“Thank you,” he whispered.
“Again, it’s no trouble.”
He nodded once, still studying the food on the table with an odd look on his face.
Clearing her throat, Adalia reached for a strawberry. “Was the lounge okay?”
The prince sipped his coffee and nodded. “It was perfectly fine, thank you.”
“I suppose you haven’t had a lot of time to decide what you are going to do about your father? Do you have some sort of plan?” Adalia asked.
Admittedly, she didn’t really want to know his answer. She knew the moment she offered him sanctuary in her home, if he said yes, she wouldn’t want him to leave. The thought of him having a plan, one that took him too quickly from her home, made the knot in her stomach tighten.
How could she let him go when his eyes silently begged her to hold him close?
Matthias shrugged lightly, poking at his eggs. “What can I do? I either return home and face him. Buy a boat and sail away from here and never look back or I ask your king if I could dwell in The Grey, if that’s even possible.”
Adalia had never heard of a Thorn or a Lightner for that matter, living in The Grey, so she was unsure of that option, but the idea of sailing away on a boat sounded appealing.
“Do you like any of those options?”
“The idea of buying a boat sounds fun, but I would need to learn how to use it first,” Matthias grinned.
“I could teach you.”
“Oh, you could? Do you own a boat?”
Adalia nodded. “I do, it’s only a small rowboat, but I’m sure it could take you places like . . . to the end of the bay and back.” Stifling a giggle, Adalia placed her hand over her mouth.
The prince groaned, but his mouth twitched into a smile. “I think I would need a much larger boat, little dove.”
“Especially with those wings of yours,” Adalia teased.
Matthias grinned, and Adalia felt the heat rise into her cheeks under his captivating gaze. “What has wing size got to do with it?”
Adalia rolled her eyes, a smile tugging at her mouth. “I guess if the boat was too small, they might act like a sail.”
The prince laughed and, in one swift movement, opened his wings as wide as they could go. Filling a large part of the room. The black feathers shimmered under the morning sun that streamed through the window. “I guess if the wind caught them, I’d get to my destination real quick.”
Adalia giggled and rose from the table, clearing plates as she did so. “Do you know what else you’re gonna get real quick? A scolding if you don’t put them away, wings in homes equal broken valuable items.”
Grinning, Matthias pulled his wings in. “Yes, ma’am.”
Bones wandered inside and Adalia fetched him the uncooked bacon rind in a dish and placed it on the floor.
“Thank you.” Matthias spoke gently.
“For what?” she asked quietly.
“For treating Bones and I with such kindness,” the prince responded.
Popping another strawberry into her mouth, Adalia nodded. “You’re welcome. Now would you like to come with me into town today while I run my errands or would you prefer to just hang out here? I’m easy either way.” Adalia smiled at him and grabbed more plates.
Matthias rose to help. “If you don’t think people will care to see me around, I will come with you . . . If that’s okay?”
“Like I said, I’m easy either way. I’m certain no one will pay you any mind,” Adalia said as she placed the last of the dishes into the sink. “I’ll wash these later. Let me change and then we can leave.”
She eyed Matthias across the kitchen counter. He lifted his brow and smiled as he looked her up and down. Adalia felt her cheeks flush for the umpteenth time this morning. She was only wearing her thin, white, cotton nightgown. Folding her arms across her chest, she retreated to her bedroom as quickly as she could without looking like she was running.
