Read Online The Shrinemaiden (The Maidens) by Annie Eppa - Free Book Online
Authors: Annie Eppa
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anxiety. “Thank you,” she said, and the servant bowed her way out. She sat down to her meal, wincing as her buttocks protested. She forced herself not to think of that upcoming meeting, to fear what the high priestess might tell her, and concentrated on eating until she was satisfied. Stacking the empty plates neatly, she faced the mirror and tried to make herself look as presentable as possible.
It was only after looking at her reflection did she realize that she was a mess. Her blonde hair, perfect the night before with no lock out of place, now hung around her face in long clumps. Her cheeks were flushed, her purple eyes bright. Faint marks stood out on the side of her neck, and she realized them to be bite marks from the captain. Blushing, she combed her hair as best she could, arranging it so it could hide most of the blemishes. She could do little for the rest, and was relieved that the High Priestess was giving her time to look presentable.
She kept her head down as she scurried out of the room and back onto the corridor, not willing to meet the eye of anyone she passed, certain that they had heard what had transpired in the chambers. Adelai had never thought she could be so loud and so vocal when it came to matters of sex - but then again, she had never been bedded before.
Thinking about him made her moan softly to herself. Even remembering the things he had done to her, and the things he made her do to him, sent a heat curling around the base of her thighs, and she felt shocked at this unhereto unknown sensuality. “Focus.” She told herself sternly, as she entered her rooms.
She was glad to see that a bath had been prepared for her, and she wasted no time making use of it, sinking down into the warm water. It did much to soothe her soreness, but she did not want to luxuriate in the bath longer than she needed to. The high priestess was not known for her patience, and Adelai did not want to give her any more incentives to be mad at her, if she was.
She changed into a simple green gown, brushed her hair until she was satisfied, and then headed toward the High priestess’ room at the end of the long hallway. Now that she was properly dressed, she was finding it easier to lift her head as servants and courtiers walked past. Still, she did pause as she reached the door, lifting a hand and letting it hover there for awhile before she could muster the nerve to knock.
“Come in,” The high priestess’ familiar nasal tones sounded through the wood. Adelai took a deep breath, and pushed the door open.
CHAPTER FIVE
A Proposal
There was a meeting in progress when she entered. The high priestess was there, dour and sour-looking as she always looked, in a red flamboyant dressing gown marked with embroidered serpents. It surprised her to find that the priestess was not dressed for visitors, though the old woman herself always told them to look presentable at every occasion whenever possible.
But it was the captain of the guard that caught and held her attention. The man was seated at an armchair across the room from Saleia. He was impeccably dressed, wearing his military uniform and showing no indication of where he had spent the night. His face was stern, but his blue eyes were trained on her, and despite herself Adelai found herself reddening as his gaze dipped almost imperceptibly toward the front of her gown as if remembering how she looked without it.
“You are late.” The high priestess said, in her usual disapproving way. “Take a seat. We have much to discuss.” She indicated a small chair a few feet away from the captain.
Not trusting herself to look back at him, Adelai hastened toward it, seating herself gingerly and focusing on her priestess.
A low, unexpected chuckle sounded somewhere to the old woman’s right. “Well, now. Is this the woman I had bought at the bidding?” Shocked, Adelai’s eyes flew toward the figure of a man leaning back against another chair. She had been too
It was only after looking at her reflection did she realize that she was a mess. Her blonde hair, perfect the night before with no lock out of place, now hung around her face in long clumps. Her cheeks were flushed, her purple eyes bright. Faint marks stood out on the side of her neck, and she realized them to be bite marks from the captain. Blushing, she combed her hair as best she could, arranging it so it could hide most of the blemishes. She could do little for the rest, and was relieved that the High Priestess was giving her time to look presentable.
She kept her head down as she scurried out of the room and back onto the corridor, not willing to meet the eye of anyone she passed, certain that they had heard what had transpired in the chambers. Adelai had never thought she could be so loud and so vocal when it came to matters of sex - but then again, she had never been bedded before.
Thinking about him made her moan softly to herself. Even remembering the things he had done to her, and the things he made her do to him, sent a heat curling around the base of her thighs, and she felt shocked at this unhereto unknown sensuality. “Focus.” She told herself sternly, as she entered her rooms.
She was glad to see that a bath had been prepared for her, and she wasted no time making use of it, sinking down into the warm water. It did much to soothe her soreness, but she did not want to luxuriate in the bath longer than she needed to. The high priestess was not known for her patience, and Adelai did not want to give her any more incentives to be mad at her, if she was.
She changed into a simple green gown, brushed her hair until she was satisfied, and then headed toward the High priestess’ room at the end of the long hallway. Now that she was properly dressed, she was finding it easier to lift her head as servants and courtiers walked past. Still, she did pause as she reached the door, lifting a hand and letting it hover there for awhile before she could muster the nerve to knock.
“Come in,” The high priestess’ familiar nasal tones sounded through the wood. Adelai took a deep breath, and pushed the door open.
CHAPTER FIVE
A Proposal
There was a meeting in progress when she entered. The high priestess was there, dour and sour-looking as she always looked, in a red flamboyant dressing gown marked with embroidered serpents. It surprised her to find that the priestess was not dressed for visitors, though the old woman herself always told them to look presentable at every occasion whenever possible.
But it was the captain of the guard that caught and held her attention. The man was seated at an armchair across the room from Saleia. He was impeccably dressed, wearing his military uniform and showing no indication of where he had spent the night. His face was stern, but his blue eyes were trained on her, and despite herself Adelai found herself reddening as his gaze dipped almost imperceptibly toward the front of her gown as if remembering how she looked without it.
“You are late.” The high priestess said, in her usual disapproving way. “Take a seat. We have much to discuss.” She indicated a small chair a few feet away from the captain.
Not trusting herself to look back at him, Adelai hastened toward it, seating herself gingerly and focusing on her priestess.
A low, unexpected chuckle sounded somewhere to the old woman’s right. “Well, now. Is this the woman I had bought at the bidding?” Shocked, Adelai’s eyes flew toward the figure of a man leaning back against another chair. She had been too
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