Crowned Compass ✓

𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒕𝒆𝒓 34

My heart started to beat through my ears, but at the speed of lightning, Adonis caught the flying axe from behind him just before it could reach the back of his neck.

He wasn't even looking...how did he manage to do that?

Adonis stuck the axe in the ground and I saw a boy jump onto his torso, holding a knife to his face, meer inches from his eye.

"Someone stop him!" I shouted.

When no one budged, I rushed over to grab my uncle's sword. He gripped my wrist immediately, shaking his head.

I paused, confused, looking back towards Adonis to see the boy had fallen to the ground.

He had the reddest hair, almost the color of blood, and his skin was white as snow. He wore a black mask over his mouth, and I assumed it was to hide his identity.

He rose back up, attempting to hit Adonis again, and couldn't land a single blow. He gave up and stood straight, twirling the knife in his hands.

I watched him fiddle with the blade fastly between his fingers. How could a child have the ability to do this..?

"He's been a cold fighter since the beginning," my uncle whispered.

So it really was true that they used children as weapons...

I clenched my fists in my dress and Adonis noticed my uncomfort, signing, 'I am okay. He just likes to play.'

That's playing?!

'Who is she?' the boy signed.

Was he mute as well?

'My heart,' Adonis responded.

'That is a lie,' the boy signed and furrowed his eyebrows, 'your heart is within your chest.'

I smiled and walked up to the boy, holding out my hand, "I'm Lessi. Princess of this kingdom."

He kept still. Only death lingered in his eyes. They were cold and gray.

I gulped and pulled my hand back, "O-okay. Nice talk."

"His name is Lionis," my uncle said, "and believe it or not. He is one of the best we have here."

"Oh I believe it," I smiled at the boy.

Didn't matter how softly I tried to approach this young fellow, he didn't seem to waver, just like Adonis when I first met him.

Poor guy, I thought.

"If you are thinking about befriending him princess, don't do it," Uvin whispered from behind me.

I couldn't help it as I approached him. He just kept staring.

My uncle mumbled, "Oh boy," before leaving the area.

"How old are you?" I asked.

No response was given.

Adonis signed, 'He is thirteen.'

I gasped, "You're certainly on your way up, hm?"

Lionis kept still.

Before I could utter my next word, he held a dagger to my throat.

The men around were about to stop him but I held up a hand.

Why didn't they show him how to address a princess properly?

"Your hair is beautiful," I told the boy.

He continued to stare, but I could see his cheeks reddening just above his mask.

"I can definitely see you growing into the strong man that Adonis is now."