Rafael nipped at my shoulder softly and I groaned. “We have someplace to be, Rafael.”
I felt his lips quirk into a smile before he slowly began to trail kisses up the side of my neck. “It can wait.”
Chapter Thirty-Five
It was far later in the day when Rafael and I left the main courtyards of the castle and went to the outskirts of the village outside the Stronghold. We stopped on a low hill in front of a cottage with a large workshop attached. As we approached, the sounds of metal against metal, along with the hiss of cooling steam, reverberated through the air. Rafael raised his hand to knock on the door when, without warning, a commotion erupted from behind the cottage. We both turned at once as a flock of chickens exploded past us. Moments later, a tan, skinny man with streaking gray and black hair ran after them, hollering. Looking back to where the first chickens emerged from, a woman strolled out with a grin on her face, molten silver eyes burning bright. Gasping in shock, Rafael turned to me with a question in his eyes. I shook my head. I would tell him later. She winked at us and trotted off after the man who was currently trying to corral the chickens back into a pen. Rafael chuckled and reached out, knocking on the door. It flung open and the second surprise for the day hit me as I took in a very tired and dirty Bambi. Relief flooded her face and she launched out of the doorway, wrapping her arms around me. “Please tell me you are here to save me from this wretched place!”
A sweet but powerful voice echoed out from the cottage. “Bambi honey, who is it?”
Glancing at Rafael in bewilderment, then to Bambi clutching my waist, and back to the direction the voice came, I was at a loss for what to say. Before I had a chance to collect my thoughts, a scrawny boy around the same age as Bambi walked in from a side door connecting the shop to the house. Amid all the commotion happening, I hadn’t noticed the door until now. He scowled, tugging at Bambi’s arms still around me. “We still have chores to do before dinner, Bams.”
She hugged me tighter. “I don’t want to do the dirty chores. I am the daughter of a chancellor. I don’t do chores!” She yelled the last words, looking at the boy.
He sighed, looking up at me, his eyes pleading. “Mom wanted help around the shop and this is what we get.” Throwing his hands up dramatically, he walked back through the side door. Before the door fully shut, a muffled shout echoed out along with the sound of hot metal hissing as it hit water. Pushing Bambi gently away from me, I knelt.
Rafael hesitated. “I’m going to go greet Katrina, but I’ll be right back.”
I smiled and waited for him to push by into the cottage before returning my attention back to Bambi. Wiping at the dirt streaking her forehead, Bambi’s lip wobbled. “Are you doing alright, Bambi? Besides being forced into helping with chores, are your living conditions adequate?”
I knew from the thick history book the queen asked me to read before my wedding, abuse was not tolerated in any form within the Stronghold, but I needed to make sure Bambi was safe.
Her face twisted in frustration, and I knew her answer before she even spoke. “They care about me... Kat makes sure I’m fitting in.”
I gave her a soft smile. “Chin up Bambi. I know this isn’t what you are used to, but believe me when I say the Fates always know what they are doing.”
She shook her head and took a step back, wiping at her eyes. “But I want to stay at the castle.”
Continuing to kneel in place, I shook my head. “And what would you do at the castle, Bambi? Either way you will have to work and contribute to the Stronghold in some manner.”
She pouted at me before turning away, slamming open the side door. Before it closed shut, her yell ‘I’m here to do the stupid chores’ echoed out. Chuckling, I looked around before realizing too late I was stuck. I couldn’t get up from my position without putting all my weight on my ankle. Holding my arms out to steady myself, I wobbled precariously before attempting to inch my way up the doorframe. I was about halfway up when Rafael and an unknown woman stepped into view. Rafael snorted at my plight before rushing forward to help me to my feet.
The woman, who I assumed was Katrina, was about my height with an athletic build and beautiful shoulder-length golden-blonde hair. Her dark blue eyes matched those of the boy I’d briefly met earlier. She thrust out her hand with a warm smile. “I’m Katrina, and welcome to the mayhem of my home, Princess.”
Taking her hand, she turned it over quickly, studying the lines of my palm, and I held my breath, unsure to what was about to happen. I barely suppressed my yelp as another voice whispered in my ear, “Don’t let her fool you with that, she’s an amateur at palm reading.”
