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LEAH’S EYELIDS FLUTTERED OPEN. She was exhausted and sore. It took her a moment to remember where she was. Kaylah was already up, sitting against the headboard of her bed, staring across the room, studying the wall.
Shifting to sit up, Leah caught Kaylah’s attention.
Kaylah smiled warmly. “Good morning, sunshine.”
Popping her neck, Leah returned the greeting. This bed was so soft and comfortable compared to the cottage sofa; the bare walls and new layout a refreshing change.
“I ordered us breakfast in the room,” Kaylah said.
“Thanks.”
Kaylah turned on the bed, facing Leah. “We should talk about a few things before we head out today, while we have some privacy away from the guards and driver.”
Leah tensed. “Yeah?”
Searching her eyes, Kaylah cocked her head. “Nothing bad.”
Swallowing, Leah nodded.
“I think we should have a little more direction about what we’re doing here. Did you, or ... do you have any plans? For the future right now?”
Did she have plans and goals and aspirations? Or had she thrown her life away and given up?
“I’ll figure it out,” Leah said.
“I’m not trying to rush you. I just want to make sure we’re on the same page. I want to make sure you have everything you need, and that I’m not cramping your style.”
Something akin to a half-hearted bitter laugh made its way up Leah’s throat. “I have no style to cramp.” A little more humbly, remorsefully, she added, “I don’t exactly have plans right now.” She stared down at her hands, pushing back her cuticles with her fingernails.
“That’s fine,” Kaylah replied, all kindness and reassurance. “I do want to set some rules about living on the estate.”
A weight pressed into Leah’s chest. Was this going to be like living at the palace all over again? Being told how to talk, sit, stand, and breathe? Who she could hug, or share any affection with?
“Nothing big,” Kaylah continued. “You’ll be staying in the house proper.”
“I really don’t mind staying in the guest cabin.” Out of the way, away from people.
“No. In the house proper.”
They met eyes, Leah gnawing on her lower lip. She wasn’t being forced out into public, but Kaylah wasn’t about to let her remain a hermit.
“You can have the entire second floor of the east wing if you’d like.”
“Sure.”
Kaylah gave her a single nod. “When Eric and I are home, I’d like you to eat at least one meal with us a day. You’re welcome to join us for all of them if you’d like, but I’d like at least one.”
Not in any position to protest or bargain, Leah only nodded her agreement.
“And you and I will enjoy a weekly picnic together, just the two of us.”
Leah arched an eyebrow at this one.
Smoothing the bedding around her, Kaylah said, “We’ve got a lot of missed bonding opportunities to make up for.”
Yeah, Leah’s entire childhood. And they’d spent plenty of time in each other’s company over the last two-plus years, but most of that had been at official, public, or family gatherings. Not all that much one-on-one time.
“Okay.”
Kaylah squinted at her. “I’m going to try to not be offended that your agreement to my terms sounds like you’d rather have all your teeth pulled.”
Leah gave her a cheesy smile.
A knock at the door announced their breakfast had arrived. The inn’s staff carried in a mouthwatering buffet of hot porridge and hash, fresh berries and cut melons, and a bright medley of sauteed vegetables. It was much more food than the two of them needed, and no doubt a more generous and refined spread than any of the other customers were being offered. But that was the perk of traveling with royalty, of being around Matron Kaylah.
None of the staff even passed Leah any contemptuous glances, though a couple of their gazes caught on her a little longer than she would have liked.
After they had done all of their bowing and curtsying, had deposited the dishes on a long table in the corner of the room and poured glasses of juice for the two women, they left them to scoop up.
Sitting at a small table by a large window, Leah and Kaylah dug in.
“So, anyway...” Kaylah said, spearing a chunk of honeydew with her fork. “Let me know what you need, and we’ll make sure it’s taken care of.”
“I’ll need some clothes.”
“Of course, we’ll take care of clothes and toiletries and all that.”
Leah ate a spoonful of porridge. “I can do some extra chores to pay for them.”
Kaylah looked no less than offended. “I’m bringing you home to live with me, not hiring you as a servant.”
Leah didn’t have it in her to ask if the funds she’d received as Catrina’s ward were still assigned to her, or if Kaylah was taking on her expenses from her own pocket. And she was too weak to object, to let her pride be upset for leeching off Kaylah and Eric.
So, Leah just ate another spoonful of porridge. As she did so, she pondered her current situation further. How long she’d be at Kaylah’s place, she didn’t know. But something in her was more at ease at the idea of staying there a while, compared to any of the alternatives. Just until she could sort things out and make her own way.
Leah took a swig of white grape juice. “Will Catrina know I’m staying at your place?” She might already.
“Yes.” Kaylah met Leah’s look of frustration with a calm reply. “We only keep tabs on you for your safety. She’ll know you’re with family and won’t have to worry about you.”
