Chapter Fifteen
Elek
She looked so naive and fragile standing in the doorway. How could someone so meek have caused such a sensation to overtake me?
Lying across the provided bed, the room far too bright for my comfort, I clasp my hand over my chest. The encounter left me breathless for a moment as I felt the chain tug violently. And it was all because of her.
It didn’t take long for a trace of resentment to already find me. If this was how it was always going to be when I was near her then I would rather sever that chain completely.
Even now, I became consumed with thoughts of wanting to see where she resided. To see if it was a secure location. She was going to hinder my ability to maintain sensibility.
I cursed harshly.
A whimsical knock came to the door. I didn’t have the motivation to open it myself so I just told them to come in. Unsurprisingly, it was Huri.
“Your room is much nicer than mine.” They said, hands on their hips.
“What do you want?” I continued to stare up at the cream canopy after acknowledging their presence.
“Wouldn’t you like to take advantage of the mild weather and escort a lovely young lady through the gardens?”
“No, I wouldn’t.” I snapped.
“Well, pity for you that I already got permission from King Jovan, as long as her companions come along as well. She’ll be waiting for you at the entrance by one.”
Of course it was already orchestrated.
As I approached the top of the stairs a prickling sensation ran up the back of my neck. Before I even turned the corner to the first stair, I knew she was at the bottom. Pacing myself, I took each step slowly, not wanting to catch her gaze again, like earlier. Not wanting to catch myself inspecting every inch of visible flesh on her to assure myself that she was safe and unharmed. Thinking about her incident a few weeks prior only made the desire to look at her all the greater. What if she was still recovering?
She gave a small curtsy as I approached, my eyes now being forced to lock onto hers out of pure etiquette. There was no denying that I was instantly attracted to her, and I could live with that. She was beautiful. It was the heightened sense of protectiveness that was going to be a problem. All of a sudden I was keenly aware of the number of bodies moving around us and assessing if they would be an issue. She only seemed to have two guards today. A young sandy haired girl and the youngest princess from Kai. Would they be enough?
“Shall we go, Prince Elek?” Even her voice, her soft melodic voice, caused my heart to tighten uncomfortably.
“Just Elek is fine.” I said, astonishing myself at how collected I sounded.
She smiled at me, her eyes twinkling.
“And I’m Sera. It’s nice to meet you.”
We walked around to the side of the castle, where large glass doors opened to a massive ballroom. Just beyond the patio was a large hedge maze. She asked for the other two to stay by the entrance, which they seemed to do reluctantly. Both glanced at me as if I was going to devour her like some wild beast.
“I’ve never been through here.” Sera giggled as we faced our third dead end.
“Did you want to go back?” Part of me felt betrayed at wanting her to say ‘no.’
She shook her head at me, grin widening.
“No way! I don’t ever get out like this. Even if it takes us all the way until dinner to find the center, I won’t complain.”
Then her smile faltered slightly as she assessed me.
“Unless you would like to return.”
Of course I wanted to return. Return home and never think of her again. But that’s not what I was here to do, so I shook my head.
“We can walk around for as long as you like.”
“So what’s it like in Demarcus?” She asked after a few minutes of silence.
“Cold.”
“What do you like to do for fun?”
“Train and work.”
“What are your people like?”
“Strong.”
I could tell she wasn’t liking the answers when finally she paused and turned to me. The twinkling had faded completely.
“Are you always an ass?”
For the first time since that morning I could not keep myself in check. Her eyes had hardened and her cheeks puffed slightly. She was as intimidating as a small kitten and I found myself giving a chuckle that melted into a smirk.
“Actually, yes. Most would likely call me that back home.”
“Is there a reason for it or is it part of your charm?”
“I work, train, and sleep. So if you think that makes me charming then maybe I’m not the problem and you just have weird kinks.”
Her pale skin reddened deeply, causing me immense satisfaction. Someone as sheltered as her probably hadn’t even explored that part of herself. My cheeks began to feel strained as I did my best to contain my amusement as I walked behind her.
We met with another dead end.
“It’s hard to believe that you’ve never been out here before.” I teased.
“I’ve only ever solved it from looking out a window.” She replied, turning to face the building and pointing towards a window on the second floor.
