Page 14 of Quest for her Knights
“Hmm?” he murmurs, not lifting his gaze from my feet.
“I don’t give a shit about what siblings someone does or doesn’t have. I care about the man himself.”
He finishes with my feet and finally looks up at me, his eyes searching mine.
“What?” I ask when he doesn’t speak. “What are you thinking right now?”
“I’m thinking about how I like you a lot more than the other Elora. I’m glad you’re here.”
“Me too,” I say with a smile, which he returns.
Damn, is he ever gorgeous. Staring into his warm face gives me all the tingles.
“You’re wet,” he says bluntly, making my eyes widen and my cheeks flame.
“What?!” I squeak. Can he smell my arousal or something?
“Your dress is wet. You should change.” He lifts me back to my feet, then swiftly heads for the door. “We’ll be out here. Take your time.” He pulls the door shut behind him.
I sag against the counter, letting out a puff of air. Damn, why was that so hot? The way he lifted me so easily and took care of me.
In the dungeon and the parlor, he seemed so stoic and firm. But just now, I saw a glimpse of a softer side.
He’s starting to give off major cinnamon roll energy, and I’m completely here for it.
Chapter five
Arrow
“Elora, I know this is a very unusual situation for you, and for all of us, but there are a few ground rules we need to discuss,” King Ian says as the royal family gathers around the dining table. Draven, Blaze, and I stand off to the side, silently watching and ready to take action if any threats arise.
“Sure, what are they?” Elora asks casually, shoving more food into her mouth. I try to hide my laugh. She definitely doesn’t eat like a princess, and for some reason, that makes me like her a little more.
When she offered for us to sleep in her room last night, I almost climbed into that bed with her right then and there. Luckily, with one look, Blaze reminded me why that was not only a bad idea, but also completely crossing the line. She wasa princess, and I was a knight. There would be no going there with her, no matter how much I wanted to.
It didn’t help that since she arrived, she’s been constantly smiling and batting her long eyelashes at me. Fuck, this woman is nothing like the old Elora. Although they technically look the same, this Elora is so much warmer. I can feel the positivity radiating from her. I really wanted to talk to her more last night, but Blaze made it clear she needed to go to sleep the second she came out of the bathroom wearing nothing but a tiny silk nightdress.
Was she trying to kill me?
King Cole’s voice brings me back to the conversation. I’m eager to know what they plan to do with her.
“Outside of this room and the knights, nobody will know you come from another realm. The same goes for Freya. It gets complicated trying to explain this to an entire kingdom, so you’re not to mention it to anyone else.”
“No problem, I won’t tell anyone,” she agrees easily.
“For that reason, you should refer to us as Father and Mother at all times. It’s easier than trying to remember to switch how you address us when others are present.”
“Okay… Father Cole,” she says with a smile before taking a sip of her orange juice.
He nods at her, and King Lewis continues. “The next part is a bit more complicated. Before our daughter… betrayed us, she was about to begin the process of meeting potential suitors. It’s something she delayed for years, and she’s really left it too long.”
Princess Freya helpfully chimes in. “Women tend to marry pretty young here, as there are so many options. They can’t live on their own; it’s too dangerous. If they want to leave home, they need to get married.”
“Wow, that’s rather… old-fashioned. But I guess it makes sense for this realm.”
King Lewis continues. “In light of these circumstances, we had arranged a formal suitor tour for Elora, a journey throughout the kingdom during which she would be introduced to potential candidates for marriage. We were hoping that you might be willing to participate.”
My stomach clenches at the thought of her parading around Dyconia, meeting all the eligible noble bachelors. From my experience, being noble doesn’t automatically make you a good person.
