Chapter 148
CAMILLA’S P.O.V
Ryker convinced me that it would be a better idea to dig it up after we put the kids to sleep so I anxiously waited until night time. It was difficult considering my skin was itching and brimming with anticipation. I badly wanted to know what hidden there. As annoying as my father’s past tended to be, his hunts had proven to be a worthy challenge. If they had come at another time preferably when an enemy wasn’t breathing down my neck then I would have enjoyed it more. My only prayer as we waited was that it wasn’t going to be the start to another enemy that he somehow managed to pis s off.
Once both kids were asleep in their own beds and I had kissed their foreheads, Ryker and I rushed outside with a lamp and a shovel that we found in the storage room. We settled in front of the tree and while I was brimming with excitement, Ryker was just there because of me.
“You don’t have to be here,” I whispered to him but he ignored me. “I know it is late and we might not find anything. I wouldn’t want to keep you out so long.”
“Shut up, Camilla,” his voice held no bite and a small smile pulled at the corner of his lips. “I want to be here, I want to help you. If you want to spend the entire night searching then I will. I don’t care if we find anything or not as long as I get to spend the day with you.”
My cheeks heated and tears burned the back of my eyes. I wanted to kiss him, I wanted to hold him. He was my mate and he was here with me. Ryker was a better man than most and I knew without a doubt that I did not deserve him. He was a better man than me but I couldn’t imagine being with anyone else. After everything that life had thrown at me, Ryker was the start of everything good that had come into my life. From him, I got my amazing children.
I held the lamp while we investigated. There was no indication as to where anything could be buried so we settled for just digging at the base of the tree. I offered to do it but Ryker simply rolled his eyes at me and went to work. It was very late and the night sky was devoid of stars. He dug for a few minutes before his shovel finally hit something. Ryker pulled it out and I was surprised to see a small hand carved wooden box. It had intricate designs on it and had a keyhole but there was no key.
“Well this was a waste of time,” he drawled as he tossed the shovel to the side. “Save for us breaking it, I don’t think there is any other way that we can open it up.”
“I don’t want to break it,” I said immediately.
“Why would your father leave a box without a key? Is it another clue for something else hidden elsewhere?” he asked as we looked over the box,
“I don’t think so. I think this is it, whatever it is.”
He handed it over to me and I stared at it shocked by how beautiful it was. The designs were precise as if they were done by a professional. It would have probably cost a pretty penny.
“It looks beautiful. I wonder if he carved it himself.”
“I believe he did,” I nearly jumped when I heard Mr. Briggs’ voice behind me. “I apologize if I scared you. I heard some noise and saw the light and came to investigate. I always wondered where that box disappeared to.”
“You know it?” I asked and he nodded. “When?”
“I remember seeing the late king carving it one afternoon at least fifteen years ago. I had completely forgotten about it if I am being honest. I never asked what it was for and I never saw it again. It is a sight to behold. He was a talented man but he didn’t like to show it. As far as I know, the king was brilliant.”
“You speak very highly of him.”
“He was my king and he spent a lot of time here. There were times his façade would slip and I would see the real man underneath.”
His words held a double meaning, almost as if they were aimed at me. I wondered if that was his way of telling me to give the thoughts about my father a second chance but I chose to brush it away. I didn’t care about that so I decided to change the subject.
“Do you know where he could have kept the key?” I asked but he shook his head.
“The king was a private man, more than anyone I ever knew and I was just his butler. He wouldn’t have told me even if I had asked but knowing him, he probably left clues as to where he could find it. He had a thing for treasure hunts and once told me that he hid so many things in life that he always left a clue on where to find them should he forget. I am sure you will see something.”
“Thank you, we might be out for a while.”
“Of course,” he bowed. “Have a wonderful night, your majesty.”
He turned on his heels and walked away leaving Ryker and I alone. Ryker watched his retreating figure with rapt attention and concern. I wanted to ask what it was that he saw that caused his haunches to rise but I chose to stay silent and just observe carefully. It wasn’t until Briggs disappeared that Ryker finally turned back to me.
“He was lying.” he said simply and I raised a brow. “Not about everything, he was lying when he spoke about your father. When he said he was just the butler, he looked away, it was obvious that he wasn’t telling the truth. He knows more than he is letting on. Perhaps he and your father were even friends.”
I looked back at the direction he had gone through. “It could be a possibility but we can handle that later, we have to find the key.”
It is late, Camilla, we can always come back tomorrow morning when the sun is up. For now, I think it is best if we called it a night, don’t you?”
I hadn’t realized just how tired I was until he started speaking. I sighed and nodded in agreement. We covered up the area we had dug together and took the box back into the house with us. The key could even be somewhere on the box, I just needed a clear head and the light of the morning to observe it properly.