I hated how normal she made it sound.
“Were you always compliant? I heard you were heavily restricted in your movements up until recently.”
Sera walked ahead of me, face turned away as she answered softly.
“Even if I attempted to run away I would be found quickly and returned.”
“Have you attempted?”
We finally found a large three-tiered fountain at the core of the maze. She sat down on the lip of it before answering. I remained standing and observed her.
“A few times.” She gestured to a spot below her ribs.
“My last attempt ended with the wrong people finding me. I managed to take her down but she nearly took me with her.”
A hard swallow went down my throat as my chest lurched. Thinking of her in a near death state made me nauseous. Taking her back to Demarcus with me would be a kindness.
I didn’t want to ask. I didn’t want to know, but it slipped out before I could stop myself.
“How many times has it happened?”
Her bright eyes darkened as she seemed to contemplate telling me. I should have stopped myself.
“Eight, including this last one.” She said after a long pause and I released a held breath.
Feeling my knees wanting to falter, I sat beside her, giving enough space between us for another person to join. I didn’t want to be responsible for her, or at least I didn’t want to be put into a situation of fretting over her safety continuously. If she came with me then I was stuck prioritizing her over others and possibly even my country. But if I left her here…
“I make it sound worse than it is.”
I looked over to see her watching me, concern plastered on her face. Concern for what?
“Make what sound worse?” I asked.
“The attacks.” Her voice was soft, like a whisper.
“Most of the time I’m better prepared, it’s just this past one that got the jump on me when my mind was too distracted.”
My skin tightened as my forehead creased.
“There shouldn’t have been any attack. That’s not normal, even for someone like you.”
Someone from a mistress, I thought. Most illegitimate children lived quiet lives away from their noble parents. With Jovan keeping her so close, I could understand why there was tension in the kingdom. No one liked uncertainty when it came to their government.
When she shrugged her shoulders at my words I refrained from clenching my fists, instead I settled for gritting my teeth in frustration.
“Do you not care about your own safety? Are you looking to die?” a tension headache began to rise at the base of my skull.
“Of course I don’t want to die. That’s a stupid thing to ask.” Her tone raised.
“Is it? Then why do you suck at running away and staying out of trouble?” My temper began to flare.
Hers seemed to rival my own as her brows knitted together and her lips turned downwards into a scowl.
“I wouldn’t have come back at all if I hadn’t been told to wait around for you!”
How the hell did this just become my fault? But she continued.
“That night I made it outside but was caught by Cato disguised as an old fisherman. He gave me advice and riddles and said I had to wait here for you. So I went back, hoping to make it to my room before anyone noticed I was gone. I didn’t know that Regina’s guards did their rounds there.”
“You met a god? Why did he tell you to wait for me?” Admittedly, I should have paid more attention to the rest of her tale but the idea of randomly coming across a deity baffled me.
Of course, I already knew why he told her to wait. Every time I looked at her or thought about her that invisible chain pulled erratically in my chest. But to be deemed important enough to someone like Cato to advise you was unheard of.
“Supposedly, we are fated to one another. Maybe as nothing more than a soul attraction. But I’m going to follow it, because at this point in my life I have very little to lose.” Her face was set with determination.
“So you know why I’m here then,” I began, wanting to know if she could be dissuaded. “Let me ask you this. If I’m nothing but an ass while I’m here, will you still agree to it? You are willing to be stuck to someone, for the rest of your life, who has little interest in marrying you and that I am only agreeing to it due to loyalty to my king?”
I knew my words came out harsh, but if I could get her to decide on her own that I was not the savior she hoped for, then I would feel all the better for it and have her back out of the arrangement. Yet she just stared back at me, her eyes sharp and focused.
“As I said before, I don’t have much to lose.”
It was a terrible answer but the only one I was going to get, apparently. I looked up at the sky to see the sun beginning to set. It must have been hours since we entered the maze. Turning towards her I offered a hand out as I stood.
“Well then, bride, let’s go to dinner and tell everyone the wonderful news.”
She didn’t accept my hand, nor did she speak to me as we made it back to the entrance of the maze. Her two companions were quick to fall into step beside her as we made our way back to the castle.
