Sally was grinning like a child as she ran out of the palace. Danika watched her with a smile on her own face. Sally was right. She’d been so caught up with everything that had been happening lately, she had forgotten what it was like to leave the palace gates and go anywhere.
Sally was her usual cheerful self, stopping by every flower to pick it. She put it to her nose and inhaled deeply.
“Aah! It smells so good, my princess.”
“It does, doesn’t it?” Danika agreed.
Sally stuck it to her hair and continued skidding away. Danika followed her with steady strides. The people of Salem watched her as she walked in that aristocratic way that was a second skin to her. She had her incredibly long hair in a bun at the back of her head, and her clothes, though simple, were ironed and fit her body.
Eyes watched her curiously. The daughter of the monster, King Cone. They hadn’t seen Danika in a while, only Remeta when her mother brought her out of the palace on their way to the market. It still left them speechless whenever they saw the ‘ghosted one’ looking so happy, like a normal girl.
Danika was oblivious to the stares. She followed Sally and arrived at where the road diverged. One route led to the library and the other to the market.
“Which way first?” Sally asked, whirling around to look at her.
“Let’s go to the library first. We can go to the market afterwards.”
“Alright, my princess.” Sally continued down the road to the library, and Danika followed her.
At the library, Danika presented her card, and they entered quietly. The library wasn’t frequented by many, as lowborns had given up hopes of reading or learning how to write.
Danika took Sally to the inner room where the most interesting books were kept.
An hour passed while she read to Sally and helped her write. She also got a new book and had Sally read to her. Although her words weren’t all correct, Sally was making good progress, and that made Danika happy.
Danika had Sally engaged in a book when she got up and started searching for another book to read. It excited her to gain knowledge of things she never knew before.
She saw a book titled “Motherhood” and it piqued her interest. She picked up the book and stared at the cover. A sketch of a pregnant woman was on it. Would this book teach about how babies were made or the signs and symptoms of an expectant mother? Maybe how to be a mother?
She had never really been interested in such books before and she had no reason to be interested in it, but Danika found herself blowing the slight layer of dust off the book and opened the cover.
Vetta stood in the small bedroom and watched through the peephole as Karandy talked with two women. They looked to be in their late forties and were filthy. She couldn’t make out the former slave trainer’s words, but she knew he was trying to make their plan a success.
Vetta kept herself hidden, watching both women nod their heads in affirmation. She watched as he opened the door and let them out, then she left the bedroom after he locked the door. “Are you sure they can do the job right?”
Karandy nodded, chuckling. “They have a terrible grudge on the late King Cone. Zenia lost her only son because of him, while Coria lost her three children. Trust me, Mistress, they can get the job done.”
“That’s good,” she nodded. At least she was in a better mood now. Her meeting with the king—coupled with the fact that she could not carry his child—had been grating on her nerves, but now… She was feeling much better now.
“But what about that girl that follows her around?” Karandy asked.
Vetta waved him off. “I’ve made plans to distract her. Don’t worry about that one.”
“What about the king’s future bride? You said that she favors the former Princess Danika.”
“She’s on a walk with the king and will spend most of the day with him, so she won’t hear what’s happening outside the palace when it’s happening.” She paused and added, “She won’t be able to do a thing about it even if she finds out. Even the king won’t be able to do anything.”
Vetta walked over to the window. People passed by to go to their various destinations. A mother was dragging a stubborn, crying child. “I might not know much about royalty, but I know they are taught about leadership and the people. The only voice louder than a king’s voice is the united voice of his people,” she said.
Karandy nodded, seeing the sense of her words. He was getting the idea.
“A righteous king does not impose orders on his people when they are telling the truth. And a future queen knows she cannot go around commanding the people. She knows she will earn their trust, not force it.”
“You’re so smart, Mistress,” Karandy praised her, adjusting his hard organ. He longed to get his hands on Danika, but the mistress had delayed the plans because she wanted to wait for the right time. In the meantime, he wanted to fuck the mistress. She was a beautiful woman with a dark heart. He wanted her.
But he didn’t want to die yet.
Vetta smiled. “Of course, I’m smart. Trust me—today will be fun.”
.