Katrina let out a hearty laugh, dropping my hand and threw the towel she was holding at the person behind me. “Andrea, did you help your husband catch the chickens you scared half to death?”
The woman Katrina referred to as Andrea, put her hands on my shoulders and laughed like a maniac. A man’s voice echoed from behind both of us, and I shrugged off Andrea’s hands before turning around. “Of course she didn’t. She chased them in the opposite direction.”
Stepping back into Rafael, he shook from contained laughter. Jabbing at him with my elbow, Rafael didn’t flinch and instead wrapped his arms around my waist.
The man smiled at Rafael before addressing me. “I see you have met my wife, who I’m guessing has yet to introduce herself.”
Andrea shrugged and started picking at her nails with a small but wickedly sharp looking dagger she pulled from places unknown. Katrina smacked her shoulder with one hand and her eyes widened in mock horror. “You could have killed me, Katrina! I have a knife.” For added emphasis, Andrea shook the blade in her hand.
Katrina showed no sympathy and just glared at her before Andrea grinned. “Fine, fine. If you haven’t guessed already from all the name throwing, I’m Andrea, but you might know me better as the hound.”
Everything seemed to slow down and freeze, a thick blanket of silence seemingly thrown over everyone at Andrea’s words. Rafael gripped my shoulders tight, his intake of breath audible.
I stared into Andrea’s smiling face. “You were late.”
Andrea paused before her laugh bubbled up, breaking the silence, and she wiped at her eyes, tearing up from laughter. “I knew I liked you for some reason.” Grabbing her husband’s hand and simultaneously sheathing her knife, she introduced him. “This is Hakim.” Turning to Katrina with a real whine in her voice she continued. “And we are both starving, sister dearest. Realm jumping is exhausting, and I want real food.”
Katrina rolled her eyes and pointed behind her. “Kitchen. The table is set. Wait for everyone.”
Andrea winked in my direction and sauntered off with Hakim in tow toward the back of the cottage. As sudden as the mayhem descended, it dissipated, dead silence engulfing Rafael, Katrina, and I, still standing in the front entryway.
“I apologize for everything.” Katrina motioned around her. “Andrea and Hakim usually don’t stay with us, but they just returned and felt like my life needed excitement. I hope you are here to except my invitation for dinner?”
I glanced up to Rafael, and he shrugged. My stomach decided to answer Katrina with a loud grumble, and a blush rose up my neck. “We would love to stay for dinner, if it wouldn’t inconvenience you.”
Katrina laughed softly. “Please, come inside. You and Rafael will never be an inconvenience.”
Rafael picked up my crutches, leaning them against the wall, and wrapped his arms around my shoulders to help me farther into the cottage. It was small but clean, the smell of fresh bread and drying herbs, which were hanging from a mounted ladder situated horizontally on the ceiling. Stepping into the main communal area, a massive wooden table took up most of the space, food already set out for the family. My eyes widened at a dark skinned, muscle-bound man standing in front of the dishwashing tub, water running and soaping up his hands and arms. Katrina strode over to him and grasped his shoulder, getting on her tippy toes to whisper in his e
ar. He grunted at her words before turning to greet us. Old, dense scars cut across his face and eyes, like a huge creature had savagely racked its claws across his face from hairline to neck. One eye was a deep, rich, earthy brown and the other was covered by a black eye patch.
He gave Rafael and me a gentle smile, and I could tell it was a rare act for him around anyone but his family. “Welcome back, Princess. We heard you had quite the adventure, and we welcome you to share your stories at the table. I am Nikola, Katrina’s mate.”
Katrina pointed Rafael and me over to the empty chairs at the table near Andrea and Hakim, who were already sitting. Andrea was sneaking bits of bread into her mouth and Hakim lounged in his chair, hands behind his head with a half-smile encapsulating his face as he watched his wife. You could see the love reflecting from his eyes, and I desperately wished for a way to capture this moment in time somehow. A few minutes later we were joined by the boy and a sullen Bambi. The boy introduced himself as Cassian, and he was Nikola and Katrina’s son. I easily saw the resemblance in his dark blue eyes and darkened skin tone. Bambi stayed silent and brooded for most of the dinner until I started telling my story. Katrina reached out to take my hand after I explained how I had to leave Amelia behind in the Veiled Realm. “I remember her. She was a good kid. Always eager to please but...” Katrina hesitated before continuing. “She was sick with a rare blood sickness. It probably would have killed her by the end of the year. This was almost a kinder way for her to go.”
