Chapter 6

When Cassius woke up that morning, he turned his head to see Anastasia lying peacefully in his arms. She had moved from the blanket and had placed her head on his chest. 

For some odd reason, he felt very comfortable seeing her in his arms and he didn't want to wake her up. Just as her body stirred up, she opened her eyes and their two locked in an intense gaze. All of a sudden, Anastasia screamed loud before pushing him off her. 

He thought she was having a bad dream and he quickly moved to her side again but she climbed out of the bed.

"Pervert," she hissed taking steps away from the bed.

"What happened? Why are you screaming?" He asked with concern.

"How can you be sleeping here with me?" She asked.

Hearing her words, he burst into laughter before getting up from the bed.

"It was just one night. Don't overthink," he assured.

"Just one night yet I found myself wrapped in your arms," she gasped.

"That is because you snuggled yourself from the blanket to lay on my chest," he said with a smirk.

Anastasia felt utterly embarrassed about it and she glared at him hard.

"What if people find out?" She asked. She didn't want more accusations from the people. Being called a traitor is worse, and if the people heard about the night, they would think she's trying to seduce him to lift the punishment from her.

"They won't," he said. "The maid would be here soon. I will be back later for my food."

When he left the room, Anastasia squeezed her eyes, taking a long deep breath. She brought her hand to place on her chest. How could she have let her guard down? She didn't want what happened with the late King to repeat itself. If he tries to touch her she would make use of her mermaid ability and kill the Prince before fleeing from the Kingdom.

But when she remembered how he had touched her last night, she realised that she couldn't bring herself to push him away, and she somehow enjoyed his touch. At her thoughts, Anastasia quickly stood up from the bed, surprised that she was thinking about him.

She walked towards the door, and tried to open it for the seventh time since she came here, but the door has always been locked. Perhaps one day, she would steal the key from the maid, and escape here. But that would be risky, and if she gets caught, Cassius would punish her again.

When the door opened, she saw Hannah walked in as usual with the basket of food, and bucket of water. 

After Anastasia bath herself, and dressed in a long fluffy gown, she sat down at the dining room for breakfast.

"You should eat with me," Anastasia urged the maid when she was about to leave.

"I can't," Hannah said. "His Highness would punish me if he caught me eating with the—"

"Traitor," Anastasia said, feeling sad again. 

"I'm sorry if—"

"You don't have to apologize. I killed the King," she said. "My name is Anastasia though."

"That's what people have been saying that you killed the King but they don't care to hear your side of story," Hannah said.

"I didn't mean to kill him though," Anastasia said. "It was an accident. The King tried to take advantage of my body and I couldn't allow it."

"I'm sorry that you have to go through this and now everyone is blaming you for killing him," Hannah said. "They want you dead. They are furious that Cassius is keeping you here."

"It's not as if he wouldn't kill me," Anastasia said. "I'm not staying here for long. I would die soon."

Just then, the dining door opened and Hannah quickly bowed her head before leaving the room to stand outside.

Without sparing a glance at Cassius, she grabbed her fork and began to eat her meal. Just as she started eating, Cassius drew the chair beside her and he joined her.

"I thought vampires don't eat normal food," Anastasia said scooping some meat into her mouth.

"We drink blood to stay alive and eat humans food to maintain that health and glow," he said taking a bite from the meat.

Anastasia ate a lot. When she was living with her mother, they weren't privileged to eat food from the Elites. They work different job from maids, to cleaners, and eat scraps food given to them by the Master or Mistress of the house.

…..

Lucas was furious when he heard that Cassius might be crowned the next King of Blackwood. He wanted to be the King so bad that he did everything in his will to please the former King. And now he died few days before his naming ceremony. 

He clenched his hand into a tight fist. The urge to strangle that human who had killed the King overwhelmed him. He knew that Cassius wasn't foolish to keep her in the castle as the people would kill her out of rage.

He said he had a punishment far worse than execution for her, yet she still remain alive in the tower. And Cassius was always going there to visit her. Why was he always there? That made him more furious, because he knew that if the both of them falls in love with each other, he wouldn't be the King again.

He thought of what to do. When an idea crossed his mind, he grabbed a passing maid before pulling her to the corner.

"What is your name?" He asked.

"Maggie," the maid replied.

"I am giving you a promotion to work in the tower with the other maid and try to get any information from the traitor," he said. He had tried getting information from the other maid but she refused to say anything to him.

Maggie eyes widened with excitement. "I will go there and find any information."

"Good. Try to gain the girl's trust and poison her tea or even stab her in her sleep. I want the traitor dead," Lucas nodded. "You may leave now."

A small smile appeared on his face, knowing that the girl would die soon, and Cassius would fall into depress mode. Then he would be the next King of this Kingdom.