"It appears my arcane talents are not as elementary as jester," he said, pursuing his lips together. "I possess the capacity to heal."
He straightened, hands sliding into his pants pockets. "And I harbor no objections in providing help to those in distress…" His gaze dropped to me, "…provided they behave appropriately thereafter. Take, for instance, your own behavior."
I swallowed hard. He was terrifying, yes, but… I hated to admit it, but he was also hot.
The way he spoke, the way the words rolled off his tongue were smooth, lethal... and made it easy to see why Meredia had fallen for him. And why she hadn't survived it.
"In any case," he said, tilting his head slightly, letting the red glow of the moon fall across his face, "I was aspiring that you would partake in a dance with me."
He looked up at the crimson moon, its glow was eerily beautiful tonight. "The moon's radiant glow graces us alone… let us waltz, in this very moment."
He lowered his gaze, eyes locking onto mine without a hint of hesitation, chin high. "What do you propose, hmm?"
I couldn't—
𝘚𝘩𝘶𝘵 𝘶𝘱, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘣𝘪𝘵𝘤𝘩. 𝘑𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘯𝘰𝘥. 𝘋𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘳𝘨𝘶𝘦. 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘵 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘦, screamed a red faced me inside my head.
I forced a shaky smile, chest tightening. "Y–yes… let's dance."
He smiled again, that damn arrogant smile. "Very well?" He offered his hand once more.
I composed myself, trying not to shake, and placed my hand in his. In an instant, he pulled me up. My legs buckled, but he didn't let me fall. One hand tightened around my waist, holding me close.
My other hand he guided to his shoulder, while our joined hands extended to the side. I reached only upto his shoulders and it was painful to tilt my neck so high.
I couldn't look at him. Not out of shyness… more like fear that if I did, I'd melt right there. But looking away wasn't any easier.
Then he spun me effortlessly. My hand still in his, the distance between us stretching and reducing as we moved. And then, suddenly, I was pulled back, pressed against his chest.
His cologne hit me like a wave. My hand pressed against him, sliding over the smooth vest beneath his coat. Beneath it, I could feel the subtle curve from his broad chest down to the firm plane of his stomach...muscle under muscle.
𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘥𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘢 𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘪𝘴𝘵 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴?
We were still moving. His palm was lightly at my waist, guiding me through steps I barely knew. My fingers rested on his chest, my head spinning from his cologne, the heat of his chest, the way his body radiated control.
Then he stopped.
His grip on my waist eased, but his eyes dropped lower to the wrist, Meredia had once cut.
Without asking, he caught it in his hand. His thumb brushed over the faint, pale line like he had all the time in the world.
"This," he said quietly, almost like a murmur, but it landed like a knife, "Is this the manner in which you have chosen to finish your existence?"
His finger traced the scar again. "Such a… petty little thing," he added, voice dipping lower. "All in the name of affection for a man."
He laughed, a low, dark chuckle, not joyful but mocking. "To what extraordinary lengths would you be willing to marry him?"
Heat crawled up my neck. My anger rose. 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘪𝘵'𝘴 𝘧𝘶𝘯𝘯𝘺? 𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘩𝘪𝘮.
I yanked a little against his grip, glaring up at him. "I did it for love," I snapped before I could stop myself. My voice shook, but I forced it out anyway.
His head tilted back slightly, and for the first time, he laughed loud. It wasn't nice or cruel either but it scared me the most.
"I am aware," he said simply, still smiling as though he had just confirmed some secret of his own.
And somehow, that single line made my heart slam harder in my chest than any insult he had thrown before.
Tears welled in my eyes as his grip on my wrist tightened, iron-strong. My skin stung where his fingers dug in, and I couldn't pull away.
He raised his other hand to his side, palm open, and that familiar eerie blue light shimmered, slicing through the dark. A sword materialized above his hand, glinting sharply in the faint moonlight.
𝘏𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘨𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘮𝘦.
"No… no… please, don't!" I struggled, wriggling against him, my voice cracking as panic took over.
His gaze bore into me. "Do you realize what you've wrought tonight, Lady Meredia? This was not how it was meant to unfold yet here we stand."
I shook my head frantically, trying to back away, but he didn't let go. His emerald eyes burned into mine. "You should have come to me yourself," he hissed. "Instead… you fled before every watching eye."
He brought the sword closer, its tip hovering over the same scar on my wrist, inching with terrifying precision. "Do you think… you'll do it again?"
I shook my head violently. "N-no! I… I won't!" My voice trembled.
Without warning, the sword scraped along the scar, drawing a thin line of blood. A sharp, hot pain shot through me. I screamed, clutching my wrist, my knees hitting the floor as I fell forward.
He let go immediately, but the pain lingered, burning like fire. I dropped my head into my hands, sobbing uncontrollably.
