Chapter 2
Clare hated the palace. With every cell in her body she hated the place.
It was a constant roller coaster ride no matter where she went. Most of the time she hid out in her room or on the roof away from everyone but she could never get away far enough.
"Would you like coffee, your grace?" Layla asked as she held up the coffee pot.
Clare looked up from the book in her hands and frowned. The woman had a pleasant smile on her face but she could never hide from Clare.
"Layla," Clare sighed, setting her book down. "Take the rest of the day off, please."
The smile on Layla's face wavered, "Your grace?"
"You should be with your mother right now," Clare said. "I'll speak to Vivian and see how we can set up for you to have some more vacation days."
As she spoke, Clare felt the pressure in her chest start to rise. Layla's eyes watered as she tried to hold herself together.
"Thank you, your grace. This means a lot to me. My mother has been sick for a while now."
"I know," Clare nodded. "Go spend some time with her. You don't have much longer."
Suddenly, all the color drained from Layla's face. She opened her mouth but no words came out. Clare's body filled with hopelessness and dread. She bit down on her jaw to keep the emotions at bay as Layla struggled to speak.
"My.....my mother......"
Clare frowned, "I'm sorry, Layla.....I really think you should go home now."
The tears Layla had been trying so hard to keep at locked up began to pour out. She nodded her head silently and set the coffee pot down before walking out of the room, leaving Clare to deal with the heartache.
The clock in the room began to click in the silence. Clare sat still as a rock staring at the coffee pot. The dark liquid began to simmer and then boil as she channeled all her energy into the glass pot. It didn't take long for the metal handle to heat up before the pot exploded.
Clare didn't flinch when the glass shards went flying around her room. She took slow steady breaths and watched the liquid soak into the ivory table cloth. The fabric began to stain and the room filled with the scent of coffee.
With a sigh, Clare rubbed her forehead and opened her mind-link to her Queen's guard.
Joseph, please bring the car around.
Would you like me to inform the other guards? Joseph asked.
No, Clare responded. Just you.
With that, she rose from her seat and dropped her napkin on her untouched breakfast. Quickly changing into a pair of joggers, Clare tied her hair back and pulled on a thin jacket suitable for the winter rain outside.
By the time she changed and made her way down to the lobby, Joseph was already waiting for her. His murky green eyes watched her as she made her way down the stairs. She could feel his gaze wrap around her curves. Wanting to get away from Layla's emotions, Clare turned herself over to the lust Joseph had for her.
"Good morning, your grace," the man bowed his head with a small smirk on his lips.
"Morning, Joseph," Clare took in a deep breath of his cologne. She quietly followed him to the car and slipped into the backseat. Her eyes watched the palace disappear in the rear view mirror as the car pulled out onto the deserted roads.
"Where to, Princess?" Joseph asked, locking his gaze with Clare in the mirror.
"Wherever you want," Clare shrugged. "But I would like to go for a jog later on."
Joseph nodded. He pulled off the main road and headed down the dirt path that drove into the thick forest behind the palace. Once they were far enough from the roads and their car was hidden in between the trees, Joseph turned off the engine and got out. Clare shifted over to the other side as she waited for him to come around to the back.
One the man had climbed inside, he looked over to the princess and held his arm out. Clare tossed her phone aside and slowly made her way over to his lap. She didn't know how her little affair with Joseph had started but it wasn't worth paying too much attention to. He was a young handsome man who knew Clare wasn't looking for anything serious. He enjoyed her touch and she enjoyed the distraction.
As the rain fell down on the roof of the car and created a steady drum beat, Joseph moved his hand up Clare's sides until he had a firm grip on her hips. She leaned in closer and placed her hands on his wide shoulders. Closing her eyes, Clare tried to lose herself in the sensation of his hands on her skin but like the scent of spoiled milk, smoothing tickled the back of her mind.
"What's wrong?" Joseph asked as Clare paused and pulled back slightly.
"What's with the guilt?" Clare raised a brow. She watched the shift in the man's green eyes as he leaned back.
