Chapter 20 #2
As she looks at me confused, my mind brings me back.
The music is as always, loud enough to hear from this distance.
We are reaching the bridge that bridges the palace to the main village.
I haven’t been here a lot. The last time I remember was before the trials, when people dancing and magic wine surprised me.
She doesn’t give me the satisfaction of answering and keeps her mouth shut as our feet drag us closer to the village.
Eliane’s eyes widen, and I swear I hear a soft gasp as we enter Ilanos. Lanterns and strings of light crisscross above, casting a warm glow over the houses. She looks around, taking it all in.
It is only then that I realize. She has never got the opportunity to see this.
Happiness fills my chest at the thought of me being the first one she experiences this with.
To be her first something. A gleaming smile rises on my face as I watch her go from window to window looking inside all the shops we stroll by.
The square with lots of flowers, cobblestone pathways, lights and pillars I watched people dancing last time, comes into view.
Eliane looks over her shoulder, and I try to drop my smile when she looks at me, but I can’t help it.
I give her a nod of approval, a little shove in her back and she bolts forwards.
Before I can blink my eyes and come closer, she joins the people dancing in the middle.
She looks hilarious wearing fighting leathers, dancing in between people that are all dressed up, but she doesn’t care. Ridiculous, some would say.
Ridiculously cute.
She smiles from ear to ear as she shakes those perfect hips and throws her hands in the air. She brushes her fingers through her wavy shiny hair as she loosens the braid, letting her hair flow in all possible directions. I put my hands on my hips, watching her every move.
A long, blond-haired man with a soft beard and green eyes strolls towards her.
No way.
She thinks men don’t look at her, her reaction earlier made it clear she has no experience with the other sex at all.
But every man here turned his head as she started to dance.
Eliane her movements slow down as the man whispers something in her ear.
She gives him a nod of approval and before she steadies on her feet the man wraps an arm around her waist and forces her into a dance.
That isn’t going to happen, buddy.
My feet stamp towards her and rage bubbles in my veins. I ball my fist together ready to throw a punch. Eliane blinks her lashes innocently at me as she catches me coming closer. Teasing me-that is for sure.
“There you are, my wife,” I growl, my voice is low and raspy, and I see her shudder as the last words roll off my tongue. The blond man looks at me in surprise before looking back at Eliane.
“You are married?” he gasps.
“Apparently I am.” She gives him a teasing smile before looking at me confused and strict. I push him away.
“Didn’t you hear me right or what?” I snap. The man doesn’t move away, and my fist is ready to punch. I push him backwards with my other hand before throwing out a punch. His head smashes into the other direction and blood starts to stream from his nose.
Good.
The smell of metal fills my nose as he backs off.
“Fucking asshole. Everybody is right. You really are a monster of a prince.” He spit, blood dripping on the floor. I don’t give him the satisfaction of looking at him. I grab Eliane’s arm, dragging her deeper onto the dance floor. I wrap her arms around my neck. She looks at me with eyes wide.
“You didn’t need to punch him, you know,” she teases, but her words seem stuck in her throat. And I know she says it only in our mind, because she doesn’t mean it. Her eyes all filled with lust. I know she has no experience. She has no experience with a man.
And manes would I like to be her first. But not here. Not with people. Not until I am a hundred percent sure she wants it. I curl my toes and shake the feeling away.
“It appeared I did,” I growl. “He didn’t get the message the first time.” I dance with her slowly but avoid eye contact. Her words land hard.
“So wife, huh?” she breathes out, this cute pink blush raising on her face. My gaze finds hers. I did call her that indeed. Maybe kissing wouldn’t be that strange of a first step at all.
But no, I decide on calling her my wife.
Stupid.
I am so fucking stupid.
“I did what I had to do to get that pervert away. You know the only thing he wanted to do was get in your pants, right?”
She shakes her head in disagreement, her eyes sharpening with confusion.
“No, you are wrong, he was just being nice,” she reacts, switching back to normal talking in surprise. Her voice sounds high, and her plump lips stay a bit open.
Stupid, inexperienced, little girl.
Woman.
“Every man on the square has given you the fuck me eyes. You really haven’t noticed?” I snap. She looks over my shoulder, scanning the crowd and her face turns red as a tomato.
“Oh,” she whispers.
“Yes oh,” I growl. A jealous feeling creeping up my chest again, and I let my hands rest on her hips. I am still a man. A possessive one.
“I hate you,” she snaps, narrowing her eyes.
Her blush tells me otherwise.
“Hate me all you want, but let’s go,” I huff, my hand slipping of her soft hip.
