Serpent: Book II of the Asterian Trilogy

by Sarah Olson

  I glanced up at Rebecca, realizing that she had been the woman he married instead. She was attractive and appeared to be about my mother’s age. Her straight brown hair had been pulled up into a messy bun, and the crease on her forehead indicated just how hard she was working on saving Roy.

  When my mother told me about Richard and Rebecca, I hated them. It wasn’t that I would have preferred Richard be in my life, it was that he made me feel disposable. I had imagined meeting Richard before and thought through all the horrible things I would say to him. But now, I couldn’t. He didn’t seem to be the devil I imagined all my life, and Rebecca was in no way the witch that had taken my mother’s place. Here she was, still young and beautiful, working on saving the man that had just said he loved me.

  He loved me.

  Was he out of his mind? It had to be the loss of blood talking. We barely knew each other, and now he was proclaiming his love. It didn’t make sense. Richard had told my mother he loved her within their first month together, and she foolishly believed him.

  But if he did love me, he loved Norah. Norah was just a persona I had adopted, but I wasn’t her. I was Aria. I was the princess of Asteria. Roy had no idea who he was falling for.

  I looked down into his handsome face. At the lips that brought new warmth to my body every time they kissed me. I needed to tell him the truth. There was no way around it. Now he just had to survive so I could.

  Please, Roy. Please wake up.

  When Rebecca finished with Roy, she had her boys move him into a guest room upstairs, saying that it would be more comfortable for him to heal on a bed.

  The room was spacious with a large bed in between two windows. A couple of paintings hung on the pale lavender walls—none of which I took the time to look at—and the furniture was made of a light polished wood.

  Rebecca turned to me and gave me a quick once-over with her eyes after Roy was settled.

  "Your turn," she said.

  "What?" I asked.

  "I need to take care of that cut on your forehead and probably a few others that are under that robe. You don’t escape a shipwreck unscathed. Come, I will have one of the maids draw you a bath in the bathing room downstairs."

  I glanced over at Roy, afraid to leave him.

  Rebecca placed a hand on my shoulder and gave me a kind smile. "I will have Regina stay with him. He’ll be well looked after."

  Roy didn’t look as pale anymore, so I nodded. "Quickly, though."

  She took my arm and led me from the room before I could change my mind.

  Rebecca had been right about one thing—I was covered in cuts and bruises. Some were a couple of days old from my encounter with Hashim, and the one on my forehead had opened again. If Rebecca could tell the difference, she made no mention of it.

  Once I was bathed and clothed with a dress Rebecca lent me, I hurried back up the stairs to be with Roy. My cuts stung from the ointment, but I ignored them.

  Roy was still unconscious when I reached the room. Regina was sitting by the bed with a book in her hand and smiled in greeting.

  "Norah," Rebecca said from behind me. "I’ve asked the cook to send up some food for you—I am certain you’re hungry."

  "Thank you," I replied as I pulled a chair up to the side of the bed. I hadn’t realized I was starving from all the fear of Roy dying. Now that I thought about it, my stomach grumbled loudly, and I instinctively put my hand on it as if to silence it.

  "It’s my pleasure, dear," Rebecca said as she left the room.

  I sat beside the bed, feeling much better now that I was clean, and my thoughts drifted toward the Enigma. Was she at the bottom of the ocean or had she managed to stay afloat and that was where everyone else was now? Storms at sea were notorious for pushing ships far off course, and I hoped that was the only reason Roy and I were alone—that everyone else was alive but somewhere else. I didn’t want to think of them as dead—I wouldn’t think of them as dead. Even half a thought about it sent a cold feeling down my spine and filled my heart with sorrow.

  Ethelyn had to be alive and out there looking for me. I couldn’t fathom a world without her shadow following my every move. And Stephen, he had to be with her along with everyone else.

  "Here," Regina said, interrupting my thoughts. She held out a handkerchief.

  It was only then I realized I was crying.

  "Papa said he is sending word around the island to look for other survivors."

