Tainted Happiness {Formerly Returned} (Book 4) (Completed)

Chapter 15

Laura POV

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I was quite skeptical about whether or not Ekaterina would have any new information for us. We had no one that would just tell us the information straight out. We got vague information from a multitude of sources and it was up to us to put our heads together and figure out just what it meant. Me, not always being in the mindset to think outside the box, had issues with that. I wanted to help, I truly did. I was willing to do anything to help Kait, but I just sucked at deciphering the riddle-like information we got. That was something that Melanie, Dimitri, and Jacob were good at. Rose and I, not so much.

Our plane trip to Court was rather fast. It took us less than two hours to get there, but I was sick the entire time thanks to my fear of planes. As soon as the doors opened, I sprinted outside and we were swept away, being escorted into Palace Housing. It struck me as strange that Kait and her followers were treated with the utmost care and expertise, but Kait was also considered a goddess-like figure among the Moroi and Dhampirs because she was the first Strigoi Viu. They wanted her to be treated with the best care and respect the Royal Court could offer. In a way I guess that included treating Rose and I with that same level of care when Kait was out of commission.

The first person Rose and I saw when we were showed to our rooms was the queen. Lissa waltzed into the room with an elegance that only she could achieve and immediately called for the three of us to be escorted by boat to Ekaterina's secluded island where she often resided when she wasn't needed at Court.

"I hope you don't get sea-sick, Laura. The only way to get to Ekaterina's island is by boat." Lissa stated.

"No, no. I'll be fine." I replied.

"She doesn't get sea-sick, she gets plane-sick. She was in the bathroom puking for most of the plane ride here." Rose commented.

"I'm just terrified of planes. I always have been. My stomach gets upset when I'm nervous about something." I said.

"Well, then I hope you're not nervous about seeing Ekaterina because I don't think any of us really want to be puked on." Lissa commented.

"I don't think she has anything in her stomach left to puke." Rose added.

"Thanks for this, Melanie. Somehow I knew this would happen." I mumbled.

"Are we taking the Royal Ferry?" Rose asked.

"Why wouldn't we?" Lissa answered as we came up to a huge ship that must have been the Royal Ferry.

The Royal Ferry was beautiful. It was mostly white on the outside with a blue pinstripe near the top and had the Dragomir family crest painted by the elegantly scripted name of the ship. The carpeting on the inside was deep red with a velvet-like texture. It didn't have seats, but rather couches and reclining chairs. Somehow there was satellite television wired into the ship so we could watch whatever TV channel we wanted. The ship even had a few bedrooms, a kitchen, dining room, large bathroom, and a meeting room for possible council discussions while onboard. On deck there was a hot tub and a pool with a diving board. The boat itself was worth the trip to Court.

"Wait, Lissa. You said that she's on an island, but all I see is the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of New Jersey." I commented.

"Her island is ten miles out at sea." Rose answered with a sneer.

"Okay, okay, God. I didn't know that. I've never even heard of this woman before Kait became Torn. No reason to be an ass." I retorted.

"I'd be concerned sometimes if she wasn't being an ass." Lissa said, "but of course I still love you, Rose."