Page 17 of Warrior Princess (Blood Weaver Trilogy #3)

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A fter agreeing to rendezvous with Avery in the Silent Mountains in two days with her operatives, Ronan and I lingered in the Rose Petal. With its dim lighting and the soft clinking of glasses, it felt like a temporary refuge from the looming threats outside. We gradually loosened up under the influence of A Thousand Roses wine. Our third jug was halfway empty.

Ronan reached across the table and gently folded my hand into his. “Are you okay?”

I offered an indifferent shrug. The consequences of our situation settled deeper with each passing moment. “I don’t know. I feel numb right now.”

He nodded, understanding the turmoil that clouded my thoughts. “I know you’re worried about your father, but you have to trust that Marcellus will look after him.”

“I’m certain Avery holds more cards than she laid out on the table,” I confessed, the uncertainty gnawing at me.

Ronan glanced around the lounge, his gaze cutting through the swirl of patrons lost in their revelries. “Let's get out of here,” he suggested, a hint of urgency in his voice.

As I scanned the room, noting the array of carefree expressions and fleeting glances, a strange sensation bubbled within me—desire to flee and a longing to forget. The normalcy of life in the Rose Petal was tempting, a stark contrast to the complexities waiting for us outside.

Impulsively, I said, “Why don’t we find a room?” The words were out before I fully grasped their implications, but once spoken, they seemed exactly right. Here, amidst the anonymity of the Rose Petal, we could carve out a space just for ourselves, even if just for a night.

Ronan paused as the suggestion took a moment to register. A slow smile spread across his face, erasing the lines of tension that had been building between his brows. “You mean... here ?” he confirmed, his tone a blend of surprise and intrigue.

I nodded, feeling a rush of rebellious thrill at the idea. The Rose Petal, with its veiled allure and whispered secrets, seemed like the perfect escape from the weight of the looming threats and political intrigues. “Yes, here,” I said, feeling both determination and a hint of daring. “Just for tonight. Let's forget about everything else.”

Ronan studied me for a long moment, his gaze intense but understanding. The dim, golden light from the overhead chandeliers reflected in his eyes, giving them a warm, almost fiery glow. Finally, he gave a small, conceding nod, a slight smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “Alright.” His voice was low and husky. “Let's do that.” The last of his reservations melted away as he stood and offered me his hand.

We stood and left behind the empty wine jugs and the sensual buzz of the lounge. Ronan led me by the hand, weaving around tables and past smiling patrons who were too engrossed in their own revelries to pay us any mind. The further we moved from the main floor, the quieter it became, until the laughter and music faded into a soft, ambient hum. The night promised a brief escape, a pause in the relentless march of our responsibilities—a respite found in each other's company.

Reaching the secluded upper floors, Ronan spoke to a discreet attendant and handed him a Glint. The man nodded with a knowing look and led us down a plush, carpeted corridor. Soft lamps cast a gentle light, creating a sense of intimacy and seclusion. The attendant stopped before an ornate door, its wood polished to a high shine and adorned with delicate carvings of roses and vines. With a discreet bow, he handed Ronan the key and retreated silently, leaving us alone in the quiet hallway.

Ronan unlocked the door and we stepped into a room that seemed designed for privacy and luxury. The space was dominated by a large, four-poster bed draped with sheer, flowing fabrics that fluttered slightly in a gentle breeze from the open window. Soft pillows and lush, velvet throws were scattered across the bed, inviting relaxation and abandon. A pair of armchairs sat near a small fireplace where a fire crackled softly, casting flickering shadows across the room.

Closing and locking the door behind us, Ronan turned to me with an intensity that made my heart skip a beat. “Just for tonight.” His voice echoed my earlier words, now charged with a promise of forgetting the world outside.

I stepped closer and reached up to thread my fingers through his hair, pulling him down to meet my lips. As we kissed, the tensions and worries of the past few days seemed to melt away, replaced by the immediate, consuming presence of each other. Tonight, in the secluded haven of the Rose Petal, nothing else mattered but the here and now.

With our lips pressed together, he walked me toward the bed. Once the back of my knees met the mattress, he lifted my dress and pulled it over my head until I stood bare before him. With frenzied hands, I undid the ties of his trousers until they pooled at his ankles. He kicked them off with his boots and quickly tore off his shirt.

Ronan lifted me and softly laid me on the bed. “To hell with everyone else,” he murmured as his lips trailed from my neck to my chest. “Tonight it’s just you and me.”

“Just you and me,” I whispered.

For the rest of the night, we forgot about everything else outside this room.

A gentle tap at the door roused me from a deep sleep. Soft morning light filtered through curtains not thick enough to shield us from the day's obligations. Ronan's arms were still wrapped around me, lending a warmth that contrasted sharply with the chilliness of a room where the fire had long burned out.

“Ronan?” I whispered, my voice thick with sleep. “What time is it?”