My face fell at her unexpected words, and Rafael put his hand on my back, leaning into me. The table grew silent, and I figured I should say something to alleviate the awkwardness, but Andrea beat me to it. “I wish I had seen you take out the sleazy gatekeeper host.”
We all looked at her and she shrugged, pointing at me with a piece of bread. “What? It would have been badass to see you tackle and stab the ever-loving shit out of the pervert. All while wearing a kick ass wedding dress.”
Katrina threw her hands onto her face, and Nikola coughed, trying to cover up his laugh. Giggling at the obscurity of this conversation, Andrea pointed her bread at me again. “See, see, the princess thought it was funny.”
Katrina groaned. “Andrea, what have I told you about using that type of language in my house?”
Andrea tapped at her chin with the piece of bread she was still holding before biting into it, answering with a full mouth, “Only use inappropriate words outside your house.”
Nikola tossed his head back, letting out a full-bellied laugh, slamming his fist onto the table. Katrina groaned once more and leaned into him, bumping her head against his chest and muttering something about ‘a table full of children’. Nikola wrapped his arm around her shoulders, putting his hand under Katrina’s chin and lifting her face to his. Planting a kiss to her lips, it incited a few ‘ewws’ and ‘gross’ from Bambi and Cassian. Andrea made kissy sounds at their display of affection before letting out a shriek as Hakim grabbed her around the waist and started tickling her rib cage. She attempted to spring from her chair but instead knocked both her and Hakim to the floor. The chairs amazingly stayed upright.
Katrina scowled. “No rough-housing inside.”
A breathless giggle came from beneath the table. “Hakim started it.”
They finally came up for air, hair a skewed and Andrea’s cheeks flushed from laughing. Glancing to Bambi and Cassian, a bubble of laughter erupted from me as I took in their faces. Cassian was picking at his plate, a blush creeping across his cheeks, but Bambi looked horrified, like a kid who just walked in on her parents naked. Andrea situated herself back into her chair as if the tickle fight never happened, motioning to me with a huge smile on her face to continue with my story. Her eyes lit up when I introduced Uthal and how she rescued me from the snowdrift and eventually from Varis. Andrea was all but vibrating in her seat when she turned to Hakim. “Please, please, please.”
He sighed and put his hand on her thigh. “You have to ask her nicely and set ground rules.”
Andrea thrust her hand in the air with a closed fist and yelled, “Yes!”
Hakim chuckled at my bewildered look.“ I don’t know how much you know about Katrina and Andrea’s family, but Andrea is special.”
Andrea rolled her eyes which had changed from molten silver to light brown at some point. “You make it sound as if I have bolts loose in my head.”
Hakim smirked, and Andrea shook her head before facing me. “We are from another Realm called Djarh, Maribella. I’m not sure if you know anything about hunters, but Katrina and I are from, or were from, a prominent hunter family within Djarh.”
I stared at Andrea, wide-eyed. “Wait...you are the hunter?”
Andrea smirked. “I see I have a reputation, but don’t let the rumors fool you, I only bite when I have to.”
“Or want to,” Hakim murmured and laughed when Andrea shook her head at him.
“You are not helping, husband.”
“And I’m only trying to make sure the princess knows the truth, wife.”
Hakim and Andrea stared at each other with matching smirks on their faces, and Rafael cleared his throat. Andrea snorted and turned back to me. “As I was saying, hunter, and also hound. I was the one who brought you the weapon in the Veiled Realm.”
My brain scrambled trying to understand and process the information overload and failed miserably. “But why do you want to fight Uthal?”
Andrea chuckled. “Because I want to see if I can best a Goliath.”
“But why?”
Andrea shrugged but didn’t say anything. I waited a few seconds before Katrina cleared her throat. “Why don’t you tell the rest of your story, Maribella?”
