Chapter Fourteen
Thegetting to know you
There was a mug on the table beside the lounge, steam curling its way up into the ceiling as sunlight speared through its cloudy dance. Matthias smiled as he reached for it. Adalia had made him a fresh coffee every morning since his arrival in Lucius. It was so odd to him, because even though he was a prince in the opposite kingdom, he didn’t always feel like one. Usually, if he wanted a morning beverage, he would have to find a maid and request one, and when it finally arrived, the coffee would be lukewarm.
Not the ones Adalia made though, they were always the perfect temperature and just the right amount of sweetness. He wasn’t sure how she knew how he liked his coffee, but he certainly wasn’t complaining.
“I need to leave in half an hour to head to the compound. I have a patrol this morning. Did you want to come?” Adalia offered as walked into the room braiding her long chestnut waves.
Catching her scent, Matthias inhaled and let the essence of her seep into his body as he sipped his hot drink. Being invited on a patrol felt like a huge step forward in this thing that was blossomingbetween them. Matthias wanted to grasp it tight against his chest, but guilt washed over him. This creature . . . This beautiful woman did not know that the freedom he had offered her came with a price tag that she knew not of. He still hadn’t found the courage to tell her about the bounty.
After the guilt came a wave of fear.
What if they were patrolling and came across Thorns? Would they attack immediately, knowing she was worth more than their weight in gold? Would it help or hurt if Matthias were with her?
“Do you want me to come?”
“Like I said earlier, I want you to do whatever you want to do. You’re not being held captive here.” Adalia smiled at him.
The prince nodded and took another mouthful of coffee.
“If you don’t want too though—or if you feel uncomfortable, I completely understand,” Adalia called to him from the kitchen.
“If I’m honest, I’m not sure what I should do.”
“Do you not usually lead hauntings along the Veil of Oscuro?” Adalia asked casually.
Eyeing her from across the room to read her exterior, Matthias hesitated for a moment. “Like I said before . . . I don’t do my father’s dirty work. He has minions for that.”
Adalia held his gaze, a tug pulling at her rose pink lips. “So what do you do in Oscuro, then, or are you going to remain a mystery?”
He wanted to trust her with his innermost parts, but what was the point of baring his soul if he was only going to leave? Rising from the lounge, he sauntered towards the kitchen, placing his cup in the sink.
“I write songs. I fight . . . I make the odd appearance in different regions.” Matthias shrugged.
“You’ll have to tell me more about this fighting you do…and singing,” Adalia said as she disappeared into her room, returning with her shoes.
“Maybe I will,” Matthias answered as he stepped into the courtyard to check the water levels of Bones’s bowl. Thoughts hammered at his mind while he weighed whether or not to go with her. What was he doing here in Lucius? What was he doing toyingwith the idea that he could stay? Or hoping that, just maybe, Adalia wanted him as much as he wanted her.
It had been a week of amazing cooking and laughter between the siblings and sometimes himself. No one had tried to haul him off to a torture chamber or get rid of him all together. There’d been so many little moments of feeling like it was all too good to be true. Surely, they didn’t really want him here? Not that anyone had given him the feeling of unwantedness, he just felt so out of place amongst all of this . . . love.
Then there were moments of looking into Adalia’s eyes and seeing them glitter with mischievousness. The way she fed everyone with such incredible meals. Her laughter alone kept him stationed inside this unexplainable kingdom. The kindness everyone showed him was, at times, hard to believe.
Adalia followed him outside.
“Do you think Lightners at the compound will be okay with seeing someone like me patrolling The Grey with you?” He glanced up at her.
“What do you mean, someone like you? It’s not like you walk around with a sign on you saying,Hey, look at me. I’m the Prince of Darkness and I’ve come to steal your soul. Although I understand if you’d rather not—and besides, it’s not like anyone in The Grey can see us,” Adalia mused.
Matthias lifted his mouth in a half smile. “You know what I mean. All the ink. The black wings, etcetera . . .”
Adalia shrugged her shoulders. “So what? You like ink. Some people love that and I know us Lightners have been trained to protect The Grey from your kind, but if you’re riding with me, it will be fine. My soldiers trust me. As for the black wings, I really don’t think it’s an issue. Besides, in the sunlight, they look blue.”
Matthias’s brow furrowed. “Do they really?”
Adalia flashed him a grin as she turned to head back inside. “I think they do, but if you’re not convinced, maybe we should test the theory. So, are you coming?”
The prince couldn’t resist the way she was looking at him right now. That movement in his chest hit him hard, and he slightly winced with pain. “No need to beg.” He smirked at her.
