Chapter 59

Sarah POV

Zane and I went into the larger bedroom to tuck in the girls. Instead of their pajamas, however, they were wearing each other’s dresses. Grace was sitting on the floor looking up at Chloe who was standing on one of the beds and, I realized, imitating people from the party.

“Well, I couldn’t believe he wanted all the money upfront,” she was saying in a high voice. “I’d fire him, but contractors are so hard to find these days.”

Grace giggled, and I knew I should scold them, but Zane touched my arm and shook his head.

Chloe, fully aware we had come into the room, made her voice go deep. “Well, I told him we needed the account covered as soon as possible, and he acted like I’d cracked a joke.”

Zane laughed aloud, and the rest of us joined him.

I sobered and shook a finger. “I believe I left instructions for you to get into your PJs.”

The girls giggled and then began taking off their dresses, which they hadn’t fully fastened. Their nightclothes proved to be underneath.

“The party was so pretty and everyone was so fancy,” Chloe said, “but their conversations were so boring!”

“I liked the bricks,” Grace said quietly.

“The foam ones?” Zane asked, and she nodded. “Well, we’ve missed your birthday, but perhaps if I receive a particularly glowing report from your tutors about your studies, I might be included to buy my girls a brick or two.”

Grace giggled, though Chloe looked a little unsure if she were being teased or not. She thought for a moment, and then evidently put the matter aside.

“The music was fun too, and you guys looked so great together dancing.” She looked at me. “I didn’t know you could dance like that.”

“Neither did I.”

“Can we get lessons?” Chloe asked next.

“What? In addition to your math lessons and your English lessons and your art lessons and your riding lessons?” I asked.

“Yes.” She looked at me. “I’m a child. I’m supposed to have a lot of lessons.”

“Well, if your father agrees with you.”

“I do,” he said.

“Then I guess we’ll have to get you girls some dancing lessons. I wonder if you’ll have enough hours in the day, though.”

“That’s just silly,” Chloe said next, and Grace laughed.

I got them under the covers of the bed next to the bathroom and didn’t pretend to be surprised when Grace handed me a book off the nightstand.

“Now, where were we?” I asked as Zane sat on the other bed. I looked over to him with a question, and he smiled.

“As if I would miss one of your impressive performances.”

I rolled my eyes and ignored the warmth in my stomach.

“The palace was festively adorned. The walls and the flooring, which were of porcelain, gleamed in the rays of thousands of golden lamps. The most glorious flowers, which could ring clearly, had been placed in the in the passages. There was a running to and fro, and a thorough draught, and all the bells rang so loudly that one could not hear oneself speak.

“In the midst of the great hall, where the Emperor sat, a golden perch had been placed, on which the Nightingale was to sit. The whole court was there, and the little kitchen-maid had gotten leave to stand behind the door, as she had now received the title of a real court cook. All were in full dress, and all looked at the little grey bird, to which the Emperor nodded.

“And the Nightingale sang so gloriously that the tears came into the Emperor’s eyes, and the tears ran down his cheeks; and then the Nightingale sang still more sweetly, so that its song went straight to the heart. The Emperor was so much more pleased that he said the Nightingale should have his golden slipper to wear around its neck. But the Nightingale declined this was thanks, saying it had already received a sufficient reward.

“I have seen tears in the Emperor’s eyes—that is the real treasure to me.”

I stopped reading and listened. There was another knock on the suite’s door. Zane stood up and looked at me.

I put the book back on the nightstand and promised the girls I would be back to read more. As we crossed the main room, Zane and I heard the knock again.

The attendant who had shown us to the room stood out in the hallway, holding an envelope of thick white paper. She handed it over, and Zane opened it with a frown.

“There’s a small after-party, VIPs only,” he said as he read. “As I’m the ranking alpha and the night’s highest bidder, Rob has requested the pleasure of my company.”

I strongly wanted to protest. The last thing in the world I wanted was to be left without his protection in this place. But I knew better.

“I can beg off,” he said.

I shook my head. “It’s the sort of thing your position requires you to do. The girls and I know that, and we’ll be fine here in the room.”

He looked uncertain, which wasn’t an expression I liked to see on his face. Finally, he nodded.

“I won’t be gone long,” he said, then straightened his tie and left with the attendant.

I turned back to the room with a strong but irrational feeling of dread. I was in a locked room in a well-known club. Not only was nothing bad going to happen to me, I had a responsibility to be sensible for the girls.

I walked back into the bedroom we were sharing, but the girls were sitting up in bed looking worried.

“Where did Daddy go?” Grace asked.

“He’s been invited to a special party because he’s the pack alpha.” I saw the looks on their faces and chided them slightly. “You know he couldn’t say no to that, not when the charity is so important to him and he has to make nice with everyone.”

“Because he’d the alpha he shouldn’t have to play nice with anyone,” Chloe said petulantly.

“Well, if two little girls go to sleep, they will see their father first thing in the morning,” I said.

“I won’t be able to get to sleep until he gets back,” she said, and Grace nodded.

“Do you want me to read some more?”

“Not without Daddy,” she said and folded her arms across her chest.

Grace nodded.

I looked at Grace and tilted my head. “Tell me, what’s your favorite part of the story so far?”

She thought about it, her forehead wrinkling with the effort.

“That last part you read,” she said finally, “when the bird is singing so nicely, and the Emperor says it will give it a reward, but the bird says making the Emperor happy is all he wants.”

“I liked that part very much too,” I said. Then I heard my phone ringing. “Back in just a sec,” I said and then walked into the main room, leaving the door open so the girls could see me.

I pulled my phone out and looked at the screen. The sender’s name was “S.”