Chapter 96 Chapter 96

Chapter 96 Chapter 96
LENORE
The first thing that popped into my mind was two nights ago—me sitting on Killian and trying to drive a knife into his neck… the horrified expression on his face illuminated by the blue flames that had practically exploded to life in his right hand… how confused yet gentle he’d sounded when he said you’re going to kill me.
When I’d remembered what truly happened after my father left the audience room, I’d thought killing Killian wasn’t something I could do. The King had also said so when his rings of azure had burned their way into my mind, and the only reason he’d mind-controlled me was to hurt Killian emotionally. The fact that I could have actually killed him if his confusion that night had lasted for just a few moments longer shook me to my core.
“So I…” The rest of my words died in my throat, refusing to be said out loud.
“Yes,” Killian answered, a muscle in his jaw twitching as he tightened his hold on me. I couldn’t help but wonder if he was also thinking about two nights ago.
“Does the King know we’re—” This time, I was the one who snapped my mouth shut to prevent the rest of my words from getting out. I’d wanted to ask if his father knew we were mates—he hadn’t known two days ago, but he could be aware now—but then I remembered the guards and some of the housekeepers were vampires, and they could be using their enhanced hearing the same way Killian had used it to know I was coming to the veranda.
Even if the housekeepers and Killian’s guards—the ones who had been stationed at our suite’s door—were loyal to Killian, I was pretty sure the guards who were assigned to Cameron reported back to the King. If the King didn’t know Killian and I were mates before, he would most likely become aware if I’d said it.
“No,” Killian replied, once again completing my question in his head, and I’d have smiled if the topic wasn’t related to his death.
The ease his answer granted me was nothing compared to the stress my next thought brought: What if the King mind-controlled me again, and I…
A heavy weight settled on my chest, forcing my next breath to be shallow, and though I tried to rationalize, telling myself there was no way Killian would make sure the King ever got me alone again, it didn’t chase away the anxiety that was creeping into my mind. It didn’t chase away the thought of azure eyes bearing down on me.
The those bound to me by blood didn’t skip me, of course—since his father couldn’t kill him, that left only his brother and uncle—but, as far as I knew, his uncle wouldn’t be a problem… Just the creepy prince and the human girl who had once been successfully mind-controlled to kill him.
“My love?” Killian called, pulling my attention back to him, and I raised my brows. He had a slight frown on his face like he knew what I was thinking about, and I plastered a smile on my face.
We’d barely talked about what the King did to me, and I was glad Killian hadn’t brought it up to do a deep dive because I hated thinking about it. I hated thinking of the loss of control I felt when I grabbed that curved knife from the nightstand I’d seen him place it in the day before. The inevitability that had washed over me when I’d been in the bathroom, thinking of the best way to use the knife against him. How I’d walked up to him, holding the knife behind me despite the fact that I’d plunged the room into darkness, and distracted him using his desire for me.
A shudder ran through me.
“Lenore?” Killian called again, his voice forceful now, his grip on me tightening like he was worried I’d disappear, and I rapidly blinked at him, focusing all my attention on him. That only brought a new train of thought into my mind.
Has the King ever mind-controlled him? Does he have the ability too? …Has he ever used it?
“Killian.” My mind was so muddied by the thought of him controlling someone like they were on strings, the way the King had done to me, that it took me a moment to realize I’d said his name. He didn’t respond—he just leaned even closer to me like he wanted to merge with me. “Can you um…” The question sat on the tip of my tongue like an accusation, but if I didn’t ask, it would sit in my mind instead. I didn’t want to wonder whenever I looked at him. “Can you mind-control?”
Killian simply stared at me and for the next couple of seconds, I wished he could mind read. His face was blank, so I couldn’t tell if he was angry or shocked or—
“I don’t use it to hurt people, my love. I swear it.” The sincerity etched across his face—along with the hurt he tried to hide—instantly made shame flare in my chest, hot and impossible to ignore.
“I’m so sorry,” I blurted out, tightening my arms around his shoulders as I hugged him before my eyes began to sting. Sure, my question only needed a yes or no answer, but there was no hiding the intent behind it, and I felt horrible.
Like I said before, I knew he was no angel, but the comparison the question created was wrong and I couldn’t pretend to not know why it had hurt him. I might as well have asked are you your father?
His hand on my waist came to rest on the back of my head. “I just told you you never need to apologize to me.”
“I’m sorry,” I said into his shoulder, blinking back the tears that had pooled in my eyes.
“Lenore…” He sighed as he trailed off and when he spoke again, his voice was riddled with guilt. “If anything—”
“Stop.”
I wouldn’t have him blaming himself for what his father did to me—I’d already told him he wasn’t responsible for his father’s actions.
…Looks like we’re both terrible listeners.
I pressed a kiss to his shoulder, lingering there for a moment more before pressing a kiss to his cheek. Then I turned my face toward his and brushed my lips against his, pouring all my “I’m sorry”s and “I adore you”s into the kiss. God help me, I really did—adore him, that is.
When we finally broke the kiss, Killian gently nipped my bottom lip while I tried to catch my breath, making my smile widen. The next moment, his phone began to vibrate on the coffee table, drawing both our attention.
It was his uncle calling.
Since I was closer, I grabbed the phone and handed it to him, and he answered with an “Uncle.” For the next couple of seconds, he just listened with a serious expression on his face, and after telling the man okay, he ended the call before shifting his attention back to me.
“He wants us to come over now.”