Twenty-Six

"AND THIS RECKLESSNESS OF YOURS COULD GET YOU HURT if you don't draw a line between what I should and shouldn't do to you," he brushed his lips over my jaw, still choking me softly, "I tend to go overboard every time I have a green light to do what I want," he whispered.

Moaning, I tried to sit over him, to feel him on me again, but he didn't let me, "Don't be a devil…"

He smiled with explicit dirty intentions, "I quite love when you call me that," he kept brushing his lips on my jaw. "I'm starting to believe you like it when I get more aggressive, because every time I do it, you get a burst of heat, and get even hornier…"

"I… mmm… I do…" I tried to get him on me again, but he still didn't let me.

"Don't be so hungry, my dear, I won't go away, we can play a bit more," I made an unsatisfied sound and he giggled. "I still need to tell you the rest."

"Stop torturing me," I cried.

He let go of my neck and changed his energy altogether, getting softer, holding my face in both of his hands, "I just want to keep the fire burning," then he kissed me fondly, not at all like before.

"What made caught your attention on me?"

"The moment I heard you hated the north, and Duke Luc, you began to habituate my mind. I couldn't phantom what was the reason for such hatred, so I wanted to get to know you because of it. Before that, I didn't know much about you, none of us did, since you did a good job of staying low-profile. Until you didn't," oh…

That made me anxious, "Did that Duke of yours send you to spy on me?"

He didn't seem to like my tone, "If you only feel aversion towards him and want to stay away, why do you talk like this? You said you didn't hate him, but it doesn't sound like that."

I bit my bottom lip, "Sorry. I know you must adore him or something since he's your ruler and all of that. I just… I don't know. I can't bring myself to talk in another manner. I'll try it for you though if it annoys you."

He smiled satisfied and caressed my cheekbones with his gloved thumbs, "I came of my own accord. You asked me if I was sent to spy on you, but I wasn't. I was just impulsive, wanting to get to know you a little more, even without you knowing, so I came to the north. I announced that I was going to take care of some others' affairs here in the south, so no one complained." Then landed a soft kiss on both of my cheeks, "You are all flushed again."

"Hm," my cheeks were indeed hot. "Why do I feel like that wasn't the only reason?"

Chuckling softly, he nodded, "You are sharp. It wasn't. I also came to bring the northern alcohol you bought for your birthday ball. And it got us really by surprise since it was the first time you showed interest in something from the north, even if it was the alcohol," I widened my eyes.

"Was that the excuse you used to get into the ball?"

He giggled, "Indeed. When that father of yours heard I was a powerful person, working directly on the Duchy, who came personally to bring the drinks, he got quite humble. At least, he pretended to. And invited me right away to your ball, apologizing for the fact that you hadn't invited anyone from the north."

"He's embarrassing," sigh.

Playing with my hair, he seemed to be getting tenser, "But that also wasn't the only side reason."

"No?"

"No. I felt kind of protective over you, for some reason I don't understand. Maybe because our destinies are intertwined. So, I was scared for you. As I knew you were hiding your magic, probably because you may have imagined that if other people in power were to know about it they could use you, I was afraid."

I raised my eyebrows, "Of what?"

"Darling, think with me. If we, from the northern Von der Meet Duchy, got our fingers on the fact that you not only have magic, but three types of it, one being shadow magic, what guarantees do we have that other Dukes, Duchesses, or even the Royal Family, didn't get their hands on that as well? And they sure as hell would try to manipulate you just to use your power, since in the old days, they used to be scared shitless of the north, just because the mages from the Waldmüller Marquisette had the powerful shadow magic on our side. Because that even made the Royals conscious of our power." Oh…

"Shit. That doesn't sound good."

Sigh, "No. It doesn't. And that isn't even the only problem, Hope. If we got a hold of the fact that you hated all the other regions but the south, they also must have. Since, as I told you, all the great Duchy Houses in the Kingdom, plus House Desormeaux, have spies crawling around everywhere. They would see you as a threat."

I felt suddenly dizzy, "And I'm a three-typed…" I mumbled and he held me tight against his chest.

"Yes. That complicates things a degree deeper. Especially when three-type mages are so rare in the world. Someone having more than three is even rarer. We only have a few three-types here in the Kingdom, and they are all owners of outstanding power. The fact that you also are part of the equation, makes an enormous difference, especially when you possess such a rare magic type within you."

"Princess Alina Desormeaux and Duke Dylan Reverdin are two of those three types, which is kind of overwhelming since they are really another breed!"

A crooked grin appeared on his lips, "You are forgetting Duke Luc Von der Meer, darling."

"No, I'm not! He isn't a three type, he has more than that," I said all too calmly, before realizing what I had said. And when I saw the way his smile faded and his face got all wary, I cursed myself for my carelessness.

He seemed suspicious, "How is it that you know that, Hope Bissonnette?"

"…" What am I supposed to say?

"Hope?" As I said nothing, he turned around, threw me to the side, and came over me, blocking my movements with his body, making me stare at his face. "I won't let you go until you tell me how is it that you know such a well-kept secret!"

Fuck, I read in the novel.