Chapter 69 Need The Other Bird Of My Feather To Go Away
”How long do you plan on having this… walk? Your feet must be hurting.”
Lucien’s voice, as always, was soft. And pleading.
Maeve wasn’t sure how to reach it. Especially if one considered the fact that the male had completely ignored every woman they had passed. Because women were staring.
Mostly at her strange style which was a black dress that she was sure meant something about a funeral, but Lucien was a handsome man. Especially after all this time, he’d gained more muscles— he was the largest out of the whole group.
And his hair had grown fuller. Like an Afro with slight curls growing from it.
He stood out compared to the array of light skinned people here— so naturally, all the ladies were staring like they wanted to have him.
But he kept looking at only her!
“STOP!” She spread her arm out, her legs spreading wide as she looked around with a strange expression on her face.
Lucien already had his sword out, his face turning serious as he searched around, his other hand instantly pulling her close to his chest as his voice hardened, “Where is it? Show me the direction of it and I will kill it.”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” She tried to pull herself out of his grasp— though he had no plans on letting her move an inch from him so she gave up, her face in one of absolute defeat as she said, "That's like… so extra. No one asked you to. Plus—”
She looked up at him now, her face in one of those demonic expressions she always wore when she had done something silly. “I was trying to get you to look away from me. You did. Hehe. I win.”
His face stayed impassive for a second, then before Maeve could blink, he had her head under his armpit, locking her in place as she began to let out muffled screams, “What are you doing?! I order you— no, I command you! Lucien, this place stinks! Jesus Christ, do you not have perfume or—?”
The sentence cut off as she felt herself suddenly being lifted in the air and placed on top of something— she realized that this was a fountain, and Lucien stood in front of her, his gaze seemingly penetrating into her skull.
Maeve stared, her eyes moving around before she slowly began to rise up. “Why don’t you win—?”
The pointy end of his sword found her neck, his voice cold but calm all the same. “I know you brought me here to sell me off to a random woman— do not lie, it is an insult to me if you claim that I am your best friend and think I would not know. I can see the wheels in your brain turning. No, do not jump into the fountain or I will personally drown you. No, do not run. I will find you. And I will hit your head. Yes. Your sensitive head. No. Stop. Sit.”
“Wowwwwww.” Maeve finally said with a smug look on her face as she crossed her legs and arms then nodded. “Since you got your degree, and you know every damn thing," Then she leaned in, her eyes narrowing. “Letmegoandsaywhat?”
“What?”
It all happened in a second, Maeve’s lips making a grin as she tried to bolt— and the hilt of Lucien’s sword found her temple— and shoved her into the fountain with not too much force but enough for her vision to blur and in the next, she realized that she was dripping wet.
And being carried by him BRIDAL STYLE.
She let out a gasp. “How could you? Drop me! You can’t get a Source at this rate!”
“What? Really? However shall I live?” Lucien said with the driest expression he could conjure.
Maeve sputtered, water dripping from her nose. "You will live miserably! I was your only hope! Every other woman in this godsforsaken place will take one look at you carrying a wet rat like me and assume you're taken. Your chances are plummeting by the second."
"Oh no," he said flatly, stepping around a puddle. "Whatever shall I do."
She squirmed. "Put me down. People are staring. More than before."
"Let them."
"Lucien."
“Ella.”
“You know what? I’ll just play dead.”
And Maeve did, because of course. But he didn’t care. Like he was already used to this, he led her to an inn— didn’t take her in, thank god. Just placed her on a bench, got in and returned with a towel, wrapped her in it then sat right opposite her as he said, “Here. I got you something to drink—”
Maeve was already up in a second, her hand snatching the cup from him as she took a sip and cuddled herself comfortably on the bench with her legs crossed and her eyes focused on the mug, “This tea is so nice. Makes me think of chocolate— no, wait, ice cream! Do we have ice creams? I should make— oww!”
“Stop thinking.” Lucien said, his eyes now staring ahead as he returned his sword back into its hilt. “Just enjoy your tea.”
Maeve wanted to argue— then she realized she actually didn’t want to. Honestly, this whole pursuit for seriousness could wait a second. She wanted to laze around a bit. Wait, could she sleep? No. Nap. Only for a few seconds.
“You can.”
She let out another gasp, her head snapping to him. “How did you—?”
“You were mumbling your thoughts quite loudly,” He said, this time turning to look at her. To Lucien, Isabella was the most beautiful woman he had ever met. Even now. With her hair sticking to her face and her eyes wide with wonder and surprise, he didn’t care about the things she did or how crazy she had suddenly become.
She was his. In her own way.
And he was hers. In every way.
“You’ve changed, Lucien,” Maeve’s eyes scrunched up as she moved closer, staring at him like she was trying to look into his soul. “Can’t really spot what happened while I was gone, but you’ve… changed. And you’re more stubborn. My Lucien would never hit me.”
Your Lucien did not spend nights wondering if you would still want him when you returned. The one who is now madly in love with you did.
“Isabella—”
“Oh. Hello.”
That voice sent a chill down Lucien’s spine— and had all the hairs in Maeve’s neck standing as she slowly turned, a fake smile— that naturally was very unsettling , flashed through her face as she said, “Cassian. What are you doing here?”
Cassian had his hands behind his back, his face beating his usual performative smile as he tilted his head. “I came to see my future husband. What are you doing here?” Then his voice lowered, his eyes flashing red slightly as they focused on Lucien. “With him?”