Chapter 32

Daron grit his teeth, a prominent glare on his face. So sharp Lilianna, the first queen, was reminded of him in his younger days, when he was much crueller and still as shallow.

She knew the expression well, as it was his face when his pride was injured and that happened so many times to the extremely prideful man. She had once tried to count, but that ended up in him having the same expression when he found out and as a result married the second queen, Elizabeth.

He stopped walking and turned to his family with a frown, "go on ahead, I'd like to speak with Dwayne for a bit", he said without noticing the look of hurt on his youngest sons face.

They left, leaving Dwayne and Daron behind. Dwayne already knew what the man was going to say and sighed before he spoke.

"Forgive me, father. That girl is much too stubborn for me to sway her right now, please give me some more time", he knelt to his father with a remorseful face.

The retired emperor sneered as he recalled the girl who had won their private battle and then, when he recalled the amount of mana she possessed he shivered slightly, much to his chagrin.

"I will allow for it. You shall bring her to our side. We need her, her mana is a frightful and inhuman thing. I'll give you a month".

"Thank you Father, I won't fail you". Dwayne's tense shoulders relaxed and then once again tensed when he noticed that his old father was not done speaking.

"If you can't manage it in a month then discard of her, she's too dangerous to not have on our side. You know who to hire" and with that horrific conclusion, the conversation ended and Daron walked off. He wouldn't be able to sleep peacefully for quite a while.

Dwayne on the other hand just cursed. He had no luck in magic and couldn't make out mana or much less even feel it. It was his one downfall and he did his best to make up for it with his other aspects.

But, if his father, who only ever wielded shadow magic- a rare magic only few where ever gifted -was out bested in the one thing he excelled at then that girl was trouble.

And although he knew how troubling she would be, he had no idea how much he would regret trying to befriend the stubborn girl.

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"Why do you let them speak to you like that" Alexis inquired as she followed Alastair. She didn't know where he was going, she just followed him blindly. Glad that he wasn't mad.

"Who?" He asked not slowing down for her to catch up.

"Your family, your father" she felt her temper flicker when she recalled what the previous emperor did to him. Her teeth grit together.

'He didn't deserve to be called a father!'

"I'm not sure..." Alastair stopped his walking that felt like gliding to Alexis who struggled to catch up. "It's just... he's my father..." the tone he spoke in pained her.

"No Alastair, I have a father and that man is definitely not a speck of what a father should be" she replied carefully, not wanting to anger him, but still displaying the truth.

Alastair chuckled at her angry face, noticing how careful she was. He felt an unfamiliar warmth nuzzle his chest.

"I know".

He turned to the large set of door they had stopped before and opened them. Alexis had never been to this place and when she saw the insides her jaw dropped.

She followed the Emperor in while she took in her surroundings. Two floors, full of rows and rows of books, and the second floor was accessible through a large staircase made of polished wood and draped with a long deep red rug that had golden linings along it. The second floor gave a lovely few of the first floor through balcony railings and Alexis' wide eyes were so distracted she almost didn't catch what Alastair next said.

"You protected me earlier. Why?" He asked as the large doors shut with a thud and they were in complete and utter silence.

Alexis blinked at him, imitating an owl until she understood what he meant.

"But, I'm supposed to protect you", she noticed how Alastair's beautiful features didn't move at that and realised her wording wasn't right, "No, I wanted to protect you at that moment".

He stared at her, a meaningful gaze emitted from his eyes and then he turned away from her.

He ignored her and walked over to a bookcase, back facing towards her.

"Why do you care". He replied coldly.

Alexis faltered at his words. The old witches voice echoing in her head as her face burned.

'It's not true!' she argued to herself.

"Dirt?" Alastair turned to her and she snapped out of her thoughts.

"I-I care- I care about you, because... I feel like we've ... been close recently..." she felt a strange shyness come over her. It was annoying, but she couldn't shake it off. Her cheeks flushed and she struggled to look up at Alastair who seemed even more alluring than usual.

He stepped closer to her and her downcast eyes spotted his boots right beneath her. She breathed in a sharp breath at his close body, suddenly her jaw was grasped and pulled towards his face.

Her face went even hotter at the lack of distance between them.

"Why did you look away?" He asked while his brows knit together and a worried look surfaced his face.

"I-I-" Alexis' face burned a deeper shade of red and she glanced away.

"Why are you stuttering?" He leaned in closer, face barely inches off hers and Alexis stared into the rose coloured eyes that were so close to her.

She could make out his long lashes that made them look bigger, more captivating, his perfect skin, his straight nose that seemed so fine and then, like firework had broke out, her eyes travelled lower until they stared at his lips. She gulped.

Their colour and shape engraving in her head.

"Alexis" her voice coming from Alastair was whispered and sounded so sensual.

"A-Alastair?" She glanced back up at him with a questioning gaze and noticed how he seemed to stare at the lower part of her face.