ALTHEA
“There’ll be no one to hear you cry out tonight,” he murmurs, his lips brushing the skin of my throat. “No one but me.” His teeth graze my neck, and a shiver rolls down my spine. His hand cups me boldly over my jeans, the heat of his touch igniting something wild and reckless inside me. The journey to the bed is a blur of heat and urgency, his hands and mouth leaving a trail of fire in their wake. When he finally lowers me onto the soft mattress, I’m trembling, caught between desire and the faintest flicker of fear. His hand reaches out, his thumb sweeping along my bottom lip. Pulling it down, away from my teeth, letting it plop back in place. It’s delicate, the way his hand then caresses my jaw, reaching behind my neck as his voice softens, “Lay back.” I obey the soft command without preamble, eyes meeting the ceiling as my back hits the bed. A dip forms beside my ribs, where his palm sinks into the mattress as he hovers over me. The other traces up my denim clad thighs, slow over my hips, as he pops the top button out of place. Butterflies take flight, disrupting my insides as his caress continues up my bare stomach, his rough hand makes it feel a lot better than it should. And then his grip closes over one bra cup, squeezing firmly. Not even a second later, he folds down the cup and takes one swollen bud into his mouth. Our bodies merge as my spine curves upward, pleasure coalescing inside me like molten lava. The hot pressure is all I can process, every other notion slammed shut behind a wall of lust. He sucks greedily, but it’s over too soon, before I can loose myself in it. And I blink my eyes open in confusion, just as he pulls away. The disappointment slowly fades though, giving way to anticipation as he pinches my jeans and the band of my thong together, pulling the fabrics down and off my legs in one fluid motion. Cold air hits my bare flesh, and that’s when the daunting reservation rears it’s ugly head. The lighting is low, but bright enough to enhance every dip and imperfection. I should know better than to let my insecurities get the best of me. Especially here with a man I don’t know and will most likely never see again. There’s no argument he’s a well experienced male, no less with women eager and just as well bred to give him the type of pleasure he wants. I pale in comparison. “You’re nervous.” I school my features instantly, like it might have been what gave me away. All he does is give his head a slow shake, eyes trailing down my exposed flesh, “We’ll go slow.” Call me naive, or way too trusting. But those three words, and the way he says them, are enough to slacken my shoulders. So he’s not out to destroy my insides… that’s a plus. Of their own volition, my eyes drop right below his belt, over his crotch. Not out to, doesn’t mean he won’t, if the semi tent in his pants is anything to go by. One blink and broad shoulders fill the span of my vision as his body settles over mine. His palm slides under my back, and with just one twist of his wrist, the clasp is undone. Really well experienced. He pulls the slinky material from my body, loosing it in the darkness as he flings it over his shoulder. As soon as the cool air touches my bare flesh, he warms them with his large hands. I whimper at the friction, and then his body comes down on mine once again. But this time, his knees push my thighs apart, till every hard, enormous inch of him is nestled in the space between them. A heady rush fills my veins. He’s still dressed to the nines, but I’m a naked, wanton mess beneath him. And I fall harder into the deep end of desire when his mouth crashes down on mine. Every hot pull feels like a warning, a threat, a preparation of what’s to come. Because if he fucks anything like he kisses me, then I might just need a little support making it out this bed, much less going to the palace. His tongue delves into my mouth with a harsh groan, and my hands grab onto his shoulders, digging into the hardened flesh for something to hold on to. It’s just a kiss, dammit. A gasp breaks free, just as the fabric of his dress shirt drags across my nipples. They harden into solid points, begging for more, more, more. And I’m far from disappointed when he slips his hands between us, his thumbs and forefingers tugging on each tip. A pulse forms in my clit, it’s throb so fast and maddening. My thighs wrap around his waist as he rocks himself against my core, my mouth falling open on a breathless cry. There’s no way the front of his slacks aren’t soaked, and just then he groans out, “So wet for me.”ALTHEAI’m still sitting on the edge of the bed, my hands curled tight in my lap, when there’s a soft knock at the door.I don’t answer. I don’t want to see anyone. Not after that. Not after him.But the door creaks open anyway.