… they seemed so familiar.

And then it all rushed back to me; the memories of Algor and my imprisonment—of the vagrant who’d saved me.

I sat up, my chest rising and falling with my quick breaths.

The man stood and put his palms up. “It’s all right,” he cooed in a soothing tone.

“Who—who are you? Where am I?” Hearing scratchiness in my voice, I swallowed. It felt as though my throat were filled with dirt and glass.

“I’m Percifal Lacrima, and you are at The Golden Lilly Inn—”

“But how?” I cut him off, not caring that I was being rude.

“I brought you here after you fainted in the streets.” His eyes pinned me. “You need to rest. You were nearly dead when I found you.”

“You?” I shot. “You’re the vagrant who helped me? How can that be?”

“Well, my lady,” he looked down at himself, a small smile tugging the corners of his lips upward. “You’ve been asleep for a couple of days. In that time, I decided I should clean myself up—”

“A couple of days! Dear Celestia, I really must be going.” I started to get up. I didn’t trust this man who wasn’t who he’d seemed. I doubted I would ever trust another man again, not after what had been done to me.

“Please… sorry, you didn’t give me your name.”

“Zephyra,” I said as I started to peel the blankets off myself. I stopped just in time, remembering my gown had been torn. I touched the pin now keeping it in place and blushed. “Did you put this pin here?” I asked accusingly as he watched me, keeping his distance.

“No, not I. Ginnie fixed you up and put you onto bed with the help of a maid. Apologies. Did you say your name is Zephyra? Are you Zephyra Caldura?”

“I did. Oh dear goddess. You know my name?” I asked, reprimanding myself for being so foolish.

He narrowed his eyes and paused for a moment before answering. “I do. You are a royal of Solis.”

I glared back at him. Why did he hesitate?

“You should be careful who you tell your name to,” he suggested. “It could get you into more trouble.”

I nodded. He was right. I shouldn’t have given him my real name.

I swung my legs off the edge of the bed, but when I went to stand, my knees buckled with the weight of my own body.

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