80

A small curse left her mouth as the familiar smell of english biscuits flooded her nostrils. The Icelander prince was here again! Couldn’t he get the hint already? She had no interest in him! Prita didn’t care if he had a killer body or if he tasted as nice as he looks. She didn’t like him, or his insufferable personality.




Rising from where she sat on the ground, she scowled at the prince. He was too early. He should have showed up when she had locked herself away in her tomb.




His smile dropped. “Is my love not happy to see me?”




She glared at him, adjusting the woollen dress he had gotten her. The thing was too itchy.




“I’m not your love, and I’m not happy to see you”.




“Well that’s a shame because seeing you just made my day”.




“Go away you annoying brat. What are you even doing here? I told you to stay away”.




“And leave you all by yourself? I told you that I won’t give up Prita. I’d keep fighting until you agree to come with me to my room”.




“Now what would I want to do in your room? Just leave me alone Massa”.




“I can’t. I need you to heal”.




“I knew there was a sinister reason behind your daily visits. You didn’t realize that I was your mate today, but since you need to heal, you remember me? You’re such an arse”.




“I never forgot you for once my love. I tried to see you, but I got caught up with work”.




She scoffs. “Work? So your work is more important than me is that what you’re saying?”




“I didn’t say that love. I just want you close to me Prita”.




“That’s a bummer because I don’t want to be close to you”.




“Prita!”




“Keep quiet. I don’t want you waking up my brothers. They don’t like you.”




“I don’t need them to like me Prita. I need you to like me”.




She rolled her eyes. “Get me the girl and I’ll think about it”.




Massa stomped his feet. “Baby, don’t be like this”.

“Don’t baby me. If you want me to consider you, get the girl. Unless you don’t want me to consider you?”




“Of course I want you to consider me”.




“Good. Then get the girl”.




…..

Eloive was very exhausted when he entered his chambers an hour after noon. Not only was his bones aching from playing dress up with Waxlyn, but his wrists were also hurting from playing multiple rounds of chess with Avetha. The Fae Queen was very infuriating. While they played, she kept mentioning his illness. Annoyed, he left her and Waxlyn had forced him to play dress up. For Eloive, there was nothing more tiring than squeezing yourself into clothes belonging to a thirteen year old. He shut his chamber doors and rolled up his sleeves, exposing his scarred arms and her bracelet on his wrist.




He walked into his bed chambers and was surprised to see Toreh in his room. She was cleaner than before, her hair up in a ponytail, exposing the small choker she wore.




“I thought you won’t be able to come?”, he asked coolly, taking off his shoes.




She glared at him. “Don’t think I came here for you. Just give me my bracelet so I can leave”.




“The bracelet stays on my wrist”, he says, playing with the beads.




“Eloive please”.




He raised a brow. “So no more, my prince?”




“Eloive, I don’t have time for this. My owner doesn’t even know I’m here, and might probably be in need of me. Just give me my bracelet so I can leave”.




“Why do you care about it so much? Could it be a gift from your boyfriend?”, he asked with a hint of jealousy in his voice.




She snorts. “Only the rich are allowed to have such entitlements.”




“But your sister has a boyfriend”.




“She’s a worker and I’m a slave, so she’s richer in a way. Just give me my bracelet Eloive”, she demanded tiredly.




“How long have you been a slave?”




“I didn’t keep count but it hasn’t been long. My bracelet Eloive”.




He walked up to her and she took many steps backward. He stopped, leaving enough space between them.

“Why didn’t you tell me you were a slave?”




“I didn’t want you to know”.




“Why? I thought we are friends Toreh. Friends tell each other everything”.




“Friends? How can a prince and a slave be friends? We’re not friends Eloive. Friends don’t know the taste of each other’s lips”.




Eloive smirked. “So you did enjoy the kiss. Mind telling me what I taste like?”




Toreh reddened. “I..don’t know”.




Eloive noticed that she didn’t deny enjoying the kiss. His smile only widened.




