I also realized that it has been a month since your last teaser. So, without further ado, here’s something for you from Amelia! (As always, unedited and subject to change)
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It didn’t take long for Micah to show up and he looked inordinately pleased as he gestured me out into the hall.
“What gotten into you?” I grumbled, eyeing him and wondering if good for him meant good for me.
“Well, I have a surprise for you today, Amelia,” he said, his eyes were alight with mischief and his enthusiasm forced a smile from me.
“Yeah? Did your mom take a dive off the nearest cliff?” I could’t help it. Sarcasm was my best offense and he had left it wide open. I was surprised to hear Micah chuckle as he shook his head. “Well, in a manner of speaking, she did. I was informed this morning that the situation in the East is larger than she expected and she will be gone for the rest of the week.” He rolled his eyes as he continued, in more of a mumble, “All the better for us to bond, she said.”
I chose to ignore that last part. A betrothal was one thing, this whole consummation business was something else. “What does that mean? Have they found the — ” I didn’t get to finish my sentence before Micah started speaking loudly over me, glaring at me intently as he did.
“That means that we can do some uninterrupted work together and I can show you around. This home is one of my favorite places in the world and I’ve never really been able to show it to anyone.” I mentally smacked myself in the forehead, of course, we were in the middle of the hallway and there were Hunters everywhere. I let my questions lie and jumped into his line of conversation.
“No one? Didn’t you have friends growing up? Aren’t there other royal people you hung out with? Did they keep you away from everyone, too?” It disturbed me to think he had been as isolated as I was and I was genuinely shocked to see the sadness Micah didn’t bother to hide. He looked knowingly at me, all of his normal charm was gone and it was plain to see that we weren’t so different after all.
He clasped his hands behind him as we strolled along a hall. It was as we turned the next corner that he grabbed my arm and quickly drew me into a room, closing the door. “There are stories I owe you. Explanations you need. But this isn’t the time nor the place for them.” Micah’s words were quick and hushed. He kept glancing over my shoulder at the door. “They are watching — always watching. And they will report our every word to my mother. For both of our sakes, just give me time and I’ll a find a way for us to talk openly. Just try to keep your more in-depth questions to yourself. Do you understand?”
His breath was warm on my face as I nodded. A hundred questions raced through my mind and I pushed all of them back but one.
“But why? Can you just tell me why it is you’re helping me?” My own words were an exhale into his ear as I tried to be as quiet as I could. Micah’s lips were at my ear as we heard footsteps coming toward us. The loud thudding footfalls that could only be the Hunters.
“Blood does not trump madness. She must be stopped and you are the key.”