Page 4 of The Time Of Queens (An Afterlife Story #2)

4

THIS ROOM IS CURSED

I don’t know how long I sat in this room, doing nothing, but it was long enough for Pip to have her tea or spiked coffee, as the next thing I knew someone was knocking on my door.

“Hurry, your mistress calls for you, for they will be dining soon. Make haste.”

I didn’t recognise the voice, so it was most likely one of the other servants, and not one that sounded all too friendly at that. I released a sigh and stood, straightening out someone else’s dress before walking from the room. Thankfully the snippy maid was long gone, no doubt far too busy to have to deal with the likes of me in the first place.

I hurried into Pip’s room to find her jumping out of her gown to get it off.

“Here, let me help you,” I said, rushing over to her before she fell on her face. She looked like Tigger from Winnie the Pooh.

“It’s alright, I’ve got it. Just a bit more twisting,” she said, huffing and puffing.

“You look like you’re trying to ride a pogo stick,” I told her, making her head pop up out of the masses of fabric and say,

“Oooh, what is one of those? They sound fun?” I grinned up at her from where I was on my knees trying to free the dress from her ankles and told her,

“You already have Adam, and from what you have been telling me for the last thirty years, trust me when I say, he’s more than enough.”

She smirked, released a heavenly sigh, and said,

“Oh boy, isn’t he just.”

I chuckled at that, shaking my head as I slid the dress from beneath her feet.

“But then I am not the only one smitten, for it would seem you made quite the impression,” she told me as I pulled up the dress and rehung it in the wardrobe… I figured I should make myself useful, even if I wasn’t a real lady’s maid.

“Which time?” I asked, closing the large door.

“Both, I imagine,” she replied, making me sigh.

“I saw him in the hallway after you left with Sophia.” At this Pip’s lush green eyes went wide.

“And what did he say?” she asked, as if this was some love story, period drama she needed the next episode of. I shook my head and told her dejectedly,

“Nothing of consequence.”

“Well that may be so, but he had much to say of you downstairs in the drawing room.” At this my head snapped up, making her smirk when my eager tone was obvious.

“What did he say?”

“He asked a lot of questions, wanted to know more about you, tried not to be obvious, and failed I might add. He also seemed most disappointed when Adam told him that you had been under our employment for over a month and that we only arrived today and did not stop in the village,” she said, making me nod.

“Good… that’s good.”

“He then told Adam about last night, how he had found his Electus and lost her. How Adam would be needed to aid them in the continued search.”

“Okay, so that’s bad,” I corrected, making her shrug.

“Perhaps, although what it certainly is, is exciting,” she added with glee, making her eyes glow a brighter green.

“Pip, that’s not helping,” I scolded, and she giggled.

“He is not going to give up,” I added with a sigh.

“And nor should he, for he has waited many centuries to find you,” she reminded me, making me feel the sharp stab of guilt once more.

“I know,” I said, slumping down into one of the many chairs in the room… seriously, what was it with this time period and chairs. They seemed to be everywhere in this house.

After this she walked over to me, still in her undergarments, and patted me on the shoulder.

“Be not ill at ease, for all will be well, I am sure of it,” she offered, before going to the wardrobe and pulling out an emerald-green dress that would match her eyes perfectly. Then she started to put it on, and I rose, telling her,

“Here, let me help you… I am supposed to be your lady’s maid after all.”

She waved a hand at me, despite letting me help her lace it and making me point out that it was definitely far easier to get on than dressing back in 1799.

“Oh, I have been looking after myself well enough for quite some time,” she stated, making me grin.

“Alright, then let me help you as a friend instead,” I said after leaning over her shoulder from behind.

“Now that you can do,” she agreed, making me giggle.

“You know the last time we went back in time, you had to act like my lady’s maid, so this is like repaying the favour.” At this she chuckled.

“Sounds like we have been through a lot together.”

“Yeah, you, me, and Sophia are thick as thieves.”

She turned around and I wondered if it was prompted by the sadness she had heard in my tone when I had mentioned Sophia. But before she could ask, I told her,

“I am not used to her not liking me.”

She cocked her head to the side and gave me a sympathetic look.

“You know, we could tell her and…”

“No, absolutely not!” I argued, walking away and throwing my hand in the air, waving at her now her dress wasn’t falling down.

“Why not? You obviously trusted her enough before?” she asked as she tugged at the ties of her dress.

