Dark lustrous black hair framed a strong, defined face and pink soft lips were curved into a smirk.

“My my what do we have here?” His voice as smooth as his caramel skin held a mocking lilt.

When Klara didn’t reply or move he arched one dark brow.

“Do you find it comfortable sitting on the floor?” He asked.

“Huh? Oh… no…” Her face burned with embarrassment as she got up and adjusted her dress.

Why was she acting like this? Irritated with herself she looked at the man in front of her. Good lord, he was enticing, a feast to the eyes. She guessed that he might be from the tropics because of his tanned skin and exotic looks.

“You seemed to be in hurry?” He spoke.

Yes right, she forgot. She was running from a snake. A snake? Klara looked behind her. Luckily the snake hadn’t followed her.

“There was…a… a snake…in there,” Klara said pointing.

The man chuckled. “It’s harmless.”

Harmless? How could a snake be harmless? She had heard how people died immediately if they got bitten by one.

“What is your name beautiful?”

Klara blinked a few times in surprise. No one has ever dared to call her beautiful even if they thought she was but of course, this man didn’t know who she was otherwise he wouldn’t dare.

“Klara. ”

“Oh…you are the warrior princess.” He said.

“You know me?”

“Not really, just heard of you and your savage brother and …people.”

Klara was fuming with anger. How dare he? He knew nothing about her brother or people.

“Don’t you dare call my brother or my people savage.”

“Or what?” He said looking amused.

“Or I will slit your throat.” Klara threatened before she could stop herself from saying something so stupid.

“Tsk tsk…I didn’t know such threats could come from that beautiful mouth of yours.”

Klara was confused. Was he complimenting her? Then why did she feel as if he was mocking her?

“It’s not a threat, it’s a warning.”

He took a step toward her and leaned closer. Klara froze in place, he was too close for her comfort. “You see, you are in no position to warn me when you just ran from a mere snake.” He said.

A mere snake?

She took a step back. “Maybe I find it easier to kill you than a mere snake.”

He grinned showing perfect white teeth with canines slightly longer than normal ones.

“A tough one I see. I like it.” He drawled.

How unfortunate, because she didn’t like him even though he looked delicious enough to eat.

Klara shook her head. Where did she get that thought from?

“Klara? here you are.” Irene’s voice came from the hallway.

Turning her head she found Irene and Hazel approaching them. Hazel had changed into a clean dress and her hair was still wet from the bath. She seemed to be walking just fine. Klara guessed that Irene’s must have used some magic to heal her leg.

“I see you have already met.” Irene smiled as she looked between Klara and the man standing next to her.

“Hazel this is Roshan, he is part of my family and this is princess Hazel.” Irene introduced them to each other.

So the morons name was Roshan. Klara had never heard such name before.

“Nice to meet you princess.” He said with a polite tone that he hadn’t used when he spoke to her.

Klara had the sudden urge to kick him.

“You must be hungry. Enoch has prepared lunch. Let’s eat together.” Irene suggested then gestured for them to follow her.

On their way to the dining room, Irene and Hazel chatted happily while Klara walked next to Roshan in silence. Her senses told her that something wasn’t quite right. Neither Enoch nor Roshan looked like Irene yet she said they were family.

“What are you to Irene?” Klara asked Roshan.

“I am a friend of her husband.” He said simply.

“Oh…”

Enoch was already waiting when they arrived.

“Mmm…smells delicious.” Irene smiled.

Yes, it did. Klaras eyes landed directly on the grilled chicken legs in the middle of the table. She couldn’t wait to have a bite of it.

“Enoch always makes delicious food,” Irene explained.

Hazel and Klara exchanges looks. A man who cooks? Not only that, but he cooks well.

“Please sit down.” Irene urged.

Roshan walked past her and went to hold the chair out for Hazel.

“Thank you.” Hazel smiled as she sat down.

Klara thought he would then hold the chair out for her but he just went to his seat and sat down. Did he forget her or was he ignoring her on purpose?

“My Lady.” Looking to the side she found Enoch holding the chair out for her.

She thanked him and sat down. Irene and Hazel continued with their chatting, Roshan sat in silence while Enoch served food on their plates.

“Bon appetite!” Irene said when Enoch was done serving and sat around the table as well.

Klara was extremely hungry and the food tasted extremely well so she tried really hard to eat as a civilized person but she probably didn’t succeed because she was done before anyone else.

“Do you want some more, My Lady?” Enoch asked.

