Kleo Erili
Stories
3
Chapters
242
Words
559.1 K
Comments
115
Reading
1 d, 22 h
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There. There she was. On the other side of the gathering, partially hidden behind a wooden pillar, stood Innogen. She wore a deep sapphire blue dress that made her golden hair shine. It was artfully pinned up, with small pearls glistening in it like dewdrops. She stood with two other young ladies, a Montfort and a Farnsworth, Valentina thought, and nodded politely to their conversation. But the tension in her shoulders gave her away. The way her fingers played with the fabric of her dress. It was…-
404.8 K • Ongoing
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The Greystone group stepped forward. Cosimo and Rosalind led the way, Lorenzo a step behind, then Beatrice and Valentina. They sank into almost perfectly synchronized bows, the men with an elegant kick of the leg, the women in a deep but not submissive curtsy. "Duke Cosimo," King Edmund spoke, his warm baritone voice filling the room effortlessly. "We are pleased to see you and your family well." "Your Majesty honors us with your attention," Cosimo replied smoothly. "How is your hospital, Duke…-
404.8 K • Ongoing
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The door closed behind them, leaving Valentina and Innogen alone. At first, the silence between them was so heavy that Valentina thought she could physically feel it. Innogen was still sitting on the small sofa, her hands no longer clenched but lying limply in her lap, as if the tension had completely drained her. Tears glistened on her cheeks, but she was no longer crying. Valentina didn't know where to start. There was so much to say, and at the same time, every word seemed so terribly…-
404.8 K • Ongoing
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The king took his place, and the assembly rose again. King Edmund let his gaze wander over the crowd, and when he spoke, his deep voice carried effortlessly throughout the entire hall. "Lords, venerable prelates of the Holy Church of the Martyr, and commons of this realm of Sommerland, We, by the Martyr's Radiant Flame King of Sommerland, greet you well." He paused, letting the words sink in. "We gather today, as our ancestors have done for centuries, under the watchful and benevolent eye of the…-
404.8 K • Ongoing
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"Oh, and our cameraman today is Ethan," Melissa added casually. The man behind the camera straightened up, and Chloe quickly sized him up. Early forties, maybe, thin to the point of gauntness, with hair that looked like it hadn't been cut... or washed... in weeks. Thick, black-rimmed glasses sat on a nose that was a little too big for his face. He didn't seem really that intimidating, actually. But then their eyes met, and there was something in his eyes. An intensity that didn't match his harmless…-
145.1 K • Ongoing
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In the shadow of the city's mighty Flametower, Johann Georg Bombastian von Agrippin strolled leisurely through the cobblestone streets of Agrippin toward the inconspicuous entrance of an establishment called Zum Goldenen Band. The building was deliberately hidden behind an unadorned facade in a side street of the merchant district. Not even a sign drew attention to its existence. Either you knew about Zum Goldenen Band, or you didn't. Johann smoothed his deep green doublet and entered. A discreet…-
404.8 K • Ongoing
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On the morning of the opening of Parliament, the Greystone townhouse had been bustling with activity since dawn. Valentina stood in her slip in front of the large mirror while two maids bustled around her, helping her get ready. "Arms a little higher, milady," murmured the older of the two, a wiry woman named Margaret, as she pulled the heavy court dress over Valentina's head. The fabric was a muted blue-grey with silver embroidery and rustled like water as it draped around her body. "Don't lace it…-
404.8 K • Ongoing
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The carriage jolted over a particularly rough stone, and Valentina was torn from her memories. Cosimo stirred beside her, his hand sliding lazily over her hip. "What are you thinking about?" he murmured sleepily. "The summer ahead of us," she replied, which wasn't entirely untrue. He smiled and pulled her closer. "It will be an interesting summer, my dear. I promise you that." "More interesting than he realizes," Vyxara commented dryly. Valentina could only agree silently. He reached for…-
404.8 K • Ongoing
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When Chloe arrived, Elena was already sitting at her usual corner table. She was wearing a simple black top and had tied her long black hair into a loose bun. As Chloe approached, she saw that Elena wasn't smiling. "Hey." Chloe sank into the chair opposite her. "You look like you have bad news." Elena waited until Chloe was seated, then leaned forward. "Thanks for coming. I wanted to make sure you knew what you were getting yourself into." "At the party?" "Yes." Elena nodded. "You've been to…-
145.1 K • Ongoing
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