Klara kept glancing Lucian's way as we ate our breakfast, while the King and Lucian spoke informally with each other, which surprised me. The King was willing to help Lucian as they were already speaking of how to win this war. I only feared he would ask for something in exchange. Something bad."You should stay here until the King dies, then we will take action," the King said. As if waiting for someone's death was a daily occurrence. "Rasmus? can you stop acting like a King at least until we eat our breakfast?" Klara asked.Rasmus, Klara, Astrid: their names sounded northern. "Of course" Rasmus smiled at his sister. "We have a party tonight. I hope you can attend after you have rested," he then said to me and Lucian. "Of course" Lucian replied. "Astrid, why don't you take them to a nice room. I am sure they would like to rest."I was so tired, but as I laid on the bed next to Lucian all I could do was ask questions. "You seem to know Rasmus pretty well," I began. "Yes," was a
I laid in the bathtub filled with hot water, thinking about what the guards had said about me. I shouldn’t have slapped Lucian in front of his men. It was disrespectful, and still he hadn’t got angry with me. He was asleep when I came back to the room, so I asked a maid to prepare a hot bath for me. The hot water was soothing, relaxing my tense muscles until it felt like a massage and in a moment it made fall into a deep sleep.I woke up shifting in the bed. The soft satin sheets rubbed against my skin and I realized I was not wearing much. I quickly sat up on the bed and lifted the sheet up. I was only wearing a towel, my shoulders, legs and thighs were bare. It took me a moment to remember that I was taking a bath earlier and fell asleep and now I was here. How?A sound made me look to my left. Lucian was sitting in a chair, a glass of wine in his hands as he studied me with those extraordinary eyes. He was the only one who could have brought me here, which meant that he had seen me
“I don’t believe these things.” I said as I noticed Lucian dancing with Klara, and I completely forgot what the king just told me. She blushed as she said something to him and blinked with her long lashes seductively.The King chuckled, “you’re pretty possessive about your husband.”I wasn’t listening to him anymore because Klara was leading Lucian somewhere secluded outside of the hall.“I need to speak with my husband. Will you excuse me, Your Majesty?” I said.He gave me a knowing smile and dropped my hand. I rushed through the dancing crowd and proceeded out of the hall. Where did she take him? Looking through the halls, I couldn’t find him and even if I did, what would I do? Men had the privilege of taking other women if they desired to. I hated this unfairness.“My lady, are you lost?” said a maid who noticed that I was walking through the halls looking for something.Yes, I was lost; I didn’t know where to go or what to do.“I can show you the way…” she offered, and then gestur
I panicked. How could I have fallen asleep when Lucian was ill? I quickly placed my hand on Lucian forehead who was still sleeping. No fever. What had made him so ill last night? He seemed fine just before we kissed. The kiss.His hand on my back, around my waist, in my hair, pressing body to his, the heat, the tingling sensation. I brought my hand up to my lips. His lips had been so soft yet so firm, moving against mine till I was breathless. He tasted like spices; hot burning your tongue, yet you came back for more. More... Yes, I wanted more.I had been willing to give myself to him last night, but slowly his kiss had become sloppy. His arms trembled before his entire body shook. Fear showed in his beautiful eyes, struggle on his face and sweat beads on his forehead. I had seen him like that once before, when we were in the woods, when our lips had touched.Something told me it had to do with the kiss, but why? Someone knocked on the door. Who could it be this early in the mornin
Beautiful women clad in silk flowed into the room and began to move in rhythm with the music. Lucian watched as the curvy women in front of him swayed with their hips seductively to get the males' attention. Rasmus who was sitting next to him seemed to enjoy the view while sipping his wine."I like that red-haired one. Which one catches your attention?" Rasmus asked.Lucian's eyes swept over the women twirling around each other wearing almost nothing. Yes, they were beautiful, exotic, but none of them enticed him."Hard to decide? You can take two if you want." Rasmus said in amusement when Lucian didn't reply.Maybe he should. It has been a long time since he took a woman to bed, and that might be the reason his demon was out of control. Taking a woman might calm his demon down a bit so that he could finally be with Hazel."I'll take the blonde" Lucian finally decided. Rasmus gave him a knowing smile.*********** Looking out the window, I watched as the clear blue summer sky transfo
Sitting in front of the mirror, a maid combed my hair.“Your hair is so beautiful,” she smiled.Yeah but unfortunately I wasn’t a blonde and my husband seemed to like blondes.“Thank you” I smiled back.“My Lady, do you want this dress or this one?” she said holding up two new dresses once she was done with my hair.“None of them. Pick me a really beautiful dress.” I ordered. I would make Lucian regret what he did. Iwould make him sleepless as he made me. I even wanted to make him cry because even though I didn’twant to admit to myself, I cried alittle last night.Oh, how I needed Lydia and Ylva now.The maid picked me a peach-colored dress which suited my hair and skin color perfectly.I put some paint on my lips and some perfume, then I let my hair down as I looked at myself in the mirror.Now he would want me, but I wouldn’t give in so easily.Lastly, I put my shoes on and strode out of the room. As I walked through the long hall, I started to lose my confidence. What if he didn