"I think your dad might be on to us," Joseph said.
"Has he said anything to you?" Clare asked, calmly.
"No, but he wanted to see my log for when I leave palace grounds with you alone."
"Don't worry about it," Clare shrugged.
"Is there something on your mind?"
Clare lifted her gaze. Joseph moved his hand off of her hip and brushed her full bottom lip with his thumb. He waited for her to answer, but Clare only gave a short laugh.
"Do you really care about what's on my mind?" She asked.
"No......not really," Joseph confessed. "I thought I should ask."
"You don't need to know anything about me," Clare said. "Just as I don't need to know anything about you."
Nodding in agreement, Joseph licked his bottom lip as his mind tried to wonder why she was so strange. He didn't mind being her on call distraction, but there was something definitely odd about the princess.
"Stop thinking," Clare frowned. "I didn't call you here for that."
"I'm sorry," Joseph said in his defense. "I'm still thinking about your dad."
"Why?"
"He's my boss!"
"If you're worried about losing your job then don't be," Clare sighed. As she sat on his lap, she could tell her words had no affect on him. The scent of guilt was still very vivrant on him. His hand had moved back to her waist, but he made no move to touch her.
Clare's irritation flickered with the man. She didn't want to dwell in guilt after her morning with Layla. Deciding to take matters into her own hand, she reached up and carefully unbuttoned the first button of her coat. She waited until she had Joseph's full attention to undo the next one.
One by one, as Clare's buttons became undone, she felt the man's guilt dissolve. In its place began to grow a mindless lust she had been seeking all along. Joseph's fingers dug into her hips as he jerked her closer and began to leave wet kisses along her neck.
"Fuck, princess," he moaned as she moved agaisnt his hard body.
Clare tuned herself onto Joseph's emotions and switched off her brain. She let her body take over as their mouth collided into a senseless kiss. She hid her fingers in his thick black hair and tugged at the strands as the man's tongue began to tease her.
Clare didn't care about what she was doing. She needed a distraction and Joseph was better then freezing herself to near death. She shut her eyes as the man flipped them over and laid her down on the backseat of the car. His needy hands pushed her shirt off and began to make its way down to her joggers when Clare's mind switched back on. Her hands shot out and she stopped him from undoing the two strings.
"No," Clare said against his lips.
"Got it," Joseph said breathlessly. He settled himself in between her legs as she made space for him and pressed her down into the seat.
"Joseph?" Clare said his name in between their lips colliding.
"Yeah?"
"Why are you still feeling guilty?"
Joseph stilled. He lifted his head and looked down into the girl's wild gray eyes. As they both tried to catch their breath, Clare unwrapped her legs from around his waist and began to sit up.
"Are you still thinking about my dad?" She asked.
"No," Joseph shook his head.
"Then?"
A small smile appeared on the guard's lips as he repeated Clare's words back to her, "You don't need to know anything about me. Just as I don't need to know anything about you."
Clare rolled her eyes as Joseph began to chuckle. She lifted her fingers and made a motion as if she was playing the piano. Instantly, a red mist filled the car and Joseph's murky green eyes flashed red. Clare let out a deep sigh and turned the guard's chin to face her.
"Why are you feeling guilty? I've been noticing it for the past week or so," she said.
"I've been thinking about my mate," Joseph confessed, unable to have any kind of control on his thoughts.
Clare immediately let go of his face, "What?"
"I haven't met her yet, but I think about her whenever I'm with you."
"Why?" Clare asked, confused.
"I wonder how she would feel if she found out what I do on the job."
"Do you want to stop?"
"No," Joseph shook his head.
"Why not?"
"You're hot," Joseph said as if the answer was obvious. "And you're the crowned princess. Our arrangement comes with bragging rights. No other guards can say they fucked the princess of House Dorin."
"You did not fuck the princess of House Dorin," Clare shook her head.
"But we get pretty damn close to it," Joseph smirke.
Clare watched his red eyes as she chewed on her bottom lip. She could still feel his physical need for her. His fingers traced the exposed skin right above the waistband of her joggers as he gazed into her eyes.
