The clink of china barely registered as the maids bustled about, setting up a room for Athenia. She was a quiet shadow, that child, with eyes that held a depth I couldn't fathom. Yet, something about her tugged at my heart. Having her here, in Northern Glades, felt… right. Even if it was temporary.
Torrance, fresh out of the healer's ward, pulled me into my own chamber. The air shifted, becoming thick with an unspoken tension that only he could conjure.
"Hey," he murmured, his voice rough around the edges. "Are you sure about this? About Athenia staying? I don't want to burden you with her."
My hand instinctively went to his cheek, tracing the sharp line of his jaw. "It's fine, Torrance. She isn't a burden. Besides," I smiled, "the maids adore her. Elara practically fainted from excitement when she saw Athenia's little attempts to braid her hair."
He kissed my forehead, a rare and precious act of tenderness. "I'll be back in two weeks, okay?"
A knot tightened in my stomach. Two weeks. Even after everything – the stalking, the possessiveness, the darkness that clung to him like a second skin – I'd come to crave his presence. I nodded, forcing a smile. "Okay, be safe, please…" I mumbled, the words barely audible.
He grinned, that familiar flash of white teeth against his tanned skin. "Always am."
"You were just in the hospital," I retorted, my own grin pulling at my lips. "I don't want to hear it."
He laughed, a deep, rumbling sound that chased away some of the anxiety that had taken root. "Yeah, yeah, I'm aware." He hugged me tightly, then steered me out to the main hall where Athenia was observing the maids, her dark eyes wide with curiosity.
Torrance and Grayson, his ever-present right hand, moved to the side, their voices dropping to a low murmur. I knelt beside Athenia, trying to engage her in conversation. I knew she'd been through hell, trapped in whatever nightmare Torrance had rescued her from. Patience was key.
Hours drifted by, filled with tentative smiles and whispered observations. Finally, she opened up, a little. Her voice was soft, almost a whisper, as she asked about the gardens and the horses in the stables. By nightfall, she had fallen asleep in my arms, exhausted and, I hoped, a little bit comforted. I tucked her into the newly prepared bed, my heart aching with an unfamiliar tenderness.
After, I sought out Torrance for that final goodbye. His kiss was fierce, possessive, a silent promise of his return. He reeked of danger and freedom. He was leaving to hunt down the remnants of some underground ring. He would stop at nothing, to finish the job.
He was going to be gone for two weeks to look into the underground rings, so I would keep Athenia until his return.
The first few days were a whirlwind of simple routines and complex emotions. I took Athenia shopping, careful to choose things she might like, clothes in soft colors, dolls with kind faces. I devoured every little fact about her that I could. Although, I couldn't shake off the feeling I was being watched. It wasn't Torrance's watchful shadow, but something else, something colder and more sinister. I had Wilson, my trusted captain of the guard, and a contingent of men accompany us everywhere. I couldn't risk Athenia's safety for anything, or anyone.
I spent the next three days within the castle walls, trying to discern if my paranoia was simply a product of Torrance's world bleeding into mine. I felt crazy, even though I wasn't. Right?
Athenia was slowly emerging from her shell. She was speaking a few more words each day. She even laughed once, a brief, breathless sound that sent a jolt of pure joy through me. The staff, charmed, treated her with an endless supply of care and kindness. I would have to admit that the maternal instinct was beginning to take root within me. It was odd. Me, Isabella, being consumed by a child that wasn't even mine. I was overprotective, fiercely caring. Maybe I should have a child. I even began teaching Athenia basic self-defense, something instilled in me at a young age.
Then came June 16th… that one day out of the year that I both anticipated and dreaded. My four older brothers were returning from their respective kingdoms to check on me. It was a tradition, orchestrated by our mother, who would undoubtedly find a reason to be absent herself. And this year, I knew, would be explosive. They were going to flip when they found out about Athenia.
Everyone had been working non-stop to ensure the day was perfect. I groaned. A royal nightmare.
None of my brothers knew about Torrance, and I wanted to keep it that way. But now, with Athenia, it was impossible.