VALERIA

The bedroom was actually lovely, with a bed, a closet, a small vanity, and a large window overlooking a beautiful lake.

"This is your room, and over there is the shared bathroom with the bathtub I promised," he pointed toward another small door in the back.

"Wait a moment—so to leave here, I have to pass through His Majesty’s room? This has no exit to the hallway. And… a shared bathroom? The King doesn’t have his own bathroom? He has to go through my entire room to use it?" I pointed out the obvious.

Who designed these uncomfortable chambers?

"I'm sorry. There are no other rooms available," he replied, his face harder than the stone floor.

"Your Majesty!" I turned indignantly toward Aldric, who watched me from the doorway between the rooms with a look of pure satisfaction.

"You chose to stay here, Valeria, so now we can’t offend Alpha Garret. This is the room available—stop making a fuss," he answered, and I could see just how pleased he was by the smug look on his face.

A fus