"Wouldn't this be so much better if you were my mate?" Joseph asked.
"No," Clare stopped his hands. "Why would you want that?"
The laugh that came out of the guard surprised Clare.
"Believe it or not, I actually really do like you, Clare."
"You shouldn't," Clare frowned.
"Why not?"
"Because I am not your mate," Clare said. "And I don't feel anything for you."
"Would be nice if you did."
"Joseph," Clare took in a deep breath. She moved back to where she was hitting and picked up her coat off the floor. "Go back to your seat. Drive us back to the main road and forget we ever came here today."
"Yes, your grace," Joseph jumped out of the car at once.
Clare buttoned her coat slowly as she watched the man climb back into the driver's seat and follow her instructions. She stared out the window as they made their way out of the forest and blended in with the main road. After driving for a few more minutes, Joseph's eyes returned to their normal murky green and he looked up at the rear view mirror.
"Where to, your grace?" He asked.
"Back to the palace, please." Clare sighed, leaning back against the seat.
The rest of the car ride was silent. Joseph struggled to speak clearly through his confusion and Clare didn't care enough to help out. She avoided his eyes and when he held the door open for her, she quickly jumped out and rushed up the stairs.
Clare? Mavi's voice popped into the girl's head as she landed on the second floor. Can you please come see me in my office?
Clare turned on her heels and headed for her mother's office. She pulled her hair out of it's ponytail and shook it out until it fell around her sides just the way she liked it. As she walked, a sudden thought began to form in her head. She smiled to herself as images of a crown and a ring flashed before her eyes. By the time she arrived at the queen's office, there was a small bounce to her steps.
"Hey, baby," Mavi smiled as Clare entered. "Is Macky with you?"
"No," Clare smiled. She made her way to the chairs in front of her mother's desk and took a seat.
"I'll wait until he's here to start," Mavi said, pressing the mute button on the phone.
"He's here," Clare said just as the door opened and Maksim walked in.
"What's up, girl scout?" He asked walking up to where Clare sat. He flicked her hair as he passed her and earned a punch from his sister.
"I thought it was peace out, girl scout?" Mavi raised a brow.
"I don't know," Maksim shrugged. "I heard Ella say it once."
"Is she here?" Clare asked.
"No, we're still packing for the move," Maksim said. He turned to his mother and raised a brow as she rushed to finish her conversation on the phone.
"Okay, thank you.......thank you........Yes, I'll have Owen send you the papers. Thank you," Mavi rolled her eyes. After a few more seconds, she finally hung up and groaned. "Why is Caspian's ambassador such a chatterbox? The woman makes me want to bang my head against the wall."
Maksim laughed as Mavi shuffled the papers around on her desk. She capped the pen in her hands and folded her fingers together before looking at her children.
"I have something very important to say," she started slowly.
"I know," Clare smiled.
"Oh good," Mavi sighed. "Then you will take Cleo out tomorrow?"
Clare blinked in surprise, "What?"
"Her birthday is coming up and she was complaining how she doesn't see you two anymore. Piper already planned something for them to do with their friends but I think it'll be really nice if you all did something together for her."
"Ella and I were going to take her out to dinner," Maksim said. He looked over at Clare and raised a brow, "I don't know if you wanted to join."
"You could have asked me," Clare said.
"You never come!" Maksim said in his defense. "I didn't want to bother you."
Clare rolled her eyes and looked away. She felt her mother's eyes on her as she muttered something about her brother under her breath.
"If you have something to say, speak freely, dear sister," Maksim teased.
"You're going to be a brainless king," Clare said.
"Good thing I have a few more years to grow a brain then," Maksim stretched his long legs out.
"No," Clare shook her head as she began to examine her nails. "You have less then a year. Mom wants you to take over by next fall."
"What?"
"Clare!" Mavi and Maksim said at once.
Clare looked up shrugged, "And FYI the family jeweler needs at least a six month notice for the size of diamond you are looking for for Ella."