Leah choked down a scoff. Catrina wasn’t so much concerned about Leah as she was concerned about what Leah might do. That was a moot point right now, but Leah wanted to make sure Catrina knew they were completely done. “Could... Would you ask for my things to be delivered to your place?” She didn’t have much of her own, but at minimum, her knife-throwing set was completely hers.
Kaylah finished chewing her bite. “Yes, I’ll send for all that.”
“Thanks.”
They kept eating. Leah asked what would become of her escorts, wanting to make sure no one lost their job because she’d left the care of the palace. Kaylah assured her they’d be kept on as staff at the palace, that Catrina always had extra people staffed. Leah hoped that was true, still regretting costing Robyn her job.
After they’d both had their fill, they set out for another long day on the road. The scenery was tranquil, soothing. Leah had been at Kaylah and Eric’s estate a handful of times over the last two-plus years, but never by rickshaw. It wasn’t far from the end of a train line or a rifting cave, and she’d always taken either of them before.
Her view was full of pastel pink flowers on rolling hills, pineapple trees near ponds, and chatterbirds swooping in the sky. She allowed herself to admire the Green Lands, the Ivy Kingdom and its beauty. She was usually so busy with tutors and the academy, official functions, time with Marcus and his family, that she forgot what it could feel like to simply be.
The break from chaos wasn’t healing, exactly, but it was quiet. The kind of quiet where she found herself almost even smiling as she imagined her child in her arms someday. The kind of quiet where she found her thoughts drifting to the child’s father, and everything else that sucked. It was usually around those times—when her heart sank, her mind stuttered under the stress—that Kaylah conveniently wanted to muse about something from her childhood, or take a break to stretch their legs and let the rickshaw driver rest.
Leah knew what Kaylah was doing. And she let her.
They traveled all day, staying at another inn they reached at dusk.
The next day, they rode past dusk, lanterns on the rickshaw lighting their way. There was no need for an inn when they were so close to Kaylah’s estate.
Dim candlelight danced in a few windows as they approached, lit by servants waiting for their arrival. Kaylah had sent word to them and Eric, who she’d left at Rachel and Guillen’s house.
Shortly after the pair stepped into the main entryway, Eric rounded the corner, squeezing Kaylah tight, then turned to Leah with a soft smile.
He tucked his hands in his pockets, his arms straight and rigid. “I know you’re not much of a hugger, but would you like one?”
She wrung her hands. “No thank you.”
“That’s perfectly fine. I’m glad you ladies made such good time, and got here in one piece.”
Kaylah’s escorts entered behind them, handing the few items Leah and Kaylah had collected along the way to her staff, and wishing everyone a good night.
One servant lingered at the door to the hallway.
“Acacia will take you to your room and help you get settled,” Eric said.
“Thanks.”
Kaylah had made it clear this was no imposition, but having Eric waiting up for them reminded Leah how much of an interruption her breakdown was causing. They were both giving up time with family—their closest friends—to coddle Leah. “I don’t mind if you two go back to Rachel and Guillen’s to visit while Tobias and Camry are in-realm.”
The couple traded a glance. “They’ll be around for a while. We’ll see. We’re excited to spend time with you,” Kaylah insisted.
Eric slid an arm around Kaylah’s waist. “We didn’t move out to the middle of nowhere to be around large groups of people all the time. We really don’t mind.”
“Okay. Thanks again, for everything.” She swallowed. “Have a good night.” She followed Acacia down the hallway and up a flight of stairs.
Leah had only stayed the night at the estate once, and it had been in a smaller guest room on the opposite end of the house from where Marcus had slept that night. Acacia guided her to a much larger room this time, with an en suite bathroom and a door to an adjoining room. Leah explained she didn’t need a huge room, but Acacia stated she was giving her the one she’d been instructed to. You couldn’t really argue much with staff just doing their job.
The woman bid her good night as well, and Leah sat on the large soft bed, taking in the room in the light of a lamp. The room was smaller than what she’d been given in the palace, but still three times the size of any of the bedrooms she’d had in the human world.
Sore and tired from hours and days in a rickshaw, she barely scraped up her energy to use the bathroom and brush her teeth before she passed out on the bed.
Leah woke to a knock on the door. Daylight peeked past the edge of curtains covering the windows. Groggy, Leah rubbed her eyes and cleared her throat. “Yeah, just a second.”
After rolling out of bed, she was greeted by another servant. “Sorry to wake you, miss. Matron Kaylah asked me to see that you’re well, and to set your things up in your room, if that’s alright?”
“Of course. And I’m fine.” Her things? New things Kaylah had bought for her, or stuff from the palace?
