Ijust wanted one moment of peace before my training session. One.
I’ve been in meetings all morning trying to get myself established as the new authority in Celestia—day one paperwork, meet and greets, etcetera—and I’m downright exhausted. I haven’t eaten, rested, or taken a moment to breathe. I hoped a visit to the secret garden would help calm my mind and give me a second to relax.
Of course, just as I arrive, I turn around at the sound of someone walking in, and there’s Aurelio, giddy as a child on the morning of the Winter Solstice. His eyes are brighter than ever as he looks at the magical secret garden behind me.
My secret garden.
“Oh, hell no!” I groan.
Aurelio’s eyes fly wide when he sees me glaring at him. Then, his face goes three shades paler as I storm over to him.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to—”
“Get out!” I snap.
“I just wanted to find the secret garden! That’s all!” Aurelio explains, holding his hands up in innocence. “I wasn’t trying to find you!”
“I don’t care! Get out!”
Aurelio winces. I realize I’m standing way too close to him to be shouting this loud, so I take a step back and turn away instead, balling my hands into fists at my sides.
“This is my quiet place. Go find somewhere else to be alone,” I grumble.
I take maybe three steps before Aurelio’s voice halts me in my tracks for the second time in twenty-four hours.
“You like to be alone, too, then.”
My whole body tenses up. “So what if I do?”
“Oh, that’s not a bad thing, don’t get me wrong. That’s just one thing we have in common, that’s all.”
When I calm myself enough to turn and look at him, his hopeful expression doesn’t piss me off this time; in fact, it almost stirs up a little guilt in my gut. Those beautiful brown eyes shine so brightly when he looks at me, and to see myself reflected in them…I can’t help but be intrigued. Most people look at me with fear or weariness in their eyes.
Aurelio looks at me like a schoolboy asking me to be his friend on the first day of class. He doesn’t see me as a queen. He sees me as any other woman he’s met, and I don’t know whether or not to be mad. He’s my husband, and he shouldn’t put me on the same level as other women anymore, even if we don’t have feelings for each other.
It’s new. It’s a bit confusing, and a little different, but I like it. I like it a lot more than the way everyone else treats me, anyway.
“Come with me,” I say.
Aurelio gasps. “Really? I get to stay?”
“I’d rather show you around than leave you here to wreck the place,” I mumble, ignoring his over dramatic eye roll that follows.
I walk up the mildly sloped path and into the central plaza of the garden. Since this place was meant to be kept an ancient secret, the garden is a small outcrop on the northern side of the palace’s mountain, easily hidden from view by prying eyes. A dome of spellglass covers the entire area, allowing in light but protecting it from inclement weather.
A designated palace servant comes in to tend the garden with water and earth magic, and that servant passes down the role to the next generation every thirty years or so. The only reason I found this closely guarded secret is because the current garden servant, who happens to be Gemma’s daughter, took a liking to me, and pointed me in the direction of the book that leads to this place.
“I’m guessing you found this place because of that book?” I sigh.
Aurelio’s smile broadens. “I certainly did. It looked quite worn, even for an older book. I assume you’ve read it many times?”
“Why do you care?” I grumble.
“I would like to get to know you, Alessia. We’re married, after all.”
He has a point, but I still don’t care. I married him to fulfill a duty, and he’s supposed to serve a specific purpose. Now, instead of staying out of my way, he’s stepping on my toes, annoying me, and embarrassing me. I wish I could fire him already, but that’s not how marriage works. He’s not my employee, as much as I wish it were the truth.
“We have plenty of time to do that later. I’m busy for the next decade or so. Anyway,” I continue, stopping at the edge of the plaza, “this is the central plaza of the gardens. You’ll find herbs to your left, ancient plants to your right, and magical or blessed plants directly in front of you.”