  I dabbed at my eyes and nodded. "I fell off, you know," I said softly. "So maybe the ship never wrecked and everyone else is all right."

  Regina gave me a hopeful smile. She reminded me very much of Juliette.

  I looked away and back at Roy trying to keep from thinking of my family. My eyes fell on the tattoo of the serpent wrapped around his upper arm. Without thinking, I reached out and brushed my fingers down it. I had wanted to touch it since the first day I laid eyes on it—I wanted to know what it felt like. His skin was smooth, and the parts with the tattoo felt no different as if the ink had become part of him.

  "Where is he from?" Regina asked. "I’ve only seen people from Fraedelle with tattoos."

  "Surmania," I answered.

  She pulled her chair closer to mine. "Is he your betrothed?"

  The question caught me by surprise. "Why would you think that?"

  She shrugged. "Because you look at him the way Papa looks at Mama."

  Her words hurt as I was reminded that Richard had probably looked at my mother that way once and she’d been naïve enough . . . no, I wouldn’t let my thoughts go there.

  "He’s not," I said.

  Regina looked disappointed. "But you fancy him?"

  I gazed down into Roy’s sleeping face, the color beginning to return to his cheeks. "I think so," I whispered.

  The door opened, and a maid entered with a tray of delicious smelling food. It looked like some sort of fish with chopped potatoes and vegetables. She set the tray on a table in the room, and I was up in seconds. My stomach growled at the smell.

  "Thank you," I said, a feeling of home warming my heart. I wasn’t home of course, far from it, but having a maid waiting on me and being able to eat delicious food once again made me feel like I was at the castle again—even if it was for just a moment. I sat at the table, choosing the seat that would face the bed and began to eat.

  "Regina," Richard called from the door.

  I looked up at him, my mouth full of the chunk of potato I had just shoved into it. Manners be damned.

  He smiled at me and then looked over at Regina. "Sweetheart, it’s time to get ready for bed."

  I hadn’t realized how late it was until I noticed the room was lit by candles and the last rays of the sun had dipped below the forest.

  "You don’t want me to stay with him?" Regina asked, disappointment with a hint of hope on her face.

  Richard shook his head. "I’m going to watch over him now."

  Regina slumped her shoulders and rose from her chair. "Yes, Papa."

  "Good night," he said, planting a kiss on her forehead. "I love you."

  "I love you too, Papa. Good night Norah." She scampered from the room, and I felt like I was going to be sick.

  I placed the fork down and swallowed the potato. Watching Richard and Regina hurt more than I was willing to admit. Seeing him as the loving and doting father sent a pang of jealousy through me. I had that love from James—I knew that—but to see the man who abandoned me love one of his daughters in front of me, was painful.

  "Norah," Richard began, "I had one of the maids prepare the other guest room for you. It’s probably best that you get some rest."

  I took a breath, calming myself down—it was a technique I’d been taught as a child. Take a breath and don’t look at the person who made you angry until you are under control.

  "If you don’t mind, I would prefer to stay with Roy," I said, looking up at him once I was confident there was no trace of anger or hurt etched on my face.

  He cocked h
is head ever so slightly as if he were trying to figure out my relationship with Roy. "Are you certain, because I can keep an eye on him for a bit and then have the maids check on him throughout the night. Rebecca said he is stable enough."

  "I am," I replied.

  "Very well then," he said. "If you need anything, don’t hesitate to wake me."

  I smiled—a fake smile. "Of course."

  Richard excused himself from the room, and I went back to finishing my meal. A few minutes later, a maid came in with a clean chemise and robe for me to change into. She filled the porcelain washbasin in the room and left without so much as a word.

  I skipped washing my face since I had just bathed and changed into the chemise. I left one candle lit beside the bed and slid in next to Roy. I got as close as I could to him so I could feel his warmth and hear his steady breathing. I probably wouldn’t sleep well since his condition plagued my mind with worry, but that didn’t bother me as long as it was his breathing that woke me in the night.

