Ancient Guardians The Legacy of the Key (13 page)

Harrison spoke,
clearly annoyed. “I’m surprised you ladies have found a sudden interest in this
location. The walk alone seems as though it would be very trying to your
delicate frames.” Levi sat up straight and said nothing.

“Harrison, I
believe we have heard enough from you this evening.” Lillian snapped.

Harrison suddenly
took on the same stiff air as Levi. “I hope the reason you have come all this
way is to offer Reece an apology. I am sure Lady Allestaine will not be pleased
when she finds that you all have been so rude to allow a guest to wonder off
alone.” He laughed, “Or perhaps,” he started with a voice of sarcasm, “she will
be under the impression that you brushed her off, and will be grateful that you
are taking her into some small village alone tomorrow. I am sure she will have
no reason to distress herself about leaving Reece in your care.” He finished
while giving all three women a challenging expression.

Simone looked
unconcerned. “Harrison, you treat Reece as if she were a puppy, lost and never
to find her way home. Reece, dear, please forgive us. We would never have let
you run off alone had we imagined you would get lost.”

I swear if this
broad calls me ‘dear’ ONE more time.
“I
wasn’t lost, and it’s okay. Don’t worry about it.” Reece answered.

“So you agree that
these men are overreacting? I believe men can be more dramatic than ladies at
times!”

Her high-pitched
laughter was cut off when Levi stood up. “I believe you are missing Harrison’s
point.” He said in his deep voice. “We understand perfectly that Reece is not a
lost puppy. We are simply making sure that our guest is properly attended to.
Your selfish behavior has me wondering whether or not we should trust her into
your care.” His stern gaze fell upon Simone. “Regardless of the severity you
will face when the Empress hears of this, you, Madam, have proven to me that
you have no interest in making an honored guest feel welcome in my home. I
suggest all three of you remember that you, as well, are simply our guests. You
will straightaway be asked to leave, should you not treat Miss Bryant with the
dignity and respect she deserves. I suggest you heed my warning, for you know
very well how the Empress feels about Reece’s uncertain situation. Do not force
her to regret trusting you.”

The
women seemed at a loss for words, until Simone found some. “Please forgive us
for making light of the situation. We meant no disrespect. You’re right; we
should have kept closer company with Reece. We were selfishly caught up in our
own conversation, and took for granted that Reece would find her way around the
grounds on her own. Reece, forgive us. I do hope you will still spend the day
with us tomorrow.”

Levi turned to
Reece for her answer.

Oh, great! What
am I supposed to say now?
Reece
faintly smiled. “Don’t worry about it, I enjoyed the time alone anyway. It
seemed to work out perfectly, since Harrison and Levi answered a few more
questions for me. If you guys still want to do something tomorrow, I’ll go with
you.”

“Well, ladies, this
has been an eventful night,” said Harrison. I believe we should retire and
start fresh tomorrow.” He stood.

“You make an excellent
point, Harrison,” Simone said. “Would you be a gentleman and escort us back to
into the house?” She raised one hand slightly, as if to rest it on his.

Harrison looked at
her with a mischievous grin. “Madam, I would happily offer you my arm; however,
there are three lovely ladies and only one other man available to escort them.
It would be discourteous of us both to offer any one lady an arm.”

You have two
arms,
thought Reece, before she
realized that this was Harrison’s way of dodging Simone’s request. She had to
turn her head away from the group to prevent them from seeing the amusement in
her expression.
Poor thing, she probably should have seen that one coming.

Simone stared
incredulously at Harrison before she stormed off toward the house. Lillian shot
her brother a dark glance, while Catherine scurried after her sister. “Reece,
we shall see you for breakfast tomorrow. Rest well.” Said Lillian, as she
turned her back to Harrison, and followed after the others.

Harrison and Levi
waited, presumably until the women were out of earshot, and then burst into
laughter. It was the first time Reece had witnessed them both laugh out loud.
“I take it you and they don’t get along too well.”

Harrison chuckled.
“That would be an understatement. Those women know how to put on an act. They
think they’re the crème de la crème, and their fantasies are only fueled more
by staying here at the Palace. Hopefully your manners will rub off on them
tomorrow.”

Reece laughed. “You
want the college student to tame the sophisticates? Not going to happen,
Harrison.”

  Levi looked
toward Reece. “In all seriousness, are you sure you’ll be comfortable joining
them tomorrow? Different arrangements can be made.”

“I’ll be fine. I’m
sure after following me for the last couple of years,” she shot both men a
knowing glance, “you should both know by now that I can handle myself. If I get
lost or left in a village, I’ll hail a horse-drawn cab, and tell the driver to
take me to the Emperor!”

Both men laughed.

“We are sure that
you can handle being around them, Reece, we are just giving you an excellent
opportunity to get out of it if you want.” Harrison said.

“It wouldn’t matter
either way. I’ll just be making a scene if I back out now.”

“Reece—”Levi
started.

Before Levi could
say anymore, Reece interrupted him. “No, seriously, I’ve got this. They really
didn’t bother me that much tonight. I can handle it.”

Harrison studied
her. “Well then, let’s get you back to the house. I believe you’ll need all the
rest you can get, if you plan to spend an entire day with them. Don’t say we
didn’t warn you.” He offered her an arm. “It seems as though I can finally be a
gentleman, now that the clucking hens have left us. Allow me, Reece.”

  She accepted
Harrison’s arm, and the three of them turned to leave the garden.

Chapter
8

T
hat night, Reece was more exhausted than she had ever remembered being
in her entire life. Enveloped in a white, silk, lavender-scented nightgown, she
made her way to her bed. The massive four-poster bed was isolated in a room of
its own. She wasted no time getting up into it; and once she slipped under the
soft and silky comforter, she very quickly fell into a deep, peaceful sleep.

