Free Web NovelChapter 125: Chapter 125 New Friends
Amber’s POV
Nighttime has always been a twisted blessing. I either sleep like a log, or I can’t sleep at all. Most of the time it’s because I can’t quite shut my mind off, and then it gets complicated from there. The bed is uncomfortable, it’s too warm or cold, something itches, etc.
This is one of those nights, and as we are moving into high summer, I’m not even fighting it anymore. I’ve been this way for 18 years, and I’ve learned to survive the periods with little to no sleep.
It’s been a week since we brought back Merida, and she and I are becoming fast best friends. She is funny, sassy, and doesn’t take shit from anyone. I’ve actually spent a lot of time with her and Glaciel, as Glaciel still was my guid during the solar eclipse. She turned out to be a lot of fun herself, and it came down to her mother having all sorts of ambitions with her, that she didn’t share herself. She told me and Merida she found her mate already, but was too scared to tell her mom. He’s one of the top royal guards, and I had the pleasure of meeting him a few times over the week.
Tonight I’m sitting on my balcony and thinking back to a conversation I have with Glaciel on this very spot. It keeps turning in my head, and I feel like I’m missing something important in that conversation.
"Why would your mother have ambitions on your behalf, if you want to have no part in them?" I asked her the day after the eclipse. Her, Merida, and I were sitting on my balcony - me to get away from the rivalry between my own two mates, Merida to get away from Ezra and her unwanted feelings, and Glaciel to get away from her sister and mother.
"Because her and the King have a fling, and he keeps telling her if I get together with the Prince, he’ll be able to make her Queen without raising suspicion." She answers, and I give her a side look, my mind going a mile a minute.
"What exactly does he mean by that? How long have the two of them had this fling?" I ask, worried and curious at the same time. Merida raises an eyebrow at Glaciel, her eyes guarded, but her posture tells me she’s listening with utmost interest. ƒгeewёbnovel.com
"Well, my sister is not my fathers." She answers vaguely. I think back to her telling me about her family at the feast, and her sister is two years younger than her, who is 21.
"19 years?!" I whisper, yell, and she nods. Her head was hanging down in shame and her shoulders up in defense. I move to her, and give her a side hug as Merida does the same from the other side.
"It’s definitely been longer than that. Father overshared on time when he was drunk, and I got the impression she’s been the King’s mistress since before he and the late Queen were paired." Merida makes a sound of disgust, and I agree silently.
"Does Chase know?" I have to ask, if he doesn’t he needs to.
"God no! He has always adored his father. Well, until the King sent him away to the human realm because of his bond with you. He and my mother used to plan play dates for me and the Prince all the time, and at one point we were best friends. But then he went away, and I was stuck at home so as to not be ’tainted’ by worthless encounters until his return."
"What about his mother?" Merida asks, her expression contemplative.
"She died giving birth to the Prince - or so the story goes," Glaciel replies, but I have a feeling there is more to it than that.
"Glace, please tell us the true story of the events. I promise, it won’t leave this balcony." I implore her. She’s my friend, however new, and this seems to trouble her - burden her almost.
"Well, I overheard my mother one day when I was little. This was before the Prince was sent away, and she was annoyed because he kept bringing up his beautiful redheaded and warm mate to me and her. I was happy for him! To be so young and having already met his destined mate, it was amazing. But then the King said to her that ’this mate’ would just succumb to the same dire fate as his Queen, if she didn’t comply with their plans. I keep having this weird feeling about that conversation, and it stuck with me all these years." She says, and then shrugs her shoulders.
"The Queen was weak before conceiving the Prince, but got better during the pregnancy. The King was ecstatic to find out it was a boy - a legit heir to the Kingdom. My mother was pregnant with me at the same time, and she and the Queen would spend much time together talking and preparing for the birth. But then the Queen’s health started to decline at the end of the pregnancy. It was said to be Prince slowly killing her because his fire powers are so strong. His aura is the strongest in the four Kingdoms. It’s said the King was heartbroken when his Queen died, and he swore to be the best father to the Prince and honor her wishes of finding a strong mate for him."
The conversation played over and over again in my head. Something in there keeps nagging me. And then there is the situation with my mates, who hate each other to a default. The King actually tried to order me to reject Blaze when he found out, but I refused and told him to go manage his own miserable life and stop meddling in mine. He didn’t like that, but Blaze commended me for taking a stand, and then proceeded to kiss me right in front of everyone. I must admit; he’s a damn good kisser! As is Chase! If only those two knuckleheads would find peace in the thought that I love them both. Yes, love! I love them, and that is that.
’Little moon, why aren’t you sleeping?’ Blaze’s groggy voice rings out in my head. As much as he was planning on sleeping in my bed, Chase absolutely forbade that from happening and in return assigned a room on the other end of the castle. My counter action was to move rooms as well - so I’m not staying just in the middle between the stubborn asses who are my mates.
’Can’t sleep. Sorry if I woke you, babe.’ I apologize, but he just chuckles.
’Where are you? We can be up together. I can’t sleep either, and your feeling became more and more prominent over the last half hour or so.’ He answers, and I tell him where I am.
A few minutes later there is a knock on the door, and Blaze walks in with a big smile on his face. He’s so damn handsome it’s not even funny. I have noticed how the other ladies of the court give him the side eye, and flirt with him even when I’m present.
"So, little moon, tell me what you are so worried about." He says, sitting down beside me and cuddling up to me. His presence, scent, and coldness soothe me, and before I can come up with a coherent answer I’m sleeping in his arms. fгeewёbnoѵel.cσm
The last thing I hear is a deep rumble, and "Another time, my beautiful Queen." and I’m out.
