Elian shut his eyes tightly.
He could feel him.
Close...
Too close.
'Touch me,' the command echoed in his head, and in the heat of Lucien's proximity, he had nowhere to run.
He'd rather set himself ablaze than touch Lucien!
Lucien watched Elian's face and suddenly realized something.
Carefully, he studied Elian's face.
Flushed cheeks, shut lids, firmly pressed lips.
Slowly, he took a step back, watching Elian instantly relax against the door.
"You surprised me, young Morel," Lucien spoke calmly.
Elian gradually opened his eyes, his breath stuttering in relief as he saw Lucien standing beside his table.
He slowly released his clenched fists, wiping the sweat in his palms on his rough linen shirt.
He stared at the foot of the table, avoiding Lucien's calculating gaze.
"You really do surprise me," Lucien said, folding his hands casually.
Elian gritted his teeth, refusing to respond.
"Did you really think that?" Lucien asked, his perfect brow arching slightly.
"I thought nothing, Your Grace..." Elian wanted to stop at that. "You were the one making ridiculous demands," he found himself saying.
'Oh, no...' He gulped.
Why was he trying his best to get Lucien to kill him?!
Lucien chuckled.
A low, dangerous sound rumbled from his chest.
"Foolish," he murmured.
"Now, young Morel. Here." His tone brooked no room for defiance or argument.
And Elian felt it.
With a shattered resolve, Elian dragged his feet to Lucien, stopping a foot's space away from him.
"Tell me what is in your head, young Morel..." Lucien took a step, leaving little space between them this time.
Elian shook his head, embarrassed by the stupid thoughts he had allowed into his head a few seconds ago.
"Did you really think the Duke was about to entangle himself with you? A traitor? You indeed baffle," Lucien slowly shook his head.
Elian pursed his lips. "I thought no such thing, Your Grace. I only thought you were going to hurt me like always," he replied, defending his honor.
Lucien frowned, regarding Elian with a deep look.
"Like always..." Lucien murmured.
"Do you know why I wear these?" Lucien pointed to his glove, holding Elian's nervous gaze.
Elian shook his head. "No. I'd rather not know, Your Grace," he murmured.
"You're about to find out, young Morel."
After a beat, he inhaled deeply and asked Elian:
"Do you understand now that I only punish the unjust?" Lucien questioned, his eyes raking Elian from hair to toes.
Elian frowned. "You only did so because I helped persuade the girl to speak the truth... your judgment of my father will forever be unjust," he replied in a quiet but steady voice.
"So... you know your father is innocent?" Lucien questioned, his fingers drumming quietly against the smooth edge of his desk.
Elian shook his head. "Unfortunately... I never got to meet him before you decided to set him ablaze—"
"And if you met him..." Lucien stepped forward, covering the remaining distance between them, "how are you so sure he would tell you the truth?" he asked lowly.
Elian gulped, biting his lip.
He felt cornered.
"Did you want to hypnotize him like you did to Simon?" Lucien whispered, wrapping his hand around Elian's wrist, feeling his pulse race through his glove.
"I... I have no idea what—"
"What I mean is, I understand now why you're so defiant," Lucien started. "I understand now why you're so insistent your father was innocent even if he wasn't..." He paused and leaned in. "I understand now how you figured out Simon's act without his words," he whispered and released Elian almost immediately.
Elian's heart was thumping, small beads of sweat breaking out on his forehead.
He was about to say something when Lucien raised his hand, stopping him.
"I promised to tell you why I wear these gloves," Lucien murmured, staring at his gloved hands with something deep flashing across his eyes.
Elian shook his head. "I assure you, Your Grace, I do not want to know," he said.
Lucien didn't respond.
Slowly, he pinched the tip of the glove on his middle finger and pulled it off his left hand.
To Elian's surprise, Lucien's hand was perfect.
No scars like he thought, no deformation.
Just long, strong fingers that looked like they'd pin you in place if they touched you...
"Precaution..." Lucien's voice drew Elian out of his daze.
He cleared his throat and looked away, kicking himself mentally for admiring anything on that monster's body.
"I told you, Your Grace... I do not want to—"
"I would hate for someone to randomly read into my past by simply... touching me," Lucien added.
"Everyone used to believe they've stopped existing, but I never stopped believing..." Lucien started, holding Elian's gaze.
"I always knew they were walking the walls of our kingdom... just whom, I wasn't sure," he explained calmly.
Elian clenched his fists behind him, wishing this was a dream.
He could not allow Lucien to get to the end of this discussion; it wouldn't end well for him.
"Your Grace, I promise you, a common man like myself has no idea of what you speak of... or whom. May I be allowed to return to the stables now?" he asked cautiously, hoping his nervousness didn't show in his voice.
A very imperceptible, dangerous smile lifted the corner of Lucien's lips.
"Rowena's message was added proof. But the real proof?" He stepped forward, tilting Elian's chin with his bare finger, unconsciously feeling the satin-smooth skin on his jaw. "Was Simon's and Lynda's confession," he murmured, ignoring the voice that whispered to properly cup Elian's delicate jaw.