With a reluctant groan, he unwound his arms and slipped out from under the sheets, then padded over to the window and eased the curtain aside just enough to peer out. A sliver of daylight cut across his face and he cursed softly. “It's daylight,” he confirmed with a hint of annoyance.

The knocking grew more insistent, paired with a polite but firm voice. “Excuse me? Sir, it is time for you to vacate the room.”

Scrambling out of bed, I gathered my clothes strewn across the floor from the night before and dressed quickly as Ronan pulled on his trousers and shirt. He glanced back at me, ensuring I was decent before he opened the door.

“Apologies,” he said smoothly, his voice still rough from sleep. He handed the attendant another Glint, which sparkled briefly in the muted light of the hallway. “We’ll vacate as soon as possible.”

The attendant nodded with a professional smile. “No problem, sir.” He departed without another word, leaving us to gather our belongings.

“I can’t believe we fell asleep.” I ran my fingers through tangled hair and considered the implications of our unplanned overnight stay. “Silas must be worried.”

“You’re right.” Ronan’s tone was laced with a mild frustration at himself. “I didn’t even tell him we were going to the Rose Petal. Let's get back to the clinic.”

We hurriedly packed up our few belongings and left the Rose Petal. The early morning air was crisp, a stark reminder of the responsibilities awaiting us beyond the secluded comfort of our temporary haven. As we briskly walked back to the clinic, the weight of our roles and the tasks ahead pressed down. The fleeting escape of the night before already felt like a distant memory.

Silas was pacing the main room of the clinic, his footsteps muffled against the old wooden floorboards. His head snapped up as we entered, and his expression shifted from worry to palpable relief.

“By the gods!” he exclaimed, his voice laden with a tinge of irritation. “I thought Caelan had gotten to you both.”

A blush crept up my cheeks as I managed a sheepish smile. “No, uh... sorry for the scare.”

“Where were you two?” Silas's gaze flicked between Ronan and me, his brow furrowed in concern.

Ronan clapped a reassuring hand on Silas's shoulder and offered a wry smirk. “Don't ask, brother.” He chuckled and strode towards the back room to fetch some water.

Silas's expression shifted from confusion to embarrassment, and he quickly muttered an apology. I laughed gently, trying to ease the tension. “No need to apologize, Silas. We should've informed you about our plans, especially when we decided not to return last night. We... ended up falling asleep.”

His cheeks tinted with a flush as he nodded, clearly relieved but still a bit flustered. “Of course, of course.”

“But we do have something important to discuss,” I said as Ronan returned with a glass of water. “We met with someone unexpected last night—Princess Avery... Caelan’s sister.”

Silas’s eyes widened, surprise and curiosity lighting up his features. “Caelan has a sister?”

“A younger sister,” I confirmed. “With all those sons, they never had much use for the girl. She’s been kept out of the public eye, which now makes perfect sense.” I exchanged a knowing look with Ronan. “She’s used the time to build a secret army.”

Silas exhaled a heavy sigh. “Damn. Please tell me she’s not aligning with Caelan?”

I shook my head quickly. “Her forces aren’t for Caelan. But she did reveal that Caelan has his own hidden forces in Ellyndor, which explains the soldiers who ambushed us.”

Ronan interjected, his voice steady and firm. “Caelan’s ambition is to unite all of Asteria under his rule. However, the two strongest militaries—Keldara and the Crimson Clan—are currently beyond his control. We're not out of options yet.”

I shook my head. “Avery warned that Keldara is unstable following the king’s death, and there is a civil war looming. We can't count on them for support right now.”

“But we have Shiro!” Silas countered, a flicker of hope in his tone. “His power is formidable, as everyone saw during the battle in Keldara.”

“True,” I acknowledged. “Shiro is a significant asset, but remember, he is but one entity, and he’s not invincible.”

Frowning, Silas nibbled his lip in thought. “Could Valoria help in any way?”

I sighed. “That brings me to the second thing we learned. Avery said she has information about my father’s safety, but she’ll only share it with us if we rescue two of her operatives currently imprisoned in the Central Plains.”

“Could Caelan be involved in this thing with your father?” Silas inquired.

Ronan turned to me for confirmation. I shrugged, the uncertainty gnawing at me. “At this point, I wouldn't put anything past Caelan.”

Ronan’s resolute voice broke through. “We need to free those women from the dungeons, Silas. Your past experience there is invaluable.”

“Ah, right!” Silas chuckled and looked over at me, reminiscing about the time when I was the one who was imprisoned. “I went through the governor’s house. He has a secret entrance to the dungeons in his mansion.”

My eyes widened. “How did you know that?” I knew just about everything about the Central Plains, but I didn’t know that.

Silas grinned. “You can uncover a lot of useful information at the Rose Petal,” he said. “The girls there can be very… chatty when coin is involved.”

Laughing, I shook my head. “Of course. The Rose Petal. Never short on useful gossip.”

Silas winked. “You know it.”

“Do you still remember how to find the secret passageway? It’s been a while since you used it.”

Silas nodded. “I remember. Tonight?”

Ronan and I nodded. “Tonight it is.”