Chapter 78

Our eyes clashed together and he smiled immediately. Nodding at me as he made his way out. But I found my eyes glued on him. Strange hat and all. I had never seen him before yet I knew exactly who he was. The trademark platinum blonde of the Willows had been a dead giveaway.

I looked back to the tall man with a smile and began taking the books he recommended and claiming a corner sofa by the library window.

I had learned little of clairvoyance in my time in the library. It was a rather conservative topic and mostly forbidden.

"There aren't many books, are there?" I commented to the large man, who I learned was the librarian. I still didn't know his name.

"What exactly are you looking for?" He replied, voice rather deep and raspy.

"I'm not even sure" I frowned, "can anyone be a psychic?"

"It's usually a restricted topic, but usually it's unique to half-bred humans. It's more common among other species" he was pulling out a few books and placing them into a box.

"But the only half-breed human here is"-

I was startled by the sound of the box dropping from his fingers and flinched.

"Are you okay?" I asked as I watched him struggle to bend over and picked it up for him.

He let out a startled sound as I stood and held out to him. I still couldn't see his face with the hood drooping heavily over it.

"Yes, thank you" he took the box which was far heavier than I realised. But I noticed the large hands, the roots tracing them like veins.

"It's no problem. What are these for? They're pretty heavy".

"It's the orders from the royal advisors. I have to deliver them to the sixth floor by tonight" he sounded rather tired, but I could tell he was warming up to me. It was a shame I didn't plan on being queen.

"Sounds like a hassle. I'll lend a hand if you need any help" I offered rolling up my sleeves to tackle my next book.

"Help? Why would you?" He asked, his head jerked up and his hood lifted ever so slightly.

"You've helped me" I shrugged at him and smiled.

"You are strange" he commented after a while of silence and I snorted.

"I hear that often".

"Most ladies scream at the sight of me. Nobody would ever speak to me willingly. It's mostly why the library is so empty all the time" he continued his work nonchalantly, but I couldn't help but feel a slight guilt at his words.

As he said, the library was more or less deserted. I hadn't realised why, but somehow I understood why he was here.

"I suppose the prince frequents here?" I asked with a smirk and he nodded. I knew full well that Jules liked this place empty.

"He gave me the post as a gift. He said he would make Grandor a home for people like me. But that hasn't been the case at all".

"How did you two meet?"

"Is that any concern of yours?" A cold voice pierced the warm atmosphere between myself and the large man. My face flushed and despite everything I turned to see him.

He didn't look angry, mostly cold. Eyes staring at taller man as if he was nothing more than a speck of dust.

"Your majesty" we both said in union, bowing.

"I see you've become acquainted. Is this why you refused dinner with me?" He asked sharply.

I tensed at the accusation.

"I was simply tired your majesty. I assumed I would sleep, but I found myself in the library" it was vague, but I couldn't say he disturbed whatever sleep I could have had.

The large librarian excused himself under the guise of searching for a book and soon I found myself seat on the sofa sitting next to the prince. I was tense as we sat in silence.

"Did you hate it?" He hadn't so much as looked at me, but I knew what he referred to.

My face flushed.

Did I hate it?

"Did you?" He seemed convinced of it. "I shouldn't have done what I did. I hate that I lost your trust as soon as I gained it".

"You didn't" I retorted and when his shocked eyes met mine my neck began to feel warm. "It- I can't- shouldn't do things like that unless it's with my intended".

I had thought it was a sound argument, until I saw the look on his face. He was rigid, mouth forming a scowl.

"So I am not your-" he stopped, voice sounding strangled, as if the words physically hurt him, "of course I'm not".

"It's not that you aren't"-

"You did well with your cousin and that redhead. Neither of them fear me anymore. I converse well enough with them". He suddenly began, jaw clenched as he spoke. "Maybe I'll want to drink their blood soon enough".

"Maybe" I replied, uncertain of the outcome.

"You bet my future on a maybe". He shot back.

"I bet mine on a maybe too" I defended.

"You truly felt nothing" he stated the sentence, each word stabbing into my skin like icicles. He stood up, and the emptiest eyes settled on me, staring at me from above.

"I- I "-

"You do not share my feelings at all" he stepped closer to me and I straightened as he leaned down towards me, stopping inches away.

"Jules"-

"Don't say my name like that".

"Like what?…"

"Don't call me so casually if you intend it temporarily. It was not easy to convey how I felt, but in some way I'm glad it will haunt you", his finger traced my jaw, drawing my chin up, "how disappointed you must have been to have been kissed by me. Did you pretend it was him?" His hand that traced my hand suddenly gripped my wrist tightly and I let out a whimper.

"J-Jules- your highness I do not mean to reject you, but rather to widen your options. So you can pick-" the pain on my wrist made me gasp, "pick from the best".

His grip softened immediately on my wrist and I breathed out a breath of relief, cradling it with a wince.

"I'm sorry my grip was too"- he reached over for my hand but I flinched and then he froze completely, staring at me in shock. "You- You're scared of me…"

"You almost broke my wrist!" I said in a mix of both surprise and defence.

He looked horrified at my words, and he looked at the evidently bruised arm. Before I realised he had lifted it and leaned down, pressing his lips against the skin gently. He lifted away while I stared at him stunned and looked to see the skin of my wrist unharmed. No bruising. It had vanished. Along with the pain.

"I'm so sorry" he said fingers rubbing against the skin of my wrist softly. I could see the look of fear in those eyes of his, a horrifying thought behind them that seemed to make him quiver. "I can only do this much as an apology…"

"How- How did you?" I stammered as I lifted my unharmed wrist in wonder, staring at him with wide expectant eyes.

He looked away, face reddening and eyes down cast. A look of shame crossing those features and I noticed how he had dark circles around his eyes.