“Don’t fret darling. I’ll kiss you again so you will be sure”.




He moved closer and Toreh ducked under his arm, fleeing to the other side of the room. A deep chuckle rumbled from his chest as he faced her.




“Scared? Don’t worry, I’ll keep my fangs in check”.




She glared at him. “You…you can’t just go around kissing someone’s property”.




“You’re no one’s property Toreh”.




She scoffed. “I am a slave Eloive, which simply means that I’m someone’s property”.




“I’m certain your owner won’t mind Toreh. Just a small kiss, so that you’ll be sure”.




“Friends don’t kiss on the lips Eloive”.




“We could be friend with benefits”.




“Friends with benefits? What does that mean? What benefits?”




Eloive was shocked that she didn’t know. She was just so innocent and pure.




“You’d have to kiss me to find out”.




“Eloive! Just tell me…”




“Kiss me”.




She glowered. He laughed. “You know what? I don’t even want to know what it means anymore. Just give me my bracelet so I can leave”.




“Now why would I do that?”




“Err, because it’s mine?”

“Toreh, you still haven’t told me who gave you the bracelet”.




“My father gave it to me before he was taken away”.




“Who took him away?”




“That’s none of your business. Just give me what’s mine”.




“Will you be back?”




“No. It was kind of hard for me to sneak in”.




“Then why don’t you just work in the palace?”




“My owner makes sure I avoid the palace so I’d rather not”.




“Then I’ll keep the bracelet because I know you’ll be back for it”, he said, approaching her.




“Eloive…”




“You’re the only friend I’ve made here and I don’t want to lose you. Please let me have it, in order to assure me you’ll be back”.




“Eloive…”




“Please”, he begged, taking her hand.




“Eloive…”




He remained quiet, snatching one of his gold watches from his drawer. Toreh’s eyes widened when she realized what he was trying to do. She tried to take her hand from his but he held on to it, securing his watch on her wrist.




“There. Take it”.




“Eloive I can’t take this. It must have cost you a lot. Why would you give it to me?”




“We;re friends Toreh, and friends give each other gifts. Now accept my gift Toreh”.




“I won’t be able to wear it Toreh. My owner would notice”.




He took off the watch and replaced it with a small bracelet.




“My mother gave me this before she died but since I can’t wear it, you can have it”.




“Eloive…”




“Please take it Toreh. Let it be a token of our friendship”.




She simply pulled him into a hug, wrapping her arms tight around his back. Eloive stiffened, not expecting it. He slowly relaxed before hugging her back. They broke away from the embrace and Eloive mewled because he missed the feel of her body pressed to his.




“Friends?”, he asked, stretching out his hand.




She looked unsure but still shook it. “Friends”.




…




“We have to do something regarding Izal’s arm Hanos”, Avetha said as she polished her nails. She would have asked the maids to do it but they wouldn’t have been able to do it perfectly.




The vampire king lifted his head and glared at Avetha. The day wasn’t over yet and she had already changed clothes! The woman was truly infuriating! Now he understood why Thjis rejected her advances years ago.




“Don’t tell me you’re still on about that Avetha. The kingdom doesn’t love him any less simply because he’s disabled”.




A knock was heard and Dogara walked in without permission.




“Sorry to disturb you but I just wanted to inform you that the ceremony has been canceled”.




“You’ve got to be shitting me. I had to leave me wife to come here”.




“I apologize on behalf of the kingdom Hanos but you know that she can’t become my son’s concubine now that she’s in jail and a human”.




Avetha’s ears perked up. “Jail? What happened?”




“Thjis caught her trying to escape”.




“Ha! I knew she was up to no good”, Avetha said with glee.




Dogara resisted the urge to roll her eyes. “Thjis is with the elders right now, discussing what to do with her”.




“I say they kill her”.




“No”, Hanos defends, fully aware of the repercussions if she dies. “She can’t die. The lass has to live. Prepare an auction sister. May the highest bidder win”.