Realm of the Chosen: A Reverse Harem Romance

Chapter 17-1

Chapter Seventeen

She’d slept in. The sunlight filtering through the curtains was much brighter than it would’ve been if she’d awoken in time for the morning meal. But the feel of Reeve’s strong arm around her was enough to make Kit want to roll over, bury her head in his chest and let sleep find her again. If only her mother wouldn’t come calling for her sooner or later.

The queen had allowed her to announce Reeve’s Rooming the night before. While Cassius, Jate, and a few of the others had seemed genuinely happy for their friend, she’d seen a lot more jealous faces than she’d noticed at her first Rooming. Of course, she likely hadn’t been paying quite the same amount of attention when she’d let the Representatives know she’d selected Cassius because her mind had been on other things—Blankka’s betrayal and the revelation of her new Representative from Eastbury. Perhaps they’d been equally jealous then.

Or perhaps it was the fact that there were now only five Rooms available, and most of them had already resigned themselves to the fact that Eli would earn one of them—despite their differences the day before, which she could only assume had also made its rounds through the rumor mills. She knew Eli wouldn’t have mentioned it to anyone, and the only Representative she’d spoken to about it was Cassius, who despite his propensity for storytelling could be trusted, she was certain. Nevertheless, these things always seemed to spread like fire through a forest, and she’d seen plenty of questioning stares pointed in Eli’s direction the night before.

She hadn’t spoken to him and had done her best not to look him in the eye. Since he’d sat with his back to her, that had made it easier than it would’ve been if he’d been facing her or directly in front of her. He didn’t wince at all when she announced Reeve; she hadn’t been paying attention, but Isla let her know. Part of her was thankful for it, though she wasn’t sure if she should chalk it up to indifference, acceptance, or defeat.

“Are you awake?” Reeve’s soft kisses peppered the back of her neck and her ear.

She let out a soft sigh and scooted back into him even more. The feel of his bare legs against the back of her thighs had her recalling the sensation of his skin on hers the night before, and she pondered whether or not they had time for another round. She couldn’t recall her schedule off of the top of her head, other than the play and dinner later that evening. Did she have anywhere else she needed to be?

“The rain has stopped,” he said, a little louder now that he was sure she was awake. “Perhaps it will dry out now. Not that I think you should spend any time outside, not until you’re feeling completely better.”

Kit hadn’t sneezed too many times since she’d taken a second dose of Armant’s medication, but Reeve was right. She needed to stay inside where it was dry. Getting caught in another unexpected downpour wasn’t the way to ensure she was feeling well enough to attend the play. She needed to announce the Representatives she’d cut that night. Of course, being ill would be a reason to duck out on Pierce again, but she had spoken to him briefly the night before and had decided he deserved an opportunity to prove himself. Even if every bit of information he’d given her about Eli’s family home was incorrect, he’d risked a lot probing for information for her. The least she could do was hold true on her promise.

Presently, the only man she was interested in was the one whose arms were around her. Reeve had such a gentle nature about him, despite all that he had been through. The night before, she’d spent a great deal of time kissing every bit of his substantive scars. He’d seemed hesitant to have her lips there at first, but by the time she’d wrapped her lips around his chest, she’d felt bonded to him in a way she hadn’t before, and he’d seemed even more attached to her.

Kit rolled over and rested her hand on his chest, her eyes still blurry from sleep. His were wide open, and she imagined he’d been watching her sleep again, as he usually did whenever they shared a bed together. “Aren’t you tired?”

“No. I could watch you all night.” She raised her head, her eyes wide open now, and stared at him for a moment. “Did that sound... perverse?”

She giggled. “No. A little frightening, maybe,” she teased, stroking his chest with her palm.

He chuckled and leaned in to kiss her. His hot breath rushed her lips before their soft touch awakened every inch of her body, and she began to meld into him once more, her hands stroking up and down his pectorals, moving around his waist to come to rest on his backside. He moaned and pressed his tongue further into her mouth, leaving Kit gasping for air.

A knock on the door didn’t register until she also heard Avinia’s agitated voice. “Princess Katrinetta? Your mother is requesting your presence in her throne room!”

Reeve started to pull away, but Kit wasn’t ready to let the queen ruin this moment just yet. She held him close, sliding her tongue against his and then catching his bottom lip with her teeth. He smiled at her and whispered, “I think you need to get up, Princess.”

“Unless my thigh deceives me, you already are,” she teased, narrowing her blue eyes.

Reeve chuckled. “True. But I’m afraid that will have to wait. I would hate to be the cause of any strife between you and Queen Rona.”

Kit blew out a long sigh, knowing he was right. She tilted her head forward one more time, finding his lips for only a moment before Avinia was shouting again. “Princess? Can you hear me?”

“Yes, yes!” Kit shouted back. “Hold your hat, Avinia!”

She could hear her cousin muttering to herself on the other side of the thick door, something about, “If you get in trouble, don’t blame me,” and then Reeve was slipping out of her grasp, clutching his breeches in one hand as he searched for his tunic on the floor with the other.