Ryker went to wash his hands while I changed into my nightgown. I didn’t even realize he had returned and was standing by the door of the room until I turned back. I jumped and my heart pound wildly in my chest when I noticed him watching me.
“You scared me,” I whispered with my hand over my chest and instead of apologizing, he just hummed and walked over to me. He has gotten rid of his shirt and was just wearing pants. “What’s wrong?”
“You’re enjoying yourself, right?” he asked and I immediately nodded.
“Of course I am, why wouldn’t I be?”
“Well because it seems like we are about to go on one of your father’s treasure hunts and I don’t want it to get in the way of our time off. I don’t want anything with the potential to stress you out.”
I sighed and closed the distance between us. I cupped his cheeks with both hands and placed a soft kiss on his lips. It was meant to be a peck but Ryker had other plans because he wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me impossibly closer to him until our skin was flush against each other. He groaned into my mouth as he deepened the kiss and just that sound had me growing impossibly wetter.
By the time he pulled back I was panting for breath and my entire body was alight with pleasure. His lips were swollen and he ran his thumb across his bottom lip as he watched me as if there was something I was supposed to say. I couldn’t even remember the conversation we were having before. I wanted him inside of me immediately but something told me we were talking about something important before.
“What were we saying?” I cleared my throat and asked. Ryker just smiled softly to himself.
“It doesn’t matter, I already got my answer.”
I woke up to an empty bed the next morning and just as I was about to get out of bed, my door opened to reveal Audrey and Ryker behind her. Ryker had a tray of food in his hands while Audrey was holding a small glass of what looked like orange juice.
“We brought you breakfast,” she exclaimed and I couldn’t stop my smile. “Do you like it?”
“I love it,” I laughed softly. “Thank you so much.” She climbed into bed next to me after placing the glass on the counter and I kissed her forehead. “I assume this was your idea, right?”
She giggled. “It was daddy but I helped. I helped a lot.”
“Well then, thank you so much,” I looked up at Ryker who had placed the tray on the bedside table. He grabbed my chin with one hand and kissed me deeply making Audrey giggle. She was watching us with wide eyes and an ear splitting grin.
“That’s so weird,” she exclaimed. “Why do you do that?”
I realized she was talking to Ryker so I allowed him respond. He hesitated for a second before responding. “Because I love her and that is one way you show people that you love them.”
Her brows furrowed in confusion so I decided to step in. “When you grow older and you find your mate, he will do it too.”
Her nose crinkled. “No, thank you. I don’t want anyone touching me. Men are gross and Maya says that they have germs.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. She was four years old and already talking about boys and germs. I didn’t know whether to be impressed or shocked. It was a mixture of both but Ryker seemed to be filled with all degrees of happiness. He had a satisfied smirk on his face and nodded.
“Good girl,” Ryker whispered as he kissed her forehead. “You’re too good for any man. Stay away from them until you’re forty.”
I shot my mate a glare and he simply raised his hands in mock surrender.
After breakfast, I went to Aurora and fed her before carrying her outside for some fresh air while I burped her. I didn’t realize I was going towards the lake until I found myself in front of that same tree again. I looked around wondering if there would be something else but there was nothing.
“Back so soon?” this time I didn’t jump because I had already sensed his presence. I didn’t even turn back and just waited for Briggs to make his way to my side. He was staring at the tree with a sense of longing and sadness.
“Why did you lie?” I asked and he stilled. “He was your friend, why did you say he was just your butler?”
He opened his mouth to speak then sighed deeply. “Being friends with a butler would have been the scandal of the century and your father knew it. I wasn’t always a butler, I was a lowly maid in the palace but we bonded and I saw past the asshole prince who couldn’t keep his di ck in his pants.”
I couldn’t help but laugh at that. “I’m sure you told him that at least once.”
“I made sure to tell him every chance I could get,” he winked at me and I smiled. “He was a good man, he just made some very stu pid decisions. I loved your father and it was almost like he knew when things were coming to an end. He spent more time writing, almost as if he didn’t want to forget anything. He carved this box and although he didn’t tell me, I saw him bury it. I don’t know where he kept the key.”
“It’s alright, you don’t have to explain,” I opened my mouth to say more but I heard Ryker call out to me. “I should probably go before he starts looking for me.”
“He loves you,” he said simply and I nodded. I knew it was true. “I only saw your father look at one woman that way.”
“Eva? I know about her and her son. He proved to be a real pain in my as s if I am being honest.”
He snorted. “Not Eva, she was nothing but a distraction for him, not that I am supporting what he did. I never liked her if I am being honest and I made sure to tell him that but your father was as stubborn as nails and he wouldn’t listen to me.”
He shook his head almost as if he was remembering something fond,
“There was a girl when he was younger, she was a commoner and your father was