"Do not mistake my restraint for indulgence. This is no game, Lady. And you do not run from me."
I couldn't hear anything anymore. The world went on mute, just a ringing in my ears. All I could see was the blood spilling from my wrist, darker than I thought it'd be, running down my arm in thick streams. My fingers had already gone cold and stiff, my pulse fluttering like it couldn't decide if it wanted to keep going.
𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘣𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘤𝘳𝘶𝘦𝘭? He didn't even hesitate.
"Ah—" I choked out, but the sound cracked halfway. He yanked me upright again by my arm, my whole body jerking with the force. My knees almost buckled. I couldn't stand properly...not with the pain biting through my wrist and the terror crawling up my throat.
He dug into his pocket and pulled something out. I couldn't even tell what it was at first, my vision was foggy, black dots creeping at the corners, until I felt it press against my skin. He was wrapping a handkerchief around my wrist, tight enough to burn.
I blinked, tears dripping onto the cloth as he tied it. My own breath stuttered back into me, shaky and shallow.
His voice sounded bored. "Do not dare run away again," he tugged the knot once more. "I'll be seeing you."
I took a step back, eyes flicking to the rope of clothes hanging from my balcony. My heart hammered so loud I could hear it in my ears. 𝘐𝘧 𝘐 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦—
"How do we send you back, hmm?" he rolled his tongue inside his cheek, eyes narrowing like he already knew the answer. "Might we inform your father that after your rather frivolous attempt, you also made an attempt to abscond?
I shook my head so fast my hair stuck to my wet cheeks. "No… no… don't do that…"
I didn't even care about my reputation but the love duke had given me until now… the way his eyes softened for me. I couldn't bear the thought of him looking at me with shame.
"Please," my voice cracked. "I won't run away again. Just… don't tell Father."
His gaze stayed on me, before his mouth curved faintly. It wasn't a smile though. "Very well, then. Kindly retreat to your chamber, as the virtuous young lady you are meant to be."
I nodded quickly, my whole body trembling, and grabbed the rope. I pulled, planting my foot against the wall, then the other. My wrist burned like fire under the cloth, every movement making the cut scream louder.
Behind me, he chuckled.
Then a sudden tug. My body snapped backward as his hand fisted the back of my bodice. The laces yanked loose, brushing against my ribs.
"Ahh—" I gasped, twisting in his grip. "Kai—your—his… Highness… Crown Prince! Please let me go!"
He tilted his head, eyes gleaming, and his voice dropped into something velvety and dangerous. "Sure," he said. "I'll let you go."
And he scooped me into his arms as if I weighed nothing. "However, a wounded damsel should not to be scrambling her ascent upon a wall." His mouth brushed close to my ear. "I am well acquainted with the principles of chivalry."
He started walking, and I felt so small in his arms like a kid. His chest was a wall against me, warm but hard.
I could hear it.
Lub-dub. Lub-dub.
His heartbeat.
𝘏𝘰𝘸 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘢 𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘥𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘴 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘢 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵? If I was stronger, I could've aimed at it, that fragile thing, and killed him. The thought alone sent goosebumps crawling over my skin. I shook my head, eyes fixed forward.
We were outside the garden now. If he took me through the main entrance, everyone would see my bleeding wrist, my messed-up clothes, everything.
His creature, Shadow, padded along behind us, its claws soft on the grass. Every time I glanced back at it, it wagged its tail, like we were friends. I quickly looked away and back at him.
I swallowed hard, picking my words like they might cut me. "Crown Prince… can we not go from the main gate? Everyone will see us."
"No."
"But—"
He lowered his eyes to me without a word. That at one look and my mouth snapped shut.
We reached the gate. Guards stood there, swords in hand. My heart sank. 𝘖𝘩 𝘯𝘰.
He kept walking straight for the entrance. I braced for shouting and gossips, but nothing, not even a sound.
As we passed, no heads turned, no eyes followed. Everyone was so busy with themselves that they couldn't see that their six-feet tall Crown Prince was carrying the young lady of Solterra in his arms.It was like we didn't even exist.
"How—" I whispered, voice trembling.
His lips curved faintly, not quite a smile. "Saw that? I am no mere neophyte in realm of magic. I possess a profound knowledge of incantations."
And just like that, unseen by everyone, we were at my door of my chambers...my safe little corner though it didn't feel safe at all.
He set me down, eyes glinting. "You have been safely returned. Or…" his head tilted slightly, "... would you prefer that I assist you in retiring to bed as well?
I shook my head so fast my hair whipped my face. "No… no… I'll be okay."
"Okay?"
"Yes. Okay."
"Okay."
And then, just like that , he and the creature vanished, the air where he'd stood empty again.