“Are we really escaping?”

“Yes” Lucian said packing a few things.

Oh, lord. Irene was right.

“Lucian,” I said grabbing his arms “I know you are doing this for me but I really, really, really don’t mind you marrying Klara.”

“Do you want me to marry her and then isolate her somewhere?”

That was terrible. No women deserve to be treated that way.

“No.”

“Then you don’t mind me touching her, kissing her and taking her to bed?” He said frustration clear in his tone.

No. I didn’t like that either. Looking at my hands I tried to come up with something to say that made sense, but nothing came to mind. I was confused and scared.

“Listen Hazel.” Lucian said taking my hands. “I don’t want to marry Klara because I don’t want to neglect her. I know how it feels, I have been neglected my whole life. If I don’t ignore her it means I have to be with her, and I don’t want that either. I don’t want to be with anyone but you.”

I never thought about what he wanted. It would be wrong to force him to be with someone he didn’t want to. I knew how that felt.

“Alright.” I said.

We packed a few things and then sneaked out. Outside we met Lincoln, Oliver and few other of Lucians men.

“Your Highness, the weapons and horses are ready.” Lincoln informed.

“Yes. But going outside the gates will be too difficult. The guards are too many, we have to at least distract some of them.” Calum explained worriedly.

“Don’t worry, soon they will fall asleep,” Lincoln assured.

“That’s very clever of you Lincoln,” A familiar female voice spoke from nearby “but I am afraid many of our guards are immune to drugs.”

Klara? What was she doing here?

Oh god, we got caught. We were as good as dead.

“There is another way out if you follow me.” She gestured.

I looked at Lucian skeptically but he just grabbed my arm and nodded toward his men, then we followed Klara.

Why would she help us escape?

“Can we trust her?” I whispered as we followed her into a dark tunnel.

Lucian nodded.

“This tunnel leads to the back of the castle. It was made in case we got attacked so that we could escape.” She explained.

As we reached the exit we found that a few guards standing there.

“Don’t worry. These are my men.” She explained as she saw the questioning looks on our faces.

“They have prepared a few more horses and weapons. You will need them.” She continued.

She was helping us escape. Why? She was making me confused.

Klara studied Lucian while he put his weapons in place and prepared his horse. As she looked at him her expression was filled with sorrow and another feeling I didn’t want to admit yet.

Turning to me she walked closer.

“Why are you helping us?” I asked before she could say anything.

“I am helping him not you.”

“Helping him is helping me.” I said.

She narrowed her eyes.

“I am trying to hate you. You are not helping.” She said.

“Neither are you.”

I think saw her lips twitch a little into a smile.

“This is not the end. I have not given up on him yet.” She said folding her arms across her chest.

“I am sure there are many men who like you why Lucian?”

Walking closer she leaned in.

“I don’t think you understand, but your husband is one of a kind.”

Then taking a few steps back “I trust you will protect him, or I will come for him.” She smirked.

“Princess Klara,” Lucian said approaching us “thank you for your help.”

As she looked at him her eyes softened and for a short moment, I thought she would cry.

“Take care of yourself.” She said.

We were riding fast through an empty land and once again I felt dizzy. I thought I had gotten used to this but I guess I didn’t.

Lucian slowed down, “Are you alright?” he asked.

“Yes,” I breathed, but I wasn’t.

Throughout the journey, I fought my urge to vomit as I held on to Lucian until I discovered something. Inhaling Lucian’s scent took the nausea away. Grabbing some strands of his hair I kept inhaling his spicy scent until we decided to take a break.

“Lincoln will bring us food.” Lucian said as he sat next to me on a cliff while I was watching the sunrise.

It was my first time seeing the sun rise and it was the most beautiful sight. From the corner of my eyes, I could see Lucian watching me.

“Isn’t it beautiful?” I nodded toward the sun.

“Very beautiful.” He said but he was still looking at me as he said it.

I turned to him. “I am speaking of the sunrise, Lucian.”

“I see nothing but you right now.”

We just stared into each other’s eyes unable to look away until we heard some guards speaking behind us.

Tearing my gaze from his, “Where are we going? What’s your plan?” I asked.

“There is only one way out of this mess and to keep you safe. I will kill my brothers.”

“But how? You brothers probably have a very high security now because they know they can be attacked any time. I am sure they are prepared for everything.” I said.

“I don’t know exactly how Hazel, but I will come up with something. First I need to take you to a safe place.”

The thoughts of him leaving me and maybe not coming back sent shivers down my spine.

“No, ” I said. “I don’t want you to go.”

“Hazel, I have to. We can’t live running and hiding our whole life.”

“But what if something happens to you?”

He smiled.

“Nothing will happen to me.” He said cupping my face with one hand.”I can’t die now when I know the feeling of having your bare body in my arms.”

His eyes burned into mine and heat crept to my face.

“Your Highness, I have brought some food and clothes.” Lincoln interrupted us.

Lincoln brought us commoners clothes so that we wouldn’t be recognized easily. We changed our clothes, ate some food and then continued our journey.

Leaving trees and empty lands behind, we came to the city. Getting off the horses we walked among common people till we came to a little village outside the city.

We stood in front of a white house with a brown roof. Lucian had told me that we would go to Lincoln’s home, I guessed this was it.

Lincoln entered the house and after a while, he came out with a woman. She seemed to be in her late twenties or early thirties with blonde hair and brown eyes.

“This is my wife Malia, Malia this is His Highness Lucian and His wife Hazel.” He introduced.

“It’s an honor to meet you, Your Highness.” She greeted. “Please come inside.”

It was a small house but it was neet and looked comfortable. I could see Malia glancing at Lucian now and then looking surprised. From the way she looked at him, I knew she hadn’t expected him to look the way he did. I couldn’t blame her, I never thought he would look like this either before I got married to him.

Lucian and Lincoln spoke to Malia about me staying with her until they took care of things.

“Callum will also stay here in case anything happens,” Lincoln explained and Malia nodded.

After giving us lunch Malia took us to a room.

“You have been traveling the whole night, I am sure you need rest.” She smiled.

“Thank you.” I said and she closed the door behind us.

The bedroom was small, at least for someone like me who was used to having very big bedrooms but it looked nice. To share such little pace with Lucian brought butterflies to my stomach.

He had already made love to me but I was still behaving like an innocent girl. I needed to stop this.

Looking at Lucian, he was still utterly handsome even when wearing commoners clothes while I probably looked awful. He was wearing a pair of black boots, khaki trousers and a white shirt which he was taking off by now.

Looking at his body I remembered how shamelessly I had touched him without holding back. How smooth his skin had felt, how the muscles on his arms and back had twitched… and his strong neck, I had a sudden urge to place kisses down his neck.

“What are you thinking about wife?”

From the smug look on his face I guessed he knew what I was thinking about.

“Nothing.” I blushed.

“And why would nothing make you blush?” He drawled crossing the distance between us.

“Can you hear my thoughts?” I asked.

“No, but I can hear your heart race, your breathing change and your temperature rise.”

“You can hear my heartbeat?” I asked surprised.

“Yes, I have sharp senses.”

“Oh…” I said trying to digest everything. “What else can you do?”

“I can speak inside your head.”

I wasn’t very surprised by that. I had heard his voice in my head before.

“What else?”

“I can control fire.”

He had burned the men. It was him. “Now you are scared.” He said.

“No, I am not.”

He was quiet for awhile “Let’s get some rest.”

**************

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