Feeling embarrassed Klara wanted to say no but found herself saying yes.

Enoch served some more food on her plate and Klara ate till she had enough.

“Your food is delicious,” Klara told Enoch.

“Thank you.” He smiled looking even more handsome when smiling. Klara was struck by the fact that everyone looked extremely beautiful in this mansion.

Enoch was tall and build, looking like the warrior type. His long blonde hair was tied in a half ponytail and the rest fell to his shoulders in smooth waves. His smooth skin was pale and unblemished and his eyes, a forest green that reminded her of warm summer days. With his extremely good looks and wearing all white, he looked like an angel.

Roshan was quite the opposite. While everything was light with Enoch, everything was dark with Roshan, he was even wearing all black. His dark hair cascaded down his golden skin like waves of midnight framing a masculine face. His eyelashes, the only feminine thing about him were so long and thick they made her jealous. From under those lashes peeked eyes of Hazel that would trap any woman who looked into them. Klara’s gaze traveled further down to his lips, but she averted her gaze quickly before she could think of anything stupid.

Then there was Irene. Her beauty was on another level. It was an unearthly, the kind that would stop you in your tracks, the kind that would suck you in, make you forget how to speak or breath, just like Lucians she thought.

“Do you want some dessert?” Irene asked.

“No, Thank you. I am fine.”

Standing up Irene helped Enoch and Roshan clean the table. Klara took the opportunity to take Hazel to the side.

“What did she do to your leg?” Klara whispered.

“Healed it with Herbs.” Hazel shrugged.

“Are you sure we can trust her? I mean why is she helping us?”

“As I said before because she is a friend,” Hazel said shortly.

Klara knew Hazel was hiding something from her. What has she gotten herself into? Helping someone who wasn’t telling her everything.

“You are probably tired why don’t you rest?” Irene spoke as she neared.

“Yes I need some sleep.” Hazel said yawning.

“Come one then I will take you to your rooms.”

I lay on the bed thinking about Lucian. Was he alright? And Callum. I felt so guilty for leaving him behind.

“What are you thinking about?”

I sat up on bed and looked at Irene. “I feel bad for leaving Callum behind and I am worried for Lucian.”

“I understand that.”

“Irene?”

“Yes.”

“You still haven’t told me why you are helping me? And what did you mean when you said Lucian is different?”

“Hazel…” She began and sat next to me “I wish I could tell you everything as it is but I can’t. That’s why I need you to figure it out yourself. You already know your husband is different but think, what is he exactly?”

“Why can’t you tell me?”

“Because I am cursed.”

“Cursed?”

“It’s a long complicated story. I just can’t tell you.”

“So what am I supposed to do?”

“You need to think and figure it out yourself.” She said.

I was really confused. So basically she could tell me nothing and I didn’t know how to figure things out by myself.

“Alright. I need to meet Lucian. Can you do some kind of magic thing so that I can meet him.”

“It will be difficult but I can try. Why don’t you rest for now.”

I lay back, covered myself with the sheets and closed my very tired eyes to get some sleep. I didn’t know when I fell asleep but when I woke up I found Klara in the room.

“What are you doing here?” I asked rubbing my eyes.

She came and sat next to me on the bed. “Are you not worried at all? What if something has happened to Lucian?” She seemed genuinely worried.

“I am sure he is fine.” I said to my surprise. How could I know he was fine?

She frowned. “Alright. Let’s say he is fine but we can’t just stay here.”

She was right but what were we supposed to do?

“What should we do then?”

“What did Lucian tell you before he left?”

“He said he would go kill his brothers and I was supposed to stay hidden in Lincoln’s house, but they found us and we had to escape.”

Klara was quite for a while and seemed to be thinking.

“Hmm then you should stay hidden. I need to leave maybe I can help him.” She said standing up.

“Wait! How? You don’t know where he is.”

“I didn’t know where you were when I found you. If he wants to kill his brothers I can probably guess where he is. I will tell him you are safe.”

“I will go with you.” I said removing the sheets and swinging my legs down.

Klara held her hand up in a stop gesture.

“Can you fight? Can you ride? No, you can’t. So why will you follow me? Besides his brothers are looking for you everywhere, you will only make it difficult for me.”

Could she be meaner? But she was right.

“Fine do whatever you want.” I said but I was actually worried for her. “But be careful.”

She looked at me for a while, some kind of emotion swirling in her eyes.

“I will.”