I stood there and watched while Lucian examined Klara's arm. I was sure she did it on purpose."I am alright." She said blinking with her long lashes, something I noticed she does often in Lucian's presence."Are you sure." He asked looking at her wound again. He probably felt guilty but she was the one that wanted to fight and she was doing all this on purpose. She was doing it to get close to him.Why do I always have to fight for him? I was tired of it.Not wanting to see any of it anymore I decided to leave.I was hurt, angry, tired. Should I have stayed with my parents? Did I make a mistake by coming here with Lucian? Tears began to fill my eyes and not wanting anyone to see me cry I walked faster through the halls. When I got around the corner I bumped into someone and stumbled backwards."I am sorry My Lady, I didn't see you coming." Oliver said startled."It's alright" I said trying to walk past him as I didn't want him to notice that I was crying. But he did."Are you alright
The man began untying my hands and feet.“Hold her down for me!” he barked.Two other men seized my arms and forced me to the cold floor. I screamed and struggled frantically. I would rather die than let them violate me.“Please, stop! Help me!” I cried out. Every time I screamed, the man slapped me across the face. This time, I didn’t even feel the pain—only raw, consuming fear.He tore my dress open, and I screamed so loudly it felt like my throat was bleeding from the strain of crying and shouting.God, please help me. Someone, please!Then I heard a loud crashing noise—and suddenly, the weight on top of me disappeared. The hands pinning me down were gone, and the men quickly jumped up, pulling out daggers from their pockets.“Who are you?” one of them asked in a trembling voice. I turned my head to see who had come—but instead saw the man who had just assaulted me lying lifeless in a pool of blood. He wasn’t moving. Was he… dead?Yes. His throat had been slashed open with what loo
"Who are you?" Lucian asked. The man walked closer."You should ask what I am instead." He said. The man was tall slightly taller than him and Lucian could feel the power coming from him."Are you like me?" Lucian asked remembering the man's claws."And what are you?" The man said. That was a good question. Lucian didn't really know what he was. All he knew was that he was different."I don't know."The man narrowed his dark eyes, They were frightening."I am not like you." The man said. "But I am not here to tell you what I am. If you want to win this war you need to stop being softhearted. You need to do whatever you need to do""Why would you care about me winning this war?" Lucian asked."I really don't care, I just don't like your brothers." He said."Do you know my brothers?""Yes." He said with a sigh as if he was tired of all the questions, still, Lucian couldn't stop himself from asking."How do you know them? How did you enter the castle?""If I can enter your dreams it's no
Lucian had been gone for four days now and Irene and I got pretty close. She was a very honest person, never scared to say her opinions and I felt some kind of connection with her. It was as if she could understand me and what I was going through. Strange, because I was sure that she couldn't have gone through what I did, although she might have gone through worse.As days went by I really admired her more and more. She was a beauty with brains, very smart with her words and very graceful with everything else she did. But I was still doubtful and didn't trust her entirely. Not that she did something suspicious, I just wanted to be careful.Thanks to her the days didn't seem awfully long anymore, we would chat and laugh and unlike many maids, she had a genuine laugh, not a forced one. You could see she laughed because she wanted to and not because she was scared to offend me.My thought slowly drifted to Lucian. Even though I liked Irene's company I still missed Lucian."His Highness i
"Who are you?" I asked the maid who made the room look like heaven. It smelled so fresh, like flowers starting to bloom in the spring. I could also smell the scent of cinnamon tea combined with something else I couldn't tell, but it smelled delicious."I am your new maid. My name is Irene My Lady" she said curtising."Where is Audrey?" I asked. Audrey was my maid. She was young nice girl whom I liked very much. I didn't want a new maid."She has been transferred to Princess Klara quartered, My Lady." The maid said.Klara. I was tired of hearing her name.Sighing I took my robe off and sat at the table where the scent of the delicious tea was coming from."Would you like some tea, My Lady?" Irene asked. I couldn't say no because I really wanted to taste this tea and see if it tasted as delicious as it smelled."Yes," I said. She poured me the tea and handed it to me with a smile."It will help you relax, My Lady." She said.As I was about to drink the tea I got suspicious. I didn't kno
