Chapter 15
The dinner date
“Two of them. Sneaking through the woods at the top furthest end of the Veil, my king. One of them even took a shot at me,” Adalia voiced.
The king paced back and forth a few times. “First, are you okay? And second, do you think they were entering or leaving?”
As soon as Adalia and Matthias had returned to Lucius, she took him home where, together; they had carefully cleaned and bandaged her wound before Adalia left, heading straight to the king.
She stood in one of his private council chambers. It was of medium size and had many books and scrolls scattered about on the tabletop and bookshelves. It smelt of vanilla and cinnamon. A fire crackled in the fireplace, the only window in the room large and overlooked the kingdom.
Nodding, Adalia smiled. “Yes, I’m fine. They were running towards Oscuro, so I presume they were hurrying back. Thankfully, few families live out towards that end of the Veil, mainly the odd farmer who likes to live peacefully, so if they were just scouting, then maybe all is well. But it also means that there is a tear in the Veil that needs healing, because they came through without using the Gate. I have stationed a few guards that were nearby in the area, until the healers can get there,” Adalia explained.
The king pondered her words as he continued to pace.
“Matthias is concerned his father will find his presence with me enough reason to declare war on The Grey. He fears his father will see this as betrayal and react,” she continued.
The king listened intently to Adalia’s words, his brows furrowing with concern. After a thoughtful pause, he replied, “Adalia, I understand Matthias’ apprehension. Such matters are delicate, and the politics between our kingdoms can be messy. However, Matthias must know that while he is here in Lucius, he is under our protection. I will ensure his safety and well-being. We must tread carefully, but we will not let fear dictate our actions. Please convey to Matthias that we will do everything in our power to avoid conflict, and that his presence here is not of any concern to me.”
“Thank you, my king” Adalia felt relieved, but a small tug of concern still pulled at her heart. Seeing the prince today all caught up in fear of his father made her wince. She couldn’t even fathom how he must be feeling. Never once did her own father make her feel fearful of him.
Adalia knew it was time for a hard conversation and inwardly she hoped he would open up and allow her to speak into his life. Maybe she could help him make the decision she knew he needed to make.
“Before you go, there is something I would like to share, but what you do with the information is completely up to you.” The king ushered her to sit at the table with him.
Before he told her what her ears were itching to hear, he poured her a hot tea and offered her a fresh cinnamon scroll. Adalia did not know where it came from, but didn’t refuse, hungrily devouring one. Her first sip of tea brought life to her veins.
The king sipped his drink. “Matthias’s mother lives here in Lucius.”
Adalia nearly choked on her mouthful of tea at the king’s words. “I’m sorry. Did you say mother?” Adalia questioned, wide eyed.
Why hadn’t she thought to ask that question? If he had a father, there had to be a mother, right?
The king nodded and smiled. “Yes, his mother. Her name is Hadassah.”
“And she’s here in Lucius?” Adalia questioned again.
The king chuckled at her. “Yes, Ada. Here in Lucius.”
“I’m sorry, it’s just I presumed she would be in . . . well in Oscuro and to add to it, Matthias swears he has no mother,” Adalia said as she sipped her tea again.
Her heart was racing a million miles an hour. “Does she know he is here?”
The king shook his head gently, his loose brown hair brushing his shoulders. “No, she does not. I haven’t told her yet. That is why I thought I would tell you, in case you would like to share the news with him.”
“When do you plan on telling Hadassah?” Adalia asked quietly.
Chuckling softly, the king smiled. “I’m not sure. Soon, though, she has a right to know her son is here.”
Adalia was so intrigued and her head spun with thoughts. Surely Matthias would want to know about his mother, but should she be the one to tell him? Maybe, alongside the conversation of what he was going to do about his father, she could ask him about his mother again.
The king must have sensed her unease because he reached for her hand. “There is no pressure. If you’d rather I tell him, then I will.”
“It’s ok, I can do it. I’ll just think it over first if that’s alright with you?” Adalia returned his warm gesture with a smile. “Thank you, as always, my king. Also, my compliments to the chef on those cinnamon scrolls they are absolutely divine.”
