Midnight Soul by Kristen Ashley Page B

several feet in front of me. “Is
there anything you need?”
    I shook my head, turning my attention back to
the fire. “No. You may seek your bed.”
    To my surprise, moments passed and I didn’t
feel her presence leave.
    I turned back to her.
    “Is there more?” I asked.
    “He’s alone, back in the morning room.”
    I knew to whom she was referring and at the
thought I felt a warmth hit my belly at the same time a cold chill
slid over my skin.
    “I think…well, milady,” she went on
nervously, “I think he might be there waiting for you.”
    Providing Josette with an elevated salary was
not only because she was very good at doing what she did. It also
didn’t solely have to do with the fact she did the job of three
lady’s maids.
    It was because no one knew what was happening
in a house better than the servants.
    For years, Josette had been my eyes and ears
in places I’d never be privy, providing information I’d never have
without her, much of it of great use.
    She was not the only lady’s maid who offered
these services. Indeed, I suspected they all did if they were any
good at their jobs.
    But she made a point of ascertaining all I
might need to know (and some I didn’t but it didn’t hurt to hold
the knowledge) and sharing it with me.
    Yes, she earned her elevated salary in a
number of ways.
    Therefore, it was not surprising that, even
though I didn’t share with my maid what had transpired with Noc the
night before, she would know.
    However, now, as I gazed up at her, I did not
see the usual. A petite, pretty, plump, ash-blonde girl with blank,
hazel eyes looking down at me and awaiting my response because she
was doing her job.
    I saw a pretty girl with kindness and concern
in her hazel eyes, looking down on me, knowing all I’d lost and
that I had not one, single true friend in the world.
    That look only made me feel warmth.
    Touch her hand , mon ange, show her
what her compassion means to you .
    Antoine’s voice sounding in my head made me
blink and lose focus.
    “Lady Franka,” Josette called, and I forced
my attention from waiting to hear more in my head from my dead
lover to my maid. “I’m happy to assist you back into your
gown.”
    Noc sitting alone in the morning room very
well might mean he was waiting for me. That he’d enjoyed our time
together (which I knew he did). That he wanted more before I was to
leave.
    Or perhaps it meant he wanted an explanation
of what transpired earlier in the queen’s study.
    Either way (especially the latter), I would
not go to him.
    It would be better he leave this world when
he eventually did with nary a memory of Franka Drakkar of the
midnight soul.
    It was better anyone was not touched by that
blackened spirit.
    Now I’m just feeling sorry for myself,
which is dire as well as boring , I thought.
    What I said to Josette was, “We have a long
ride ahead of us on the morrow. We should both get a good night’s
rest.”
    She looked disappointed before she covered
her expression and nodded.
    “Would you like another sleeping draught?”
she inquired.
    I didn’t need to sleep twelve hours again
(although I actually did). I needed to be up, as I’d instructed
Josette to wake me, at half past five so we could see to my
toilette and be away before the palace woke and became bustling.
This meaning (I hoped) we’d be away without running into anyone I
didn’t wish to see.
    And one of those primary “anyones” was
Noctorno Hawthorne of the other world.
    Therefore I shook my head.
    Josette nodded again and she seemed to be
moving to leave before she hesitated and turned back to me.
    “You’ll sleep?” she pressed.
    I studied her, noting she couldn’t quite hide
her feelings of worry…for me.
    Thus I continued studying her, thinking, Gods, did she actually like me?
    I’d never been cruel to her. I’d never been
overtly kind. I respected her talents, demonstrated that in more
ways than monetarily, but never told her so.
    Perhaps that was just