Page 14 of Third Offense

Then my lips parted.

Becausewow.

I’d grown up with finery and luxury, but even my Royal Nora chambers struggled to compare to the glory of this room.

Wing, I corrected myself.

“It’s beautiful,” I whispered, totally in awe as I traced my fingertips along a low sofa built to accommodate wings over the back. It struck me as more modern over regal, a stark contrast to the Nora Palace.

This place feltreal.

Palatial and stunning, but with practical undertones.

The humans must have impacted the choices for this room,I decided, as I took in the decorative touches. They weren’t over the top, but still boasted wealth and vibrancy.

My favorite part was the elaborate living area that faced a set of three-story windows. The whole room overlooked a glittering ocean.

And a circular arc in the glass guided me through the entirety of the wing, complete with every luxury I could imagine.

A butler’s pantry stocked with drinks and a waiting bucket of ice inside a chilled cabinet.

A dining room built to fit a party of six, with a table already set with silver.

And finally, a separate bedroom with a master bathroom suite that was easily three times the size of the space I’d had at home.

Not home,I corrected myself.My chambers in the Nora Palace aren’t my home.

This is.

Salty air tickled my nose when I wandered through the bedroom. I took it all in, closing my eyes for a moment as a subtle breeze drifted in from the open balcony doors.

The scent of the sea had been a faint reprieve at the Reformatory. Now, it would become my home.

Nevermind. This is definitely my favorite part.

I took a deep breath, held it, then let it out.

When I opened my eyes again, I found my mother watching me. She chewed her lip in a way that suggested she didn’t realize she was even doing it, a subtle gesture that I sometimes found myself doing when nervous. “You do like it, don’t you?”

“Like it?” I asked incredulously. I swept my fingers through the sheer drapes billowing around us as I took in the massive bed, the silver-accented walls, and the incredible view around me. “This is the most amazing place I’ve ever seen.”

She visibly relaxed as she stepped up beside me, her gaze going to the ocean below. “I’m so glad, darling.”

My cheeks heated at the endearment, her motherly tone unmistakable. And yet a little bit awkward since we barely knew each other.

But to her, I was the child she’d lost decades before.

And to me… I wasn’t quite sure what she was yet.

My mother, obviously.

However, that was more of a title than true familial connection.

She seemed to be waiting for me to say more, perhaps to reassure her that I really did like the rooms.

I cleared my throat and forced a smile. “You don’t have to worry about me. My moth… er,Queen Anais…taught me to always appreciate gifts in life. And even if she hadn’t taught me that, I can tell how much work has been put into this place to make me feel welcome. So thank you. I love it.”

I waited to see if Queen Gaia would be offended by my slip of the tongue, but her blue eyes—the same color as my own—merely smiled in response.