Read Online Night Vision by Yasmine Galenorn - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Yasmine Galenorn
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draped the robe around my shoulders and then, with a flourish, said, “May I escort you back to the palace, Your Highness?”
He was so heartfelt, so gentle and yet so protective, that I couldn’t help but give him a graceful smile. “You may.” And so we returned to the Barrow, my need to fly assuaged for the moment.
Grieve sat up, yawning, as I padded across the cobbled floor to where Druise, my maid, was waiting. She was trained to obey, and she would have stood there all day if I had told her to. As I stepped into the steaming bath she’d prepared, she quickly moved forward to wash my back. I started to wave her away, but the chagrined expression on her face stopped me. This was her job. This was what she did. If I refused her help, I negated her worth.
I wanted to linger in the bath, but we had to get over to Rex’s place to watch the announcement that Regina had instructed us to. So after I’d lathered up and let Druise wash my back, I stepped into the towel she was holding and she wrapped me in the soft, warm fleece. I wasn’t sure what material it actually was made from. The cloth felt like terry cloth, but I knew it wasn’t.
As Grieve watched, she handed me clean underwear and black jeans. I slipped into them, then allowed her to help me into a cobalt blue corset top, leaning against thetable as she laced it. Lainule had acknowledged that I didn’t have to wear a dress if I wanted to, but she’d put her foot down at tank tops unless I was going out on a mission.
“You must wear something that sets you apart.” Since nobody argued with Lainule, I had acquiesced.
And so, I agreed to the corset. Fashioned out of dyed leather, it was embellished with silver buckles and studs, giving me a badass but elegant look. The laces were black and silver. I wasn’t sure quite what I thought of it, though I was leaning toward loving it. I had, however, put the skids on letting Druise lace it so tight that I’d have a hard time running in it. After a few days, I’d discovered that it actually did a good job of supporting not only my boobs but my back.
I sat down at the dressing table, and the girl began brushing my hair.
“What would Her Highness like me to do with her hair this morning?”
I frowned, wanting her to just call me Cicely, but that was another thing I was going to have to get used to: being addressed in a royal manner. I felt like Cinderella must have after the
happily-ever-after
: new to the Court, out of place, and hanging on for dear life.
“Just let it hang loose, thank you.” I wasn’t sure what I wanted, but that would be the simplest and get the morning routine over with. I had balked at letting her put my makeup on for me, and while she brushed away, I quickly smoothed on foundation, powder, eyeliner, and mascara, then rubbed a little light gloss over my lips. By the time I finished, Druise was done with my hair.
“Thank you, Druise. You may go now.”
She curtseyed, turned, and left.
I pushed back from the vanity and turned to see that Grieve had emerged from the bed and was fully dressed. Of course, all he had to do was to focus on what he wanted to wear and, bingo, there it was. Today he was looking fine, in a pair of khaki cargo pants, with a royal blue V-neck shirt that showed off his biceps quite nicely.
I moved to him, and he held out his arm, slipping it around my waist and kissing me soundly. Glancing over my shoulder, I stared at the bed. It was so hard to believe that everything was happening so fast. Just a few weeks ago, I’d been in La-La Land, when Ulean had warned me that my aunt and cousin were in trouble. One phone call later and I was on the road, headed north, on a long drive up the I-5 freeway. And now…here I was in the palace of the Summer Queen, waiting for my new life to begin.
“What are you thinking?” Grieve asked.
I shook my head. “I don’t know. Just…I’m watching things parade forward at a rate that boggles my mind. But no matter what,
He was so heartfelt, so gentle and yet so protective, that I couldn’t help but give him a graceful smile. “You may.” And so we returned to the Barrow, my need to fly assuaged for the moment.
Grieve sat up, yawning, as I padded across the cobbled floor to where Druise, my maid, was waiting. She was trained to obey, and she would have stood there all day if I had told her to. As I stepped into the steaming bath she’d prepared, she quickly moved forward to wash my back. I started to wave her away, but the chagrined expression on her face stopped me. This was her job. This was what she did. If I refused her help, I negated her worth.
I wanted to linger in the bath, but we had to get over to Rex’s place to watch the announcement that Regina had instructed us to. So after I’d lathered up and let Druise wash my back, I stepped into the towel she was holding and she wrapped me in the soft, warm fleece. I wasn’t sure what material it actually was made from. The cloth felt like terry cloth, but I knew it wasn’t.
As Grieve watched, she handed me clean underwear and black jeans. I slipped into them, then allowed her to help me into a cobalt blue corset top, leaning against thetable as she laced it. Lainule had acknowledged that I didn’t have to wear a dress if I wanted to, but she’d put her foot down at tank tops unless I was going out on a mission.
“You must wear something that sets you apart.” Since nobody argued with Lainule, I had acquiesced.
And so, I agreed to the corset. Fashioned out of dyed leather, it was embellished with silver buckles and studs, giving me a badass but elegant look. The laces were black and silver. I wasn’t sure quite what I thought of it, though I was leaning toward loving it. I had, however, put the skids on letting Druise lace it so tight that I’d have a hard time running in it. After a few days, I’d discovered that it actually did a good job of supporting not only my boobs but my back.
I sat down at the dressing table, and the girl began brushing my hair.
“What would Her Highness like me to do with her hair this morning?”
I frowned, wanting her to just call me Cicely, but that was another thing I was going to have to get used to: being addressed in a royal manner. I felt like Cinderella must have after the
happily-ever-after
: new to the Court, out of place, and hanging on for dear life.
“Just let it hang loose, thank you.” I wasn’t sure what I wanted, but that would be the simplest and get the morning routine over with. I had balked at letting her put my makeup on for me, and while she brushed away, I quickly smoothed on foundation, powder, eyeliner, and mascara, then rubbed a little light gloss over my lips. By the time I finished, Druise was done with my hair.
“Thank you, Druise. You may go now.”
She curtseyed, turned, and left.
I pushed back from the vanity and turned to see that Grieve had emerged from the bed and was fully dressed. Of course, all he had to do was to focus on what he wanted to wear and, bingo, there it was. Today he was looking fine, in a pair of khaki cargo pants, with a royal blue V-neck shirt that showed off his biceps quite nicely.
I moved to him, and he held out his arm, slipping it around my waist and kissing me soundly. Glancing over my shoulder, I stared at the bed. It was so hard to believe that everything was happening so fast. Just a few weeks ago, I’d been in La-La Land, when Ulean had warned me that my aunt and cousin were in trouble. One phone call later and I was on the road, headed north, on a long drive up the I-5 freeway. And now…here I was in the palace of the Summer Queen, waiting for my new life to begin.
“What are you thinking?” Grieve asked.
I shook my head. “I don’t know. Just…I’m watching things parade forward at a rate that boggles my mind. But no matter what,
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