floated through the kitchen as Nikole prepared breakfast. Her mind was racing over the man she’d met last night. Could she have been wrong by thinking him safe? A soft tap at the side door followed by the click of it opening had Nikole looking over her shoulder as Adara popped in, wearing the same outfit from last night.
“Look at you; did you have fun with Dominic?” she asked, laughing as she applied butter to her toast.
The red flush that crept over Adara’s cheeks showed her embarrassment. “Oh, hush. I know you went out with this guy.” She waved the note around in her hand. “Why did he have me give you this?”
Taking the letter from her hand, Nikole set it down. “I don’t know. We went hunting; I flirted and teased. Nothing to require love notes the next morning.”
Staring down at the paper Adara said, “Open it up. Let’s see what he has to say.” Taking it out of the tan envelope, Nikole spied the formal lettering of a noble family.
She picked up a hand-sketched map that fell out as she unfolded the letter. Her breath caught as she looked at the language of the old country written in formal penmanship.
Adara looked over her shoulder in shock as Nikole read. “Can you read that? I have not taken lessons in the old language.”
Nodding, Nikole read it twice and set it down. “Here, I will read it to you.”
Nikole,
I know you are the Princess of our race. I thought it was a rumour that you were here. No one thinks you and your akh would actually settle in America, let alone Colorado. I am sure you will check up on me, so I wanted to tell you, I am a mercenary for one of the noble families. I travel carrying out his orders. I hope that you will see me again. I know this lake; it’s not too far from here. Please meet me there, tomorrow night at sunset.
Till then, Princess
Derrik
Adara and Nikole sat at the table in silence for a bit until her friend piped up. “What are you going to do? He knows your identity and he is a mercenary. You have to tell Zayn. He needs to know your safety is compromised.”
Nikole shook her head. He would be furious if he knew she was recognized. “Adara, you cannot tell anyone, you hear me! No one but us can know this. Zayn already doesn't trust me to take care of myself; this will just prove him right if he realizes I was careless enough to get spotted. He will lock me up and make it so I have no freedom.” She placed the folded up letter in her pocket. “This is our secret. Promise me.”
Adara looked away as the stressful tension grew. “Fine, I promise.”
She stood and turned to leave. “But if something happens to you, I'm telling him. End of story.” Without another word, she left, the screen door shutting behind her.
Alone again, Nikole headed back to her room, studying the note once more. Tomorrow night. Sunset. He wanted to see her again. Omm was right; hard to get really does work. Lying on the bed, she put the letter to her nose. His scent reminded her of the forest after a downpour, light and crisp, her favorite smell. She pulled out the sketch of the map and noticed that the lake was next to Garden of the Gods; it must be Valley Reservoir. Closing her eyes, she brought his image to her mind. He was tall, over 6' foot. Hard muscles thickened his large frame, easily weighing in at 220, and he moved as swift as the wind. Shining brown hair set of a magnificent pair of deep, hazel eyes. Opening her eyes, she placed the letter back in her drawer and curled up in bed, hoping to sleep some more.
Looking through his desk, Zayn attempted to find the papers to allow Nikole into the military. He wanted to surprise her and make it official. He realized the best way to keep her safe was to have someone with her at all times. “Where did I put those fucking papers?” He tossed a stack on the floor, getting angry at his lack of organization. Feeling pressured by the stress, he got up and poured himself a drink. Hearing a knock on the door he
“Look at you; did you have fun with Dominic?” she asked, laughing as she applied butter to her toast.
The red flush that crept over Adara’s cheeks showed her embarrassment. “Oh, hush. I know you went out with this guy.” She waved the note around in her hand. “Why did he have me give you this?”
Taking the letter from her hand, Nikole set it down. “I don’t know. We went hunting; I flirted and teased. Nothing to require love notes the next morning.”
Staring down at the paper Adara said, “Open it up. Let’s see what he has to say.” Taking it out of the tan envelope, Nikole spied the formal lettering of a noble family.
She picked up a hand-sketched map that fell out as she unfolded the letter. Her breath caught as she looked at the language of the old country written in formal penmanship.
Adara looked over her shoulder in shock as Nikole read. “Can you read that? I have not taken lessons in the old language.”
Nodding, Nikole read it twice and set it down. “Here, I will read it to you.”
Nikole,
I know you are the Princess of our race. I thought it was a rumour that you were here. No one thinks you and your akh would actually settle in America, let alone Colorado. I am sure you will check up on me, so I wanted to tell you, I am a mercenary for one of the noble families. I travel carrying out his orders. I hope that you will see me again. I know this lake; it’s not too far from here. Please meet me there, tomorrow night at sunset.
Till then, Princess
Derrik
Adara and Nikole sat at the table in silence for a bit until her friend piped up. “What are you going to do? He knows your identity and he is a mercenary. You have to tell Zayn. He needs to know your safety is compromised.”
Nikole shook her head. He would be furious if he knew she was recognized. “Adara, you cannot tell anyone, you hear me! No one but us can know this. Zayn already doesn't trust me to take care of myself; this will just prove him right if he realizes I was careless enough to get spotted. He will lock me up and make it so I have no freedom.” She placed the folded up letter in her pocket. “This is our secret. Promise me.”
Adara looked away as the stressful tension grew. “Fine, I promise.”
She stood and turned to leave. “But if something happens to you, I'm telling him. End of story.” Without another word, she left, the screen door shutting behind her.
Alone again, Nikole headed back to her room, studying the note once more. Tomorrow night. Sunset. He wanted to see her again. Omm was right; hard to get really does work. Lying on the bed, she put the letter to her nose. His scent reminded her of the forest after a downpour, light and crisp, her favorite smell. She pulled out the sketch of the map and noticed that the lake was next to Garden of the Gods; it must be Valley Reservoir. Closing her eyes, she brought his image to her mind. He was tall, over 6' foot. Hard muscles thickened his large frame, easily weighing in at 220, and he moved as swift as the wind. Shining brown hair set of a magnificent pair of deep, hazel eyes. Opening her eyes, she placed the letter back in her drawer and curled up in bed, hoping to sleep some more.
Looking through his desk, Zayn attempted to find the papers to allow Nikole into the military. He wanted to surprise her and make it official. He realized the best way to keep her safe was to have someone with her at all times. “Where did I put those fucking papers?” He tossed a stack on the floor, getting angry at his lack of organization. Feeling pressured by the stress, he got up and poured himself a drink. Hearing a knock on the door he
Similar Books
Winter's Tide
Lisa Williams Kline
Bleeder
Shelby Smoak
Tom Swift and His Dyna-4 Capsule
Victor Appleton II
Doktor Glass
Thomas Brennan
Beginnings (The Trifectus Series - Book One)
Logan Byrne
The Monster of Florence
Magdalen Nabb
A Hero's Curse
P. S. Broaddus
The Brothers of Gwynedd
Edith Pargeter
Grandmaster
David Klass
Four Blind Mice
James Patterson