Chapter 18

Lina's statement made me wonder how old she was; I know vamps live forever, unless killed in some absurd way that can only kill them, so the age range between them is very mysterious.

"How old are you? If you don't mind me asking." I blurt it out, I had enough to think about, there was no room for more.

"126." Lina was young, or younger than I had thought, "What is up with your topic change? Did I hit a nerve?" Lina narrows her dark red eyes and taps her finger on her pale chin.

I shake my head, a few brown strands fall over my eyes, I leave them there, "Curious, that's all; but you may be right, actually you are, our wolves have known each other for centuries." I cross my arms, suddenly feeling insecure sitting beside such a beautiful vampire, Lina lays her photo beside her on the bed.

"Hmm, The Prince is almost 121, that is when he will have his coronation." She pauses and leans closer, "If you were curious about that too." She leans back before standing, "Speaking of which, he will be here soon." She replies nonchalantly.

"What? Why?" I stand up and follow her to the other side of the room beside the bathroom door. I stumble a bit, feeling lightheaded. I regain my balance and follow her the rest of the way, entering the large bathroom.

Lina attempts to look at herself in the mirror, which puzzled me. Why after all this time, was she still trying to see herself? She knew she couldn't but doesn't stop herself from trying, "Once, I saw myself for the smallest second, and it felt so amazing, until I was gone again. It was this mirror too." Lina sighs, "This used to be the Princess's room, until she left a many years ago. I miss her terribly."

"Were you friends?" I hoist myself onto the counter with the remaining energy I have, feeling weak from standing. Lina nods.

"Best friends, I was the only bodyguard she ever allowed to follow her, I was relatively the only un-related person she was close with. She was remarkably close to the prince as well. Which isn't unusual for siblings like them."

"Are you mad at me?" I draw back the brown hair strands from my face and rub my fingers. Lina seems surprised.

"For what?"

"Attacking the Princess." Lina is silent for a moment, unsettling me.

"No. From the rumors I've heard, it was not your fault, but your wolf's." She leans back onto the counter; I nod, ashamed. No matter how hard I try not to, I blame myself for what happened. It was my fault I could not control Sky, and now she is gone.

"It wasn't your fault."

"Huh?" I jump off the counter and look around the room for him, but I can only hear his voice.

"I didn't say anything. Are you okay Stella?" I see a concerned look on Lina, who has been following behind me the entire time.

I turn around to her, and she stops abruptly, "Oh, nothing, just thought I heard something that's all." I walk around the bed to the other side and grab my bag from the nightstand. I dig inside for my small makeup bag, "I'll be right back." I walk back to the other side of the room.

"Okay." Lina nods and I close the bathroom door behind me. I put the bag on the counter and sit cross legged on the floor. It was cold.

"How are you talking to me so far away? I thought we had to be within inches apart?" I wasn't really fixing my makeup, but I am sure that was obvious to even Lina. I just did not know if she could talk to her mate like Micah and I can, or if it would weird her out.

"The more bonded you are, the further you can be to share mind capacities." Micah tells me as if it were normal.

"Why are you acting like we have been talking with our thoughts this far for days?" His mysteriousness was gnawing at me. What is it with him? I suppose I keep a large wall too, but damn.

"Because I have been able to, you just were not able to hear or talk to me back until now." He sounded, almost, hurt. Did me not feeling as bonded upset him? I felt bad, but this was also very new to me, I am not used to getting close to someone so quickly.

It surprised me that he was getting close to me too, from what he has told me in our few conversations and what others say about him, he is not close to many, and has trouble getting close to people too, "Sorry."

"For what?" Micah sounded shocked, I guess he didn't think I could figure out he was upset. Then I can hear him sigh, 'I just knew', his response from earlier must have dawned on him. I just knew, I could hear it in his voice.

My head goes quiet, he doesn't say anything else; I don't either.

There's a knock at the bathroom door, "Stella? Are you almost done? The prince is here to see you."

That explains the abrupt end of our conversation. I grab my tiny bag and exit the bathroom.

Micah was standing there, royal as ever, his hair slicked back with a few strands on his face refusing to stay up. He had on a blue suit, with a long tie as dark and shiny as his hair. Both him and Lina catch me admiring him, she giggles, but he smiles and narrows his eyes, clearly doing the same. It wasn't until Lina spoke that I broke away from his gaze.

She clasps her hands together, "You two have much to discuss, so stop staring and start talking." Lina backs up to the bedroom door and grabs the handle, "You can handle her, yes?"

I could hear the faint sarcasm in her voice, she doesn't wait for Micah to respond before grabbing her picture and heading out the door.

I plop onto the large mattress and Micah sits on the edge of the chair across the room, he looks down at his hands and sighs before raising his head to look at me, "She's right, there is a lot to discuss, but why don't you lead, I don't want you fainting again." He chuckles but sounded serious.

I look down at my small bag and mess with the zipper, "You are probably right, I guess I have a new tendency to faint," I laugh slightly to lift the room, "It has all just been a lot to process, it is moving so fast, too fast. I don't want to talk about Sky right now. I don't want to address that just yet, and neither do I want to know what will happen to me in here." I realize I was biting my lip, I had drawn blood, and Micah was beside me before I could blink.

My eyes widen, but not due to fear, I knew he wouldn't hurt me, but in surprise, his eyes were now red.