The thought of not being worthy of her love still rang true, but staying here in Oscuro, playing the role of obedient son, wasn’t really keeping her safe anymore than being with her in Lucius was.
No matter where he went, she wasn’t safe—so why stay in Oscuro? Having her near, as a friend, was better than not having her at all.
He sat up and let the water rush over his skin. Reaching for a small cloth, he gently wiped it over his new tattoo. If Abby knew what he was doing right now, she would have his head served up on a silver platter, but he needed to clean it. Water was better than letting it fester.
Matthias washed his body with his favourite coconut soap, removing as much evidence of the fight as he could. Though the bruising on his hands and torso may take some time to heal. When he was satisfied, Matthias emerged from the tub and dried himself off before resealing his new tattoo with some clear wrapping. Grabbing some fresh clothing from his cupboard, he changed into black pants and a button-up shirt with rolled sleeves to the elbow.
Adrenaline was still pumping through Matthias’s veins and he felt lost, not knowing where to go and what to do with himself. Sighing, he reached for his secret keeper and his veslo before perching himself on the edge of his bed. Maybe some comfort music would help his mind to mentally land—instead of the fight-or-flight mode he was currently stuck in.
Turning to the last page he’d written on in his book, he reached for the pen on the table beside his bed. His eyes skittered across the page and that’s when he noticed a new handwriting, words that were not his own, sprawled across a page.
You are kind and brave. Clever and creative.
And fine, I’ll admit—handsome. You are desired. You are worthy.
And you will always be enough. Come back to me.
A xx
Raw emotion had his mind in a chokehold.
Did he dare to believe the words written on the page before him? Could he hope for one moment? That truth was yelling at him and all he needed to do was allow the words into his soul and never let them go?
How did this woman seep her way into the very cracks of his fractured being and fill it with a feeling his body longed for?
Was he allowed to hope for a future brighter than the one that currently loomed before him? Was he allowed to believe that maybe—just maybe—someone found him lovable?
Thoughts of Adalia and her home in Lucius came rushing in and he knew within moments what he wanted to do. He’d never attempted winnowing long distance before, but there was a first for everything, right? He fixed his appearance in the full-length mirror and told Bones to stay put. “I’ll be back shortly; I just want to try something.”
Matthias made sure his bedroom door lock was secure, took in a deep breath, closed his eyes, pictured Lucius, and winnowed.
Vanilla and Blackberry scent slapped Matthias in the face as he opened his eyes, one at a time. Looking around the room, he was shocked to find it had actually worked. He was standing in Adalia’s bedroom in the kingdom of Lucius. The house was quiet, but he could hear movement and the sound of water coming from her bathroom.
Matthias stood with hands on hips for a moment, pondering on what to do. He knew if he just stayed in her room when sheemerged, she would be petrified to find him there. It didn’t feel right to just be in her room without her permission, but he also knew just being in the house could freak her out, too. Maybe he could use the front door?
Before he started spiralling down into the deep unknown, he did the first thing that came to his mind and he winnowed back to his room.
Grinning from ear to ear, the prince ran his hands through his hair and raised his brow at Bones. “Boy, we just got a one-way ticket out of here.”
Matthias moved swiftly throughout his room, gathering a few items of importance. He shoved as many clothes as he could fit into a bag and retrieved his secret keeper and veslo from his desk. Once he had everything he needed, he looked at the wolf and winked. “Ready to go for a ride?”
Bones whimpered. Matthias placed the bag over a shoulder and scooped the wolf up in his arms, forgetting just how heavy he was. “Remind me to put you on a diet. You’re getting too fat.”
The prince closed his eyes and within seconds was standing inside Adalia’s room again. He could have used the front door, but who was he kidding? He wanted to be in the very room she was in—she could scold him after the surprise.
Placing the wolf down as quietly as possible, Matthias motioned for him to go and sit by the window. After putting his bag down on the floor by the chair, he sat and pulled his veslo from it, and strummed a gentle tune.
All went quiet in the bathroom for a small amount of time, but the prince grinned when the door slowly cracked open and Adalia emerged, dressed only in a pale green silk nightgown that reached just above her knees. His chest tightened at the sight. She stood there, frozen to the spot, so Matthias put his stringed instrument on the floor and stood slowly.
“Hey, little dove,” he softly spoke.
It was all he needed to say before she was running across the room and throwing herself into his arms. Matthias caught her and pulled her tightly against his chest, one arm around her waist andthe other cradling the back of her head. They stood like this; her legs wrapped around his waist for what felt like an eternity. Adalia still hadn’t said a word as she pulled back and placed her warm hands on either side of Matthias’s face. Leaning in, she claimed his lips with her own, in a devouring kiss.
The prince grinned against her mouth, and Adalia quietly sighed as his tongue explored hers. She tasted like the first light of dawn touching dew drops on the petals of sweet flowers. Adalia wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him in as tight as she could. If she was going to continue kissing him like this, he knew his knees would give way, so he carried her to the bed.
As he did, she started pulling at the hem of his shirt, never once breaking contact with his lips. It was Matthias’s turn to moan, feeling the featherlight touch of her fingertips against his skin was like torture . . . but the good kind.
Breaking the kiss, Matthias placed Adalia on the edge of her bed and pulled his shirt free from his body. She shifted herself backwards as he crawled towards her, the steady beat inside his chest a constant reminder of how she made him feel. Lilac wings pressed up against the headboard and her damp hair fell around her in waves.
