Chapter 40

Carefully she put an ear to the door to make sure no one was in the corridors anymore. When she

couldn't hear anything after a while, she went cautiously outside. The corridor was very dark today

because the moon was covered by clouds and therefore no light shone on the way. However, by now

she would have found the way to the garden with her eyes closed.

This time she was less scared when she went through the door that led to the garden.

It was also darker in the garden than on her last visit. That gave it an almost somber atmosphere.

Lyana let her gaze slide over the meadow. It was as if she could hear a soft laugh from bygone days and it ran down her spine in cold shivers.

She quickly remembered her real goal and went to the tree to sit down next to the king.

Help him. The woman had told her that over and over again in her dream. But with what? And above all how? Lyana got up again and knelt right next to the king. He looked really vulnerable as he lay there. She was also surprised that he never had guards around him. Even if he was strong, he shouldn't take any risks. It was almost as if he didn't fear his death. Was it her loss that made him so fearless?

Help him. The words echoed in her head again. Suddenly she saw this woman's face again. Lyana

didn't want to listen to her, but at the same time she wanted to help the king. This conflict almost tore her inwardly. All she could do was look at the master of this castle. His hair was all messed up and one of his hands was on his lap. His regular breathing was somehow calming to her.

She wanted to be close to him, whatever the price. She gathered up all her courage and touched his

hand hesitantly. When he seemed to continue to sleep, she put her hand over his and held it tight.

The warmth she felt was great, but it also aroused greed in her. It wasn't enough, she wanted to be

even closer to him. But she didn't know how. A hug seemed too risky to her. But then her gaze fell

on his lips. She was drawn to them magically.

Lyana had never kissed a man before. However, she had never felt the need to kiss a man either. The

princess had seen many couples who met in secret to exchange kisses. But so far she had never

given it much thought. Even Afram had never kissed her before, except maybe on the cheek. But as

she sat there with her eyes fixed on the king's lips, she felt the strange urge to touch them.

Without knowing what she was doing, she slowly leaned forward. She closed her eyes and the next

moment her lips touched the king's lips. Very softly. But for the first time she felt really close to him

and her heart, which had been so restless lately, finally seemed appeased. Almost as if it was what

she had wanted all along.

Carefully she removed her lips from his and lifted her eyelids. She looked straight into two ice-blue

eyes that reflected contempt and rejection.

Startled, she jerked back and tried to flee, but the king grabbed her wrist and pulled her back. "What

did you do there?" His voice was icy and Lyana suspected that he wouldn't let her get away with it

this time.

"I ... I'm sorry, Your Majesty. Please ... let go of me. You hurt me." But the grip on her wrist only

tightened. "Look me in the eye," he snapped at her.

Only very reluctantly did she obey his orders. "I warned you. But it seems to me that I have been

too generous. I should have treated a prisoner like a prisoner."

"Please, I'll never do it again," Lyana pleaded while tears ran down her cheeks. But she didn't cry

because of the pain he was causing her. She cried because his hateful look almost killed her. It was

as if he was not squeezing her wrist, but rather her neck, taking away the air to breathe. How could

he be so unjust? How could he punish her for a little kiss? "I bet you were never like that to the

woman with the silver hair," she suddenly shouted in the heat of the moment. As soon as she said it,

she wanted to bite her tongue.

For a moment King Ulric was frozen. But he quickly recovered and was even angrier now. His

voice became very calm, but his tone was sharp. "Dare to compare yourself to Feronia again and I'll

cut your throat." Lyana couldn't even look that fast had he already pressed a dagger against her

neck. He must have hidden it under his robes.

No matter what she would say now, he would use it to implement his words into deeds. The sun

princess was firmly convinced of this.

So all she could do was look down and cry silently. The king took the dagger from her neck again

and then without a word pulled her after him out of the garden.