Reece woke the next
morning to sounds coming from the next room. She pushed the soft covers back,
and let her feet drop over the side of the bed. She wrapped herself in her
robe, and made her way out into the sitting room.

She walked over to
the large windows, where the morning sun was shining through, and gazed out
onto the lands. The sky was painted in blues and pinks, complementing the lush
green grass on the rolling hills that lay before it.

She noticed a herd
of black horses in a white-fenced pasture surrounded by the forest; they looked
like the horses that Levi and Harrison had used to bring her into Pemdas. Foals
frolicked while their dams attended to the business of grazing.

Reece smiled at the
morning this magical land gave her, and allowed herself to appreciate it. She
began to feel a sense of gratitude for the new world she had been introduced
to.

Two figures walked
out to the horses—her two male companions from the previous day. Levi had a
pleasant smile on his face and walked with purpose, taking long strides.
Alongside him was his cousin, Harrison, laughing as usual. As they reached the
fences, Harrison leaned against it and turned toward his cousin.

Levi didn’t look
back, but stared into the group of horses. One horse lifted his head and came
to him. Levi patted his strong shoulder, and then directed his attention back
toward Harrison. The men were still in conversation at the fence when Reece was
interrupted from her peaceful reverie.

“Good morning, Miss
Bryant.” It was Jasmeen, carrying a tray of tea.

 The Miss Bryant
thing again.
She thought as she
dropped the curtains she had been hiding behind while watching the men. “Good
morning, Jasmeen. Please call me Reece; ‘Miss Bryant’ is a little too formal
for me.”

Jasmeen smiled
kindly, “Very well, Reece. It is a lovely morning; is it not?”

Reece
grinned, “It is. I was wondering if you were here or not, I thought I heard
someone out here when I first woke up, but I have to say, I had no idea you
would be here already.”

She laughed. “I’ve
been in and out of this room. Your bed is made and your clothes laid out, all
while you have been staring out the window.”

Reece blinked. “How
did I miss that? And, Jasmeen, you don’t have to make my bed, too. I can do
some work as well. Honestly, I am not used to people caring for me. You’ll
spoil me, and when I go home to Earth, I’ll be helpless.”

Jasmeen smiled. “I
suggest you should enjoy it as you would a fine vacation.”

Reece reached for
her cup. “I guess I will.”

 Jasmeen smiled as
she left. Reece sipped her tea, and turned back to the window. Now, different
people dressed in servants clothes bustled around, scrubbing steps, and pruning
bushes.

 Jasmeen returned
to the room, ready to prepare Reece for the day. “Reece, as soon as you are
ready, I have your outfit arranged for the day. I was told that you will be out
shopping with Simone, Lillian, and Catherine. I must have you dressed properly
if you plan to spend the day with them.”

She smiled and
walked into the next room. Reece set her tea down, and followed behind. Jasmeen
had everything, from make-up to shoes, laid out, and was ready to go to work.

Please don’t
tell me we are back to corset dresses again. I’d hate to have to ruin Jasmeen’s
morning, but I couldn’t really care less about how I look in front of those
women,
Reece thought as she followed
Jasmeen into the vanity room. She walked over to the chair and sat down. “You
really do not need to go to all this trouble. I can handle most of this
myself.”

 Jasmeen went to
work as if she hadn’t heard a word, but she said, “Please—don’t worry about
troubling me. This is what I do.”

Reece smiled. She
couldn’t argue; she really did enjoy this part of the new world she was forced
to live in. “Thank you, Jasmeen. In that case, what did you pick out for me to
wear for this momentous occasion, another ball gown?”

“Since you will be
spending your day with the women, we must have you dressed impeccably.” She
dangled a curl and let it drop.

Reece shook her
head, and got her hair pulled. “Ouch!”

“I’m sorry. Hold
still, please.”

Reece was beginning
to wonder about these young women. She remembered how Harrison and Levi felt
about them, and became curious as to what the day ahead of her might bring.

It was strange to
realize that only a few days earlier, she’d been living a normal life. Life was
so unpredictable. She thought back to the day her dad died; remembering how
perfect life had seemed, and then a phone call changed everything.

It was happening
again, but to a degree she never imagined possible. Who could predict their
lives could change like this? She watched Jasmeen transform her appearance once
again. Overwhelmed by the idea that she was truly in another world, she softly
exhaled.

Jasmeen
finished her make-up and looked at her sympathetically. “Reece, you don’t have
to spend the day with those young women. I’m certain that other arrangements
can be made, if necessary.”

“Oh, I’m not
worried about spending the day with them. I was just thinking about how
drastically my life has changed since yesterday morning.”

She stood up, and
followed Jasmeen into the closet. Jasmeen selected a gown, draped it over her
arm, and plucked two delicate, matching shoes off of a floor-to-ceiling rack,
on the opposite wall.

“It’s a lot to
accept, Reece. But rest assured, your stay in Pemdas will be a pleasant one.”
She held out the clothes to Reece.

 “Really…another
gown? Aren’t there any pants I can wear or anything like that? I’m really not
much of an extravagant dresser.”

 “I’ve been told
that in your culture, women are free to wear whatever they wish. Here in
Pemdas, ladies do not have any desire to dress as men do.”

“Well, Jasmeen, I
don’t really see it that way.”

 Reece studied the
dress. It was another fancy gown, tailored more to Earth’s style; however, it
was just as extravagant as the corseted dresses she had seen the ladies wearing
to dinner the previous night.
Well, if I’m going out into public today, I
might as well try to blend in,
she thought as she contemplated giving in
and having Jasmeen go get her a dress that suited the Pemdai culture.