Read Online Leaves of Revolution by Breeana Puttroff - Free Book Online Page A

obvious tensions in the castle, and the constant interruptions Quinn had to deal with surrounding the missing Callum Haddon – the last full day of being with his family was a good one for Thomas.
    Bedtime stretched late into the evening, as William, Thomas, Quinn, and Linnea took long turns with each of the younger children while Charlotte and Stephen snuggled and played with Samuel for hours.
    Not until nearly midnight did Alice fall asleep – she’d fought it the longest, not wanting to separate from Will.
    Finally, William and Quinn retrieved their child from Stephen and Charlotte, and – after many more hugs – retreated to their room with him just as the guard shift changed outside their door.
    “You’re both still sure about this?” Charlotte asked, handing fresh mugs of tea to Thomas and Linnea. “There will be plenty of room in the carriages tomorrow to take you back with us.”
    “About leaving the two of you – and the rest of them?” Thomas shook his head. “No. But about being here in Philotheum with Will and Quinn and starting a life here…”
    “I know,” Charlotte said. “I know.” She sank down on the couch across from them. Stephen held her cup out to her before sitting down beside her. “And you, sweetheart?”
    Linnea nodded in a way that wasn’t convincing, but that also wasn’t going to change.
    Stephen held his hand out to the side and Linnea crossed to him, curling up under his arm as if she were still a small child. He stroked her hair.
    “One of us will try to make it out in six moons or so,” Charlotte said. “Even if we can’t both be here.”
    “I’ll take care of her,” Thomas promised.
    “I expect you’ll need her care just as much.” Charlotte reached across the short space between them to tap his knee. “You listen to her, especially when it comes to whatever is going on between you and Mia.”
    “Yes, Mother.”
    “I don’t think I could do this if you two weren’t going to be together,” Stephen said. “I thought it was hard just leaving William here. This…”
    Charlotte took his free hand.
    “This is what you get for being too wonderful at parenting,” Thomas said. “Maybe you should think about scaling it back for the little ones.”
    Stephen chuckled. “Oh, we’ve got that one taken care of. Just ask Emma – we give her far too many math assignments.”
    When the teacups were finally empty and stacked on the table, Charlotte sighed. “Are you sure you want to go all the way back to your own rooms?”
    “Well,” Thomas said, “it would be a shame to let these nice couches go to waste.”

~ Seven ~
Dinner in the Common Room
     
    IF ZANDER HAD ONCE thought that life in the Philothean castle would be less busy after Stephen and Charlotte left with ten of their children plus assorted spouses and grandchildren, he realized now that he’d been mistaken.
    It was quieter, perhaps, and there were fewer people to talk to – especially people he wanted to talk to, like William’s brothers – but he’d never been busier in his life.
    Guard training was intense. After three weeks of solidly continuing the sword training and horseback riding lessons he’d begun in Eirentheos, Marcus added a nearly full-time apprenticeship to his schedule.
    At the end of his third day of working for ten hours alongside Dorian Blackwelder, and then another hour of sword training, he was practically crawling up the stairs, wanting nothing more than to collapse in his bed. He wasn’t even sure he had the energy to ask a servant to draw a bath for him.
    “Hey Zander.” Linnea stood at the top of the stairs holding Samuel.
    “Hi.” He tried to smile at her, but wasn’t sure if he was successful.
    “You must be starving.”
    Was he ? Maybe. He should have been, anyway. “Yeah, kinda.”
    “Ruth is bringing up dinner to the common room in a few minutes. You should join us. William, Thomas, and Nathaniel will be on their way up, and Quinn and Marcus are finishing