The king grinned in response. “I’m sure he will be very pleased to hear.”
Her flight home had been a troubled one. Should she tell him straight away? Should she wait and do it in a pleasant setting? What if she just wrote him a note? So many thoughts plagued her mind as the cool afternoon air travelled over her lilac wings.
Landing in her courtyard a few minutes later, she glanced around the garden. Bones was fast asleep on the daybed, lifting his head as her boots hit the ground. He didn’t bother to get up from his comfy spot in the sunshine, but he wagged his tail in happy acknowledgement of her arrival.
Stepping inside, the melodic voice she longed to hear day and night floated through the air—the voice that invaded her dreams like a thief in the night, looking for treasures to steal. Adalia followed the sound until she came face to face with the bathroom door. Turning her back, she leant against it and slid silently to the floor, letting the sound of Matthias’s voice wash over her.
“I walk the halls of my mind and, like my heart, I find them empty.
I’m wide awake in a world built for sleep and my body is ready.
But I don’t dare close my eyes ‘cause that’s when the monsters prowl.
Will you save me? Or am I doomed to lay waste in this hole?”
“Nothing matters anymore. Take me away from here.
Show me the other side of life, the place that you hold dear.
I want to be happy. Promise us we can be.
I’ll take care of you, and you’ll take care of me.”
His words sang of sadness and sorrow. Adalia wanted to reach inside his chest, pull out his heart, and hold it in her delicate hands while she breathed life back into it.
His singing stopped, and Adalia opened her eyes and quietly sighed. The bath water sloshed, and she rose to her feet hurriedly. The last thing she wanted was to let him think she’d been spying on him. She also didn’t want to surprise him with her arrival, so she headed to the kitchen to get some ingredients, shutting cupboards loudly and bang items around a little. Once she felt he knew she was home, she headed to her room.
A hot, steaming Epsom salt filled bath with caramel candles burning called to her. It had been a long day.
Adalia allowed herself to soak in the tub for a good half an hour, minding her newly gained graze, only emerging when the water lost most of its warmth.
She changed into a black, thin strapped bias cut silk dress which finished just above her knees. The gold hoops she wore to lunch with the king were still sitting on the dresser, so she picked them up and secured them in her earlobes. After fixing her complexion with some cosmetics, she dabbed her wrists with her favourite oil mixture that she purchased from the beauticians in town.
Blueberries and vanilla.
Adalia never really dressed up for dinner, especially because it was usually only her and Nik, but after the day both she and Matthias had, maybe eating out was what they both needed and because conversations needed to be had.
Deciding to leave it out to dry, Adalia ran a brush through her slightly damp hair before she headed out to the living room.
Matthias was lounging on his makeshift bed with a glass of wine in hand. His eyes travelled over her body, and she blushed. He looked so good sitting there, all dressed in black. Her knees felt like they might give way at any moment. Adalia wished he would slowly stand and walk the length of the room and take her in his arms, push her up against a wall and touch every part of her body with his mouth.
Adalia could then forget about all of their problems…the king of Oscuro, Matthias’s mother…the magnetic pull towards his body.
Feeling warmth rush to her cheeks, Adalia cleared her throat and pointed towards the kitchen.
“I started getting things out for dinner and then decided I didn’t want to cook. So, I was thinking maybe we could go out instead?” Adalia quietly suggested.
“I’ve never been out to dinner.” Matthias answered.
Adalia blinked in shock. “You’ve never dined out?”
Matthias shook his head. “Have you seen where I live? Sure, there are places to eat, but it’s always so loud and the food is never really that good. So I tend to stay indoors,” he said.
“Well, we need to remedy that straight away. My favourite pasta place is open late tonight. My treat,” she called out as she headed for her room. “Let me just put my shoes on.”
Telling him about his mother at dinner was the right thing to do, she thought as she strapped her heels on. Grabbing her bag from her dresser, she headed back out to Matthias. “We can just walk. It isn’t far.”
