แชร์

I'm Sure I Won't

ผู้เขียน: JoyceOrtsen
last update ปรับปรุงล่าสุด: 2025-06-24 07:02:13

“I’m sure I won’t,” Elias chuckled, resting his arm lazily on the back of the seat beside her. “Your world sounds like it runs on chaos. I’d die before breakfast.”

“I think it would physically kill you to be less arrogant.”

He laughed again. “In a world where people take honesty for arrogance, I wouldn’t want to live there either.” He leaned a little closer. “Are you sure you didn’t migrate here on purpose?”

Lyra narrowed her eyes, but the smirk tugging at her lips betrayed her amusement. “You know what’s exhausting? You. Talking to you is like trying to have a debate with a cat that thinks it owns the room.”

“And yet, here you are. Still talking to me. Must be my irresistible charm.”

She groaned theatrically and flopped her head back against the plush seat, limbs splayed in defeat. “Why do I even try? It’s like arguing with a marble statue of smugness.”

“My Lady!” Thaddeus’s clipped voice called out.

Lyra’s groan escalated into a full-body protest. “No. Nooo. I just sat down. This is oppression. Elias, please, save me,” she pleaded, reaching a hand toward him.

Elias smiled. “I’ll give you the world if you go through with this,” he said softly.

She sighed, dragging herself upright. “At least tell him to be nice.”

“I don’t think Thaddeus is capable of that,” Elias replied, eyes following her as she smoothed the front of her gown.

She gave a final groan and disappeared around the corner, muttering.

Elias remained where he was, watching the space she’d just occupied. “She’s either going to get me arrested or killed,” he muttered to himself with an exasperated fondness that didn’t quite hide the worry in his voice.

Because the truth was, the more time he spent with Lyra, the more he feared what would happen when the game was over and she went back to a world that wasn’t his.

*****

“Lord Elias. It’s so nice to see you again,” Duke Williams said with a practiced smile, giving a bow It was the sort of bow that screamed, I respect you, but the guy wearing the crown is still in the room.

Elias returned the gesture with the same political grace, the edges of his smile polished and diplomatic. “It’s good to see you again too, Duke Williams. This is a nice ball, as always.” He was scanning the ballroom, noting every suspicious glance, every too-perfect smile. He wasn’t here to enjoy the wine, he was here to sniff out whoever thought they could get away with murder and political sabotage.

The ballroom glittered but Elias’s mind was elsewhere. Lyra was due to arrive any moment, and the clock inside his chest ticked just a little louder with every passing second.

“It’s so weird calling you ‘Lord’ after years of addressing you as the prince,” the Duke added.

Elias’s smile softened. “We all have to get used to it,” he said, as casually as he could manage. Even me, he thought grimly. Every time someone used his new title, it sounded like a bad joke.

“Well…well…Elias,” a familiar voice drawled behind him, cutting through the moment.

Elias turned, already bracing himself. Enter King Matthew, resplendent in ego, striding toward them.

“Looks like you have returned in time to face judgment for your crimes,” Matthew said, his smile sharp enough to shave with.

Elias raised his brows and put on the most innocent expression he could muster. “What crimes, Your Majesty?” he asked.

“Don’t be coy with me,” Matthew spat.

“Oh, I’m not being coy,” Elias said, reaching for a glass of wine from a passing tray. “This is just my face when someone accuses me without evidence. Do you like it? I’ve been practicing it in the mirror.”

The duke coughed into his drink.

Matthew’s eyes darkened, but he kept smiling. “You may think this is all a game, cousin, but people are watching. When you fall, it won’t be quietly.”

Elias sipped his wine and leaned in just slightly, keeping the smile on his lips. “I do so love a dramatic ending.”

“Your Majesty, if I may,” Duke Williams began. “I can assure you that the Prince…” He caught himself. “—Lord Elias has nothing to do with Miss Lirae’s disappearance.”

The king’s head swiveled in his direction. His gaze alone was enough to make the Duke visibly shrink two inches.

The poor man blinked, swallowed hard, and promptly shut his mouth.

