What is that Spark?

TEMARI smiled victoriously when she opened the door of the blue drawing room that same night. She made sure she went out of her room much later than she did the last time she sneaked out. She didn't want to cross paths with that cloaked stranger again or anyone else. She has a mission she has to fulfill as fast as possible.

It took her a long time to get to the blue drawing room from her room. She even got lost a lot of times because she went to the wrong hallways. Thanks to her sharp memory and exemplary night vision, she was able to get to her destination eventually.

Temari didn't bother to search the whole drawing room. She knew she will not find the royal heirloom here. She didn't sense anything extraordinary when she went here for the afternoon tea with the other guests. So she went straight to the tall mirror that she knew the crown prince used to get to this room earlier today.

Opening it was not as easy as she thought it will be. She couldn't find the part where the lock was supposed to be. She even tried to grab the corner of the mirror and pull it out of the way but to no avail.

Frustrated, Temari kicked the side of the mirror. "Why don't you just open up? I don't have all night, come on."

She grabbed the side of the mirror again and prepared herself to pull hard when she heard a clicking sound. Her eyes widened when the secret door finally opened. She carefully pulled it open enough that she could look inside.

She couldn't see anything. It was too dark. Yet, she could feel the cold and moist air inside. She could also feel a sense of emptiness. Without even getting inside, she knew it was not a hidden room but a passageway. That realization excited her. But first, she needs light.

She turned her back on the open hidden door. She looked around the blue drawing room. There was minimal light coming from the moon through the huge window at the far end of the room. It was enough to look through her surrounding, trying to find a candle or a lamp.

She took a step forward when someone suddenly grabbed her from behind. A strong and masculine arm circled her waist and a hand covered her mouth before she could even scream. Then he pulled her hard, dragging her in the darkness behind the huge mirror.

Temari felt her survival instinct kicking inside her when the hidden door closed and she could see no more. She suddenly lost any sense of reason. What was left is the intense desire to get away from her captor. She swung her arms back, trying to hit the person behind her. When she just punched the air, she then used her legs. She tried to kick her captor but she couldn't quite reach his legs.

She was shaking, her heart beating painfully against her chest and air seemed to fail to get inside her lungs. Still, she didn't stop moving. That was when her captor suddenly lifted her off the ground and the next thing she knew, her back was already pressed against the cold, solid wall. Then she felt a hot breath brush against her ear.

"Calm down," he whispered in an authoritative yet soothing voice. Temari didn't even know a combination like that can exist. But that was enough for her brain to register who her 'captor' was. She was just too surprised that she didn't notice his familiar presence.

She stopped trying to punch and kick him. She looked up even though it was too dark to see. Maybe he noticed that she slightly calmed down because he slowly took his hand away from her mouth. She let out a harsh breath. "C-crown Prince?" Temari whispered in a hoarse voice.

"Yes," he answered. Then, as if to make a point, he moved closer to her. She gasped when she felt the heat of his huge body. It was strange the Temari suddenly became too aware of him even though she couldn't see him.

She felt him moving as if he was trying to reach something way above them. A few seconds later, darkness was disturbed by the light of a lamp hanging near the ceiling. She finally saw the crown prince a few inches away from her. Her heart slammed against her chest but now it was not because of fear and panic.

He was too close…. and not dressed properly. He was only wearing a thin white unbuttoned shirt, exposing his chest and the middle of his hard stomach and even lower, since his silk pants were hanging too low on his hips.

Temari also became aware that his arm was still encircling her waist while his other arm was on top of her head. She was trapped between the wall and his huge frame. If she makes a slight move their bodies will brush against each other. That realization sent shivers down her spine. It made her panic too. And when she panics, she does one thing: she fights.

"You scared me!" Temari hissed. And then, because that was not enough to release the emotions boiling inside her, she kicked him.

The crown prince didn't even budge when she hit his knee. His arm just tightened on her waist. It only made Temari angry. So she moved to kick him higher, between his legs, just like what Zak Henderson taught her.

The crown prince must've known her plan because he suddenly moved closer and he slid one leg between hers, preventing her from kicking him where it will hurt. Temari gasped and her eyes widened because their bodies got pressed together in the process. Her soft body against his hardness. She looked up at him and their eyes met.

Temari didn't know before that silence could be electrifying. But here it is now, sending tiny currents around them and making it hard for her to breathe.

Rhys was the one to break the silence. He lowered his head until they were at eye level and she could feel his hot breath against her cheek. "You must never do that to me, my lady. The future of Mowsland depends on me. If I don't produce an heir, what will become of our kingdom?"

Temari's cheeks heated when she realized what he was talking about. She was not a naïve girl. She hears lewd conversations inside Blackgrove Tavern daily. "You deserve it for suddenly dragging me in the dark." Then she tried to move her legs again but he just pushed his lower body closer to her.

It was then that she felt it. Something hard poking her. Her mouth fell open as she stares at the crown prince's forest-green eyes. "You…"

The corner of his lips curled up and he lowered his head more until their lips are just an inch apart. Temari felt like she will throw up with how fast her heart was beating. Is he trying to –

Suddenly, a sharp and surprising pain hit Temari, as if she was struck by lightning. She let out a pained scream and instinctively pushed Rhys away from her. She didn't have to push hard because he voluntarily moved away from her. When she looked at his face she realized he probably felt that pain too.

They stared at each other. "What is that spark?" she uttered, her eyes wide.

The crown prince didn't answer but his gaze on her grew sharper and darker, as if he was looking at something so offending.

Temari didn't like that at all. She frowned. "What?"

"You…" he uttered finally. "Who are you, really?"