“Because she will just go straight to her brother and tell him. Then everything will be for nothing,” I argued.

“You don’t know that.”

“No, but I can’t chance it all the same,” I said, making her shoulders drop. “She doesn’t trust me, Pip.”

“Then give her a reason to,” she added, placing a hand at my shoulder once more.

“I want to. I do, Sophia and I, we are like sisters… Hell, we are sisters and not just because I married her brother,” I told her.

“Then I am sure you will know what is best but just remember… trust is only gained when it is first given.”

“So, you’ve always been wise then?” I teased, making her laugh.

“But of course, and more than those snobby snob snobs that fell from the right side of the mother tree.”

I laughed at that, and she did the same. After which, we didn’t have a chance to say much else as a gong was heard, signalling it was time for Pip to go down to dine.

And as for me…

I had Draven’s bedroom to break in to… Again.

“This isn’t a good idea, Keira,” I scolded myself this time.

Pip had assured me that this would be the perfect opportunity to look in his room. She told me to check the walls for any hidden panels that would open like the one I knew about which led to my escape. So, like a crazy person, I went feeling up his walls, running my hands along the wooden panels in hopes of finding something.

Of course, in the end, all I found was that the place really needed dusting and his pillow was too much temptation for me not to pick up and sniff. So yeah, another reason for me to look crazy, but then again, what could I say, other than I missed my husband. Meaning I would take any small comfort I could get.

Unfortunately, this was also how I was discovered, as none other than Sophia walked in! Naturally, I dropped the pillow pretty quickly the second she cried out in anger,

“What the hell do you think you are doing in my brother’s room!?”

“Oh shit,” I muttered, making her eyes narrow.

“Just wait until my brother hears of this, you will be thrown out of this house this very night!”

I swallowed hard and tried to reason with her.

“It’s not what it looks like,” I argued.

“It looked as though you were trying to steal his dagger.” I looked back at the bed I had just jumped up from, to see that she was right, the same dagger he had held against me last night was there under his pillow. And of course, it looked gilded in gold and encrusted in jewels… it would certainly fetch a pretty penny.

Fuck!

“I don’t suppose you would believe me if I told you I was smelling his pillow, would you?” Her face told me all I needed to know. “Guess not… okay, look, there is something about me you should know.”

“Yes, that you are a common thief that has clearly fooled my friend into trusting you, so no doubt you can rob her blind as well! I also assume this to be the very reason behind your excuse in wanting to visit the country,” Sophia said, throwing even more accusations my way.

“Hey, I like the country,” I argued. “But that is so not the point here.”

“No, it is not, for I could not care less what you prefer, as the only thing you will soon see is the view from a jail cell!”

Okay, so double fuck then.

“Sophia, wait!” I shouted after she had turned and was making her way to the door.

“And who do you think you are to call me by my first name?!” Damn it, but she was snooty. So, I told her,

“I’m your sister.”

She froze and turned around slowly, then she looked me up and down and suddenly burst out laughing.

“Well, that’s a little insulting,” I muttered dejectedly.

“You?! And what is this folly, for you to believe you could ever be related to me?!”

Jesus, she had a sharp tongue when she wanted.

“Wow, this is going well… Right, okay, here it is. I am married to your brother, just not the one downstairs… so he doesn’t know… God, I am really terrible at this.”

Her eyes widened a second as if she couldn’t believe the audacity of me to tell such lies. Not that I could really blame her with how badly I was at explaining this shit.

“Yes, you are, for your lies are utterly preposterous and I have heard enough of them.”

It was at this point that I had no choice but to tell her,

“I am the girl from last night! The one who escaped your brother!”

She turned once more, even slower this time, and the second I saw her glowing eyes of hatred, I knew it was another oh shit moment. This was confirmed when she told me,

“Then whatever spell you cast ends with your life.”

“Wait a minute, spell? I didn’t cast any spell,” I argued, quickly walking backwards as she stalked towards me.

“He would have instantly recognised you as being his Electus this very day if such were true, which can mean only one thing… you have tricked him!”

She suddenly lunged at me, tackling me to the bed, and I had to give her credit, she was fast for someone in such a big ass dress.

What I didn’t want to give her credit for was when she snatched up my husband’s blade. Which meant that for the third time in so many days…

I felt Draven’s blade at my neck.