*Edited* CHAPTER 5: TESTING WATERS

The next day, Eve find themselves back in the diamond castle. She sat on her white bed with furry white rug. There was a small bird cage hanging near the balcony. Her room had small, round diamond tables and chairs which is connected to the floor and luxurious chandeliers hanging percarirously on top of her.

Eve was about to leave to the dining hall to break fast when she was taken aback, gasped at the sight of the Khalid staring daggers at her from her door. His chest was heaving and he looks furious no less. Its a foreign feeling for her since she had never seen her friend that upset with her before.

“Khalid?" Her voices was a bit shaky. She still stands beside her bed, holding her wrist while staring back at him. A hand gesture she tends to do when she was overwhelm with nervousness.

"What are you doing in my room? Are you alright?” She ask him almost frantically. She release her wrist and placed her palm on her chest to calm her speeding heart beat.Khalid brows deepend sand he eters the room angrily. Looking like he is about to commit murder.

“I should be the one asking the question! Where did you go?”

Eve's eyes widens and she looks away. Coughing and avoding his veyr gaze. She took a deep breath to calm herself so her speech wouldn't deterred though she wa ssur ethat he would caught on.

“Just, walking around the garden outside and around the castle. Nowhere important.”

Sh can hear him snorted and his feet remains unmoved form where he stood. Too close for comforst, Eve wanted to faint, no. She wnated to pass out from the anxiety slowly taking ove rher consciousness.

“I am not a fool, Eve. I am your personal knight. It is my duty to know about your whereabouts and to take care of you. You can’t keep doing this. Making me dreadfully concern about where you are.If something bad were to happen to you, I...”

He couldn't complete the sentences. It was too much even for him let alone imagine what would it be like if something bad were to happen to his princess.

Eve finally scowled at him, feeling annoyed.

“I am alright, Khalid. You don’t have to be worried about me! Please, I need you to leave my room now because I’m going to the dining room to eat. You are making me frustrated now! If you're that concern about me, you can join me and we'll both have soemthing nice to eat. Will that be okay?” She raised her voice lightly.

Khalid wasn't convinced. Not even a little. He move closer towards her  knelt down right in front of her white shoes. Eve jumps back but not before he grab her leg, and twist her feet slightly uwrds so he can see the bottom of the shoe. Eve tries to pull her legs away but he was too strong and he was able to run his thumb on th esurface of the bottom of the shoe.

He lets her leg go and rub it between his fingers and took aa quick sniff. A growl rumbled from his cehst and he stare at her angrily.

Dammit!

“Black dirt, not from Zhatiera and smell of Elnysia flower. You went to the forest didn’t you?” His voice was anything but gentle. Rough and furious. HE would never spare her after this. 

Eve eyes widen, confirming Khalid’s doubt.

“Why would you do that? You could get yourself hurt! I would never forgive myself if something were to happen to you, princess! Why did you have to do something so stupid?” He shouted angrily. She flinched at his angry tone but she understands where that anger came from.

“Please, Khalid. It’s not what you think. I didn’t go too deep. I was just resting there, nothing much. You can’t tell anyone. Not papa, not mama. Not to anyone. I beg of you.”

He clenches his hand and shook his head.

“No, I can’t do that, Eve. This is very important and I would never lie to the king and queen. What you did is reckless and will possibly endanger you or Zhatirea. You and everyone here are not allowed to step outside for a reason. It is to protect you! Why can't you accept that?”

“But I will be queen one day too. Wouldn’t it be right for me to learn about our land? About the land around us and not just stay coop up in the castle without doing anything? I hate that, Khalid. I don't want to stay lock up! I beg of you, Khalid. You’re my friend aren’t you? You can’t tell them. Or else I won’t be able to visit the forest again.”

“Again?” His voice escalates once more. Eve rolled her eyes as she regretted for ever mentioning about that.

“You are out of your mind. I have to tell them, Eve. It’s the only way I can stop you from going.”

Khalid was about to leave but Eve, with tears wetting her cheeks pull his hand and hug him from behind.

“Please, Khalid. Please, please, please! I beg of you. You can’t tell them. Oh, please don’t do this!” She cried out to him. Khalid turn around to face her. His heart broke to see her cry but it was important to let her know that she had made a mistake that should not be repeated anytime soon.

Khalid turn around and shook her shoulder making her cry harder. Tis’ was the last thing he wants to do to her. Give her pain but she was putting herself in grave danger “Why? Why are you so stubborn? What is it about the forest that causes you to put your life in danger? Why Eve, why?”

“Because I have found my soulmate!” She cried out.

Khalid’s eyes widen at her words. He looked shocked and in disbelief. It felt like his heart was ripped out from his chest. Even Eve was shock for blurting her secret out. Khalid wasn’t supposed to know. None of her people should know because no one has mated with an outsider before. It was a grave danger for their kinds if people were to know about their existence.

“You are lying right? Tis’ only a joke you are saying to me? Tell me, Eve. Tell me! Tell me you haven’t find your mate! You can’t! You absolutely can’t!” He shook her shoulder harder making her winced. She pushes him away and shook her head from side to side.

 “I’m not lying. I found him. The meadow deep in Kyarakhi forest, I always go to see him. He told me that I was his mate. This is what the Goddess have planned for us, Khalid. I_”

“Mate? Why would you say mate? The only creature that would use that term are…No! It can’t be, Eve! A wolf? Are you out of your mind? You are making a grave mistake! Our kind must not be involved with those beasts.”

“No, Khalid. I love him and he loves me! Please. You can’t tell anyone about this.” She started sobbing as she spoke of this and it frustrates him that he would be the one to cause that. Nevertheless, her revelation was a slap to his face. Khalid moves backward. He can feel his body becoming weak all of a sudden as he leans on the thick icy wall.

“You cannot be serious. How..how could you, Eve? It’s not right. It’s not... how is this possible?” He’s practically murmuring to himself. A feeling of disbelief overwhelms him.

Suddenly, a voice from outside Eve’s room can be heard calling to her. Eve’s eyes rested on the door and Khalid repeatedly. She went to the door before saying.

“Please, Khalid. You can’t tell my parents. You cannot tell anyone. I’m not ready yet. Please. I will let them know once I settle everything. Just give me more time.” She pleaded to him then left the room. She couldn’t look at him for too long. Guilt wrenched her very soul. She couldn’t imagine the pain and disappointment she had causes Khalid but her heart had spoken and losing Adam is not a risk she was willing to take.

Khalid just stare ahead for a while before falling to his knees as he sat on the floor. He had a grim expression, but tears start to fall. He didn’t cry out nor he scream but he was silent and looking ahead with tears wetting his cheek.

It shatters him to know that Eve has found her soulmate. It can be either a Zhatierians or wolf, it doesn’t matter because he had wish... No, prayed he would be her soulmate. He had wanted to ask the king and queen for her hand in marriage but now, none of this matters anymore. Once a Khione fall in love, that feeling won’t change no matter who it is. Her decision has become a nail to his coffin.