Chapter 53 Lock the Door
Elian was long awake before the maids arrived.
He barely slept last night; each time he closed his eyes, he saw Lucien’s annoying face looking down at him.
Groaning, he rolled out of bed and went to open the door.
"Good morning, sire. We are just bringing breakfast and warm bath water," the maid informed, glancing at her fellow maids.
Elian nodded. "Go ahead, please," he murmured, stepping out of their way.
"You can rest assured, sire. No one is putting anything in your bath," Charity smiled, giving Elian a curt nod before moving into the room.
Elian suddenly thought of speaking to Charity privately—maybe get her to confess to the council that their princess tried to kill someone.
But then he thought again: who was he to make the council listen? They’d probably label him with blasphemy and end up punishing him instead.
"Enjoy your breakfast, sire," Charity said, following her peers out of Elian’s chamber.
Elian didn’t waste time spacing out; he quickly ate his food and did his business in the washroom before stepping out of his chamber.
He needed to gather a lot of information that day, so he had to start early.
As he walked past Lucien’s room, he refused to look at the door, his gloved hands clenching tightly. He could vividly see himself on his knees for his enemy. Shame engulfed him, and he walked faster, hoping the memory cleared as he got busy with his day.
Elian was approaching the grand hall when he heard Lucien’s deep voice murmuring to someone. He slowed, praying to the heavens not to let the next voice he heard belong to Rowena.
The heavens did not answer.
Rowena’s soft laughter echoed around the hall, and if he didn’t know any better, he would believe that she was a pure soul. His chest constricted as he heard Lucien’s low chuckle; it seemed like the couple were really having a good time.
"Good morning, Elian," Cassian spoke behind Elian, surprising him.
Elian gasped softly, turning around to look at Cassian. "Good morning, I did not hear you come." He smiled politely.
"Did I scare you? I’m sorry," Cassian said, looking down at Elian’s gloved hand.
"Do you know what I did all night?" Cassian asked, taking Elian’s hand.
Elian shook his head, narrowing his eyes suspiciously. He hoped Cassian wasn’t about to step over the threshold of their friendship; if he did, then Elian would distance himself. The less drama, the better.
"What?" Elian blinked gently, paying attention to Cassian’s gray eyes.
"To hold your hands... within gloves. Do you have to wear them every time?" Cassian spoke calmly, his thumb rubbing over the smooth leather covering Elian’s palm.
Elian hesitated for a while. "Yes..." he said as he pulled away from Cassian, "Duke’s orders."
Cassian slowly nodded. "I understand."
"Do you want to walk with me?" Cassian asked, gently wrapping his hand around Elian’s wrist.
"Where to?" Elian looked up at Cassian.
"Today is the princess’s birthday... there will be a royal ball tonight. I will be walking around the castle, making sure everything is in order," Cassian explained.
Elian’s face fell. "Oh."
Was that why Lucien was being so soft with her?
He suddenly frowned, a question he’d been ignoring finally raising its head in his mind: Was Lucien truly in love with the princess, or was this some sort of scheme for him?
After last night, he started to believe that maybe the Duke might just be marrying the princess for the throne, or for other darker reasons he was hiding from the sun.
What could it be that was enough to make a man like Lucien agree to tolerate such a spoiled and evil woman?
"Will you be my company today, my moon?" Cassian whispered.
Elian suddenly smiled. "Do you promise to answer every question I ask?"
Cassian chuckled. "To the best of my freedom."
Elian sighed. "That’s good enough."
Cassian held Elian’s hand and led him toward the grand hall.
The moment they stepped out of the archway, he felt that prickling gaze locking on him before it lowered to his and Cassian’s locked hands.
"Good morning, Your Grace, and a very happy birthday to you, Your Highness," Cassian greeted the couple, bowing his head.
Elian mimicked Cassian, bowing his head, but only because he did not want to look into Lucien’s green eyes.
"Good morning, Your Grace. Happy birthday, Princess," Elian murmured.
"Thank you, Cassian... Elian. Thank you," Rowena replied, her eyes secretly glaring at Elian’s lowered head.
"Are you going somewhere I do not know about?" Lucien found himself asking despite promising himself not to speak to Elian.
