Chapter 27: Guards Are Overrated

LILAC

I wake up in a weird but comfortable position, wrapped up in a cocoon of heat. Somehow my face is pressed to something warm and hard and an arm is splayed around me while another cradles my neck.

I can tell who it is by the way his scent teases my nostrils, his breath licking at my skin. But how we got here is what I can’t tell. I can feel the rise and fall of his chest, his breath coming out short and even.

Would it be bad if I stayed like this for a while? He probably would kick me out once he is awake. I lay quiet, enjoying the moment. Enjoying feeling safe in the arms of my husband. It will be over soon.

I think I fall asleep again, because when I open my eyes, I am greeted with a pair of blue eyes staring down at me with an intensity I can’t quite explain. And we are still in this intimate position. I gulp and start to pull away, but Kael isn’t having it as his hands tightens over my middle, caging me in even more.

"Good morning princess," he says. His deep timbre voice has me shivering in utter delight. Goddess! His morning voice is sexy. Husky even.

I gulp, blinking. "G-goo-good morrning" I manage a stutter, trying to look everywhere but at his eyes which only leaves me pressing my nose to his chest. This feels too nice not to move.

If I looked at him any longer I know I would lose my resolve entirely. The scent that clings to him is intoxicating. There is nothing left to see anyway as all that meets me is the flat plane of muscle beneath him. It is distracting, so I give up and look into his eyes again.

There’s warmth there, unlike his normal blank look. There’s something else there behind that warmth, lurking beneath all the syllables. Something dark that I haven’t seen before.

My heart beats too fast. I need to get out of here. He’s still holding me close. His hand moves from my waist to stroke through my hair, making me relax further into him. This is wrong or is it? Maybe Issy was right when she said to get closer to him. He is my husband after all.

"Slept well?" His questions shocks me and I instantly jerk backwards. His lips curl up in a smirk.

"Did you sleep well, princess?" He asks again.

Okay Kael is acting really weird. "You are not mad that I woke up like this?" I ask, looking up at where his fingers are running through my hair which is very soothing.

"Do I look mad?" He answers.

I exhale sharply, pinching my thumb nervously. "I..."

There is a knock on the door, stopping me from finishing my statement. My head jerks towards the door and Kael’s hands drop from my hair. I almost whimper at the loss of warmth as he slowly sits up.

"Stay still," he orders and then goes to answer the door. Whoever is it does not come inside, but I hear muffled whispers and then a slam of the door. Kael is back, and just like any other day, the playful smirk he had on his face earlier has vanished and is replaced with that distant look and a scowl.

"Go and freshen up Lilac, Father wants to see you." He does not wait for me to reply him as he whirls around and disappears into his study.

So much for thinking he suddenly changed overnight.

Why would the King want to see me? Of course it would have something to do with the beach happenings.

Getting into the bathroom, the events of the day before starts to replay in my head and I almost slip over as the horror of the situation hits me once again.

Nino and Olivia are dead, and even though it was my second time meeting them, I knew them and that alone counts for something. I cannot begin to imagine how Issy is feeling right now, especially given that Nino might have been a love interest to her.

I allow the water to run down my body as I start to scrub harshly as if somehow the lather would wash away what I saw yesterday.

Fat chance it will.

When I am done taking my bath, I shrug on the clothes I had worn to the party yesterday and then go to knock on Kael’s study. He opens the door, his eyes seems to widen on seeing me. Maybe I’m wrong.

"Lilac."

"You said your Father wants to see me, won’t you take me to him?" I ask.

He visibly gulps and shakes his head, his lips pursing to a thin line. "Right, we are meeting at the dining hall. Come let’s go."

The walk down the stairs to the dining is a silent one, although I can feel Kael’s breath on my neck as he walks closely behind me. I try not to let it affect me. Passing the familiar hallways, I see there are workers in place like the first time I was here, all curtseying to Kael and I as we walk through. Somehow it reminds me of Lyria.

There are two guards at the door of the dining hall as we approach it, one of them I remember as the one who had help me carry my luggage. I can hear strained voices coming from the hall and I almost hesitate a bit.

When we enter, I am greeted with the familiar settings of the dining. Everyone is seated but I do not miss the sullen atmosphere, neither do I miss Issy’s tear stricken face looking blankly at nothing. Only Talon is looking so carefree and creepy like he always is. I heave in a sigh myself as Kael and I both settle down on our own seats.

"Lilac, it is good to see you again." The Queen whose name I now know as Queen Jada says.

"It is good to see you too," I say in return which earns me a snicker from Talon’s side of the table. Did I ever say I do not fancy Kael’s brother? Well, I do not.

"How is school Lilac? Hope you are settling in just fine?" King Alvarez is the one to ask now. I nod, wondering if he has heard of my clashes with Beryl. He probably has, he is king after all and nothing goes past a king. If he has though, he does not bring it up.

The table is awkwardly silent again, just as the maids starts to bring in the dishes to serve. I do not have an appetite but I try to eat even though I can also feel Kael’s eyes on me. Soon, breakfast is over and the plates are being cleared. It is then I see him walk in, and my eyes widens.

Roman? I look at Kael to see his reaction and even him seems surprised. He is dressed in an all black attire just like the guards of the palace. I notice that.

"Milord." He bows to King Alvarez as he enters fully. He does not even spare me a glance. Does he not remember me?

The King smiles and I cannot help but detect the utter malice lurking behind his curled lips. Something is wrong. "There you are Roman Russo. Have you met my son’s wife? She is the one you will be guarding."

It is when King Alvarez finishes his statement, that I notice the sheathed dagger on Roman’s hip and when I look up at him, I see the hate he is trying so hard to hide. However, who the hate is directed to, I cannot tell.

Guarding though? Why would the King hire Roman when his brother just escaped prison? Like I said, something is definitely wrong.

"Guard? What the hell, Father?" Kael stands, his hands fisted to his side as he glares at his Father. I almost jump out of my seat at the murderous look in his eyes. I have never seen Kael this worked up before. Even when he had seen me with Perez that day at the club, he was not like this.

"Sit down Son. Do you not know her life is in danger especially after what happened yesterday? It is my fault that I let you both out of my sight in the first place," King Alvarez says calmly even though the stormy looks in his orbs begs to differ.

"I am not a fucking child! And I can take care of my wife without your inept guards, thank you!" Kael snaps back. No one is interfering between their arguments which means it is not a new thing.

"If you could, she would not have wandered off to a beach wedding all by herself!!" The King is still not yelling, but the tone in which he speaks is now even more angrier.

"She was with Isabelle!"

"Well Isabelle knows the land and the rules, your wife is fucking clueless!" This comes from Talon who is also now standing, chest heaving as he returns Kael’s glare.

"You knew she was clueless, yet she was given to me as a wife!"

"That’s because your pathetic self deserves nothing better!" My heart almost drops to my laps at that statement. I am the ’nothing better’, how interesting.

"Can you both please shut the hell up and stop behaving like goddamned kids for once in your fucking lives!" Issy yells, swiping angrily at the tears in her eyes. She then proceeds to stand up, walk over to my side, pulls me up and then out of the dining room with Roman hot on our heels.

Perhaps this might just be a start of a looming disaster and weirdly, I can feel it.

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