Free The Third Key (The Alaesha Legacy Book 1) by Samantha Warren Page A

exhausted. I'm sure you girls are, too. Let's all head to bed and we'll discuss this more in the morning."
    He clicked his tongue and Ollie dropped the stick, which went dormant immediately. "Come boy," he said, patting his side as he headed into the house. The dog licked Edith's hand once then followed obediently.
    A moment later, Mags appeared in the door. "Ready to go back to your room, ladies?"
    Shortly afterward, they were settled into bed, having been tucked in lovingly by Mags, each given a kiss on the forehead and a "Sleep tight, don't let the bedbugs bite." Edith lay awake in the dark, staring at the ceiling she couldn't see. Bare minutes had passed before she heard Dana's breathing change. She envied the ex-Keeper. The new girl would get no sleep tonight.
     

 
     
     
     
    Chapter 8
     
    "Rise and shine, ladies." Mags's sing-song voice rang out through the room as she drew open the enormous curtain. Light bathed the girls still bundled up under the thick comforters.
    Edith groaned and rolled over, drawing a pillow over her head to block out the offending glare.
    "Tsk tsk," Mags chided as she pulled the pillow away and tossed it to the end of the bed. "None of that now. The other advisers will be here within the hour and you need to be fed and presentable before then."
    Like an annoying older sibling, the woman stood beside the bed and poked Edith in the arm until the teenager relented and crawled from the comfort of the down mattress. She groaned as she stood and wiped the goo from her eyes. Satisfied, Mags turned her attentions to the cheerleader as Edith stumbled to the bathroom.
    The mirror was not kind to Edith that morning. Her eyes were puffy from lack of sleep, her hair a rat's nest from tossing and turning all night. She washed her face and brushed her teeth before returning to the bedroom. Dana stood outside the door, arms crossed, tapping her foot. She rolled her eyes and pushed past Edith, slamming the door behind her.
    Mags was bustling around the room, humming as she worked. Edith's bed was already made, two dresses were hanging from a very elegant folding dressing screen, other garments had been laid on the bed, and a steaming breakfast was at the table.
    Mags waved the lint brush she was holding toward the table. "Better eat before it gets cold. Coffee is in the carafe. The chef sent up both orange and cranberry juice. Drink what you like. I'll dump what you don't so that he doesn't throw one of his famous fits." She tossed a merry smile at Edith and went back to her humming.
    The breakfast was standard fair. Bacon, toast, eggs with tiny yolks the size of grapes,  fruit and muffins. Edith picked up a muffin and sniffed it. "What kind are these?"
    "Hmm?" Mags pulled her attention from dusting the windowsill. "Oh, bualdaberry. Very scrumptious. Like a mix between a blueberry, a grape and a pineapple. My favorite."
    Edith smiled until Mags turned her back, then set the muffin back down. Safer to stick with what she knew. The breakfast was delicious and the coffee was the best she had ever had. She tore off a piece of toast and lifted it to her mouth. Chewing thoughtfully, her mind drifted to the events to led her to where she was. She thought about what had happened in the last day. None of it seemed real, but she couldn't deny it. Bad things were happening, and somehow she had ended up smack dab in the middle of them. A cloud started to settle over her until the chair across from her moved, pulling her out of the growing funk.
    Dana plopped down at the table, face pressed into a scowl, and picked at a muffin. Before she was half done, Mags whisked the breakfast away and shuffled them over to the dresses.
    "What do you think? I made them myself last night." She beamed with pride.
    Edith examined the dresses. They were very detailed with intricate patterns stitched into the bodice and sleeves. The gowns looked like something out of a regency romance novel.
    "You made these last night?"
    Mags nodded