Slightly confused by the change in topics, I continued on and felt Rafael grow more tense by the minute. By the end of my story, Andrea hit Hakim on the chest murmuring, “I knew it. I so told you.”
The whole table looked at her, and she let out a grimace. “When Hakim and I were in the Banished Realm, we might have gotten a little look into the future.”
Hakim nodded solemnly in agreement, and Andrea continued. “The reason for your quest to be exact, and why the weapon was needed in another realm, Princess.” The entire table went still at her next words. “The parasites are coming. They are blood sucking monsters who want to conquer all the realms within our galaxy, and no one will be safe from their wrath.”
Epilogue
“We are sooooo late.” Hobbling as fast as I could in a fancy gown down the long corridor, Uthal kept pace with me easily.
“Uthal will carry you.”
Skidding to a halt, I glared at her. “Try picking me up and I will hit you with my crutches. Also, what did I tell you about referring to yourself by name when talking?”
Uthal shrugged, waiting for me to start walking again before answering me. “Uthal likes. Makes people underestimate Uthal. Then I crush them.”
Chuckling, I rounded a corner, going as fast as the crutches would allow me. I was pretty sure Uthal could have taken a nap and still beat me to the courtyard at my pace. “Except Andrea.”
Uthal’s face lit up at my comment. “Andrea fight like champion Goliath. Uthal underestimate the hound.” She reached down, grasping me under the arms and brought me face to face with her. I let out a soft squeak as Uthal held me up like a rag doll in her massive hands, “Uthal lose to magnificent fighter. Uthal must become Andrea.”
Frowning, I mumbled while looking down at the ground below my dangling feet. “Not sure how that would work, but Goliaths can have dreams too, I guess.”
Uthal chuckled before realizing she was holding me in the air like a child. Frowning, she set me down gently and grabbed my crutches from the ground, thrusting them at me. “Uthal sorry. Uthal get excited.”
Shaking my head, I smiled and continued down the hallway. “I can’t believe I lost track of time and on a day like this.”
“Me too.” The voice echoed from behind Uthal and we both turned as one unit. Andrea smil
ed at us, leaning against the corner of the hall we just rounded.
“The hound,” Uthal dramatically whispered as she stepped around me.
Andrea cocked her eyebrow at Uthal quizzically before shaking a hand in my direction. “She does know that I’m not a hound, right? I’ve already explained to her my beast is a guardian from the Banished Realm.”
Shrugging, I gave Uthal a glance. “I don’t know, Andrea. The Mystics’ knight said a hound would deliver the weapon. Then you showed up, with the weapon in the Veiled Realm.”
Andrea sighed, throwing her head back and looking at the ceiling, “Not a hound, oh Mystic ones. Would it have killed them to say beast instead of hound?”
I chuckled at her plight before a massive yawn overtook me. I shook my head, trying to wake up. Uthal had found me a few minutes ago taking an impromptu nap in the archives room, which I had been occupying ever since Andrea dropped the blood sucking parasites line two weeks ago. Rafael and I pressed the matter, trying to get as many details as possible from Andrea and Hakim on what exactly they had seen while in the Banished Realm. They gave us surprisingly little information. It had only been a brief glimpse, but from their description of the landscape and from what I remembered from the witch I had met in the Veiled Realm, we were fairly certain the blood sucking creatures would descend upon the Shielded Realm first. It was also referred to as the broken realm or shattered realm in some texts, which was making it extremely difficult to find information on. I had been scouring the archives for any mention of blood suckers and portals between the Realms from dawn till dusk most days, while Rafael trained with the king in preparation for today. But I had come up with nothing. There were more than a few nights where I had fallen asleep in the archives room before Rafael came to get me. Last night had been one of them.
Mind elsewhere, I started walking back to the archives room on habit before I skidded to a halt. I hadn’t realized Andrea and Uthal were following me until Andrea stopped a hairsbreadth away from trampling me. Uthal barreled right past us before she was able to stop her massive frame. Turning around to face Andrea, she didn’t step back and we ended up face to face, standing awkwardly close. Our noses were almost touching and Andrea chuckled.
The Rover Princess Page 21