him, and she had
simply been waiting for him.
Yet, how could she stay? She wasn’t meant to
be a queen, even if she had wanted that kind of life. She’d had no training,
breeding, or warning about her expected role in Corsova.
He would just have to understand she
couldn’t stay here. Even if she refused to take over for her father, people
would always expect her to change her mind if she didn’t return to New York. It
would be worse to live in the country as a regular citizen, and she couldn’t
expect Demi to return home with her to New York. In her heart, she knew he
couldn’t easily leave his life in Corsova.
Anca would have to make him understand all
that if he protested. It wouldn’t be that difficult, once she got her stubborn
heart to accept there wasn’t any other way. Right now, that was the most
daunting task facing her.
Chapter 8
The next time Anca awoke, she was alone, as
expected. She sat up and turned her face in the direction of the large window.
Sunlight flooded the room, and what she could see of the sky appeared blue and
cloudless. She glanced at the clock on the nightstand and noted it was a little
past ten a.m.
There
was a knock at the door, and she wondered if that’s what had awakened her.
“Just a sec,” she called as she slid from the bed and searched for her clothes.
Demi had folded them neatly on the trunk at the foot of the bed. Anca slipped
on the sweater as she padded to the door.
She
opened it a crack and peeked out. Her brow furrowed when she saw Nikia standing
in the doorway. “Er, good morning.” She ran her hands through her hair, hoping
to hide some of the ravages caused by a night of lovemaking.
“Hello,
sleepy head,” Nikia chirped. She wore emerald-green jodhpurs and a white
blouse. She clutched a wicked-looking crop in her right hand. “I thought you
might like to join me in a ride.”
Anca’s
first instinct was to refuse, but she stilled the impulse. If her sister was
making an effort to welcome her, she should reciprocate by accepting. “That
sounds nice, but I’ve only awakened—“
“I
figured as much. I rapped on your door for several minutes.” Her eyes gleamed
with a hint of malice before she blinked. “Long night?”
“I
didn’t get much sleep.” She strove for a cool tone as she met Nikia’s eyes.
“Hmm.”
Nikia glanced at her wrist, examining her gold watch. “Why don’t you shower and
dress? I’ll nip down to the kitchen for a light lunch to bring along. Will an
hour be long enough?”
“Yes.
Thank you for the invitation.”
Nikia
shrugged and turned to walk down the hall. “Meet me in Papa’s study.”
Anca
watched her go for a few seconds, wondering if she shouldn’t call the other
woman back and rescind her acceptance. She sighed and shut the door, figuring
it would please her father if she bonded with her sister. Perhaps her poor
impression of Nikia from last night wasn’t accurate. Maybe her sister had been
as surprised by Anca’s existence as she had been to discover she had a
half-sister.
* * * * *
Less
than an hour later, Anca met Nikia in the study, after losing her way twice.
She had wandered into a room full of tapestries she could have spent hours
exploring, if not for Nikia waiting for her. As soon as she had the chance, she
would return to that room—assuming she could find it again.
Nikia
sat behind Valdemeer’s desk, with her feet propped on the desk. The supple
leather of her knee-boots was as soft and smooth as the crop in her hands. A
picnic basket was on the edge of the desk.
Anca
smoothed her hair, bound in a ponytail, and tried to resist the urge to compare
her quiet beauty to the exotic allure of her half-sister. Something about the
other woman made her feel inadequate. She forced a smile, wishing her jeans and
shirt looked half as elegant as Nikia’s garb. “I guess I’m ready.”
“Sensible
gear,” Nikia said as she scanned Anca from head to foot. Her eyes seemed
simply been waiting for him.
Yet, how could she stay? She wasn’t meant to
be a queen, even if she had wanted that kind of life. She’d had no training,
breeding, or warning about her expected role in Corsova.
He would just have to understand she
couldn’t stay here. Even if she refused to take over for her father, people
would always expect her to change her mind if she didn’t return to New York. It
would be worse to live in the country as a regular citizen, and she couldn’t
expect Demi to return home with her to New York. In her heart, she knew he
couldn’t easily leave his life in Corsova.
Anca would have to make him understand all
that if he protested. It wouldn’t be that difficult, once she got her stubborn
heart to accept there wasn’t any other way. Right now, that was the most
daunting task facing her.
Chapter 8
The next time Anca awoke, she was alone, as
expected. She sat up and turned her face in the direction of the large window.
Sunlight flooded the room, and what she could see of the sky appeared blue and
cloudless. She glanced at the clock on the nightstand and noted it was a little
past ten a.m.
There
was a knock at the door, and she wondered if that’s what had awakened her.
“Just a sec,” she called as she slid from the bed and searched for her clothes.
Demi had folded them neatly on the trunk at the foot of the bed. Anca slipped
on the sweater as she padded to the door.
She
opened it a crack and peeked out. Her brow furrowed when she saw Nikia standing
in the doorway. “Er, good morning.” She ran her hands through her hair, hoping
to hide some of the ravages caused by a night of lovemaking.
“Hello,
sleepy head,” Nikia chirped. She wore emerald-green jodhpurs and a white
blouse. She clutched a wicked-looking crop in her right hand. “I thought you
might like to join me in a ride.”
Anca’s
first instinct was to refuse, but she stilled the impulse. If her sister was
making an effort to welcome her, she should reciprocate by accepting. “That
sounds nice, but I’ve only awakened—“
“I
figured as much. I rapped on your door for several minutes.” Her eyes gleamed
with a hint of malice before she blinked. “Long night?”
“I
didn’t get much sleep.” She strove for a cool tone as she met Nikia’s eyes.
“Hmm.”
Nikia glanced at her wrist, examining her gold watch. “Why don’t you shower and
dress? I’ll nip down to the kitchen for a light lunch to bring along. Will an
hour be long enough?”
“Yes.
Thank you for the invitation.”
Nikia
shrugged and turned to walk down the hall. “Meet me in Papa’s study.”
Anca
watched her go for a few seconds, wondering if she shouldn’t call the other
woman back and rescind her acceptance. She sighed and shut the door, figuring
it would please her father if she bonded with her sister. Perhaps her poor
impression of Nikia from last night wasn’t accurate. Maybe her sister had been
as surprised by Anca’s existence as she had been to discover she had a
half-sister.
* * * * *
Less
than an hour later, Anca met Nikia in the study, after losing her way twice.
She had wandered into a room full of tapestries she could have spent hours
exploring, if not for Nikia waiting for her. As soon as she had the chance, she
would return to that room—assuming she could find it again.
Nikia
sat behind Valdemeer’s desk, with her feet propped on the desk. The supple
leather of her knee-boots was as soft and smooth as the crop in her hands. A
picnic basket was on the edge of the desk.
Anca
smoothed her hair, bound in a ponytail, and tried to resist the urge to compare
her quiet beauty to the exotic allure of her half-sister. Something about the
other woman made her feel inadequate. She forced a smile, wishing her jeans and
shirt looked half as elegant as Nikia’s garb. “I guess I’m ready.”
“Sensible
gear,” Nikia said as she scanned Anca from head to foot. Her eyes seemed
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