“Oh… didn’t I mention?” Elias began. “Miss Lirae has been found.” He smiled, letting the words hang in the air. “As a matter of fact, she will be here very soon.”

Matthew threw his head back and let out a laugh so loud and theatrical it could’ve been heard in three neighboring kingdoms. “Everyone!” he shouted, gesturing grandly to the room as if announcing the punchline of a long-winded joke. “Elias here says Miss Lirae has been found!”

The room erupted in a collective gasp of relief. Guests turned to one another with wide eyes, whispering behind fans and champagne glasses.

Matthew, however, was still laughing. Alone. Loudly.

Elias stood there, perfectly composed, but inside he was fighting the urge to roll his eyes. God, this man needed a hobby.

“Is there a reason you believe I am lying, Your Majesty?” Elias asked smoothly, arching an eyebrow.

Matthew's laughter finally died down, but his grin didn’t. It was all teeth and malice. “You say she will be here soon,” he said with a flourish, gesturing. “Well, let’s all have our drinks, be merry, dance… while we wait for Miss Lirae.”

He patted Elias on the shoulder, then turned and strutted back to the seat that had been reserved for him.

Across the ballroom, the orchestra struck up a cheerful waltz.

Duke Williams turned sharply to Elias. “For how long are we going to bear this?” he hissed, eyes darting to make sure no one was in earshot. “This is the silliest person to ever rule a kingdom. Are you just going to stand by and watch him bring Terra Lucida to its knees?”

อ่านหนังสือเล่มนี้ต่อได้ฟรี
สแกนรหัสเพื่อดาวน์โหลดแอป

บทล่าสุด

  • Stolen By The Mirror, Claimed By The Prince   I'll Take All The Smoke

    “I’ll take all the smoke. Light it on fire and throw me in the middle,” Matthew muttered.Philip exhaled, clearly torn. He turned to look at the stained glass again. “You do realize what you're asking of me, don’t you? If I do what you ask, if I manipulate events to keep her by your side… what happens when she regains her memory and finds out I stabbed her?”“With Elias’s dagger, Matthew. To make him take the fall.”“I just want another chance.”“And if she remembers? If she turns on you with that same fire in her eyes she had the day she threatened to expose you?”“It still works for us. If I marry her, she becomes queen and has an allegiance to protect the throne,” Matthew argued.Phillip exhaled and paced. Candles flickered in the sconces, casting long, war-like shadows of both men on the walls.“What you ask of me is a lot,” he finally said. “But if—if—I manage to do this... then every decision from that throne will be mine. Whether you approve or not. No arguments.”“Yes. I promi

  • Stolen By The Mirror, Claimed By The Prince   Preferably Behind A Locked Door

    She hung on to him. Her body melted into his with a softness that made even Elias forget the centuries of etiquette he had been raised with. The kiss was no longer about proving a point—it had evolved into a confession. A fevered meeting of vulnerability, danger and truth.“Your Highness,”Elias groaned and broke the kiss, resting his forehead lightly against Lyra’s. His breath was still caught in his throat, but his glare snapped toward his steward. “What, Thaddeus?! Must you haunt every moment of happiness I try to steal in this damn house?”Thaddeus stood at the base of the corridor with the serenity of a monk and the sass of a long-suffering butler. “I am not one to judge, Your Highness,” he said, eyes flickering briefly to Lyra’s swollen lips and tousled hair, “but if the maids stumble upon you in this compromising position, tongues will wag. And you know how fast gossip travels in Windmere.”Elias scowled, adjusting his coat. “Are there any places left in this blasted estate wher

