ocean-life Chapter 41: But She Did Not Look Back
Chapter 41: But She Did Not Look Back
Chapter 41: But She Did Not Look Back
"Here, drink some wine, Your Highness," Lucia offered the Crown Prince a glass of red wine, her face beaming with warmth as she smiled at him.
Kai, however, could not care less for her subtle ways of expressing affection. Without even looking at her, he accepted the wine and downed it all in one go, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, ignoring his manners.
His attention was focused exclusively on his stepsister and the lycan king, parading around her like a hungry predator salivating at her body and ready to pounce.
Even though Lucia had noticed Kai's uninterested state, she did not want to give up just yet.
"I have noticed that Queen Phaora and her ladies-in-waiting were quite smitten with you earlier when you came to officially greet their delegation. If I can be completely honest with you, I was very jealous of your interactions with them. Your charms can pull in absolutely everyone."
She had hoped that her flattering words would finally help her get his attention but Kai continued to ignore Lucia, his deep green eyes still firmly focused on his stepsister.
"Your gift," she tried again, "has attracted a lot of attention too. I was showered with compliments."
That remark was met with cold silence once more and Lucia gritted her teeth, groaning desperately under her breath. She handed him another glass of wine in hopes the growing intoxication would make him finally loosen up, but the prince simply chugged the liquor down and then threw an empty glass at Lucia, spilling the leftovers of wine on her new dress.
"Stop hovering around me, this is not your place. Do I have to keep choking you until you finally get it?"@@@@
With that harsh scowl, Kai left her side, stomping away angrily while Lucia's eyes watched his every move, her own irritation soaring.
'First him, then that old Duke Kalder, and now even that animal is obsessed with her... what the hell is so special about that limping skeleton anyway? She has nothing to look at except for her pretty face, but she looks like a ghost without makeup anyway!'
The frown on her face deepened and she looked at the empty glass in her hands while something unexpectedly devious began to brew inside her mind.
"I am doing a huge favor to you right now, Lorelai. Let us go. Since you are still unmarried, your first dance of the evening must be with a member of your family. Trust me," he threw the lycan king another mad glare before adding. "It would be better for you to accept my generosity."
With that, he pulled her hand closer to him and started walking when Rhaegar nearly jumped in front of them and stretched out Lorelai's cane, preventing them from making another step.
"What is the meaning of this?!" Kai growled, scowling at the man before them.
Before Rhaegar could say another word, Lorelai gently touched the wooden cane with her fingers, subtly brushing them over the lycan king's fist, and smiled at him unexpectedly gently.
"It is alright, Your Majesty. I have to do this and I am feeling absolutely fine. Thank you for worrying about me. I appreciate that."
Rhaegar found himself speechless, utterly stunned by her blatant lies. Was she always that good at pretending? But more importantly, did her brother not care about her condition at all?
Once again, he was not able to say a word as Lorelai subtly shook her head, warning him to not get involved anymore.
Then, she fisted her hands at her stomach and nodded at Kai, leading him over to the dancing area, gritting her teeth as the throbbing in her hip continued to torture her.
Rhaegar felt his heart contract with both anger and hurt.
He watched the two of them walk away from him and could not help but hope that Lorelai would turn around and ask him to help him with those big green eyes.
But it did not happen.
She did not look back.