get out. Do you understand?”
“Three days?” I said, surprised. It took us nearly that long just to get here. How did he expect him to get there, investigate and return in such little time?
“It’s more than enough time,” Arrick said. “Don’t worry, Claire. I am fast.” He winked at me. I sensed through our connection that he knew something I didn’t - and then it hit me. He was going to run there. My mouth fell open. I knew Blood Mates were faster than vampires, but I guess I didn’t realize just how much.
Arrick nearly skipped out of the room, saying he had a lot to do to prepare. I wanted to follow after him. There was one simple request I had for him on his quest. I needed him to find Robin and Dmitry. I at least had to know that they were okay.
My father’s grip on my shoulder shook me from my thoughts. “That was quite a sight to see, Claire. You, speaking your mind to Jarvan. I’m proud of you.” He lowered to my height to look into my eyes. “Always speak your mind and be honest. Even when you have to do it to a grumpy old Blood Guard,” he laughed. It was a deep thundering sound and it made a small giggle escape me. I still couldn’t believe I was finally home. “Someday you will make a marvelous leader, but for now,” he said, gripping my chin in his meaty fingers, “Have fun. I love to see you smile.”
My face lit up at his kind words and I sped down the hallway in the direction Arrick had gone. Hopefully, I could track him down and make my request. It wasn’t too much to ask. Was it? I wouldn’t be able to stay behind unless I knew that he would at least check on them. The thought of The Dark attacking the palace made me worry for their safety daily. They had to be okay. They just had to.
It took some searching, but I finally found Arrick after almost an hour. He was sitting in one of the small prayer rooms within the Château. So far I had found two such rooms, both seemingly identical. Not much larger than a walk-in closet, the prayer room held a few benches, a statue of Nyx and thousands of candles that made the room glow in a soft rosy light.
Arrick was kneeling, his head lowered, faint murmurings of his whispered prayers hanging in the air. Not wanting to interrupt, I leaned against the door frame in the entry, waiting for him to finish.
“Are you going to stand there all night?” he asked, glancing up at me.
“I wasn’t planning on it.” I replied entering the prayer room toward Arrick’s sarcastic smile. “I was trying to be polite and let you pray in peace, but if you are going to be so rude about it, I’ll make sure to interrupt next time.” I took a seat across from him on a bench and crossed my legs, swinging my foot rapidly in anxiousness. Arrick grabbed it to hold it still.
“What’s got your panties all in a bunch?” he asked. Then, after a final look at the statue, he turned to leave. “You coming?”
I sighed heavily and followed after him. He was so hard to figure out. One minute he was a duty bound Blood Mate, the next he was consumed with passion for me, and now he was acting like I was his annoying kid sister or best friend.
I lengthened my stride to keep pace with him. “I wanted to ask you something before you leave.”
“I know. What is it?” There was a hint of irritation in his voice. Did he already know what I wanted to ask?
“Okay,” I inhaled deeply. I wasn’t sure how I should bring it up, so taking my father’s advice I came right out with it. No reason to dance around the truth. “I wanted to ask you a favor while you are back in Nicolae’s region.” Arrick winced, but I continued before he could start an argument. “I need to know they are okay. Robin and Dmitry.”
I had been asking every time I saw Arrick to try to contact them, to at least send a message, but he always refused. I didn’t have the guts to be asking anything of my parents, especially since I had brought so much trouble with my homecoming, so asking
“Three days?” I said, surprised. It took us nearly that long just to get here. How did he expect him to get there, investigate and return in such little time?
“It’s more than enough time,” Arrick said. “Don’t worry, Claire. I am fast.” He winked at me. I sensed through our connection that he knew something I didn’t - and then it hit me. He was going to run there. My mouth fell open. I knew Blood Mates were faster than vampires, but I guess I didn’t realize just how much.
Arrick nearly skipped out of the room, saying he had a lot to do to prepare. I wanted to follow after him. There was one simple request I had for him on his quest. I needed him to find Robin and Dmitry. I at least had to know that they were okay.
My father’s grip on my shoulder shook me from my thoughts. “That was quite a sight to see, Claire. You, speaking your mind to Jarvan. I’m proud of you.” He lowered to my height to look into my eyes. “Always speak your mind and be honest. Even when you have to do it to a grumpy old Blood Guard,” he laughed. It was a deep thundering sound and it made a small giggle escape me. I still couldn’t believe I was finally home. “Someday you will make a marvelous leader, but for now,” he said, gripping my chin in his meaty fingers, “Have fun. I love to see you smile.”
My face lit up at his kind words and I sped down the hallway in the direction Arrick had gone. Hopefully, I could track him down and make my request. It wasn’t too much to ask. Was it? I wouldn’t be able to stay behind unless I knew that he would at least check on them. The thought of The Dark attacking the palace made me worry for their safety daily. They had to be okay. They just had to.
It took some searching, but I finally found Arrick after almost an hour. He was sitting in one of the small prayer rooms within the Château. So far I had found two such rooms, both seemingly identical. Not much larger than a walk-in closet, the prayer room held a few benches, a statue of Nyx and thousands of candles that made the room glow in a soft rosy light.
Arrick was kneeling, his head lowered, faint murmurings of his whispered prayers hanging in the air. Not wanting to interrupt, I leaned against the door frame in the entry, waiting for him to finish.
“Are you going to stand there all night?” he asked, glancing up at me.
“I wasn’t planning on it.” I replied entering the prayer room toward Arrick’s sarcastic smile. “I was trying to be polite and let you pray in peace, but if you are going to be so rude about it, I’ll make sure to interrupt next time.” I took a seat across from him on a bench and crossed my legs, swinging my foot rapidly in anxiousness. Arrick grabbed it to hold it still.
“What’s got your panties all in a bunch?” he asked. Then, after a final look at the statue, he turned to leave. “You coming?”
I sighed heavily and followed after him. He was so hard to figure out. One minute he was a duty bound Blood Mate, the next he was consumed with passion for me, and now he was acting like I was his annoying kid sister or best friend.
I lengthened my stride to keep pace with him. “I wanted to ask you something before you leave.”
“I know. What is it?” There was a hint of irritation in his voice. Did he already know what I wanted to ask?
“Okay,” I inhaled deeply. I wasn’t sure how I should bring it up, so taking my father’s advice I came right out with it. No reason to dance around the truth. “I wanted to ask you a favor while you are back in Nicolae’s region.” Arrick winced, but I continued before he could start an argument. “I need to know they are okay. Robin and Dmitry.”
I had been asking every time I saw Arrick to try to contact them, to at least send a message, but he always refused. I didn’t have the guts to be asking anything of my parents, especially since I had brought so much trouble with my homecoming, so asking
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