To Stand Beside Her Read Online Free PDF Page B

Leila did not have a new plan to leave th e pal a ce and the longer she stayed , the harder it would be to get her inexperienced friend free.
    Leila had been in the water for only a few minutes before she heard the outside door unlocking. She closed her eyes and smiled. Outside in the main room she could hear Nalick questioning Theo.
    Maybe I will be able to at least teach this king some manners before I get out of here , she thought.
    “I’m in here,” Leila said loudly while not opening her eyes. “I promised not to run away for the moment,” she replied before Theo could answer Nalick’s next question .
    Leila heard the door open a bit more. “Yes?” she asked , turning her head to look at Nalick standing in the doorway. “Contrary to belief, I am not a ghost. I , too , need to bath e and eat regularly . Though I can go about two days before I get hungry. ” She smiled at his shocked face to actually find her bathing. Leila dipped back under the water to rinse out the bubbles in her hair. “I will not be leaving your company quite yet, so I thought it would nice if I was able to clean up a bit, but if you need me to come right now. ” Leila stood , allowing the bubbles from the bath to cover her body but just barely .
    Nalick had no response. He was sure that she was planning her next escape and was stunned to actually find her bathing. Embarrassed , he quickly turned his back to her .
    “When you are done, Theo will take you to the priests,” Nalick stated.
    “No,” Leila replied , reaching for a towel .
    “What?” Nalick asked as he turned slightly . She was now wrapped in a towel but not much more presentable than she had been only a minute before.
    “I don’t thin k you have a hearing problem.” She raised her eyebrows daring him to counter . “Do you need me to repeat myself? I said no.”
    “I wasn’t asking you a question ,” Nalick began to get frustrated with Leila , which made her smile.
    “See, that was the problem ,” Leila explaine d , coming face to face with him while only in a towel .
    “The n let me rephrase that . Would you please accompany Theo to the priests after you are done, my lady?” Nalick asked while giving her a wink and a small bow.
    “Sure,” Leila listen ed to Nalick leaving the room and the door being locked again.
    Leila promptly dried off. In the corner of the room stood a closet. She walked over and looked through the clothes in it. M ost of the clothes were her size, but nothing she would choose to wear normally. S he pulled a random dress out and put it on.
    “I am so sorry , ” Leila apologized as Kay entered the room only moments later . “I didn’t know that that tracker was waiting for me. I ran into him and another tracker earlier yesterday morning but easily lost them when I came looking for you,” she explained , hugging her friend and checking her over since she last saw her . “I should have been there with you.”
    “If I had listened to you, he would not have caught me,” Kay sighed dejected ly and sat down in the living room . “I messed up again. When I got to the end of the tunnel, I didn’t remember which way to turn. I chose wrong . I tried to get out the door, but it was guarded so I went out the window.” Kay shook her head, “I should not be doing this job. I am no good at it.”
    “If you just stick to level one and two assignments you will be fine,” Leila reassured her. Kay finally hugged her back. “You have never failed any of those missions , ” s he reminded her friend.
    “Yeah, but the one time I fail, I put your freedom in jeopardy,” Kay appeared like she was about to cry. “I will never forgive myself if you spend the rest of your life caged up in chains like this.” Kay picked up the chains on the table , “I woke up this morning and felt so guilty .”
    “So what did the priests say?” Leila asked , changing the subject and picking up an apple .
    “ Not good. ” Kay responded.
    “ At all? ” Leila