“Will you be warm enough in that . . . dress.” Matthias hesitated.
“Hmm, good point. Let me grab a coat, just in case.” Adalia hurried off, but returned swiftly.
She draped the dark green coat over her arm and headed to the front door. Matthias reached for the handle and opened it for her. As she stepped through, she softly whispered. “Thank you.”
The walk into town was quiet, but comfortable. Matthias seemed to have calmed since the incident in the woods, and it made Adalia feel at ease, hoping that dinner tonight might help him relax even more.
Glancing at him as she walked, she took in his 6 foot frame, black wings catching the light of the street lamps. No other man in the history of her life, here and in The Grey, had ever turned her head the way he did. Not only was he the most handsome creature she’d ever beheld, but there was a gentleness beneath his tough exterior. Like a bear with insides made of soft, squishy goodness. His personality wasn’t overbearing and loud. He was polite and always offered to help around her house. One would think he was just an everyday male and not the prince of a kingdom.
Sandalwood and juniper berries wafted through her senses and she breathed him in. Maybe taking him out to dinner was a bad idea. It was going to be difficult keeping her hands to herself sitting across the table from him, and she didn’t want to. What she really wanted was to throw caution to the wind and take a chance with the utterly delicious male beside her.
Bella Cucina came into view, and Adalia was relieved. The sooner they sat down, the better. Thoughts of his lips on hers and his muscular arms wrapped around her body were making her feel all kinds of things.
The restaurant was humming with nightlife.
Small round tables with two to four chairs at each housed bodies of men, women, and a few children. Each table, topped with a red and white chequered cloth, held flickering candles and silver cutlery, glinting from the streetlamps. Soft music drifted into the night air, and Adalia breathed it all in. This was her favourite place to eat. The chefs here made the most exquisite creamy pasta with bacon pieces, sliced truffles, and a sprinkling of fresh shallots.
Adalia pushed the door open, and a friendly girl greeted them. She had a brown pixie cut and the prettiest green eyes Adalia had ever seen. “Table for two?”
“Yes, please.” Adalia nodded her head towards the female and noticed the way she looked at them strangely, obviously shocked at the male towering over her. Adalia smiled. She rather liked the glances people gave them when she was with the prince, not that she’d admit it.
The server guided them through the restaurant and into the garden area. Beneath their feet, cobblestone floors stretched out, while a ceiling of lights adorned the space, creating the most beautiful atmosphere.
The pair seated themselves as the girl placed a menu down on the table for each of them.
“So how do you do this?” Matthias asked as he read the menu.
Adalia laughed lightly. “You read all the meal options and pick one you like the sound of. Then, when the girl comes back, we place our order. Shortly after, our food will arrive and we can eat to our heart’s content. It’s that simple.” Adalia smiled at the prince.
He nodded and resumed his reading.
A few minutes later, the girl returned with paper and pencil in hand. “Are you ready to order?”
Adalia nodded. “Yes please. Can I have the creamy fettuccine, a basket of garlic bread and a red wine? Thank you.” She voiced as she handed the menu back to the girl.
“And for you, sir?” the green-eyed server asked.
“I’ll have whatever she’s having.”
Adalia grinned at his choice. He must have panicked in the moment.
Glancing around at the Lightners, who were also enjoying a night out, she smiled at those who caught her eye. Smells from the kitchen wafted through the air, garlic and butter, tingling ones senses. A lighthearted, merry tune was playing from the live band in the courtyard’s corner. Adalia was so caught up in the moment that she didn’t notice the prince staring at her with a smile on his face until the server brought two glasses of red wine to the table.
“Thank you” Adalia smiled up at her and returned her gaze to the grey-blue eyes.
Matthias broke contact and took a sip of his. “Wonderful wine.”
“They only serve the best here.” Adalia said as she savoured the smell of the red liquid in her glass. She watched Matthias as he looked around the restaurant courtyard and in that very moment, she wanted him . . . all of him. Mind, body, and soul.
“You’re not like I’d thought you’d be, you know.”
The prince flicked his gaze back to her. “And how did you think I would be?”
