The Cogsmith's Daughter (Desertera #1)(54)
For all of these reasons, Aya thought about sneaking out before Willem returned. After all, they were both bound to get hurt, and it was better they end their short affair on the blissful note of the previous night.
Aya fingered the barrette nestled in her hair, feeling once again Willem’s gentle touch as he fastened it there, his firm pull on the corset strings, his soft lips on her neck.
Even though it was dangerous, even though it was foolish, even though it only drowned her deeper in her hopeless desires, when Willem told her the sun had yet to rise, Aya stayed for breakfast.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
After a quick breakfast of fruit and a creamy substance Willem introduced as yogurt, Aya had to leave to meet King Archon for her tour of the palace. As she headed out the door, Aya gave Willem a soft kiss on the lips. He held onto her a little longer than she’d planned, but she didn’t mind. If she would have had her way, she would have stayed locked away in his room for eternity.
Aya tiptoed through the corridor outside Willem’s room. When she reached the end, she peeked her head out to glance down both sides of the main hallway. Empty. Aya sighed with relief and took a left to head back toward Lord Varick’s estate, deciding she would meet the king outside the door to avoid any run-ins with her now-estranged benefactor.
Bright light streamed in through the circular windows in the corridor. Realizing it must have been past breakfast time, Aya hastened, holding up Willem’s mother’s dress to avoid stepping on it. She rounded the statue of Queen Hildegard without a second glance, darting down the hallway to the stern.
When Lord Varick’s estate finally came into view, Aya saw that King Archon already stood outside the door. It appeared that he had not knocked yet, as he was whispering to a man in a plain gray suit next to him, no doubt his trusted valet. Aya took a deep breath to brace herself then waved her arm to catch the king’s attention. He looked up from under his illustrious cog-embroidered top hat to smile at Aya. Even from this distance, the king’s smile was chilling. It exaggerated his pointed beard and lit up his cold blue eyes. Aya had to force herself to return his grin, and she knew her face looked stiff. She needed to steel herself—retreating would mean returning to the Rudder, and failing would mean a repeat of Lady Jauntley’s trial, with Aya as the star.
Think of Papa to keep your feet moving. Think of Willem to smile.
Aya took another breath and remembered the way that Willem’s lips traveled down her body. She felt her face form a demure smile. There we go.
“Miss Aya.” King Archon took her hand in his and kissed it. “You are lovelier than ever this morning.”
Aya patted her curls, hoping her face had not flushed too much in her haste. “Thank you, Your Majesty.”
King Archon squinted, his mouth forming a playful smile. “I hope your presence outside the estate does not mean you were trying to avoid our day together.”
“Quite the contrary.” Aya bit her lip. “In fact, I barely slept last night. I awoke at the crack of dawn and simply could not sit still. I am pleased to find that you have arrived just as I returned to receive you.”
King Archon’s smile widened. “This is my valet, Eldric. Eldric, this is Miss Aya Wellman.”
Eldric gave Aya a small bow, but he did not speak. Aya curtsied. “Pleasure to meet you.”
King Archon he held out his arm. “Shall we begin? Or do you need to notify Lord Varick of your departure?”
“No, no.” Aya wrinkled her nose. “He is aware of my plans.” Aya took the king’s outstretched arm. From this position, her shoulder and upper arm rubbed against the king’s torso, and she felt her skirts brushing against the side of his trousers as they walked. Her nose caught the scent of his cologne. There was no going back now. She was in the lion’s mouth. She wanted to vomit.
Again, Aya tried to strengthen herself by thinking of her motivations. She thought of her father as he was dragged away. She thought of Lady Jauntley and Lord Pottsmore clinging to each other. She thought of all the vile men she had clung to in the depths of the Rudder. All these memories made her stomach more acidic, but they also hardened the knot in her chest and kept her moving forward. The sooner she got this over with, the sooner she could avenge her father’s death, reclaim his shop in Portside, and entertain possibilities for keeping Willem in her life. Until then, she must charm the snake on her arm.
“What parts of the palace will you be showing me today, Your Majesty?”
“Well, considering how interested you were in my clock, I thought you might enjoy seeing more of the mechanics of the palace.” King Archon raised his eyebrows. “The old engine room from when it functioned as a ship, perhaps?”
Aya had already seen the engine room—when Alfred gave her a tour of the palace the day her father died. She swallowed hard before speaking. “How thoughtful of you. That sounds quite fascinating.”
“Good. I also thought I would show you around some of the shops and areas where the ladies of the palace like to socialize. After all, you need to start integrating yourself into noble society.”
“Another considerate idea, Your Majesty.”
“I’m glad you think so.” King Archon squeezed her arm. “For the end of our tour, I have arranged for us to have lunch on the deck of the palace.”
Aya beamed. “That sounds delightful.”