Kit lay still on the bed and watched him. He truly was a fine specimen of a man, and the scar she’d once thought unsightly didn’t bother her in the least. In fact, she’d grown to love it. Funny how one person’s scars defined them as a survivor while others made them ghastly and terrifying, she thought to herself as she watched him finish dressing, trying to keep the disfigured face of that member of the Queen’s Guard out of her head and failing. The man terrified her, if she was honest with herself.

“Are you planning to get up, or are you hoping the queen will make her way to your chambers?” Reeve teased, smiling at her.

“We both know she wouldn’t bother to come herself, only send her minions.”

“Well, since I doubt you’d like them barging in on you in your present state of undress, perhaps we should change that.”

“Perhaps,” Kit sighed, only pulling herself to sitting once Reeve had retrieved her nightgown and prepared to slip it over her head, she raised up her arms and poked them through the sleeves, letting it fall down around her as he located her thick red robe. Her slippers were poking out from beneath the bed. She slid over to the edge and rammed her feet into them, pushing into her robe reluctantly.

“I hope you have time to tame that hair before you must be in the throne room. I love the way it falls about your shoulders when it’s unpinned, but your mother prefers it up, doesn’t she?”

How he knew so much she wasn’t sure. A hand went up to feel just how badly it was sticking out of place, and she decided to avoid mirrors until her ladies had a chance to correct it. “I believe my mother likes it piled right atop my head like some unsightly bird’s nest,” she replied, tying her robe and standing.

Reeve’s laughter lightened the room. “May I escort you to your other chambers?”

“Thank you for offering, but I’m certain Avinia and my guards will do nicely, and your room is the other direction. I’m sure you’ll want to get settled in.” Once a Representative was officially Roomed, he was given an even more luxurious chamber close to the princess than the other Representatives. Reeve only confirmed he’d been granted such a status an hour or so before he’d been meant to come to her room, so she was doubtful he’d had much time to move his belongs from the smaller Representative room far down the hall.

“All right then, if you’re certain.”

“I am.” She was actually reluctant to see him go, but she needed a few moments to regain her composure before facing her mother. The more of those she could collect the better.

Reeve kissed her sweetly one last time and the opened the door for her. Avinia was standing across the antechamber, her arms folded, her eyes narrow. Kit gave an obnoxious little curtsey which set her cousin off and then, giggling, followed her out into the hallway, waving goodbye to Reeve as she headed the opposite direction down the marble hall.

Kit kissed her mother’s ring and then looked up at the dais for the first time. She’d known they weren’t alone when she’d entered the room because she’d heard enough stirring to be multiple people, but she’d walked in with her head low and hadn’t been able to place who was present. Now, she realized the other council members present where her own grandmother, Junno, Duchess Zora, and an older, distant cousin named Quinn. In front of the dais stood a tall, thin woman with dark hair and a lovely face. Her brown curls were piled high atop her head, and while she looked a bit weary, she smiled at Kit pleasantly. She wore a soft pink traveling gown and boots that didn’t quite match the style of the dress, but Kit assumed this had to be the new lady she’d been waiting for.

“Princess Katrinetta, it is nice of you to join us,” her mother said, her words dripping of sarcasm. “I thought perhaps you were still ill from your exploits yesterday.”

“No, Mother, I’m fine, thank you,” Kit replied. “Only sleepy, that’s all.”

Her mother made a tsking noise with her tongue as if no one were ever allowed to be tired in her castle. “This is Lady Sephorina of the family Hillbright. She is a Viscountess from Eastbury. Her family has always been quite loyal to the crown, and her great-great-grandmother once served on the council.”

Kit tried to look impressed, though she honestly couldn’t care less. “It’s lovely to meet you.” Sephorina curtsied low, indicating the honor was all hers.

Queen Rona continued. “She will be serving as your lady-in-waiting since the other girl did not work out.” Junno made a sound in her throat that drew the queen’s attention. She stared at her mother for a moment before returning her attention to her daughter. “I expect you to treat her the same way you do your cousins, like part of our family.”

“Yes, of course, Mother,” Kit replied thinking Sephorina would be better off if she didn’t treat her like a member of the family but rather like a stranger. Otherwise, she would be the brunt of jokes and ridicule at every turn, and Kit would expect the same from her.

She waited for a moment, expecting her mother to say more. When she didn’t, Kit asked, “Is there anything else?”

“No, only... the play tonight... you do still intend to dismiss the Representatives you mentioned a few days ago?”

“Yes, my Queen, if it pleases you.”

Rona nodded. “And... Pierce is your choice for this evening?”

Despite the fact that she did not want to entertain anyone new in the least bit, Kit confirmed, “He is, Mother.”

A satisfied smile pulled at the queen’s otherwise dower expression. “Good. All right then, that’s all. I’ve asked the servants to take Sephorina’s items to the recently vacated room. Please show her to your chambers to get acquainted with your expectations, and then you may have Isla or Avinia show her to her room. I’d like for her to get some rest before she’s tasked with managing your hair.” Her mother’s gaze indicated she wasn’t satisfied with the work done in haste by her other ladies in an attempt to get Kit to the throne room in a timely fashion.