Walk In The Shadows

Aiden was waiting patiently on the balcony for the fifth princess.

The talk with her lady in waiting had made it clear that Cassandra was a very timid princess. But there was something that was bothering Duke Salvador.

It was true that the princess did not have any powers but Duke Salvador also knew that she had something which no one else did.

The fifth Princess knew how to manipulate one's power. He had seen it himself. There was no denying this fact.

When Aiden was deep in his thoughts, he saw the princess sneaking in the balcony like a rat. She looked through the door making sure there was no one else on the balcony before coming there.

Cassandra took a step in, but saw no one. She did not know if the Duke was here or not.

'Did he forget?'

'He is not here though.'

Cassandra looked around with a trembling heart. People usually ignored this place as no one really came in here. The flowers looked beautiful from the outside thus the inside of the balcony was least maintained. It was a good hideout place for a princess like Cassandra to know.

The Duke looked at the Princess as she struggled coming inside but did not move to help her. He waited patiently for the princess.

Seeing the confusion on her face, Duke Salvador's lips curled up as he walked from the shadows into the light, frightening the Princess.

After the initial panic, Cassandra took a deep breath as she controlled her shivering heart.

"The Duke wanted to see me?" Cassandra stated as she bowed in front of him.

Aiden smiled as he looked at Cassandra. "Why does the Princess sound annoyed? Is it possible that the Princess did not want to meet me?"

"How is that possible? It is my honor that Duke Salvador finds me interesting enough to meet him again." Cassandra said in her quiet voice.

"Is the Princess well burdened by meeting me like this?" Aiden asked as he raised his eyebrows in question.

"Yes, the Duke is someone I could not follow casually." Cassandra nodded her head as her gaze refused to look at the Duke.

"But you can be friendly with Lord Bentham?" Asked Aiden in irritation. The scene of them smiling and looking at each other was still fresh on his mind. He could not ignore the fact that it affected him so greatly.

Aiden was looking at Cassandra as she looked up in his eyes.

'Taking the name of Lord Bentham affects you.'

'You care for that man?'

Aiden was annoyed. Cassandra had refused to look at him yet when he questioned her about Lord Bentham, the first thing she did was look into his eyes. It was unacceptable for Duke Salvador.

"I am not sure about being friendly with the Lord as I have just known of him from the banquet."

"And yet you are not afraid to smile after him? I think I have known you more than what Lord Bentham had."

Cassandra was quiet. She was not sure what was bothering the Duke so much. His tone started getting sarcastic which confused Cassandra.

Cassandra was lost. She did not know how she was supposed to reply to such words. She was a little more comfortable with Lord Bentham than she was with Duke Salvador.

Cassandra's trembling voice and heart were always in check when she talked with the Duke.

'I am nervous around you!' Cassandra wanted to shout but could not.

"Duke Salvador should get to the point soon." Cassandra's voice was low but her words were as sharp as a knife. She wanted to go from this place as soon as possible as Cassandra was afraid of someone seeing them together.

Duke Salvador looked at Cassandra as he folded his hands. "So the fifth Princess lady-in-waiting was present when the bodies were buried?"

Cassandra looked at the Duke with a smile. "I thought that you already knew about this thing."

"Yes, I do know about it, but I just wanted to confirm it," Aiden smirked as he took a step towards Cassandra. His red eyes glowing up.

"The fifth Princess should tell me why her lady-in-waiting was practicing her powers in a secluded forest. As for what I know, you have a different training ground in the palace."

Cassandra's eyes widened as she did not have any valid explanation for this. What was she supposed to tell? Amy did not tell her that she was going there? Or that the powers she was feeling were unusual? This will definitely make Duke Salvador doubt her story which Cassandra wanted to avoid.

"I do not know what the Duke is talking about. Amy has a very low affiliation with her elements and to be honest she sometimes does go to practices alone, away from prying eyes. If Amy practices in the same arena the other servants make fun of her. She is timid like me." Cassandra's words were to the point, making Duke Salvador's mouth shut.

She did not know what to expect, but Cassandra wanted to leave the place soon. "If the Duke is done with questioning, I would like to go back now."

Cassandra was about to move when she heard the Duke's voice as sharp as glass.

"I never said I was done yet," Aiden said with a biting tone. His eyes were observing different emotions on Cassandra's face.

Aiden could clearly see that the fifth princess did not want it to stay there near him. And that did annoy Aiden a little. But now things have changed and what Duke Salvador wanted was to know how the princess knew the forbidden techniques.

Duke Salvador took a step forward blocking the princess's escape. "How did you teach your lady in waiting to control her powers?"

Cassandra's eye widened as a throwing threat pierced her brain.

'The Duke knows.'

'How?'

Cassandra was upset and afraid. Not knowing what Duke Salvador was, things added to her fright. The man standing in front of her was deadly. Cassandra grew nervous.

Cassandra did not know how to explain, but the red gaze of the Duke looked like the blood that knew the truth. Cassandra felt if she said a lie maybe the Duke would know. She was sure of it.

'I should avoid the question.' Cassandra made up her mind as she took a step back.

"I do not know what the Duke is talking about?" Her back hit the wall. The only thing that was retaining Cassandra from running out was the red eyes of the Duke glowing under the sun through her soul.

Cassandra wanted to avoid him, but When the Duke stood in front of her, only a few inches away, Cassandra had no other choice but to look at him.

"The princess has no idea what I am talking about?" Aiden took a step forward again, making Cassandra gasp. "If that is the case, then the Princess will not even know what she did to get her dress clean during the banquet or should I remind you in detail?" Duke Salvador asked with a touch of sarcasm in his tone. He raised his eyebrows in question.

Cassandra could not believe that someone had seen through her. She thought she was very clear that no one was around when she was telling Amy how to train her powers.

'Or was it?' Cassandra doubted.

Cassandra knew that she could not hear Duke Salvador's thoughts which made her a little annoyed. It was like the man could walk in the shadows behind her and she would not even notice it.

'Even if he killed me I wouldn't know?' That was the only thought in Cassandra's mind. She was contemplating whether to tell the truth, or not?

'Can I fool him?'

Cassandra looked up only to realize that Duke Salvador was observing her carefully. She swallowed hard as she dismissed the thought from her mind.

Duke Salvador understands that something was going on in Cassandra's mind. Her eyes were looking everywhere but into his. This situation alone annoyed him. Even when she looked at him for a second, the Princess would avoid his gaze instantly.

Aiden initially controlled himself, but the frustration was too high. He held her chin and made Cassandra look into his eyes.

"The princess should not think about tricking me this time around? I am not an easy person to handle. If I know that someone has been lying to me, I would not leave them alone. I hope the Princess understands."

Cassandra under Duke Salvador's gaze nodded her head like a doll. It took her a few seconds to process what the Duke was talking about. Cassandra felt like her body was not under her control anymore.

'Should I just tell him?'

'Do I even have a choice?'

'The Duke will know eventually.'

Cassandra took a deep breath as she tried to calm her heart down. She looked into Duke Salvador's darkened gaze as she said in a low voice defeated. "I will answer everything?"