“Aaron,” I say, surprised. My voice is low, hoarse. I clear my throat, trying to pretend I’m fine. “What are you doing here?”He steps in slowly, shutting the door behind him. His eyes roam my face like he’s searching for something, maybe proof I’m still whole.“I was walking by,” he says. “Heard voices. I recognized his.”My stomach twists. I look away.Aaron steps closer but doesn’t sit. “Did he say what I think he said?”I shrug, still not meeting his gaze. “Does it matter?”“It does to me.”He sounds so sure. So steady. It’s strange, because I don’t feel steady at all.Aaron finally sits beside me. Not too close, just near enough that I can feel his warmth. “You don’t have to lie for them anymore, Althea,” he says softly. “I heard enough to know. The whole
ALTHEAElena freezes at the door, her posture stiff. Mira looks at me with wide eyes before stepping back, giving the king a low, quick curtsy.“Your Majesty,” Mira says, her voice tight.He doesn’t acknowledge them. Just walks inside like he owns the air we’re breathing. Maybe he does. The door clicks shut behind him, and the room suddenly feels so much smaller. Colder. His presence is heavy. Suffocating.Elena and Mira exchange a look, then lower their heads.“We’ll give you some privacy,” Elena mumbles, already backing out.Mira gives my hand one last squeeze before following her. They close the door behind them, and then it’s just me and him.The king.He smiles, but it’s not kind. It’s the sort of smile you give before snapping a rabbit’s neck.“Oh, don’t look so shocked that I finally sought you out,” he croons. His voice is smooth like oil, but it sends a shiver crawling up my spine. “You knew this was coming. After all, you’ve somehow wheedled yourself into my son’s head.”I g
ALTHEA“Gray?” Asher’s voice is quiet. Softer than I’ve ever heard it.I don’t answer. I don’t even look at him.He closes the door behind him. The sound is gentle, not like how the guards slammed it earlier. His footsteps cross the room, slow and careful, until he stops right next to my bed.“I’m sorry,” he says.I still don’t look at him.“I didn’t have a choice.”The words mean nothing to me. They feel small. Too small for the things I saw today.I keep my eyes on the wall. My hands are curled under the blanket, fingers tangled tightly together. My chest still feels heavy, like there’s a stone sitting in it. My mouth tastes like salt, and I’m not even sure if I stopped crying or just ran out of tears.“It was that or kill them,” he says again. “The cameras found them last night. Someone sent the footage out before we could stop it. If we didn’t punish them, the whole kingdom would’ve turned.”He says it like that’s supposed to make it better. Like if I just understand the rules of
ALTHEA“Asher! Asher!” I scream. “Stop it! Stop it, please do something!”He hears me. I know he does. His eyes flutter closed for a second. Just one, and he swallows hard, like he’s trying to force the sound of my voice out of his head.“Five!”Sophie’s cry rips through the air. It’s not just pain, it’s pure undiluted agony. It’s the kind of sound that carves itself into your bones. I cover my mouth, but it doesn’t stop the sob that escapes me. She still has ten more.“Althea, sit!” Elise whispers fiercely. Her hand grabs my arm, but I shake her off. I can’t sit. I won’t.“Six!”I look to Sophie’s parents. Her mother is folded over herself, hands covering her face, shoulders trembling. Her father is gripping her so tightly I wonder if he’ll break her.“Let me go!” I scream at the guard next to me. “ASHER!” My throat burns with the sound. My tears blur everything, but I can still see him, standing tall and still on the stage. His face doesn’t move. Not even a flinch.I look around at