  I curled up beside him, my head inches from his, and watched his chest rise and fall.

  "Good night," I whispered as I moved forward to place a kiss on his cheek.

  After my encounter with Hashim, the thought of being touched by anyone was sickening, but now there was nothing I wouldn’t give to feel Roy’s touch.

   ☐☐☐☐

  When I woke, I was momentarily confused by my surroundings. The room and bed were unfamiliar, and I couldn’t remember where I was until I heard the steady breathing beside me. I was in Richard’s house.

  I sat up slowly, every movement painful, and looked over at Roy. He was still unconscious, and as far as I knew, he hadn’t woken during the night. I placed my hand on his forehead to find that his fever had subsided.

  The door opened, and Rebecca stepped in. She gave me a sweet smile.

  "Good morning," she said. "I’m surprised you are already awake."

  "Is it that early?" I asked.

  She shook her head. "It’s just that you seemed exhausted. You didn’t even stir the couple of times I came in to check on Roy. He’s doing much better."

  "Thank you," I said. "I appreciate all the help."

  "You are most welcome. Would you like to come down for breakfast? The children are all awake now, and it would be nice if you would join us."

  I glanced at Roy, not wanting to leave him.

  "I assure you he’ll be fine," she said when I didn’t respond.

  It was not just being away from Roy that unnerved me but sitting at a table with Richard and his family. Being in his home was strange. I’d never imagined that I would ever see him, and a part of me still had difficulty accepting that it really was him. At the same time, though, I couldn’t avoid this family—not after their kindness and hospitality.

  I met Rebecca’s gaze. "I’ll be down in a few minutes."

  She left the room, a satisfied smile on her face.

  I slid out of bed, washed my face and changed back into the dress she’d lent me. After checking on Roy once more, I headed downstairs to the dining room.

  Breakfast had already been served, and everyone was chattering away.

  Richard looked up at me from the end of the table and smiled. "Thank you for joining us."

  I returned the smile and went to sit at an empty chair beside Regina.

  "I don’t think you were properly introduced to my children," Richard said. "This is Francis and Lucas," he continued, pointing at the two boys that sat across the table from me. "They are the oldest."

  The twins had dark blond hair and brown eyes. They shared the same slightly upturned nose and cheekbones.

  "And you already met Regina," Richard said, gesturing to her. "And my youngest, Vivien."

  When I looked over at Vivien, my jaw almost dropped. I hadn’t paid much attention to Vivien when we were in the forest, but looking at her now, I saw myself. She had my eyes, my golden blonde hair—though it was much straighter than mine, and my chin. Any stranger would have thought we were sisters. I averted my eyes before anyone noticed I was staring.

  "How’s your friend?" Lucas asked. His hair was slightly longer than Francis’s which was probably the only way I would be able to tell them apart.

  These were my brothers.

  I shut the thought down as quickly as it came. "Better," I replied, reaching for the bowl of scrambled eggs.

  "Do you think you’re the only survivors?" Francis asked.

  "Francis," Richard reprimanded. "Not now."

  "It's fine," I lied, letting the years of practice in hiding my emotions take over. "And I don’t know. I hope not."

  Richard caught my eye. "I’ll let you know if I hear of any other survivors found around the islands."

  "Thank you." I finished serving my plate and began to eat. It was a nice change from the almost tasteless breakfast on the ship.

  "Regina said you’re from Asteria," Vivien said from the seat by her mother. "Do you know the queen?"

  I almost choked on a mouthful of eggs.

  One of the boys laughed. "Not everyone from Asteria knows the queen." It was Lucas.

  "He’s right," I said, once I swallowed my food and regained my composure. "Not everyone does."

  "Do you?" Vivien asked.

  I didn’t even dare to cast a look in Richard’s direction.

  "No," I lied. "I don’t know her."

  Vivien gave a disappointed sigh. "Papa said we can’t go to Asteria because of the queen."

  "Vivien," Richard almost barked. "That’s enough."