"What the hell?" Maksim shriked.
"You're going to propose to Ella?" Mavi looked at her son.
"You're going to hand over the crown?" Maksim gasped.
"You guys should really talk more," Clare said.
"I haven't even finalized it with the council or your father yet," Mavi said. "I was going to ease him into the idea."
"He wouldn't have agreed," Clare said. "If you want to convince him, get Ella on your side."
"Mom, why are you giving up the throne so soon?" Maksim frowned. "Is everything okay?"
"It was an idea," Mavi clearfield. "Not a fully formed idea. I didn't even think it was important enough to mention it to you."
"You're welcome Clare," Clare laughed.
"No," Mavi shook her head. "This is not How I wanted this conversation to go."
"And I'm not even thinking about asking Ella to marry me yet," Maksim said, turning to his sister.
"But it's gonna happen," Clare said. "By next fall you will be king and Ella will become a Radacovick. Which reminds me, you will take dad's last name as king."
"What?" Mavi and Maksim asked once more in utter confusion.
"Mom is the last Dorin monarch," Clare said. "You will start the Radacovick reign."
Maksim and Mavi sat stunned as they stared at Clare. She slowly sank into her seat as she started to feel their confusion wear off and their irritation set in.
"I think I should go," Clare said, quietly as she began to rise from her seat.
Mavi and Maksim made no move to stop her as they tried to juggle all the information she had just thrown at them.
"Maksim?" Clare turned to look at her brother as she opened the door. Maksim looked up at her and waited.
"I would like to go to dinner for Cleo's birthday."
________________________
For the remainder of the day, Maksim did not come out of Mavi's office. Clare walked by the closed doors many times only to be struck by waves of anger, confusion, panic, irritation, and eventually exhaustion. She stood behind the columns and watched her father step in many times before Ella eventually joined them after a while.
"What are you doing?" Heyder asked as he came up the hallway.
Clare looked over her shoulder and frowned, "I did it again."
"Let the cat out of the bag?" Heyder raised a brow.
"Yes," Clare said, looked back at the closed door.
"For someone who has been keeping one hell of a secret from her family, you sure do suck at keeping your mouth shut," Heyder laughed.
"Sometimes I get impatient," Clare said. "I don't understand why we beat around the bush instead of just saying what's on our mind."
"Well you see, people have these things called feelings," Heyder said. "Nasty stuff. Get in the way of everything important."
"Half the time they're meaningless," Clare frowned. "Wouldn't it be better if we could just turn them off?"
"No," Heyder said, slowly. "They get in the way and they're messy.....but at the end of the day they remind you why life is so good."
Clare dug her nails into her palm as she felt the jinn's emotions spiral out of control. His eyes took on a dream like quality as his smile widened.
"Go find Maya or Heyden," she said to him before walking away. His laugh followed her down the hall until she hurried into the large kitchen and let the doors bang shut behind her.
The kitchen staff all looked up at once as Clare walked in and grabbed a clean apron off the hooks. She flipped her hair up into a bun and fished her earpods out of her pockets. The staff quickly cleared a workstation for her as she moved around the pantry and grabbed whatever material suited her need.
With an armful of ingredients, Clare blasted her music and set off to work. As if fighting a storm, she steered her mind to focus on her cooking and ignore the staff in the room. They all carried on with their daily tasks but Clare could feel each and everyone of their worries and desires. She bit down on her jaw and pushed all of her anger into the knife in her hand. She chopped and diced for as long as she could before grabbing pans off the shelves and letting her body take over and her mind shut off.
By the time she finished, the staff had cleared out of the room and the only one left was Vivian. The old woman smiled at the princess and asked if she wanted to serve her dish for dinner that night.
A few things....Clare is not gay or bi lol she's just fangirling over Athena. Next, she is now 21 and Heyden is 5. Max and Ella are 25. Third, this book is going to be veeery long and slow. There is a lot that needs to be built up so please be patient and work with me.
Thank you!
What are your thoughts on Clare so far?