Two Thousand Years | The Empire Saga #1

Chapter Forty-Two

The hardest part was finding somewhere to hide her knife. She didn't wear any undergarments, nor did she have a garter to wear underneath her skirts. She could have tucked it in her cleavage, but it just wouldn't sit right, and having the hilt protruding from her bust would cause questions to be asked.

She resigned herself to keep it in the room with the rest of her belongings—sometimes leaving a weapon in plain sight was the best place to hide it.

The Key, however, remained with her. She did her best to pile her hair on the top of her head, and secured it tightly with the delicate hair comb. By her calculations and monitoring the moon when she could, she knew the time to act was now. Though it hadn't yet been a day, she could not wait to go home.

Giving the fireplace one final glance as she solidified her plan, she knocked on the door to let the mage know she was ready, and he silently brought her down the hall to the castle's grand ballroom. It amazed her that something so architecturally pleasing could reside in a castle so dark, and for a moment she wondered if Reylor had constructed it himself. It oddly resembled the ballroom of the palace, brightened by candelabras and lighted sconces, with high ceilings and arched windows. Within the center was an elaborate dining table lined with course after course of delectable foods.

If the celebration was hosted by anyone else, she might have been impressed.

Reylor was waiting for her by the door, dressed in garb finer than what suited him. If she didn't hate him so much she might have given him a compliment. She hesitated when he offered his arm.

"Are we going to have this battle every time I offer you chivalry?" He glared at her and she relented, taking his arm as he brought her to her seat at one end of the table.

It appeared as though the celebration in question was no more than a dinner to be shared between the two of them. If nothing else, he believed he'd be able to wine and dine her to gain her affections and confidence. Lucky for her and her current state, she would not be participating in the wine portion of dinner, but she definitely dined. Reylor, on the other hand, seemed more than happy to consume what wine she didn't drink.

It was not until midway through their meal that either spoke. Alex was content with the silence while she ate. It felt as though it had been days since her last meal. Reylor, though, was eager to attempt conversation while she focused on the food before her.

"That dress looks wonderful on you."

"Thank you."

"Are you enjoying your meal?"

"Mmhmm..."

"You really should have some wine."

"No, I shouldn't, but I appreciate the offer."

"Suit yourself, Empress." He finished yet another glass before leaning back in his chair. "So, when are you going to tell me why you were sneaking around the Borderlands?"

She looked up at him, rather startled. She painfully swallowed the morsel in her mouth, afraid of choking otherwise, and put down her fork.

"I told you," she began as she coughed slightly. "I was scouting, not sneaking."

He held his empty wine glass up as though he was examining it. "Yes, but I don't believe you."

"Believe what you want." She shrugged as she wiped at the corners of her mouth with her napkin. "It's the truth. I was scouting, and you caught me."

"Why you though, I wonder," he continued thoughtfully, still looking at his glass.

The question was clearly more to himself than to her, so Alex allowed him to ponder the scenarios while she sat quietly in her chair.