He was busy preparing their drinks, so Adalia reached for the pen laying on the small table beside her. Putting ink to blank paper, Adalia wrote a few words of her own, turning the page discreetly when she was finished.
“Here,” Matthias spoke softly as he handed her a cup full of steaming tea in her free hand.
“Thank you.”
He pulled a wooden chair from across the room and sat near the fireplace, facing Adalia. Bones snored softly by his feet. “Thoughts?”
Adalia closed the book gently and placed it beside her. “It’s beautiful. You have a gift with words, Matthias.”
The prince quietly huffed in response as he sipped the hot liquid in his cup.
They both sat in silence for a while, just savouring the peace.
“Thank you for the dagger.”
Adalia flicked her gaze to him over the rim of her cup. “You’re welcome,” she softly replied.
“When did you find the time to make it?”
“I have my ways.” She smiled at him sweetly. “James at The Blazing Anvil helped me with a few parts, as I was short on time. Do you like it?”
Matthias nodded. “Very much so.”
Adalia returned her attention to the warmth in her hands.
“Did you mean what you said in your letter?” Matthias murmured.
“Very much so,” came her honest reply.
They both maintained eye contact over the edges of their cups, only breaking to blink. Adalia felt the warmth in her body return, not that it ever really left when Matthias was around. She wanted to walk across the room and climb into his lap. Aching for his arms to encase her and his hands to trace her curves with a featherlight touch, but the fear of rejection was too strong. She would wait for him to come to her—if he ever did.
“Will you sing for me?” Adalia broke the silence.
Matthias put his cup down on the floor beside his foot and placed his arms behind his head, a small grin tugging at his lips. “Maybe when I’ve finished my song?”
“Why not now?”
“Don’t know.” Matthias shrugged.
“Are you scared?”
“Of what?”
“Sharing your music with me?” Adalia mused.
“Maybe.”
“I hope one day you won’t be. Because Ialso love music.”
Matthias dropped his gaze to the floor, but continued to smile.
Adalia glanced out the window and noticed the dip in the sun’s position. Nikolas would expect her soon, and as much as she didn’t want to leave, she knew she must.
“It’s getting late. I don’t want to get you into any more trouble with your father and I certainly don’t want Nik barging in here ready to sweep in and rescue me,” Adalia said.
Matthias nodded and stood. “I want to scold you for coming here, but it seems I have lost all my scolding words, so instead I will just say thank you for everything,” he spoke.
Adalia stood and moved towards him. She placed a hand on his cheek and ran a thumb over the tiny crescent moon just beneath his eye. “Come back to us.” She murmured.
