Read Online The Ice Diamond Cuff (Custodian Novel #4) by Alison Pensy - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Alison Pensy
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possible
for people to hide their emotions from her, though it wasn't easy.
But why would they? Unless they had something to hide.
"Faedra. Faen," the king said, drawing Faedra
from her musings. "Ambassador Zaven is here on behalf of the king
and queen of Alsius. They send their apologies, but they will be
unable to attend your wedding on the morrow. They asked that the
ambassador attend in their place and sent him with a gift for you
both."
Faedra took a cautious step forward. Did they
now? She couldn't help but feel disappointed. The last face she
wanted to see at her wedding tomorrow was the one staring at her
right now with the fake grin to beat all fake grins. She didn't
trust him and she didn't want him at her wedding. But, she had
learned in her many classes, that when you were royalty, you didn't
have much of a choice on who was on the guest list. At the end of
the day, as long as her dad, Jocelyn, and Etyran were there, the
rest of the invitees she could more or less ignore. Then she
inwardly rolled her eyes when she remembered that, in actual fact,
she couldn't ignore the rest of the guests. She had to play dutiful
heir to the throne and mingle with the hoy-paloy from the rest of
the realms or they would be sorely insulted. And sorely insulted
nobles from the other realms were probably not a recipe for a fine
soufflé.
At this point, she realized she was far more
looking forward to the intimate service they were going to have at
the little village church in the World of Men for her human family
and friends. She drew in a deep breath, plastered a smile on her
face, and strode towards her father and his guest. Her soon-to-be
consort closely at her side.
"Ambassador Zaven," she greeted again upon
reaching him, managing a small curtsy this time. "I am sorry to
hear your king and queen will miss out on the festivities, but I am
glad you could attend in their place," Faedra lied through her
teeth and realized, with no small amount of vexation, that you
probably wouldn't need to be an energy manipulator to read what she
really thought about the whole situation. Her father cast her a
look of warning.
Don't worry, Father. I'll play the dutiful
daughter. Somehow she managed to keep the false smile in
place.
"Your Highness," Zaven said, picking up a
small box from the king's desk and holding it out for Faedra.
"Please accept this wedding gift from King Tiernan and Queen Ena.
They send their apologies for being unable to attend but find
themselves otherwise detained."
Faedra reached out to receive the box shaped
like a miniature wooden chest but fashioned from what looked like
opaque ice. It was cool to the touch. She fleetingly wondered if
she would melt anything that originated from Alsius. Fire melts
ice . Jalia's odd words floated through her subconscious.
"Maybe you should hold it," she turned and
handed the box to Faen. "I don't want to ruin it before I even get
a chance to see what it is," she continued, seeing the confusion
shining in her Guardian's eyes. Faen glanced at Zaven, whose
expression remained impassive. He took the box and held it out in
front of him with the latch facing his fiancée. Zaven's eyes did
not leave the Custodian; he continued watching her intently.
Faen lifted the lid, opening it up so Faedra
could see the contents before he could.
Faedra's eyes widened and brought her hand to
her mouth. She let out a soft sigh of admiration and brought her
hand down, then hesitated for a second before tentatively allowing
her fingers to trail along the bedazzling piece of jewelry. A
unique pattern made from what looked like precious metal
embellished with diamonds encrusted the entire body of the cuff
style bracelet. She looked up at Zaven who was watching her
reaction like a hawk spying on its prey.
"It's beautiful," she sighed. "I've never
seen anything so exquisite. But it's too much, I can't possibly
accept something like that.
"It's just ice, Your Highness," Zaven
dismissed.
Faedra's smile
for people to hide their emotions from her, though it wasn't easy.
But why would they? Unless they had something to hide.
"Faedra. Faen," the king said, drawing Faedra
from her musings. "Ambassador Zaven is here on behalf of the king
and queen of Alsius. They send their apologies, but they will be
unable to attend your wedding on the morrow. They asked that the
ambassador attend in their place and sent him with a gift for you
both."
Faedra took a cautious step forward. Did they
now? She couldn't help but feel disappointed. The last face she
wanted to see at her wedding tomorrow was the one staring at her
right now with the fake grin to beat all fake grins. She didn't
trust him and she didn't want him at her wedding. But, she had
learned in her many classes, that when you were royalty, you didn't
have much of a choice on who was on the guest list. At the end of
the day, as long as her dad, Jocelyn, and Etyran were there, the
rest of the invitees she could more or less ignore. Then she
inwardly rolled her eyes when she remembered that, in actual fact,
she couldn't ignore the rest of the guests. She had to play dutiful
heir to the throne and mingle with the hoy-paloy from the rest of
the realms or they would be sorely insulted. And sorely insulted
nobles from the other realms were probably not a recipe for a fine
soufflé.
At this point, she realized she was far more
looking forward to the intimate service they were going to have at
the little village church in the World of Men for her human family
and friends. She drew in a deep breath, plastered a smile on her
face, and strode towards her father and his guest. Her soon-to-be
consort closely at her side.
"Ambassador Zaven," she greeted again upon
reaching him, managing a small curtsy this time. "I am sorry to
hear your king and queen will miss out on the festivities, but I am
glad you could attend in their place," Faedra lied through her
teeth and realized, with no small amount of vexation, that you
probably wouldn't need to be an energy manipulator to read what she
really thought about the whole situation. Her father cast her a
look of warning.
Don't worry, Father. I'll play the dutiful
daughter. Somehow she managed to keep the false smile in
place.
"Your Highness," Zaven said, picking up a
small box from the king's desk and holding it out for Faedra.
"Please accept this wedding gift from King Tiernan and Queen Ena.
They send their apologies for being unable to attend but find
themselves otherwise detained."
Faedra reached out to receive the box shaped
like a miniature wooden chest but fashioned from what looked like
opaque ice. It was cool to the touch. She fleetingly wondered if
she would melt anything that originated from Alsius. Fire melts
ice . Jalia's odd words floated through her subconscious.
"Maybe you should hold it," she turned and
handed the box to Faen. "I don't want to ruin it before I even get
a chance to see what it is," she continued, seeing the confusion
shining in her Guardian's eyes. Faen glanced at Zaven, whose
expression remained impassive. He took the box and held it out in
front of him with the latch facing his fiancée. Zaven's eyes did
not leave the Custodian; he continued watching her intently.
Faen lifted the lid, opening it up so Faedra
could see the contents before he could.
Faedra's eyes widened and brought her hand to
her mouth. She let out a soft sigh of admiration and brought her
hand down, then hesitated for a second before tentatively allowing
her fingers to trail along the bedazzling piece of jewelry. A
unique pattern made from what looked like precious metal
embellished with diamonds encrusted the entire body of the cuff
style bracelet. She looked up at Zaven who was watching her
reaction like a hawk spying on its prey.
"It's beautiful," she sighed. "I've never
seen anything so exquisite. But it's too much, I can't possibly
accept something like that.
"It's just ice, Your Highness," Zaven
dismissed.
Faedra's smile
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