Page 96 of Undertow
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Sagan
Raquel was on top of everything and had my grandparents’ rooms completely cleaned out by lunch. I couldn’t even hide my surprise.
She cleared her throat. “A lot of the staff are nervous about losing their jobs, and that would be devastating in this economy. They don’t have as much to do without the special requests of the elders.”
“We’re still working on ideas on how to change roles, yes?” I checked.
“Yes, and on that I had an idea, but I didn’t know—Elira said there was no chance you would approve such a thing. She said it loudly, and I made it clear she needed to stop chastising you in your own home.”
I ran my tongue over my teeth and then decided to finally address whatever was going on. I led her off to the side. “Forgive me, but I find the one-eighty in your opinion of her surprising. May I ask what brought this about?”
Her eyes went bug wide. “Benson didn’t tell you?”
“Apparently not,” I muttered as I tried to keep calm, my dragons sensing too much, and with the stress I was already under… My temper was beyond short.
“We need to go fly. Now,”Iris demanded in my mind.
She was right and I would make time later. I really would.
“Benson saw Elira’s mask slip with you. He recorded it when he was hidden and showed me. He showed all the castle managers or those we trust. We all now know her true self.”
I could have been pushed over with a feather. “When? Which time?”
She cleared her throat. “When you busted her about her relationship with the high priest and—”
I grabbed her arm rougher than I should have, immediately apologizing. “He recorded that. He hasproofshe admitted it?”
Her mouth fell open, instantly understanding. “You were bluffing.”
“Of course I was, but it wasn’t a leap. The high priest isn’t stupid.” I snorted. “She is. Well, with me because she can’t control her jealousy and—I need that recording.”
“I have it,” she said as she pulled out her phone. She played it and I wanted to cry in relief.
“Thank the gods, because he’s not going quietly,” I whispered. “He truly is planning to have those meetings like she said. He’s rallying all the temple heads that it’s necessary since I’m just a lost little girl without parents.”
“Princess, I’m so,sosorry,” she rasped. “I thought Benson showed you. I thought—I’m sorry I failed you and believed her.”
I opened my mouth but then closed it before sighing. “I never blamed anyone for liking her. It hurt that it meant people couldn’t like me. I never did anything to you to deserve your dislike of me, Raquel.” I cleared my throat when tears burned my eyes. “Even if the original crime was true. I was a child. No one gave me a second chance or…”
I actually walked away from the conversation which shocked Raquel.
Me too.
I was just so,sotired of having to defend myself and always being the outsider in my own home. These people were supposed to be my biggest supporters.
And they were the harshest and least accepting.
The main designer, heads of the contractor teams, and a few other people were waiting outside my grandparents’ rooms so we could go over them. Seeing them was much different than on paper.
“Everything was filmed as it was and approved by King Rhys’s siblings as what they wanted,” Raquel informed us. “We will do a bit more now that it’s cleaned out since renovations won’t start today but hopefully soon.”
They asked me what I wanted, but I was a bit of a blank. I hadn’t even considered it yet.
Shock rocked me when Raquel saw I was overwhelmed and stepped in, understanding I didn’t know this part or how to be… I wasn’t even sure the word.
That I was missing the feminine programming to decorate or renovate?
