Threads of Emerald

Threads of Treachery: Chapter 17

Dawn crept upon the Palace as I watched through the windows, the sun steadily rising above the horizon and casting a rosy glow on the glass spires of the palace. A cold draft drifted from the unsealed crack under the windows. I wrapped myself tighter in the duvets, cursing Orion for making us get up so early to travel.

Wren had already banged on my door about five times, threatening to kick it in if I wasn't dressed in the next ten minutes. As I made to get up, the door swung open, Orion stood there, clad in black fighting leathers. He'd abandoned the amber cloak and belt. Attempting to retain some of my dignity, I closed my jaw which had probably hit the floor as I'd surveyed how his chiselled chest was outlined in the morning sun.

"How did you get in here?", I flipped him off as I made my way to my dresser. The tiles freezing as I padded to get out the skin-tight black suit that had magically appeared in my dresser the night before. The skin under my eyes felt tight from the tears that had dried there, making my face look even more puffy.

"Perks of having magic", he shrugged as he closed the door and sat on the bed, it sagged slightly under the weight of him.

Icy claws scraped down my bare skin as I stripped out of the pretty pink nightgown I'd thrown on last night, watching as it pooled around my feet. Leaving me completely exposed to his prying eyes. I didn't know what had gotten into me, but as soon as I saw his muscular figure I could feel the burning imprint of where his fingers had gripped my waist and stroked down my back. Heat pooled in my core as I turned to grab the black fighting suit.

Now was his turn to blush, I thought.

But as I stared at that beautiful tan face, his eyes so clear and shiny, I watched as his lips upturned into a smirk as he surveyed my bare skin, slightly tanned from the strolls I took in the garden.

"If only you got up ten minutes ago, I can do a lot in ten minutes", my toes curled slightly at the thought and the arrogant prick's smile grew wider. The black fighting leathers slipped on like a second skin, hugging my figure and the curves of my body perfectly.

"Do I have to fight someone to gain entrance to your Kingdom? Why do I have to wear these?", I have him a mischievous grin as I sat next to him on the bed, brushing my thighs against him as I leaned to put on the matching boots.

"Only if you want to, I just wanted to see how your ass looked in them", he winked.

I not so playfully hit his arm, my knuckles stinged a little as they made contact with his arms.

"I'm joking! Although, it does look amazing. The suit is made from leather and a thinner material called Weedstorm, it's a rare material that grows only in the summer months in my Kingdom. It will protect you, should there be any rebel plots that are attempted on our way to my private residence", horror flitted across his eyes but was gone a second later.

"Thank you", I choked out a bit, "Do you think someone will try and assassinate you?".

He chuckled slightly, a dry and humourless laugh, "I don't know, but there's been unrest since I passed new laws to protect children being sold into brothels. The Kingdom was named the Kingdom of Passion and Insight because of the two industries that were the largest in Toranna, what the land was formerly known as before the Great War. Sex and spies. The sex industry was the most profitable and where the former rulers of Toranna gained the most amount of tax money from. It was not a hidden industry, pleasure was something prized as the finest commodity, not something that should be sold in back alleys and found in unsanitary conditions. The spying industry was similarly profitable, but in a different manner. Spies would sell others secrets, you would approach one of the main spy networks to find out some secret of an enemy businessmen or debts you wished to settle with a former lover. It became so popular that the King began to tax the known spy networks for the money they received. But, enough history, we need to go."