Total pages in book: 142
Estimated words: 137017 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 685(@200wpm)___ 548(@250wpm)___ 457(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 137017 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 685(@200wpm)___ 548(@250wpm)___ 457(@300wpm)
My lips parted. “Really? You’ve reused them? Astounding.”
“We don’t often have an opportunity to reuse the circles,” a man said from the other side of the circle, keeping his head down. “Your ladyship’s journey has been most valuable for our research.”
“Really? How so?”
“We’ve been able to—”
“Jasper,” Aerwyna said with an edge to her voice.
He bowed his head until it was practically on the ground.
“My apologies, Lady Alicia,” she said, schooling her tone back to one of nonchalance. “Our research is confidential, and Jasper’s tongue is loose.”
I swallowed.
Aerwyna was scary.
“Oh, no, please.” I held up my hands. “It’s quite all right. I’m sorry for enquiring onto something confidential.”
Although they shouldn’t have said they reused the circles if it was that confidential, but what did I know?
Someone in a light blue robe appeared next to Aerwyna and whispered in her ear. Aerwyna nodded before whispering back and turning to me. “The circles are ready, my lady. Please return to your carriage with your attendants. We will be arriving in Stein shortly.”
Chapter Thirteen
Welcome to Stein, My Lady
I was never travelling through a magic circle ever again.
I was the only one in my carriage who hadn’t thrown up. Clearly, everyone who’d travelled with us was more than used to this mode of travel as they weren’t bothered at all.
That didn’t mean I didn’t want to throw up.
I did.
Oh, bugger it all, I did.
The last time I’d felt so sick was on my eighteenth birthday in my old world, and that was entirely my own fault for overestimating my ability to handle vodka shots.
Which, really, was a rite of passage for most British people.
Right now, my stomach was churning enough that I was almost envious of Bella throwing up in her hat.
I was just on the cusp of wanting to do the same, but if I did such a thing as a noblewoman, I’d never live it down.
Thankfully, those who’d travelled with us were understanding, and we were currently taking a break just outside the snow-dusted arrival site in Stein. The Vermillion knights who’d accompanied us from the estate were long gone, having stayed in the empire’s territory, and as I stepped out of the carriage, I was greeted by the view of just how powerful Stein was under Kalon’s rule.
It was a small bloody army.
Was I being threatened? There was no other reason to send so many knights. Surely, I did not require more than ten people to accompany me to Stein Castle. Nobody needed more knights than that unless they were off to conquer another country.
“Goodness,” Bella breathed from behind me. “My lady, are you being welcomed to Stein or threatened with war?”
Both were possible.
Kalon had said that he didn’t know if he wanted to kidnap me or kill me. Perhaps he’d settled on both.
“I don’t quite know,” I replied, looking at the sea of knights.
It was at least one hundred strong.
That was not necessary.
“Lady Alicia.”
“Yes?” I twitched at the sound of my name and turned towards the voice.
The owner of it hopped down from a large, brown horse and removed his helmet, revealing a shock of dark hair. He shook his head, and as he raised it, his long fringe parted to reveal two perfectly blue eyes that greeted me with pure scepticism. “Sir Hayes Talwick, Chief Aide to the Grand Duke and Head of the Stein Knightage at your service, my lady. It’s an honour to greet the future mistress of Stein Castle.”
Everyone around us stilled, and an unsettling air of silence wrapped around us as all attention was drawn by his words.
“Sir Hayes!” Bella stepped forwards, but I held out my arm to silence her.
Mistress.
Ha.
He was quite bold.
And stupid.
Not only did I know this man from the book, but his prolonged eye contact would have explained it even if I didn’t.
He didn’t like me. He didn’t believe me good enough to marry the Grand Duke. He didn’t believe that his respected master would marry someone from the empire when there were plenty of noblewomen in Stein who would be suitable and would secure Kalon’s position.
His own sister was one of them, and she’d been a minor nuisance in the book.
After all, Sir Hayes Talwick was a Stein-born noble in line for a marquessate, and his sister was a fair call for Kalon’s wife. Many of the old Stein nobles who’d survived the war believed their new lord should marry one of their own to strengthen his ties to the land, but it didn’t matter.
The second I’d set foot in this place it was all but the law that I was the Grand Duchess, even before we married. Regardless of my personal feelings or how quickly I wanted to get out of this situation, I had no choice but to assert my authority.
If I didn’t do it now, I would never gain the respect of those around me.