“‘Prince of Darkness’ and all, I just thought you’d be . . . harsher, more . . . evil.”
“Would you like me to be more evil?”
Adalia shook her head. “No, I quite like you just the way you are.”
Matthias huffed into his glass as he took a sip. “Don’t think anyone has ever said that to me before.”
It tore her heart to hear him say those words. How quickly this man was turning from someone she’d despised, to someone she only wanted to make feel seen.
Swirling the wine in her glass, Adalia eyed the prince. “Tell me about your family.”
Matthias shrugged his shoulders. “What is there to tell? My father is a joke. The end.”
“What about your mother? Do you ever speak to her? Do you have any siblings?” she probed him further.
“I don’t know my mother. Father never talks about her and any time I try to ask he usually responds with violence, so after the second time of him hitting me over it as a young boy, I gave up asking,” he replied, swirling the wine in his glass.
“I am so sorry, Matthias. No one should ever have to live with abuse.” Adalia whispered.
Matthias softly shrugged and shook his head. “You get used to it. As for siblings, it’s just me. And thank goodness. Fewer people for him to torture.”
The pain she saw flash in his eyes was gut wrenching. Before she could question him further, the green-eyed server appeared with two steaming plates of pasta. She placed them on the table before retreating to fetch the accompanying garlic bread. Adalia’s mouth watered at the sight of the food. “Take a bite. Tell me what you think?”
Matthias lifted his fork and placed some pasta on the end, giving it a little twirl before eating it. “Wow, that is fantastic. Better than what you cook.”
Adalia’s eyes widened at his remark. As she held her fork in mid-air, a small noodle slipped off and fell back into the bowl. “Take that back right now or you can sleep outside when we get home.”
The prince chuckled as he ate another mouthful. “Ok, little dove. I take it back. It’s almost as good as your cooking.”
Adalia rolled her eyes at him, but smiled. “Tell me more about yourself.”
“I’m not sure what else there is to tell . . .” His voice trailed off.
“Well, tell me what it was like for you growing up in the castle.”
The prince shifted in his chair, black wings brushing against it. “It was lonely.”
“Come on, Beast, I’ve seen your little book of secrets. I know you have words. Why do you keep them from me?” Adalia questioned softly.
There was a lock upon the door of his heart, and Adalia was determined to find the right key to open it.
Resting her chin on her hand with her elbow propped up on the table, Adalia knocked on the cage inside his chest with her eyes. “Let me in,” she whispered.
Matthias fiddled with the white napkin in his hand before running his eyes over her face. “It’s not pretty in there,” he warned.
“I don’t mind.”
Sighing softly, Matthias placed the napkin on the table. “It truly was lonely. I spent many nights crying alone in my room. I used to sneak out under the cover of darkness and wander the forests, usually ending up at the ocean, walking along the shore for hours. That’s where I found Bones.” He smiled at the mention of the hound. “My father never noticed my absence, or he never alluded that he did. Sometimes I wondered why he even kept me around. As I grew, my coping mechanism became more obvious. Hiding away from the world as much as I could only appearing when summoned. I would retreat from large parties the king threw. The noise and activities were distasteful to me and I was never wanted there, anyway. Snake would always make fun of me, and the courtiers would laugh . . . even my father joined in. That’s when I started street fighting. It was something that was mine and no one made fun of me there.”
Holding back the tears that threatened to spill over, Adalia reached across the table and squeezed Matthias’s hand.
A sorrowful smile was his only response.
“No wonder you’re the silent type. I can see it now.” Adalia spoke quietly.
Sipping his wine, Matthias huffed softly.
“Have you thought about looking for your Mother while you are here in Lucius?”
“Why the sudden fascination in my mother?” Matthias murmured with a smile.
Adalia shrugged. “I guess if it were me I would want to know, is all.”
“I mean, of course I would like to know, but I wouldn’t even know where to start. I do not know what she looks like, nor do I know her name. Then there’s the issue of knowing which kingdom she is in. On the other hand, the fear of rejection keeps me at bay. What if she didn’t want me, just like my father? Maybe she left me with him for a reason and doesn’t want to be found,” the prince answered, the last words filled with a touch of bitterness.
