Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 72065 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 360(@200wpm)___ 288(@250wpm)___ 240(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72065 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 360(@200wpm)___ 288(@250wpm)___ 240(@300wpm)
Aleena had a suspicion that this neglect had much to do with the influence of her stepmother. Grindelia wanted all of her husband’s time, attention, and money directed at herself and her daughter and she did her best to keep Aleena from ever seeing her father. She also let her scorn for Aleena be known and her daughter had picked it up early on—which was probably why she was looking at her half sister as though Aleena was scum she’d scraped off the bottom of her dainty silver slipper.
Well, I knew this wasn’t going to be easy, Aleena told herself. She lifted her chin and frowned at her half-sister.
“I must see my father at once—it’s an urgent matter,” she said.
“I don’t think so.” Faleesha sniffed loudly, as though she smelled something bad. “We don’t let commoners like you in our home—mother says not to and the man of the house agrees with her.”
“I don’t care what your mother says, the man of the house is still my father and I will see him.”
Brushing past her half-sister, Aleena stepped across the threshold and went straight up the curving staircase to where her father’s study was located on the second floor. He was almost always there and she hoped to catch him before her stepmother intervened.
Behind her she could hear Faleesha draw in a shocked and aggrieved gasp. Her half-sister had a flair for the dramatic—no doubt she would act as though Aleena had assaulted her and forced her way into the house.
All the more reason to get to Father quickly! she told herself as she raced up the curving staircase.
Her father’s study door was in sight and she was just about to breathe a sigh of relief when an imposing figure came into view, blocking her path.
“And just what do you think you’re doing?” a familiar voice demanded.
It was Grindelia, her stepmother, resplendent in a long crimson split skirt and a breast net made of golden links so fine they didn’t show even a hint of flesh beneath.
The price of that one item of clothing alone could pay her own mother’s entire medical debt, Aleena thought bitterly as she came to a halt, just a few steps from the top landing. Yet her stepmother wore it as part of her everyday outfit, casually flaunting the wealth she demanded from Aleena’s father as her wifely due.
Her stepmother’s brows were drawn down, her normally lovely face twisted into an ugly sneer as she stared contemptuously at Aleena.
“I said, what do you think you’re doing?” she demanded again. “You know you’re not allowed in this house! You and your ragged beggar of a mother have both been disavowed—we can’t be seen letting your kind in here. The man of the house is a Statesman now—he’s been inducted into the Ruling Council.”
This was news to Aleena—but she didn’t really care one way or another. She only knew that she had to speak to her father.
“I need to see—” she began but just then Faleesha came running up the stairs behind her.
“Faleesha—there you are! Whyever did you let this ragged creature into the house?” Grindelia demanded.
“Oh, Mother—I tried not to let her but she pushed me over and shoved her way inside!” Faleesha’s pale blue eyes filled with easy tears—she had always been able to cry at the drop of a hat. “I’m quite certain I shall have bruises where she shoved me!”
“Why, you little beast!” Grindelia exclaimed, glaring down at Aleena. She had always been quick to defend her child and she always took Faleesha’s side, even when she was in the wrong.
“I never shoved her,” Aleena said steadily, lifting her chin. “My sleeve brushed hers as I was coming in the door—that’s all.”
“Liar!” Faleesha’s voice rose to a shrill pitch that seemed to drill into Aleena’s ears. “Liar, you pushed me down! I’m going to have bruises all up and down my side!”
“Here now, here now—what’s all this racket?” a deep voice demanded and the door to the study opened, revealing Aleena’s father at last.
“Oh, Father!” she exclaimed, feeling relieved. “Please—I need to speak to you but these two are trying to stop me.”
Aleena’s father looked distinctly uncomfortable. She was sure he still harbored some affection for her and some guilt over the disavowment of her mother, but he also didn’t like to upset his current wife.
“Well, now…” He sighed deeply, looking conflicted.
“Please, Father—it’s a matter of life or death!” Aleena hoped her words would convince him and it wasn’t like she was lying. If her mother couldn’t continue to get treatment, she would certainly die.
“All right.” He sighed again. “Come up—but only for a moment, child. We’re all busy here.”
“Greggor, I really must protest!” Aleena’s stepmother began. “You disavowed this little beggar along with her mother!”
“You disavow wives, Grindelia—not children,” her father corrected gently. “Come, child,” he added, speaking to Aleena. “I can give you but a moment of my time.”