Well, goodness. This is going to be loads of fun.
I drag her arm as we need to get through the crowd. I tell myself I hold her because I don’t want to wait, but I know that it is because I want to touch her so badly. I hate myself for it.
The address teller comes into view. Or I assume it is.
In front of us is a shop with glass windows and house numbers covering the door.
A map hangs behind the windows and an old lady stands inside.
She has big round glasses, and her crazy gray afro hair is put up in a loose bun.
Eliane pushes the door open, the bell rings and the ringing sound alerts the old woman.
Her skin is dark like chocolate, but her blue eyes are the complete opposite.
The thick round glasses make her eyes look huge and she hops towards us.
Her clothes are dark green and blue, and she has a long diamond necklace around her neck.
She looks a bit crazy, but whatever. Who isn’t a bit crazy these days?
“How can I help this lovely couple?” she sings out.
Narrowing her eyes as she scans our faces.
Her wrinkled hands remind me of those of a witch, even though they don’t seem to exist, not anymore at least. Her hands grab Eliane’s face as she studies her.
Eliane stands frozen to the spot. “Aren’t you a pretty thing?
” she murmurs, before letting go of her face.
A bead of sweat drips down in Eliane’s eyebrow.
“I would swear I have seen you two somewhere before.” She sighs, browsing through the pages of her address book I assume. I let out a cough.
“That might be possible.”
She looks up at me in confusion, her ice blue eyes sharpening.
“We are looking for someone,” I continue as I step closer towards the wooden brown desk she is standing behind.
I press my chest forwards and look down at the woman in front of me, making sure we get the answer we need.
“Gwen Fenyra and Hazel Taryn Angevine,” I breathe out, looking a bit irritated, but I don’t mind.
She flips through the pages of the books.
“Mmm,” she murmurs, looking up at me and taking her glasses off.
“Aren’t those candidates off those king’s trials?
” she asks, fixing her messy grey bun with her hands.
Just like all puzzle pieces click together she blinks her eyes a few times, her mouth opens as she looks from me to Eliane and back to me.
She swallows before speaking up again. “You are contestants, that is why your guys are wearing those funny clothes and weapons,” she whispers, just like she can’t get those words over her lips.
“Fighting leathers,” I correct her in a whisper. The lady gives a disagreeing look before turning to Eliane.
“Yes, we are.” Eliane nods her head in agreement before answering, elbowing me.
“Eliane Lux Angevine, isn’t it? And Braxton Lance Dunkeld?” she asks. I want to correct her that it actually is Prince Braxton Lance Dunkeld, but I keep my mouth shut, preventing another elbow in my groin. She focuses her gaze on Eliane, grabs her hand and her gaze softens.
“How come you need to find your sister?” she asks, but she doesn’t look really surprised at all.
Before Eliane can open her mouth she starts talking again.
“Come follow me, sweet girl, I have been waiting for you.” Eliane gives me a disoriented look, but still follows the woman into the dark.
I follow her, scared of losing her. She is getting dragged into a room and gives me a look over her shoulder before the old lady somehow slams the door close in front of my nose, not wanting me to follow.
My hands grab the knob of the door and start pushing it.
It won’t budge.
I do the only thing I can possibly do at this moment.
I break through Eliane’s walls and get in her mind.
How come her walls are this weak already?
I feel someone else in her mind, but I can’t tell who it is.
I can feel Eliane thinking and can feel the woman’s eyes on here.
Eliane’s mind slips to a saying I assume the old woman has told her.
“Repeat it, please. I want to hear what she is saying to you,” I tell her, but she doesn’t react.
It feels like minutes have passed, but it can’t be more than two.
My body feels tired, sore and tingles as the door opens again.
The old lady hurries besides me, and Eliane gives me a shrug.
“Now let’s see. Hazel and Gwen, wasn’t it?
” the old lady squeaks. I nod my head firmly.
She looks through the book using her pointing finger to read, but the pages of the book fly without using her hands.
How did she do that? Is she a tele too?
“What is your signet?” I huff out. The pages fall down and ice blue eyes shoot towards me.
“Gwen and her parents live at Lunarislane 31. Hazel lives with her parents on Taploz at Vrynella 72,” she hisses, ignoring my question from before.
She slams the book close and strolls towards the back.
Her hips shake and it almost looks like she is flying.
The door of the backroom flies open and before she can slam it close, Eliane’s voice sounds loud.
“Thank you, miss,” she rejoices, smiling at the lady. The old woman gives her a slight smile as she looks over her shoulder. She slams the door closed, leaving the shop shaking.