Chapter 860

I land back in my bed happier than I've ever been in Atalaxia. Because I have a plan now, and my big sweet mate waiting for me on the other side. Yes, by this time tomorrow hopefully we'll all be out of this and I'll be on my way home.

Humming, I hope out of bed and move into the bathroom to take a shower, eager to get the smell of Jackson off of me and hide all my clothes deep in the hamper so that no one knows where I've been all night.

When Pippa comes in about an hour later with my breakfast tray, I wave merrily to her. She stops a bit in her tracks and I scold myself, remembering that I have to

be Ariel of last night, who was confused and hopeless and scared.

"Did you sleep?" Pippa asks, pushing the door shut as I move to the little breakfast table by the door.

I shrug, implying that I did not. Which is true! "I'm okay. How are you?" I look at her as she pours my coffee, truly worried when I note the exhaustion of her features, the worried lines of her face.

"It's hard, Ariel," Pippa says on a heavy sigh. "Elias and I...don't know what to do."

We spend the morning together, then, with Pippa spilling out her heart and her worries to me. I do my very best to pay attention, to listen as intently as Jackson does to me, but the whole time I have to admit that my mind is whirring on my plan. How am I going to get clothing suitable for a journey home? My period should end today – thank god - but do I need to pack any supplies? In what will I pack them?

"Well, I should get back," Pippa sighs a little later, standing and smoothing her hands down over her dress as she glances towards the door. I grimace inwardly at myself, feeling incredibly guilty for not truly listening and being a good friend. "Is there anything that you need today?"

"Um..." I say, biting my lip. "Do you think you could...send Gabriel to me? At some point this afternoon?"

She snaps her head back to me. "Whatever for?"

I shrug. "He's my mate. We should...talk."

"Ariel..." Pippa breathes, leaning forward and shaking her head at me. "I do...I do not think that is a good plan. Alone? With Gabriel? Anything could happen."

"Please, Pippa," I whisper. "Just...trust me. This is something I have to do."

Pippa groans a little and looks at me with that same mix of hesitance and wonder that Jackson gives me when he suspects that I might be mildly insane. “Are you sure?"

"Yes," I say, giving a steady nod. "Sometime this afternoon, perhaps?"

She heaves a heavy sigh and shakes her head. "Alright. But Elias and I will be right in our room if you need us during that meeting, okay?" She points towards the bell pull in the corner of the room, reminding me that one tug will send them running for me.

And I smile back at her, thinking that I'm very well aware of that.

In fact, that I'm depending on it.

"Hello, mate."

Gabriel's voice is low and curious as he comes into my room a few hours later. He quietly presses the door shut behind him, leaning back against it.

I exhale, slow and steady, and get to my feet, dipping my hands into thenoveldrama

convenient pockets of the pinafore apron that I'm wearing over my simple blue dress. "Hello, Gabriel."

Gabriel smirks as he crosses the room to me. "Why are you dressed like a servant?"

I look down at myself and shrug. "It's practical. And more comfortable than those

stupid princess corsets you make me wear."

A finger curled beneath my chin obliges me to raise my face to his again. "You look beautiful in those corsets, Not that you don't look nice in this as well. yes," he says, letting his eyes drift down over me. "+find that ...like you subservient. And calling me to your room.

I drop my eyes and let my lashes drift down, playing my role even as my mind spins. It's late - later than I'd hoped it would be, closer to night than afternoon. Shit. Is Jackson going to be worried about me

wondering why I'm not calling to him

tocontinue our plan?

"I find," I say quietly, even as my mind continues to panic a bit. "That I'm...readier

now, than I was before, to take a more subservient role."

"And what has convinced you of that, Princess?" Gabriel asks, his tone suspicious.

I raise my eyes again to him and then wave my hand at the breakfast table, at which I've prepared some wine and a snack of some cured meats and cheese. "Shall we have a nice conversation? Maybe come to an understanding?"