Nodding, Adalia sipped her wine, a touch of guilt at the back of her throat each time she swallowed. She could just tell him everything she knew about his mother right now. It was wrong of her to keep it from him, but that last remark of his kept her mouth shut. Maybe she could seek Hadassah and find out some more information before she shared what she knew with him. The last thing she wanted was to put him through more pain.
“Well, if you ever decide you want to know more, I could ask around for you,” she suggested.
“Thanks, but for now I’ve got other issues to deal with,” the prince replied. “I do not know what I am meant to do about my father. The easiest thing is to return home, but after those Thorns saw us today, I fear there won’t be a welcome home party on my arrival.”
The broken bird returned as Adalia watched the prince talk. His wings wrapped around his frame like a shield, protecting him from the world, and she wanted to take the pain that weighed on his body and throw it farther than the eye could see.
“What if you just never returned?”
Matthias took a deep breath in and folded his arms across his chest. “I mean . . . it’s a possibility, but I just feel like I will always wonder what if. What if my father changes? What if he became the father I needed? What if I could show him that there’s a different way of doing life? You know?”
Smiling, Adalia finished the wine in her glass. “You have a good heart, Matthias.”
Matthias chuckled softly. “I’m not sure I have a heart at all, little dove.”
Before Adalia could protest, the server returned. “I hope you enjoyed your meal. Would either of you like dessert?”
Shaking her head, Adalia smiled at the green-eyed beauty. “The meal was glorious, as usual. As for dessert, I’m fine, thank you.”
Turning to face Matthias, Adalia questioned with her brow. “Oh, I’m also fine, thank you,” he answered.
Matthias had eaten his fill of pasta and bread, and Adalia had more than enough wine. Both laughed as they paid for the meal. “May the light guide you!” Adalia said as she thanked the girl for a wonderful evening and started the walk home.
“How come you all say that saying here?” Matthias murmured as they walked.
“What saying?”
“May the light guide you . . .”
Adalia pinched her brow—pondering. “It’s something we are taught once we enter the kingdom. I think it’s a way of keeping the hope inside of us. That there is something beyond just us. There is a light that always shines in the darkness.”
Matthias nodded, but remained silent.
“So, how do you feel about your first experience dining out?” Adalia asked, hands tucked behind her back as she strolled along.
A boyish grin tugged the corner of his mouth. “It was wonderful. Thank you for sharing it with me.”
Adalia smiled as she tucked some loose strands of hair behind her ear.
“By the way, you look stunning tonight.” The prince’s voice was warm and husky.
Lightly bumping his arm with her shoulder, Adalia felt the heat rise to her cheeks. “Thanks,” she replied softly.
“Did you always know you wanted to join the King’s Army?” Matthias casually asked.
“Not when I first came to Lucius, no. After a year of getting to know the kingdom and the king himself, though, that’s when I knew I wanted to be a part of something that was bigger than me. I wanted to make a difference,” Adalia replied.
Matthias nodded as he strolled along, and Adalia wondered what was going on inside his head.
They reached the front door to her home, and Matthias opened it, standing in the doorway. Adalia searched his grey-blue eyes that seemed to beckon to her and she couldn’t hold back any longer.
“By the light,” she whispered before standing on the tips of her toes. Tugging the front of his shirt towards her, Adalia placed a soft, swift kiss on his lips.
Pulling back, she waited to see how the prince would respond.
They stood in the doorway for a few moments, his gaze locked on hers—darkening with every second.
Adalia was about to take a step back when Matthias reached a hand out and gripped the back of her neck, pulling her towards him. The hunger in the kiss brought a weakness to her knees and Adalia quietly moaned. Matthias grinned against her mouth.
Within moments, muscular arms circled her waist and lifted her off the ground. Adalia wrapped her legs around his hips and captured his mouth with her own once again. Matthias carried her inside, kicking the door shut with his foot as she dropped her coat and bag onto the floor.
