Storm Reawakened

A Father's Demands

No words manage to come out of me as I remain frozen as an ice statue, Duke Hawthorne's disconcerting grin gleaming against the darkness in contrast.

"Wh-wh-why?" I finally sputtered.

"Our contract, remember?" He's leaning into me, just on the cusp of my personal space but it's enough to make me shift nervously. Damn the man—why is he so big? Literally, I can't see an escape route past his frame and I take another step back, hitting a wall.

"Now?" I squeaked.

"Yes. Now."

Shit. Whatever. Why am I so scared? Nothing will happen between us. We hate each other and that's something I need to keep reminding myself—especially when he's gazing at me so intently.

"Fine," I returned firmly, tapping his shoulder so he moves aside. "Where's the bathroom?"

His grin remains intact and Hawthorne lingers a fraction longer before allowing me to sidestep past him. He's obviously enjoying teasing me because I'm blindly opening and shutting doors, grunting in frustration until I find the correct set. I slam the bathroom door shut and hear a chuckle snake through its frame.

Rolling my eyes, I pull, tug, and undo the fastenings of my dress, discarding layers until all that remains is an undergarment slip.

Yanking the door open with force, I huff from the effort it took to simply get undressed and march to the bed. Flinging sheets aside, I crawl—yes, actually crawl across the monstrosity of a bed and heavily sigh once I've puffed pillows and let my head rest against one of them.

"Satisfied?" I erupted incredulously, turning my head to the other side to see Duke Hawthorne smirk.

"Interesting choice of words."

"Oh, will you grow up? Now get in. I have more questions to ask."

I stare pointedly at him, thanking the dark for concealing the flush that travels up to my cheeks and do my best to remain unaffected by his presence that dilutes the air into producing an intense warmth.

Hawthorne slides in, propping himself to one side to face me as I shift my gaze to focus on the ceiling.

"Why haven't I seen a wizard at either of our estates?" I demanded, diving right into my series of questions.

I sense his surprise, and catch a bewildered expression from the corner of one eye. Hawthorne considers it momentarily, and then dives right into an explanation.

"Nobles aren't allowed to harness magic. The Academy of Magic and Forbidden Arts is strictly authorized to utilize it. They work alongside the crown but are by no means, under its influence."

"So what do the wizards do?"

"Plenty. They usually have a particular strand of talent. Healers work in hospitals, naturalists usually focus on agriculture and taming wild lands, and some prefer to root out corruption through concealment and disguise."

Wizards as civil servants? This is the one good thing I've encountered about this novel's setting.

"What about beasts? Do they all talk?" I asked.

"No. Domesticated ones are usually pets but magical beasts are intelligent creatures who have adapted over time. They usually live on their own lands and enter the kingdom either in passing or to aid in particular crafts. Blade masters, especially."

"Do you think whoever is after me has a wizard or beast on their side?"

"No. If they did, you wouldn't be alive."