  • Stolen By The Mirror, Claimed By The Prince   Marquis Gideon Langstone

    “Marquis Gideon Langstone,” Thaddeus said dryly from behind her. “Marchioness Gemma’s father. Believes his daughter was born from a diamond and farted into nobility by dragons.”Lyra snorted. “Oh, he’s the daddy.”Gideon pointed a trembling, accusing finger at Elias. “I am a father! And you—you defiled my daughter. The entire eastern court is whispering how she spends time alone with you—alone!”Elias’s nostrils flared. “I did no such thing. I told your daughter—explicitly—that I would consider courtship after my diplomatic visit to Wentworth Castle in Avenrest. That’s it. That’s all. And then… destiny intervened.”Gideon sneered. “Destiny? You mean her?” He nodded toward Lyra, who raised her hand in a mocking wave.Elias turned his body slightly toward Lyra, as if just her presence steadied him. “Yes. Her. Miss Lirae returned to me. And whether you believe in fate or not, I do. Her arrival made it clear that courting your daughter would have been a grave mistake—a political convenien

  • Stolen By The Mirror, Claimed By The Prince   Envy Of All The Women

    “Maybe,” Matthew echoed. He gave a small nod, almost to himself. “It was quite a stunning ring. Envy of all the women. Still is.”He paused, a distant look flickering over his face. “It’s said to be of immeasurable value because of the gems—and the love of the king for the queen. But… when she was found out to be a witch, and it was believed she had charmed the king… he took the ring back. Banished her. Stripped her of her titles, her name. She was never seen again.”“Story time?” Elias’s voice cut through the room. He strolled in, the edges of his smile sharp. Lyra jumped slightly and instinctively pulled her hand out of Matthew’s hold.Matthew straightened but didn’t look the least bit ruffled. “We were just discussing history. It’s always good to know the past, don’t you think?”“Especially the parts that conveniently fit your narrative,” Elias replied dryly.“Where is the tea?” Matthew asked, turning his head slightly, his regal patience thinning.“It’s almost here,” Elias replied

  • Stolen By The Mirror, Claimed By The Prince   Is Thaddeus Not Back Yet?

    Elias, watching the exchange from below, felt his jaw clench. He knew exactly what Lyra was doing, playing the seductive card but that didn’t stop the jealousy from slithering up his spine.“I am so glad you came,” Lyra added as she reached the base of the stairs. She stopped right in front of Matthew and gave a small, practiced curtsey. Elias noticed how perfectly poised she was, every movement intentional. She was performing.Matthew reached for her hand. He lifted it to his lips, kissed it gently—and didn’t let go. His lips lingered longer than etiquette allowed, brushing against her knuckles.He glanced down at the ring Elias had given her that very morning. A single eyebrow twitched upward, but he said nothing. The message was clear though. She’s wearing your ring, but she’s still within reach.“Shall we sit for some tea?” Elias said.“Of course,” Matthew responded smoothly, without so much as a glance Elias’s way—and still without releasing Lyra’s hand.Together, they moved towar

  • Stolen By The Mirror, Claimed By The Prince   You Ask Him

    “You ask him,” Elias responded simply.Lyra stared at him. “Great. I’ll just ask the King of Terra Lucida why he killed me—while I’m standing right in front of him. Sounds like a fun brunch conversation.”“There’s no need to be sarcastic,” Elias said, pinching the bridge of his nose. “You just have to pick his brain for what he knows.”“Right. Because murderers are so chatty. I’ll just walk up and be like, ‘Hey Your Majesty, remember that time you may or may not have stabbed me? Care to unpack that trauma for me?’” she snapped.Elias exhaled heavily. “He wouldn’t have hurt her. Matthew would never hurt Lirae.”Lyra crossed her arms, unconvinced. “You say that like you know him. You said so yourself, you trusted him and he took the throne from you. People do all sorts of awful things and still sleep like babies. What if he’s been lying this entire time? What if he killed Lirae himself and now he’s just playing the gracious royal act?”Elias shook his head firmly. “No. He’s many things b

บทอื่นๆ
สำรวจและอ่านนวนิยายดีๆ ได้ฟรี
เข้าถึงนวนิยายดีๆ จำนวนมากได้ฟรีบนแอป GoodNovel ดาวน์โหลดหนังสือที่คุณชอบและอ่านได้ทุกที่ทุกเวลา
อ่านหนังสือฟรีบนแอป
สแกนรหัสเพื่ออ่านบนแอป
DMCA.com Protection Status