The servant gave her a bright smile. “Lovely. Breakfast can be made for you down in the breakfast room whenever you’re ready.” She reached down for a large bag. “And I’m sure I’ll have this all unpacked for you by the time you’ve eaten.”
Leah considered telling her she could unpack her own things, but she’d learned at the palace to allow the servants to do their jobs. Plus, she was starving. “Sounds good.”
Entering the room, the servant added, “Since the closet here is smaller than what you’re used to at the palace, we already placed your finer things in the attached room next door.”
That threw Leah off. “Wait, what?”
The servant gestured to the door connecting this room to the next. “Over there. The ball gowns and whatnot.”
Leah furrowed her brow, heading next door. She was utterly shocked to find an armoire plumb full of her fancier dresses, as well as a couple of loaded-down makeshift racks set up alongside the wall. Some items had been placed on a shelf, perfumes and her throwing knives included.
Perching on the edge of the bed in there, Leah shook her head. I can’t believe it.
She’d expected Queen Catrina to send her things at Kaylah’s request, but not everything that had been in her chambers. Leah took a few moments to size it up before the servant appeared at the door. “We can rearrange it if you’d like. We’ll be moving another armoire in here, but Her Highness didn’t want the noise of it banging around down the hallway waking you.”
Leah numbly nodded, looking at the dresses on the rack. The organization of the items didn’t matter all that much to her; it was the fact Catrina had sent all of them that still had her uneasy.
Memories flooded Leah with each dress she studied. Embroidered, beaded, and lacy—they were all beautiful, all likely one of a kind. She’d worn them to balls and official functions where she’d needed to make a good impression. There were plenty of everyday dresses as well.
Some of the dresses held better memories than others. She just sat there and stared. Why had Catrina sent them? Leah hadn’t paid for them, and in a lot of ways, they weren’t even a wardrobe—they were a uniform.
Was Catrina being kind by sending them? Perhaps. Or was she sending a message to Leah? That she was done with Leah. Done with trying to help her. Done with trying to reach out to her. Done with Leah’s ungrateful, selfish, stupid self. Done with the girl who was going to sink her nephew’s reputation because she couldn’t keep her legs closed as ordered.
Leah’s gaze fixed on a deep plum dress with a sweetheart neckline. She ached. She’d worn that one to her first ball. Marcus had saved her from her misery that night.
“Leah?” Kaylah’s voice was soft from the doorway, and Leah’s attention snapped to her.
“Hey.”
“Everything okay?” Kaylah asked cautiously.
“Of course.” Leah sniffled, wiping away a tear. “I was just...” She drew a deep breath. “Why did she send all of these? It’s not like I’m planning to go to any big events right now, and I won’t fit into them soon, anyway.” She was forming a baby bump, and it was likely already too tight of a squeeze into some of the more formfitting ones.
“I’m sure she expected you’d want them all in one place. And you may fit into them again someday.”
Leah huffed. “They’re not even mine. It’s not like I paid for them.”
Kaylah inclined her head. “They were bought for you, tailored for you. They’re yours.” She paused. “But if you’d rather, I could have them stored elsewhere for now.”
Leah didn’t want to cause the servants any extra trouble. “It’s fine.”
“How about we grab something to eat?”
Standing, Leah followed her downstairs to the breakfast room. Eric was off elsewhere, but Kaylah sat to eat with her.
The multigrain toast and melon-pomegranate smoothie bowl were delightful.
“Did you sleep well?” Kaylah asked, sipping water.
“Yeah. Like a rock.”
She smiled wide. “Good.”
Leah took another bite of her toast. “Is this our one mandatory meal of the day?”
Kaylah pursed her lips, scooping a spoonful of her smoothie. “How about we spend two together on your first day?”
It wasn’t like Leah had plans, or grounds to deny her request. “That works.”
Other than shared meals, what was Leah going to do with her time? She should be sorting out her life, but just the thought of that was beyond daunting. “Do you mind if I look around in your library?” There was an entire room dedicated to books—every inch of the walls lined with full shelves, comfy armchairs and sofas taking up the center of the room.
“Be my guest.” Kaylah ate another spoonful. “Looking for anything in particular? Or just perusing?”
Leah shrugged. “I guess perusing.” Though ... she hadn’t gotten the chance to check out the last book in the Valeska’s Adventures series... “Are you familiar with Valeska’s Adventures?”
Kaylah softly scraped the bottom of her bowl. “I sure am. I doubt there’s an Ivy who isn’t.”
“Do you have it?”
Twisting her lips, Kaylah searched her mind. “I don’t think so.”
Leah frowned, and Kaylah raised her eyebrows in question.
“Well, I just finished book eight, and it’s a nine-book series.”
“Aha. I’ll see what I can do about that.”
Smiling, Leah reached for her glass of water. “Thank you.”
“Anytime.”