Death doesn’t knock on the door and waits to get invited. It usually comes unexpected and without permission takes what it came for.I quickly placed myself in front of Lucian as if I could protect him from what was about to happen, but to my surprise nor did death knock on the door nor did it come. Instead several of Lucians men almost threw themselves in front of our feet.“Your Highness, we apologize for our rudeness but please help us. The crown prince has taken our families as hostages.” One of them said. I looked worriedly at Lucian but he was calm as usual.“Your Highness, I beg of you to let us go and save our families.” another one pleaded.Lincoln came into the room looking furious.“What are you doing?” He yelled at the men. “Get up on your feet and apologize to his highness if you care to live.”“It’s alright Lincoln.” Lucian said calmly. “You may leave to save your families,” he told the men.I looked surprised at Lucian. He was about to let half of his men go which meant
Lucian should feel relieved but he didn't. He was bothered, extremely bothered. Why wouldn't hazel mind if he married Klara? Didn't she like him anymore?After she told him she didn't mind she had left him there, confused. Something was going on with her and he didn't know what. It made him nervous. He sighed in frustration."Is something bothering you?" Lincoln asked."Any news?" Lucian asked in return ignoring his question. His youngest brothers Peter and Nathaniel died. Peter killed Nathaniel and then Peter got killed by Adam. Some say Adam killed them both.Pierre might be sly and cruel but Adam was purely evil. He was the one who bullied him the most when they were younger."I think Adam is working with Pierre. Pierre must have promised him something." Lucian already knew Pierre was using Adam and as soon as he is finished with him he could kill him, but Adam was probably thinking that he was the one using Pierre. Lucian knew that Pierre was not the type to trust anyone even if
I...I was a bad wife, a useless one. Yes, I never gave anything to Lucian and there was nothing I could give him now either, on top of that because of my selfishness I could cause his death.Klara was right, I didn't even offer him my body and got angry when he went to someone else. I was indeed selfish. I didn't have the right to be angry when he never got angry with me for not sleeping with him. The only thing I have done so far is being scared or jealous.What really have I done for him? What great have I done so that I could tell him not to marry someone else because I am good enough? I couldn't say that because I wasn't."My lady? Are you alright? You look very pale." The maid who brushed my hair asked."I am alright." I said."Should I bring dinner? Maybe you are hungry.""No, I am fine. I'll go to sleep."I was running in the middle of the night through the dark woods where I could barely see where I was going, but I didn't care. I had to run if I wanted to survive if I wanted
Yawning I rubbed my eyes as I woke up. Strangely I slept well after such a long time. Could it be because Lucian was sleeping next to me? I looked over at Lucian and found myself admiring his beauty and wondering how someone can look as sinfully beautiful as he did. As usual I could only admire his beauty while his hypnotizing eyes were closed and again my fingers itched to touch him. No, I wouldn't make the mistake of touching him again while he was asleep. I had embarrassed myself enough last time. 'Only his hair. I would only touch his hair I convinced myself and slowly brought my fingers to touch his hair when he frowned. Was he waking up? His frowned got deeper and he mumbled something looking disturbed. Was he having a nightmare?"Lucian?" I said carefully and tapped his shoulder but he didn't wake up."Who are you?" he hissed in his sleep."Lucian! Lucian! Wake up!" I said shaking him slightly.His eyes shot open and he looked around confused."Lucian?""How?" he asked panting
His highness is going to marry Klara?" He asked surprised. I guess he didn't know about that."Yes. The king wants him to marry his sister in exchange for help.""Oh…but how can I help you?" he asked.I wasn't sure how either but I wanted to stop this."Your highness I just want to tell you that if you stop this we could all die.""I know" I said quickly. "I want to stop this without us dying, that's why I need your help."I hoped he could come up with something."There is only one way to stop this. It is to change Klaras mind about the marriage."I knew that was the safest way but I knew it wouldn't be easy because Klara would do anything to get Lucian."How can we change her mind?""That...we will have to think about." He said thoughtful."What about other allies? Is there someone else who can help his highness?" I asked."No. You know prince Lucian has a reputation." He said. I knew what he meant.Speaking of reputation, I still had to figure out what Lucian was. He couldn't be the
Lucian paced back and forth in the room as he waited for Hazel. He needed to speak to her today, be honest with her and tell her about the situation with Klara. That would be the right thing to do he thought.The smell of food interrupted his thought. He couldn’t remember the last time he enjoyed food or s.e.x.No wonder his demon was hungry to come out.A few maids came in with the breakfast and started serving. Now and then they would look his way and blush. He was used to maids ogling at him but this time something was off.“Your Highness the breakfast is ready.” A maid informed looking down as her cheeks turned red.Really what was wrong with these maids?“Yes, you may leave.”They bowed and left giggling. Lucian continued with his pacing not giving a thought to why the behaved like that until Hazel came into the room. She was wearing a simple light pink gown and her reddish-brown hair was still wet from the bath. Oh, how he wanted to run his fingers through her hair.He quickly p