Elian gulped, gradually pulling his face away from Lucien's bare hand.
Dangerous.
Lucien without gloves was more dangerous, and he could not risk it.
Not only does his touch burn, but it's also risky.
"You speak in parables, Your Grace," Elian muttered, looking away.
Lucien smiled.
He was enjoying the little denial game Elian was playing. In the end, it would be so satisfying to watch Elian eat his own words.
"Then let's get things straight." Lucien became serious, his gaze pinning Elian so hard that the younger man had no other option but to hold his gaze.
He stretched his ungloved hand to Elian. "Touch me," he repeated, darker now.
Elian felt his heart drop into his stomach.
He shook his head, taking a step backward.
"One more step... your mother dies," Lucien promised.
That stopped Elian dead in his tracks.
A tear slipped from the side of Elian's eye, his hands clenched so tightly his palms turned white.
Lucien was really a monster.
"Please... stop this, Your Grace. Let us go... we're innocent—"
"My hand, young Morel, take it," Lucien spoke evenly.
Elian was stubborn.
He stood unmoving, shaking his head.
"I dare not, Your Grace—"
"Take it!" Lucien snapped.
Elian gasped, a shuddering breath escaping his lips as he lowered his eyes to Lucien's steady hand in front of him.
He took a step forward...
And fell to his knees.
"Please, Your Grace, I am not worthy to touch such powerful hands. I am dirty, low-born, and completely classless. I beseech you to take pity and let me go—"
"Dramatic," Lucien murmured and stepped forward.
Elian suddenly gasped, freezing as Lucien's familiar blade met his neck.
"No, please, Your Grace." He paused, locking his teary eyes on Lucien. "Don't hurt me... please. I'll... touch you," he begged in a small voice.
Lucien watched Elian's tears roll down his cheeks, and immediately, his hand fell away from Elian's neck.
"I'll touch you," Elian exhaled shakily and lifted his trembling hand toward Lucien's.
"Truly..." Lucien dropped his hand before Elian could touch him. "You are indeed unworthy of touching me." He suddenly fixed his glove in place.
A soft sigh escaped Elian's lips.
His acting had worked... or so he thought.
"Then I shall bring you someone whom you shall freely touch," Lucien smirked and walked past a frozen Elian.
The door opened and closed behind Elian, leaving him alone in the private study.
"No," Elian stood, looking from left to right.
It was time to escape.
He could not stay and wait for Lucien to bring in whoever that was.
He had to leave!
He had to save himself!
The windows.
He quickly went over to the windows, pulling the curtains aside.
"Oh, damn it," Elian cursed as he saw that the windows were tightly shut.
With no time to waste, he searched for the latch, his pulse jumping and fingers trembling.
"Shit," Elian suddenly jumped around as the door creaked behind him.
He smoothed his clothes and crossed his hands behind him, hanging his head low as the Duke walked in.
The moment Lucien walked in, he saw Elian standing by the window and smirked. "Escaping, young Morel?" he questioned, standing beside the door.
Elian smiled tightly. "I dare not, Your Grace," he replied, head still hung low.
"Good," Lucien murmured.
"Come in, Finn," he ordered.
Quietly, Finn stepped into the study, eyes immediately falling on Elian.
"Go," Lucien commanded.
'Oh, heavens! No!' Elian panicked internally.
Soon, Finn stood in front of Elian, watching him.
"Now, Elian. Finn, you will touch," Lucien said, approaching them.
Elian swallowed hard, thinking hard, too.
Perhaps he could touch Finn.
The Duke thought he knew it all, but Elian was sure Lucien had missed something.
"Fine, Your Grace. Finn, I shall touch," Elian agreed, stretching his hand to Finn.
"Place your hand on mine," he said evenly.
With a nod and a slight smile, Finn placed his hand on Elian's.
Nothing.
Lucien stepped so close to Elian's side, watching his face like a hawk.
His face darkened as he saw that nothing happened on contact.
"You're restraining," Lucien pointed out directly.
Elian sighed. "I am not whom you seek, Your—"
"Is your mother faithful to your father, Finn?" Lucien suddenly asked, cutting Elian off.
'Shit!' Elian immediately shut his eyes, biting his bottom lip.
"N—"
"Lie," Lucien commanded.
Finn nodded easily. "Yes, Your Grace. She is faithful to my father," he lied, still clasping Elian's hand.
Lucien turned to Elian and found his eyes tightly shut.
Gently, he cupped Elian's jaw and turned his face to himself.
"Now, young Morel... look at me," he whispered.
Elian knew there was no going back from here.
The secret he'd tried so hard to hide from the world was about to be found out...
By a royal, too.
He was about to be royally doomed.
"Look at me, young Morel," Lucien murmured, his eyes raking Elian's face.
With a long sigh, Elian, very slowly, opened his eyes.
"There..." Lucien's eyes lit up with something forbidden to mention.
He stared at Elian's eyes, his own green eyes reflecting the crimson from Elian's.
"Found you..."
"My Truth Seeker," He whispered, his thumb slowly grazing Elian's jawline.