Total pages in book: 104
Estimated words: 96695 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 483(@200wpm)___ 387(@250wpm)___ 322(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96695 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 483(@200wpm)___ 387(@250wpm)___ 322(@300wpm)
That ghost of a smile returned, and Hugo felt his hope buoy.
“Besides locking us up in a cell, you haven’t tortured the prince and me. The food has been quite nice and filling. The extra blanket is much appreciated, too. I know things could be much worse.”
Ryze grunted and resumed walking. He said nothing for a couple of minutes. Just as Hugo had convinced himself that Ryze thought he was a complete idiot, the grizzled captain spoke. “An emissary from Branem provided a full list of names of all the people being held. King Hubert also released one person as a show of good faith. He reported that all my men are being treated well. A physician has healed the wounds they sustained in the fighting.”
“That’s a relief.”
They fell into silence as they continued down the hallway. The palace was busier and more brightly lit now, allowing Hugo to see more of the details of the beautiful castle. Many people wore dark-navy, severe-cut uniforms similar to what he’d seen the king wearing, leading Hugo to believe this must be closer to the military dress uniform, which was interesting considering King Hubert opted for fashionable suits. Servants wore a pale-gray uniform. He spotted a few other people who wore what looked like everyday fashion, and yet it was so different from what he saw around Frostbourne.
“Would it be possible to wash up before seeing the king?” Hugo inquired.
“No.”
“Please. It’s been days since I last washed. This isn’t appropriate.”
“Trust me, I know. I can smell you.” Hugo glared at Ryze, and the bastard grinned, revealing the most adorable dimple in his right cheek. “King Victor demanded to see you right away.”
Embarrassment burned in him, but there was nothing he could do about it. The king had to know what condition he would be in. Between the kidnapping and being held in a cell, there was no way he could come out smelling anything other than overripe. If King Victor had a problem with it, he’d have to let him bathe.
At the end of a long hallway, they slipped into a large room similar to the study he’d first seen the king in. Except this one was twice the size, with a long table off to the side, and where there had been books in the other room, there were now swords and a giant map of the world.
The king sat behind a desk with stacks of papers. A short, slender woman in a plain dress stood off to his left, making notes as the king spoke, while another older woman with her gray hair tied in a soft bun stood on his right, nodding. At a guess, one was an assistant, and the other was an advisor. A line of men and women stood in front of the king, each holding papers.
Meanwhile, Ryze kept Hugo at the rear of the room. Hugo listened as the ministers from the various departments brought the king spring planting estimates, road problems, security problems, and even demands for new ships. The king listened, nodding here and there, but he never stopped writing. His eyes rarely lifted from his desk. King Victor seemed to need only a moment of thought before he shot out a response and sent the person on their way with his decree. Hugo couldn’t help but marvel at his decisiveness and the quickness with which he worked. It took him forever to decide which shirt to wear in the morning.
Hugo’s mind wandered as they waited. His gaze drifted over the room, taking in the subtly rich appointments from the thick curtains that covered the floor-to-ceiling windows to the beautiful rugs that stretched across the wood floors. While swords and weapons filled many of the nooks and crannies, screaming of power and military strength, there were hints of something softer. Here and there, a dark orchid design was woven into the various decorations, offering quiet grace and elegance to an otherwise manly room.
After about twenty minutes, the king glanced up, and their eyes locked. A gasp was locked in Hugo’s throat as he met those piercing blue eyes. It took him too long to remember to lower his eyes.
“Ryze,” King Victor barked.
The captain flinched. “Don’t move,” he instructed prior to walking across the room. He circled the desk and bent to whisper in the king’s ear. Hugo dared to lift his eyes to find Victor was still watching him. When Ryze finished speaking, the king nodded once.
“Everyone leave,” the king commanded.
No one said a word. Not even the balding man, who’d been in the middle of talking about hiring on new workers to help expand the drainage system in Onisa. Hugo gulped and began to walk out with all the others, not sure where he should go since he was technically a prisoner. It wasn’t as if they wanted him wandering free through the palace. Maybe he should wait outside the door for Captain Ryze to escort him to his cell.