Princess of the Pack (Shifting the Tale Book 1)

by Haven Handel

  Reaching the lowest floor, the doors opened, and at the familiar sight of Deo’s right-hand man, I couldn’t help but grin. Standing in the hall was Balthazar Ambrosia and my good friend, Andrew.

  Andrew gave me a quick, hello, embracing me into a side hug. “It’s good to see you,” I said, looking him over. A happy grin spread across his face as he brushed back his sandy hair.

  “I believe you remember Balthazar, Cynthia?” Draco asked Cy, seeming to hide a smile.

  Cy’s already large eyes went absolutely doe-y as they roved over the work of art that was Balthazar Ambrosia—also known as Baal.

  A wide white smile of mutual appreciation slowly graced the tanned face of Baal. His jade green eyes sparkled as he tucked a lock of his shoulder length, straight, light brown hair behind one ear.

  “Hello, again,” Cynthia purred, holding her hand out demurely towards Baal.

  Eyes locked on Cynthia, Baal took her hand in his, raising it to his lips and placing a gentle kiss there.

  Pushing past my moony friend who had totally forgotten she was enraged a moment ago, I stood in front of Baal.

  “What the heck is going on here, Baal?” I demanded.

  “Yeah,” Cynthia echoed dreamily. “What’s going on here?”

  Snapping my fingers in front of Cynthia’s enraptured gaze, I said, “Cy, we are livid, furious. Our entire careers have been turned upside down.”

  At the sound of the word, career, I had my friend back from Loveland. Cynthia’s tone returned to businesslike, as she said, “Baal, gives us the details, now, please.”

  Crossing my arms over my chest I locked my eyes on Baal’s green ones.

  “Hello, princess, so good to see you again.”

  “And you,” I replied, curtly.

  “Your papa—I mean, your husband,” Baal jokingly corrected himself before continuing, “has found you both new, better careers.” No one delighted in my husband’s sudden taking me in hand more than Balthazar did.

  “But we had perfectly good jobs that we loved,” I protested.

  “Oh, Cass, this is so much cooler,” Andrew interjected, his blue eyes shining. The youngest lawyer in our firm had proven an asset in battle even more so than the courtroom. Right down to saving my husband’s life.

  “Cassandra, when you can throw a knife such as you can, why waste your time with a mundane court?” Baal asked. Gesturing wide at the space surrounding us, Baal crowed, “Look around you.”

  The entire basement had been transformed into a gym. By the looks of the mats on the floor and walls, and punching bags painted with targets, it was a place to train. I walked over to the wall where daggers hung from a slender bar, each one sheathed in a piece of black leather.

  “Go ahead, princess,” Baal said knowingly, standing behind me.

  When my hand wrapped around the handle of the dagger, everything else faded away. Grasping it tightly, I looked at a punching bag a few meters from where I stood. Focusing on the red bulls-eye in the center, I jumped, swirling, turning through the air. The knife hit the center of the red with a loud and satisfying, thunk. I watched as the glittering handle disappeared.

  Shrugging out of my coat, tossing it to Draco, I quickly grabbed another blade. Performing the move Baal had taught me in the courtyard of the castle basilica, I began with my back facing the bag. Taking a deep breath, on exhale, I turned my torso, sending the blade flying. It hit just a little left of center. I was astonished to find how disappointed I was to be out of practice.

  The heavy footsteps of my husband echoing down the hall broke me away from my memories. It had been a long day, and now, it looked like it would be a long night, with me sleeping on my tummy, my bottom too sore to rest on.

  If only I had stayed in the gym, practicing as Draco said Deo commanded. Instead, hours later, I tried to sneak out of the building—just to catch my breath. Or maybe, just to see if I could. It turned out, I couldn’t, and, of course, word had gotten back to Deo.

  Baal on one side of me, Draco on the other, walked me to the black Escalade that was waiting on the back alley.

  Opening the passenger door, Draco gestured for me to get in. Once he saw I was safely buckled into the seat, he closed the door with an approving nod, then opened his own door, climbing into the back seat of the SUV.

  Turning the key in the ignition of the huge car, Baal’s jade eyes twinkled at me. “We will see what your Papa has to say about this,” Baal chided with a wide grin. I wanted to slap the amused look off his face. Baal seemed to take immense pleasure in my husband’s tight reign over me.

  “Why do you find it so amusing that my husband- punishes me?” I could barely speak the embarrassing words.

  “It is not that,” Baal replied. “I think a wife should obey her husband.”

  “You think a woman should be weak.”

  “Is that what I taught you in training, princess?” Baal teased with a laugh.

  “No but in a relationship, you think the woman should always bow to the man,” I huffed.

  Baal’s jade eyes twinkled at me. “You have me wrong. Choosing submission is a very powerful choice a partner can make. I think a woman’s very essence is strength, power. But she is even more powerful when she gives her will over to the man that she has pledged her life to. Trusting him in all things. Many men thrive in this type of relationship. Especially a man like Deo.”

  I sat silently, having no counter argument. Baal had just beautifully described my marriage to me.

  Taking my silence for absorption of his knowledge, Baal continued his speech. “I do chuckle at you time to time when you resist, when you struggle over power. If you would only open your eyes, you would see that you flourish under Deo’s authority. Would you not agree that you were at your best when we were living in the castle, and you, under your husband’s watchful eyes? And firm hand,” Baal added with a laugh.

  Now, the sound of heavy footsteps on the hall floor, growing closer to me, snapped my mind from my memory of the drive home. The toes of my bare feet turned in towards one another as the doorknob turned and the latch clicked open. A little shiver ran through me as the door slowly opened.

  The toes of my bare feet turned in towards one another as the doorknob turned and the latch clicked. A little shiver ran through me as the door slowly opened.

  Deo stood, filling out the frame of the doorway. Grasped in his right hand, tapping the open palm of his left, was Aunt Margaret’s wooden spoon.

  Author’s Note:

  I hope you’ve enjoyed this little peek at Princess of the Dragon. I have absolutely fallen in love with these characters, as I hope you will too. There is so much more tale to be told in this series. My desire is that you, the reader, will be entranced by the Ambrosia family’s unfolding adventure as I was while writing it. Subscribe to my newsletter at www.havenhandel.com to keep up with the latest releases in my Shifting the Tale Series. And as always - thanks for reading.

  xoxo Haven Handel