Chapter 10

"I am a man who finds you really attractive right now" he told her and she opened her eyes. 

At first she examined him, as he stood close to the bed. He had laid the covers on the floor as Alice had told him too but he was looking at her now with a very cunning smile. The red eyed girl smiled and returned to her relaxation, her eyes closing again.

"You're lying" she said and he scoffed. 

"How do you know that I am lying?" He asked her and he sat down on the bed, taking the liberty to lay down next to her. Their bodies were close but still he kept his distance as he brought his arms behind his head and stared at the spider webs forming on the dusty ceiling.

"You would be flustered or advert your gaze, if you really found me attractive you wouldn't be so bold. You would be scared of rejection." She explained. 

"And what if I am not scared that you're reject me?"

"Oh, then you must be a narcissist." She joked with a slight chuckle. She turned on her side, laying on her arms as she looked at him. "Don't like me, at least don't like me like that." She advised him, her voice almost coming out as caring. 

"And why shouldn't I like you?" 

"Because I am not the person you think. A cute girl with a sad past. A potential gifted kid, someone who is kind. I am none of those things. I only look after myself. I don't have the time to care for others." She told him and he turned to his side too, staring at her with a questioning look. He nodded and hummed before he smiled brightly at her. If he was a customer at her work she was sure she would be one of her favorites. The way his eyes pierced everything he stared, his hair vibrant and his movements elegant but playful he almost reminded her the characters in the books she enjoyed to read. 

Maybe if she was someone else, maybe if had another past and a sure future, maybe if the thought of Philip did not hurt like poison she would have liked him and she would feel shy being close to him. Maybe…

"Then shall we make a deal?" he asked her playfully.

"What deal?" 

"I won't try to make you like me, I will try really hard to not see you as a human but if…if one day you happen to get fonder of me, you have to be mine" he said, whispering seductively the last few words. 

"You must be more confident than the three great magicians, sir."

"Maybe I am" he answered her and shrugged his shoulders. "Now get dressed you will get cold. We will be heading to the palace tomorrow early in the morning. You need to rest." He said and sat up before he headed to his own man made sleeping corner. Alice looked at him with a cocked eyebrow as he wrapped himself with the thin sheet, laying on the wooden floor. Smalls spiders walked fast above his head and dust landed on his nose making him frown. He was really intending to sleep on the floor, she thought. Nacht closed his eyes and sighed. 

"Why are you sighing?" she asked him as she wore the dress. Now that he had his eyes closed she passed the rough fabric above her head, so it could cover her body. It was heavy and a bit big for her but it was warmer than that small tower, it didn't smell that bad either. 

"Oh, it's nothing…you know…the floor is cold. My back is bruised so it hurts. But I am alright. I can make the night like this."

"Just come here. If you are going to whine then don't start it" she told him and Nacht jumped up with a big smile, holding his pillow in his arms. "Away from me. If I feel you touching me I will suffocate you with the pillow." She threatened him.

"That's a bit extreme isn't it?" he asked with his palm on his chest pretending to be shocked. "I think we cleared out the fact that I as pure as…as something pure. Goodnight now my lady" he told her with a charming smile before he laid down. 

Alice mimicked him but she turned his back on him, staring at the walls. He could hear him breathe calmly as she stayed up all night. The truth is she was never able to sleep with another person next to her, especially if that person was a man. The only two exceptions were her mother and Philip. Anyone else even if she didn't want to, she felt threatened. Many of the girls at the black Rose had been killed in their sleeps by perverts or had horrible things done to them, especially the ones who paid for the whole night, they were usually the worst. 

So when she felt another body weighting the mattress she just couldn't close her eyes no matter how sleepy or tired she was. She didn't want to let him sleep on the floor though, after all he was the one who seemed to be her savior. She could be at least this kind towards him. She thought and spun a few times trying to get comfortable in the narrow space. He seemed to be sleeping peacefully, that was good. She mumbled as she smiled satisfied. 

She would get some sleep tomorrow at the carriage, if things went alright.