Daughter of the Mara (The Mara Chronicles Book I)

Chapter 19

Jay awoke enveloped in darkness. She breathed in sharply, her mind racing as she tried to remember where she was. Moonlight always streamed through sheer curtains in her bedroom but this room was dark as a moonless sky. She rolled over, rubbing her hand against a warm but empty pillow and remembered. She was with Edmund: in his apartment and in his bed. She sighed and rolled back onto her own pillow, relishing the silky feeling of it against her cheek and smiling to herself.

The week since her horrible fight with Harvey was the happiest she could remember. Edmund had not only let her stay, he acted as if this was her home now too. Edmund hadn't abandoned her the way Harvey had claimed he would. He had cared for her and made her feel safe. They had spent the past week talking and getting to know each other. She had told Edmund things she hadn't told anyone and he hadn't called her crazy once. Jay felt happy for the first time she could remember, simply whiling away the days with Edmund at her side. Best of all, there were no nightmares and so she no longer needed to seek solace in the dreamscape. Edmund had told her that he would help her control the nightmares within her and so far his mere presence provided exactly what he promised.

As Jay wallowed around in the decadent, ridiculously high thread-count sheets, allowing herself to relax for once in the warm softness of the pillows, she heard Edmund's voice outside the bedroom door. At first she thought Edmund was on the phone but as she closed her eyes to try to fall back asleep she heard a woman's voice. An angry voice.

Jay pushed the covers down her legs and rose from the bed, adjusting the tee shirt she had borrowed from Edmund to sleep in. She crept slowly toward the door, feeling her way around the bed in the darkness. When she made it to the other side of the bed a small crack of light appeared, showing her where the door was hidden. The voices grew louder as she crept towards it. Edmund sounded angry now too. Jay was tempted to open the door, to interrupt the fight, but chose to kneel beside the door instead, her ear pressed anxiously against the cold wood.

"I don't understand, Edmund. What is she still doing here? I thought you were going to get rid of her once you found out why Harvey wanted her, not invite her into your bed," the woman said, her voice strained with rage.

Jay pressed herself closer to the door as Edmund replied softly. "I told you not to come, Isabella. You shouldn't be here. It's not time for you yet."

"Not time for me yet? What the hell does that mean? You're supposed to be my consort, remember? Not dallying with some halfling while others lie in wait to take my throne."

"I've told you, Isabella. There aren't any others. Harvey was the only internal threat to your succession, little threat that he was. The Queen's Guard made sure of it. And once we have you securely on the throne, the other courts looking to further their territory will lose interest. Jay's presence doesn't change any of that."

Jay covered her mouth to hold in the gasp that threatened to escape. He was supposed to be this woman's consort? What did that mean? And who the hell was this woman anyway?

"It's not your power hungry brother I'm worried about. It's the girl. If she's the queen's daughter, others at court could support her claim to the throne." The woman huffed as she stamped the hard wood floor of the hallway.

Jay did not expect and was not prepared for the sound she heard next. It was laughter. Edmund's laughter. Wild, mocking laughter. Laughter she had never expected to hear from Edmund's throat. Jay started to feel nauseous as a combination of rage and grief twisted in her gut. She leaned further into the door, feeling like a dark weight had been placed in the middle of her chest.

"What's so funny?" Jay could barely hear the woman's question over the continued laughter.

It took Edmund several moments to calm himself enough to respond, harsh laughter tapering of into a mean snickering. "You, and your fearful nature. It's most unbecoming of a future leader. Jay's just a girl. Some little girl who's been locked up for most of her life and until a few weeks ago had no idea what she was. Excuse me if I find it amusing that you would perceive this trifle of a girl who can't even control her own powers, as a valid leadership threat. It's rather sad, my dear."