Mona Lisa Awakening

Chapter Fifteen

The yard milled with a sea of people—an overwhelming number of guards, maids, footmen, and healers who looked curiously upon us, ragged lot that we were and much the worse for wear. The other Councilmembers had arrived, it seemed.

Murmurs were loud and continuous as we made our way up to the Great House. I could imagine what they saw: two guards, one of them shirtless; a wild dirty child; and two Queens, one dressed in a ragged, torn gown, one whom all had long thought dead, the other wearing only a man's shirt. It covered all that needed covering, really. But all those many male eyes made me vividly aware of the long bare length of leg I was showing. Frankly, I was too tired to care much. They could look as long as they did not touch. Amber's flashing sword ensured that they did not. Heeding the blade's warning, the watching men stayed back, giving us a clear path up the most welcomed steps.

We were met within by Mathias, the impeccable steward, who did not even bat an eyelash at our less than regular attire, although his eyes did widen impressively upon seeing Mona Carlisse.

"Mona Carlisse and her daughter, Casio, shall be staying with us until other arrangements are made," Amber announced.

"Very good, sir," was the good steward's reply.

"Has the Council met yet?" I asked.

"They began their session a short while ago, milady."

I heaved an inward sigh. At least it wasn't over yet. "For how long do they usually meet?"

"Several more hours yet."

"Good. So we have some time to wash up. Mathias, would you be so kind as to rummage up some clothes for Mona Carlisse, Casio, and my man, Aquila, and have it brought up to our quarters immediately?"

"Of course, milady."

I smiled as I ascended the steps, amused at the bristling edge in Matthias's reply that I dared doubt his efficiency. "Oh, and could you have something brought up for all of us to eat as well?"

"Yes, milady."

Amber stayed behind a moment and bent down to whisper into the steward's ear. The little man's eyes grew even wider. "I shall make Lord Thorane aware of this immediately," Matthias uttered faintly.

Back in my splendidly comfortably furnished room, I grabbed my one other black gown from the closet, detestable though it was, and hit the shower immediately, leaving Amber to sort out the bedding arrangements. Under the shower's spray, I groaned with deep appreciation. I'd forgotten how marvelously good it felt to be clean. The tiny pellets of water hitting me were wonderful. I washed myself twice and shampooed my hair thoroughly.

My little group was standing around stiffly when I emerged from the bathroom. Mona Carlisse hovered in one corner with Casio. Amber and Aquila claimed the other end of the room, a wary distance between the two men. I lifted my brow but forbore saying anything other than "Please feel free to use the shower next, Mona Carlisse. There's a robe in the bathroom you can use until they bring up some clothes. The men will shower after you and Casio are done."

She nodded and escaped into the bathroom without a word, Casio in tow.

Someone knocked on the door. Amber opened it and three footmen bore in several trays of delicious-smelling food. Two maids entered behind them, their arms filled with clothes.

Rare meat didn't taste that bad, I decided a short time later, my stomach blissfully full. I'd eaten half my steak and pressed the other half on Amber. He wolfed down three steaks in addition to that. Gryphon restrained himself to two large pieces of the lightly cooked meat.

Mona Carlisse stepped back into the room, looking young and vulnerable wrapped in the fluffy robe. So much so that I wondered exactly what her age really was. Her wet dark brown hair hung loose down to her hips, its length a surprise. It hadn't looked that long, secured in a bun. Another surprise was her stunning looks. She was beautiful, I realized. Even now, too thin, with lines of fatigue and strain pinching her face, she was a striking woman. And strong, with a great force of will to have survived those ten years. When Amber had been locked in with us, filled with bloodlust, she had warned me and tried to help. Her daughter clung to her leg, wrapped in a towel, wet hair the color of spun gold covering her face. Automatically, Mona Carlisse put a protective, comforting arm about the girl.

She was downright decent for a Queen.

"There are some clothes in the other room for both of you," I said kindly. "You can change in there then join us for some food."

Mona Carlisse hesitated a moment, then nodded and went into the other room, closing the door behind her.

Aquila took his shower next and emerged wearing pants that were a tad too long and a simple loose shirt, no doubt borrowed from one of the footmen. Still, they were neat and clean, and much better than his old patched clothes. "The facility is yours," he said to Amber.

"I need not wash," Amber replied, his face cloaked once more in its usual impassive sternness.

I looked at Amber in surprise, then narrowed my eyes when I realized the reason for his reticence. He did not trust Aquila alone with me.

"Go ahead and use the shower, Amber," I said flatly.

"There is no need," Amber replied, a ferocious scowl on his face.

"I insist."

We locked in a short silent battle of wills before Amber dropped his eyes. Nodding curtly, he stalked into the bathroom.

"You cannot blame him, milady," Aquila said softly. "I would do the same were I in his position."

"He will have to trust you sooner or later. I'd rather it be sooner."

Aquila gave a short, surprised laugh. "You truly do not fear him."

"No. I know he would never hurt me. And I know you wish me no harm, either."

"No, milady. I do not," Aquila affirmed most solemnly in his precise, clipped manner of speaking.

The adjoining door opened and Mona Carlisse returned wearing a gown—black, of course—with a shy Casio clinging like a burr to her mother's skirt, in a dress much too big for her. The little girl finally lifted her head to peek at the food, her small delicate nostrils flaring, and I beheld her face clearly for the very first time. She was a lovely girl with exquisite, pale skin. All the heated red that had flushed her face was gone now, healed quickly. She had Amber's strong features—a bold nose, wide mouth, his beautiful sea-colored eyes—but more refined, like her mother. My heart twisted upon seeing her. A little girl.

The bathroom door opened and Amber stepped out abruptly, a towel wrapped tinily around his waist, barely covering him. He shot a sharp assessing glance at me and Aquila.

My lips twitched. "Less than a minute. Did the water even touch you?"

He ignored me and walked past Mona Carlisse and Casio into his bedroom to dress. Mona Carlisse shrank back against the wall as he passed.

"You shouldn't bait him," Mona Carlisse warned me.

"But it's so fun," was my lazy reply.

Her eyes were fearful. "You do not know what it is like when they turn that strength against you."

I thought of my foster fathers, of nasty Miles. "You're wrong. I do know what it is like." And I let her see the bitter knowledge in my eyes. "But Amber is not like those men. He would never hurt me."

"How can you trust them?" Mona Carlisse whispered and I knew she was asking that question more for herself.

"Sometimes you have to trust your instincts and just risk it. You will know soon enough if you made the right choice." My eyes softened. "Was it all bad? Did you not find pleasure with some of them?"

Mona Carlisse gave a harsh, tearing laugh. "I had to find pleasure. That is the only way they gain power through us, did you not know? The punishment for not glowing…" She shuddered and her eyes filled with terrible memories. "Last night was not the only time I was locked in with a warrior filled with bloodlust."

What a horrible, horrible image. I shook it off. "That time is over for you," I said firmly. "You were strong enough to survive it. You are strong enough to put it behind you."

She shook her head almost violently. "I shall never forget it."

"I did not ask for you to forget. That would be impossible. I only ask that you give yourself time to heal. Don't let it twist or warp you. There are good men as well as bad, just as there are good and bad Queens. You just have to give the good ones a chance."

Mona Carlisse bowed her head. "I will think upon what you have said."

I gestured to the food. "Eat. Then we go before the Council."