She looked at him, exhausted. “I suppose I owe you now?”
The prince grinned. “Maybe.”
Matthias stepped back, breath coming in shallow as she held his gaze. She didn’t speak again, but her eyes told Matthias a million different things.
He nodded in farewell before slipping into the shadows. He waited, watching from a distance as she got to her knees and crawled towards the Lucius Gate.
Not a drop of guilt for letting her go free found sanctuary in his soul, but the fear of his father tearing him to pieces did. He should have stayed the course, quietly biding his time for the escape he craved.
However, the awakening in his chest refused to be silent.
Chapter Six
The BLUE-eyed prince
Whispers from the Aspen trees touched her ears, and even though it pained her to do so, Adalia smiled. She was almost home. A warm glow in the distance told her the Lucius Gate was just ahead–she choked on a sob as her knees dragged across the ground. Every move she made was like fire ripping through her body.
Adalia’s vision blurred, her breath coming in slow and pained as she dragged herself towards it. Relief washed over her as it crept closer. The familiar wooden structure was a comfort. The glow of the lamps—like a warm embrace from a loved one. Voices she couldn’t quite make out touched her ears.
Hands grasped her arms as she tried to stand on her feet. The world spun and a loud ringing pulsed inside her head. Adalias’ vision tunnelled as the people around her moved in slow motion. She was crashing, and she was crashing hard.
Cold blue eyes came to the forefront of her mind. Had he really just let her go . . . just like that?
“Help me. Quickly!” someone cried.
Adalia was gathered into warm arms and rushed through the gate. As soon as they reached the other side, a team of Lightner soldiers landed with a mighty thud. Their boots shook the ground, and the force pulled Adalia from her weakened state.
A familiar face hovered above hers, and she let out a choked sob.
Nikolas gently eased Adalia from the guard’s arms and nodded in thanks towards those who had helped.
“Nik, I’m so sorry . . .” Adalia whispered to her brother.
“Shhh, you’re safe now. I’m here.” Nikolas pulled her closer to his body and shot into the sky. Finally safe, Adalia let down her guard, and exhaustion swept her into unconsciousness.
Adalia came to. A cool cloth lay on her forehead. Sunshine poured into her room and birdsong floated in on the breeze coming from her bedroom window.
She looked at the person by her bed and then burst into tears.
“I thought I would never see you again,” Shiloh said as she threw herself into Adalia’s arms.
“I’m so sorry. I thought the same.” Adalia pulled her closer.
“Never leave me again,” Shiloh sniffed as she reached for a tissue to wipe her nose. “I want to know everything. How did you escape?”
Adalia winced as she pulled herself up into a seated position. Shiloh leant over her and helped prop some pillows behind Adalia’s back. Her bed felt incredibly comfortable after enduring days on a hard stone floor. She made a silent promise to herself to never complain about it again.
“Where’s Nik? I don’t want to tell the story twice. Once he’s here, I’ll tell you everything,” Adalia replied softly.
Shiloh nodded and rose to her feet. “Don’t you dare think about moving from that bed while I’m gone.”
Adalia chuckled and then hissed through her teeth in pain. “Trust me, I’m in too much pain to go anywhere. In fact, I think I might stay here for a week.”
“Good, because I would not let you leave the house, anyway.” Shiloh winked at her and quietly slipped from the room.
Adalia smiled as she closed her eyes and let her body relax. All the familiar smells and sounds came rushing in all at once. She truly thought she would never see or hear it all again. She was certain the Prince of Darkness had never known such peace . . . He’d set her free. Even without the kiss.
Why?