However, Elian didn’t lift his head and Cassian answered instead.
"I only asked him to oversee the preparation of the princess’s ball with me, Your Grace. We are not leaving the castle," Cassian explained.
"Did you ask me, Elian?" Lucien questioned coldly, his eyes burning into Cassian’s and Elian’s joined hands.
Elian sighed softly. "I’m sorry, Your Grace. May I oversee the preparation of the princess’s ball with Cassian?" he requested gently, lifting his head just the slightest to stare at Lucien’s chest, never at his face.
"No," Lucien stated calmly.
Petty?
He didn’t care.
Elian’s shoulders slouched.
There went his opportunity to get closer to his father’s truth...
Why was Lucien being such an arse?!
"Your Grace, may I plead—"
"You may not, Cassian. He is my attendant. He simply cannot attend to me when he is away from me," Lucien cut Cassian off coldly.
Cassian slowly released Elian’s hand, taking a step back. "Then, excuse me, I will get to my duty now." He gave Elian a small smile and walked away.
"My love, really, Elian can go. You won’t need him today... you’re with me, right?" Rowena asked softly, kissing Lucien’s cheek.
She needed him gone. For some reason, Lucien’s attention seemed to deviate from her the moment Elian showed up. She didn’t know how Elian did it, but he had an annoying aura that made one unable to look away from him.
"He stays with me, Rowena. I need to watch him," Lucien stated.
Rowena chuckled softly. "Stand behind us, Elian," she instructed.
Elian did not wait to be told twice; he moved behind them, standing a good distance away from them.
"It’s my birthday, my love. Can I make a wish?" Rowena stepped in front of Lucien, staring up at him with her beautiful eyes.
Lucien felt the trap from miles away, but he willingly fell into it. "Go ahead, my Princess."
"Kiss me," she whispered sexily.
Lucien hesitated, resisting the urge to glance behind him and check how Elian was feeling about Rowena’s request. But then, he shouldn’t care how Elian felt.
To prove to himself that Elian’s feelings meant nothing to him, he leaned in and kissed Rowena’s lips.
It wasn’t a soft, innocent kiss; it was wet and deep, their tongues tangling in a sweet kiss.
’This is torture.’ Elian lowered his gaze, grunting softly as he suddenly felt a sharp pain in his chest, his eyes burning with unshed tears.
’Why am I feeling this way?!’ he screamed at himself, wishing anyone could provide him a reasonable answer.
He felt a tear roll down his cheek and immediately wiped it off, panicking. He hoped no one saw it. How could he explain that he was suddenly crying because the Duke was kissing his betrothed?
"Are you sure you don’t want me in your room tonight, my love? You kissed me so hungrily," Rowena whispered, loud enough for Elian to hear.
Lucien cleared his throat, maintaining his smile. "I assure you, my Princess, there is no need for your visit," he said to her.
And he meant it. The kiss was simply what it was... a kiss. He felt nothing down there, not like when he kissed... Elian.
He suddenly turned, unable to stand there and act like he hadn’t just made someone witness his... unfaithfulness?
But Rowena was his fiancée; why did he have to feel like he was doing something wrong by kissing her?
The moment he turned, he caught Elian’s hand harshly wiping a stray tear away, and his heart shuddered greatly.
He shouldn’t have kissed Rowena.
"Excuse me, my Princess. I will fetch my cigarettes from my chamber," Lucien bowed, kissing her cheek.
"Hurry, my love, I will wait," Rowena replied.
Lucien spun, heading toward the hallway without bothering to speak to Elian... he knew he would follow.
Elian did follow; that was his duty... to follow the Duke around.
They walked into the Duke’s royal chambers and Lucien still didn’t look at Elian. He went straight to his room, leaving the door open.
Elian paused at the threshold, waiting for Lucien to fetch whatever it was he wanted to fetch so they could leave.
"Come in here, Elian," Lucien ordered.
Elian gritted his teeth and slowly walked into the room.
"Close the door," Lucien murmured.
Elian did.
"Lock it," he commanded.
Elian hesitated, and then he latched the lock in place.
"Now..." Lucien crowded behind Elian’s back, "look at me," he whispered.