ALTHEAMy first thought is that maybe Sophie has somehow been found out and has been sent home. Maybe the whole thing was quietly done. But how? She’s been careful. Clever. She knows how to play the game.Doesn’t she?I turn at the sound of metal scraping against stone. The foyer, quiet just seconds ago, is now glowing with sunlight. For the first time since I arrived at the palace, the front doors are thrown wide open.We’re paraded outside.The air is brisk, the kind that clings to your skin and makes your breath fog. We cross the wide circular driveway in silence, moving past the walls that once kept us locked in. They open for us now, slowly, heavily, like they’re holding back more than just stone.And then I hear it.A sound like thunder. A roar that shakes the ground beneath my feet.A crowd.Thousands of voices scream and chant and cheer as we step through the gates. Children are perched on shoulders. Cameras flash in the distance. Flags wave. A platform waits in the street, ta
ALTHEAI don’t move when the door opens.I’ve stopped expecting knocks. Mira and Elena have made it a habit to let me rest as long as possible, tiptoeing around me like I might break. And maybe I might. After everything that’s happened these past few days, I feel like glass—transparent, fragile, and just one wrong touch from shattering.But this morning feels different.They don’t go about their usual routine. They don’t light the incense, don’t draw back the curtains. They don’t even whisper to each other the way they sometimes do when they think I’m still asleep. Instead, they stand there. Still. Silent. Waiting.I roll over, the blanket tugging against my shoulder, and see them, Mira and Elena, holding a garment bag between them.“A new dress?” I mumble, voice still rough with sleep.Mira gives me a faint smile, but it doesn’t reach her eyes. “Lady Althea,” she whispers, “it’s time to get dressed.”I blink slowly, rubbing my eyes. “I thought there was nothing planned today?”“There
ALTHEAI don’t move.I don’t speak.Sophie’s eyes stay locked on mine, her smile sharp like the edge of a blade. I’m still frozen from the sound of her voice, from the fact that she caught me. That I saw something I was never supposed to see.But just when I think she might attack, or threaten, or even do something worse, her face suddenly changes. The tension breaks.“Oh goddess,” she breathes, pressing her fingers to her lips. “Althea, I—I didn’t mean to scare you.”I blink. “What?”She takes a shaky step back, then another. Her eyes flicker, no longer sharp but wide. Nervous. “You weren’t supposed to see that. I wasn’t thinking. This—this is a mistake.”I stay silent, still trying to catch up. What’s she playing at?Then, to my shock, she laughs. A bitter, broken sound. “I know what you’re thinking. I know how it looks. Me with him. But I swear to you, it’s not what you think.”I cross my arms. “It looks exactly like what it is.”Her face crumples for a second. Then she looks up at
ALTHEAEven after I’m discharged from the hospital, I don’t leave my room for two days.The nurses have stopped checking in every hour, and I’m fully healed now. At least on the outside. Earlier this evening, a guard brought a note from Lady Ivanna which was sharp and cold, and whose contents was about “duty” and “decorum” and how if I don’t return to lessons soon, I’ll be marked as “resistant to training.”I’d crumpled the letter without reading the rest and toss it into the fireplace.Let it burn.Aaron still guards my door.He doesn’t speak. Doesn’t knock. He just stands there like a statue, his silence louder than any words. I can feel him through the walls—solid and steady, a weight pressing down on my chest. It’s like he’s punishing me by being close. Or maybe I’m punishing myself by not telling him to leave.By the third morning, I finally give in.I dress slowly. My fingers run over the soft sleeves of the new gown left by the maids. Pale blue. Elegant. Too nice for how I feel
ALTHEAI still can’t wrap my head around the sight before me.Aaron.Standing there like he belongs. Wearing the royal crest. Holding his posture like a trained soldier. His eyes fixed just above mine, not quite meeting them.Of all the people to walk through that door, it had to be him.A few days ago, I overheard one of the palace administrators mention some rotation in the guard assignments. I remember it only because they were arguing about scheduling in the hallway while I was rushing to one of Lady Ivanna’s long-winded lessons on court etiquette. I barely had time to wonder if Aaron would be moved.Well, now I have my answer.He’d been moved after all. And not just anywhere—here. To me. Assigned to watch me.Asher catches on fast. He narrows his eyes, flicking them from me to Aaron. “Gray,” he says, voice curious, “do you know this young man?”I force a breath. My heartbeat is thundering in my ears, but I manage to lift my chin and nod. “Yes,” I say, my voice steadier than I fee