  "But I thought that maybe—"

  "Vivien, your father said that’s enough," Rebecca chided.

  Vivien stuck her bottom lip out in a pout and crossed her arms.

  I’d had enough too. I placed my fork down, having lost my appetite. Richard had been teaching his children that my mother was the reason he could never return home. Who knew what else he’d told them?

  "I’m not hungry anymore," I said, desperate to leave the room.

  "Are you certain?" Rebecca asked, eyeing my plate. "You’ve barely eaten."

  "I am," I said, standing. "I’m going to get some fresh air outside if you don’t mind. Thank you for the meal." I left the room before anyone could say another word and headed for the front door.

  The cool, salty air hugged my arms as I stepped out of the house. I took a deep breath and tried to calm myself down. If I hadn’t been in the position of needing their help, I had half a mind to barge back into that dining room and demand to know why Richard abandoned me. The fact that I cared so much was terrifying. Richard had been dead to me for years, and now I was standing here envious of the family he loved. The family that didn’t include me.

  I walked away from the house and towards a vegetable garden at the edge of the clearing.

  This was ridiculous. I had a family and a father that loved me very much. My mother never left me nor resented me. I was living a happy life despite the last couple of months. Once Roy was better and we found the other survivors, we would find a way back to Asteria, and I could put all of this behind me.

  I heard the door to the house close and approaching footsteps.

  "Norah." It was Richard.

  I suppressed a groan.

  "Are you all right?" he asked.

  I spun around and glared at him. My guard was down, and I suddenly didn’t care what he thought of me. "Am I all right?" I almost screamed. "I was shipwrecked on this island. Roy is lying upstairs wounded. I don’t know if anyone else survived and with all of that, I have to sit at your dinner table and see how perfect your life turned out!"

  His eyes widened as if in surprise.

  "Don’t act like you don’t already know who I am," I snapped. "This charade is up, yours and mine."

  "Norah—"

  "That’s not my name!" I yelled.

  He put his hands up and swallowed hard. "I know." The words were barely a whisper.

  "Say it then," I growled. "My real name."

  He d
ropped his hands and looked me directly in the eyes. "Aria. Your name is Aria, and I am your father."

  I laughed. "You wish you were my father. That place has been taken by another as I’m certain comes as no surprise to you."

  "I know," he said softly, a wounded expression on his face. "That doesn’t mean I can’t be grateful to see you. The last time I saw you, you were not even two-years old—and now look at you. You have grown to be a beautiful—"

  "Stop," I said, sounding weaker than I intended. "Don’t act like you care."

  "I do care," he said quickly. "I’ve thought about you every day."

  "Except you somehow didn’t care when I was born." My gaze was hard, and I was not bothered by the ever-growing sorrow and hurt in his eyes.

  "I was young, Aria. I was unwise and didn’t understand the decisions I was making. I am truly sorry."

  I took a breath. "You’re sorry? And I’m supposed to forgive you?"

  Richard took a step forward. "I’m not asking you to. All I want is to help you and get to know you. Please."

  I lifted my chin. "Thank you for your hospitality. As soon as Roy is better, we will be on our way." I lifted the skirt of my dress and made my way back to the house hoping that by just being beside Roy, I could find some comfort.

  Chapter 25

  I SAT IN THE SILENCE of the guest room, grateful that no one had come to bother me. I knew it would only be a matter of time though since Rebecca was bound to come in and change Roy’s bandages. Other than hearing the sounds of a maid in the hall, the house was quiet, and I assumed that the children had all gone out. My encounter with Richard had worn me out, and I didn’t know what I would do when I saw him again.

  I kept thinking how much easier everything would’ve been if I only had the courage to face my problems and not hide from them. I used to consider myself strong but now I just hid. I didn’t want to hear Richard explain himself but a part of me knew that I had to. I couldn’t leave this island without really knowing why he left my mother—why he abandoned me. Even if the reasons hurt, I needed to know.

  There was a knock at the door, and I stood as Rebecca entered the room with new bandages.