Never breaking the kiss, he strode across the room and gently sat on the lounge, straddling Adalia on his lap.
Their kiss deepened and Adalia finally did what she had been dreaming of since the moment she laid eyes on him that first time in the throne room of Oscuro.
Reaching up, she ran her fingers through his silky, dark brown hair. It was just as soft as she thought it would be. She broke their kiss for a moment to catch her breath, both sitting in silence, staring at one another.
Matthias’s gaze dropped to her mouth and his eyes darkened again as she bit her lip. “Sweet darkness. You taste so good.”
He pulled her closer and her breath caught in her throat at the strength of his arms. She let her face slowly fall towards his as she captured his mouth again. The kiss hungrier this time. His tongue flicked across the seam of her mouth, asking to be invited in, and Adalia opened to him. It swept inside, dancing with hers, his teeth nipping at her bottom lip. He was devouring her as if he’d never eaten before and would starve if he couldn’t have her.
And Adalia let him.
This is what her subconscious had been craving the moment she tasted him in the forest. She shouldn’t be craving it, but she was.
Every moan, every lick, every touch and taste—it wasn’t enough. She wanted him to be so close their bodies became one.
Tattooed hands gripped her hips as Matthias kissed her passionately. Adalia rocked against him, drawing a hiss from the prince. The grip on her hips tightened.
The house was dark apart from the soft glow of the streetlamp outside that shone through her bay window, casting shadows across their bodies. She never wanted this feeling to end. It felt so right . . . he felt so right.
Adalia ran the tips of her fingers over the edge of his wings, just above his shoulders, and Matthias sucked in a breath, his body twitching under hers. She smiled as she did it again—the prince groaned, louder this time.
“Do you like it when I touch you there?”
“I do . . . and I shouldn’t.”
“Would you like me to do it again?” Adalia whispered against his mouth.
Matthias nodded before his eyes rolled into the back of his head, as Adalia brushed his wings again.
Seeing him come apart before her had Adalia feeling very warm at her core.
There was too much fabric between them and Adalia wished she could remove it all, but she was letting Matthias set the pace—there was no need to rush.
“Would you like to take this to a place a little more intimate?” Adalia whispered against the prince’s cheek. He trailed kisses along her jaw as his hands squeezed her thighs beneath her dress.
“Are you inviting me into your room, little dove?”
Adalia nodded. “I would like to invite you into many areas of my life.”
One of the thin straps of her dress slipped from her shoulder, revealing warm honey tinted skin that Matthias readily captured with his mouth. Throwing her head back as his lips traced a line across her collarbone, Adalia moaned softly, raking her fingers through his hair.
Part of her dress fell away, revealing a firm, unbound breast, and Adalia gasped as the prince found it with his tongue.
Nipping. Kissing. Sucking.
Experiencing all of this with him was utterly magical.
It was like a dream until it wasn’t anymore.
Matthias abruptly pulled back from her, his face pained. “I’m sorry . . . I can’t do this. I want to . . . but I can’t.”
“What do you mean, you can’t do this? You are doing it?” Adalia whispered.
“I don’t know . . . just trust me, you don’t want this.” Matthias motioned to himself.
Before Adalia could respond, he gently, but swiftly, moved her off his lap, onto the seat beside him, and walked out the front door.
Adalia sat in shock. It all happened so quickly.
Did he really leave? Had he not enjoyed the kiss? Did something at dinner offend him? How did they just go from creating magic together to all of it being sucked from the room in seconds?
Tears sprang to her eyes as Adalia returned the strap of her gown to her shoulder. Holding back tears, she rose from the lounge. After retrieving her discarded bag and jacket that lay strewn on the floor, she headed for her bedroom.
Maybe he didn’t feel the same way she did? She must have read the signals wrong. But how could he have just left without saying anything?
Adalia changed into her nightgown, cleaned her teeth, and slid under the covers of her new blanket she purchased last week. The perfect blanket for her current situation. She drew the covers over her head, allowing it to hide her emotions and a new, sudden fear.
What if he didn’t come back?