The queen was in awe of my talent and couldn’t stop gushing about it. My cheeks flushed at least a dozen times with her praises.
She wanted me to paint a mural in one of the meeting rooms in the South wing. The walls were barren, and she tried everything. It would be the biggest project that someone ever gave me.
“I was thinking of a nice war scene, with dragons and mountains, with the forest. What do you think?”
I giggled at her excitement, but she was dead serious.
“It sure fits the room.” I looked around at the enormous oval table with at least forty-eight chairs around it. There were a few knights in armor statues and in a glass case a 3D model of Tith that I would love to get a good look at. The rest of the walls were brick, except for this one.
That would be an awesome distraction. I hadn’t painted or drawn anything in a long time.
I even made peace with Lucian. He apologized profusely.
Blake became something of the past, and my heart got to that place where I could finally let him go.
I still knew little about the Rubicon as Dad stopped putting him in the sim. He didn’t want the progress we made to be for nothing. When I was ready, we could proceed.
I looked forward to weekends again for Lucian to come home. I hated the arrangements Paegeia had, as I really wondered what his kiss would feel like.
We spoke about everything. He even mentioned Blake, and I let him speak about the idiot. But those conversations became less and less too.
One Saturday evening, I struggled to sleep and went to Lucian’s room. I knocked on his door and he opened.
My stomach flipped as he only wore satin pajama pants hugging his hips. Beautiful sculpted muscles and a six-pack hit me full in the face.
He squinted at the light that was in the hallway. “It’s like two in the morning, Elena. You want me to die?”
I snorted, knowing his dying comment was probably attached to the Rubicon again. “I need to go into the sim, but I’m scared to go alone.”
“Into the sim?”
I nodded. “If I don’t go in now, I won’t do it tomorrow. I feel ready now.”
His entire body fell as he brushed his hands through his hair. “Okay, let me get dressed.”
I nodded and waited for him in the hallway.
He exited wearing a pair of slacks, training shoes and a grey shirt. His hair was still messy though, and I still wanted to brush my fingers through it. I followed him to the simulator.
We entered and rushed down the stairs. He started up everything as I pulled on a suit. After suiting up, I walked to the obstacle course.
The mechanical arms latched themselves to my suit as I put on the gloves. My heart thumbed inside my chest, but it was time to face my beast as time with Armand was almost ending.
He still had plenty to teach me.
I found Lucian wearing a suit too, and a second pair of mechanical arms lowered from the roof.
“What are you doing?”
“Yeah, I heard the first time you almost passed out. I do not want to wake my mother at this hour.”
I chuckled. “Did they tell you I pissed myself too?”
Lucian froze as I laughed.
“I don’t know what it is with him that scares me so much. I know it’s my abilities inside of him, but he terrifies me as much as he fascinates me.”
“He fascinates you?”
