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As her father had said, she needed someone she didn’t have to convince to be withher.
There were tears in Nadyah’s eyes and she cupped Adelina’s cheek gently. “I apologize, Princess. I’m a terrible romantic and your story makes my heartache.”
When it happened, Adelina had only cried the once. Her eyes had been dry ever since, but seeing Nadyah’s tears caused a knot to form in her throat. She hated crying. It was shameful, and more emotion than she was ever allowed to expresspublicly.
Nadyah gave her a quick little hug before sitting back to look at her. “Would the king have allowed the marriage?” she asked, wiping the wetness from hercheeks.
Adelina nodded. “Even if Alpha hadn’t grown up in the palace with me, even if my father hadn’t taken him on as a ward after his parents died, the king would have allowed me to marry a guard. Who I married didn’t matter to him then, as long as I was happy.” The sound of the crashing waves soothed her heart and Adelina took a deep breath of the salty ocean air to clear herhead.
Nadyah missed nothing. “At the time,” she murmured. “Butnow?”
“Now he is dying,” Adelinawhispered.
Still hardly able to admit it to herself, she couldn’t deny the clear evidence of what her eyes saw. Every day it looked as though the king wasted away a bit more and soon there would be nothing left ofhim.
“Raena will be queen in a matter of weeks and she has no children of her own. That makes the rest of us herheirs.”
The courtesan composed herself and her expression became thoughtful as she tapped the bench with one lacquered nail. Adelina wondered how she got them to stay so dark and blue. “Because you will become the second in line to the throne, your options will need to be open and the possibility of matches for the benefit of the kingdom will berequired.”
Adelina nodded. “Raena promised I would be able to choose, but what will be allowed might be limited.” She shook her head, the annoyance raged to the surface before she could squash it. “Our father always allowed us the opportunity to find love. I never wanted to marry for political gain. My dream was to find real and lasting love, someone who I could spend the next two or three hundred cycles with if the three-faced goddess wasgenerous.”
She breathed deep and tried to remind herself her parents had an arranged marriage and now they were deeply inlove.
Lovefreely.
Anything waspossible.
Nadyah said nothing. She didn’t even move. Those deep sapphire eyes simply watched her – studying, assessing, and measuring. “So you gave your guard your virginity but it didn’t work out romantically which means you’ve only had intercourse the one time. You are still friends,yes?”
Adelina remembered this was Nadyah’s profession. She was supposed to know these things in detail. She nodded in confirmation. “I have no experience other thanAlpha.”
It was strange to think about it so clinically. It never occurred to her to play like her sisters and brothers did. She’d loved Alpha for so many cycles she never had eyes for anyoneelse.
The last six months had been an ongoing nightmare and she had very little time to consider any other lovers. At least in that time she had been able to repair her friendship with her guard. She would have been truly heartbroken if she’d lost her bestfriend.
Nadyah’s soothing cactus blossom sent washed over her as the courtesan stood and offered her hand to Adelina. “Come with me,” she said. “You need to relax and get comfortable so we can continue our conversation.” Her gentle smile eased some of Adelina’sstress.
She placed her hand in the courtesan’s and let her lead them back to the House. Nadyah navigated the shadowy halls without hesitation. They passed a dining room with guests who came to enjoy the meals. There was an entertainment room, a ladies’ solar, and a gentlemen’s parlor. Adelina caught sight of the library and nearly pulled her courtesan to a stop, but she was too curious to spend the little time she had in the House with books she was sure they had at thepalace.
Perhaps Nadyah could bring a few to the palace that they might not have, and she could always come back. Adelina knew if her father didn’t consent there were ways around theorders.
Her thoughts had distracted her long enough to get her to Nadyah’s room without fainting. The second the door closed behind them her heart pounded hard enough to make breathingdifficult.
Adelina clasped her hands in front of her to hide the trembling in her hands, but Nadyah was too well trained and she saw everything. “Relax,” she whispered. “You have nothing to fear here, or from me. You are the one in control. I am under your command.” Nadyah sank to her knees before Adelina in demonstration, submissive anddemure.
For the first time in her life someone knelt before her. Adelina felt a spark of desire burn away some of her anxiety. The reaction shocked her. Adelina was a true submissive. Being in a dominant position should have made her uncomfortable. It usually did, enough to give her a panic attack. But in the safety of Nadyah’s room she had no one else to competewith.
Adelina gently touched the golden head and Nadyah looked up with a small smile. “May I stand?” sheasked.
The spark turned into a flame at her words. Silently Adelina nodded, shocked at her ownreaction.
Nadyah stood and kept her eyes down. The courtesan smiled softly as she walked around Adelina. Gently her delicate fingers brushed the back of Adelina’s neck and the princess shivered. A molten fire began to rage within her and the anticipation made her tremble. Finally, she would learn the secrets of thecamerraletoand this beautiful woman would show her. The thought struck her with lightning and her body responded. The fire in her stomach spread to between her legs. Nadyah’s fingers trailed along her shoulders and down her back to briefly brush Adelina’s ass. She gasped in surprise. ShewantedNadyah to touch her and the realization left herslick.
Then the courtesan led the princess to the massive bed in the adjoining room. “Lie face down,” shemurmured.
Adelina did as she asked, resting her head on her pillowed arms. Nadyah slowly, seductively undid each button and then pulled her dress down – down until she heard the spidersilk pool on the floor. Goose-pimples ran over her skin in anticipation and she clenched her legs as the fire seemed togrow.
“May I help you relax, Princess?” Nadyah asked. Her sweet, sultry voice was right next to Adelina’s ear. Her breath tickled and Adelina couldn’t help the tinygasp.
