Chapter eighteen

The swish of the loofah against his skin as the water drips from it and splashes into the tub lets me know he's still washing. I've got to make this quick.

Standing on the tip of my toes, I walk out of the room with bated breath; my eyes on the bathroom door until I'm out of the room and into the dark passage. It's a straight road down so it's easy to navigate but then here comes the hard part.

It's like a dead end; there's no lever or button or anything that looks like it could be used to move the wall just as Lucius had done. I started to pat the wall in random places as fast and quietly as I could.

A particular place felt loose as I ran my hand over it and I pressed on the spot harder, causing the wall to open soundlessly. The inconspicuousness of the king's chambers is to my advantage.

The room is dark; all the lights were off which didn't deter me in the slightest. Even if I didn't have night vision, I can use my other senses to find my way and that is what I did since it's more effective.

I try to filter the many scents lingering in the room and focus on mine. It leads me to the couch where the squeaker had been sitting and my heart skips a solid beat.

My nightgown is arranged on the back of the couch and I am a hundred percent certain that Lucius did not do that.

Rushing forward, I pick it up and search through the hidden compartment in the thigh; my heart falls to my feet when my hand comes back empty. I fold the torn attire into a ball but feel nothing; no bump, nothing.

Deep breaths. Deep breaths. It might have fallen off somewhere and out of sight so I've just got to look for it. Simple.

My search begins and heartbeat increases with each disappointing find; scenarios of a maid finding the box and reporting it to the palace guards fill my mind as my search becomes franctic.

Pillows are thrown to the floor and furnitures being displaced; "Where is it? Oh god please." I'm not too concerned with making noise anymore; if someone found it then it's all over for me; for my siblings.

Is that why he was asking about my parents? Does he know what I intend to do? Has he taken my siblings captive just in case I decide to run? Or maybe he has known all along and chose me for that exact reason?

I hear something skid across the floor, causing me to halt in crippling anxiety. I crouch behind the couch and look under it; something small and square shaped is there. I try not to give myself false hope as I use a hand to fish it out.

Touching the object confirms it but I have to see it first. I release the breath I didn't know I had been holding. My hands are shaking as I bring them up and use my sleeves to dab at my forehead. That was too close.

The weight of the box in my hand grounds me and I take deep breaths in order to calm my racing heart before I go back to the room.

I arrange the room as much as I can and run through the hidden door. My pace slows as I near the entrance to the room and stops completely once I step in.

His broad back is facing me as he stands in front of the mirror and combs through his hair with closed eyes. It's longer than I imagined, falling all the way to the middle of his back and my fingers flex with the need to run my hand through them. Maybe I should have offered to wash his hair.

I almost flick my forehead at my confusing dilemma. He is everything I have ever wanted, everything I want but he is also the very thing I hate.

His movement of his muscles is a mouthwatering sight I can watch all day. The hugeness of his body is in contrast with the way he carries himself; with such grace that still baffles me. His broad shoulders all the way down to his lean hips makes me want to trace each corded muscle and watch them jump under my touch.

His lower half is covered by a towel which is both disappointing and relieving.

He wears peaceful expression that somehow eases my discomfort a bit. That is until he opens his eyes and stares directly at me.

"Where did you go?"

I wince at the sudden eye contact and divert my gaze to the floor before meeting his eyes again. "I got bored waiting for you so I decided to do a little exploring. Didn't yield much seeing that I'm practically trapped here." I give myself a mental pat on the back.

He hums, still staring at me as if looking for something and his eyes stop on my lips; his lips lift in a slight smirk. "Are you going to receive the workers in that?"

It takes me a second to comprehend his question; it's like a braincell fries everytime he smirks at me. "I don't have anything to wear." I state with a raised brow as I walk into the room and sit on the bed.

"There are some clothes for you in the closet. You'll know it's yours when you see it. In the meantime, I'm going to get us breakfast." He places the comb and the dresser and wraps his hair in a towel.

"You're going out like that?" I blurt out in surprise and something else that I would rather ignore.

He stops by the entrance and turns towards me. "Yes. Anything wrong?" He asks with a raised brow and a knowing smirk.

Your chest is on full display and you look like a rakish slob but whatever.

I plaster an obviously fake smile on my lips. "Of course not. You look perfect."

He chuckles with a shake of his head and walks away.

I sigh and walk up to the closet. It is made of smoothe oak wood and it has indecipherable carvings on it which I ignore and pull open the doors. It takes me about three seconds to spot the clothes.

"Oh hell no!"