The Hathway Kingdom (Book 2)

Twenty-Nine.

~Twenty-Nine. ~

Romulus looked up as he heard a polite knock at the door of his study. He had been working almost non-stop for days, barely stopping long enough to eat or to sleep. He had only done those things because his sister had come home to find him nigh on exhausted and seconds form passing out at his desk. So, to please her and ease his sister's mind, he had given Theodoras strict instructions to come to him with his meals throughout the day and to then get him to stop working and go to bed at the same time every night to ensure he slept no matter how much he hated it.

The pair in question came into the room, with Theodoras holding the door open for Romulus' sister as she carried a tray, ladened with all manner of sweets and snacks and what looked to be a rather heavy teapot. Quickly getting to his feet, Romulus hurried over to her and took the tray from his sister, who gave him a grateful smile as they walked over to his desk.

"Next time, Lizzie...Jus have Theo carry it in," he said to her, and his sister rolled her eyes at him as he placed the tray down on his desk and she sat on the edge of it.

"Oh, for the love of...I'm not that delicate, brother. I think I can manage a mere tray," she said to him, and he couldn't help the chuckle that escaped his lips before he sat down with a heavy sigh.

"Well, since you've gone to such effort, to what do I owe the pleasure of your wonderful company, sister?" he asked her as he watched his sister pluck a cake from the tray before she popped it into her mouth.

"I had to make sure that you ate something other than those boring meals that you've been having poor Luella have the cook make you," she said to him as she grabbed another sweet before she held it out to him and gave him a rather expectant look. Sighing, Romulus gave in and opened his mouth, allowing Lizbeth to put the sweet into his mouth with a smile.

"And besides...Is it not a sister's duty to care for her brother?" she asked, brow raised at his startled expression. Only Theodoras, Larissa, Tristan and the Professor knew of her relation to Romulus. Their parents had done it to protect her as a child. To everyone in the Falconer Kingdom, she was little more than a friend of the family, the daughter of some unknown lord who had died and left her his name.

"Very well then. Other than distracting me so thoroughly with sweets and cakes, and the lie of doing your duty...What do you want, Lizzie?" he asked, picking up another sweet and putting it in his mouth, ignoring her glare as she narrowed her eyes on him.

"Can't I just want to spend time with you? You've been locking in here since I got home. Before then, if dear Theo is to be believed," she said as she gave Theodoras a smile, which he returned.

"You can but I've known you your entire life, Lizzie. You don't do something unless there is either something you want or you have something nefarious planned," Romulus said as he eyed his sister carefully. She held his gaze for a moment longer before she sighed, hanging her head, and looking away from him.

"Have...you heard from her recently?" Lizbeth asked and Romulus didn't need to see her face or ask her who she was talking about. He knew exactly who his sister was talking about, and his heart gave a rather hard thud against his chest.

Larissa had been writing to them both every other day from the moment that Romulus had left and then when Lizbeth had left. They had both looked forward to her letters, for different reasons of course. Lizbeth because she had found a friend and confidant and Romulus because he believed he had finally found his soulmate. He had enjoyed their time together, had enjoyed their spas as other than Theodoras, she was the only one who matched him in skill with a blade. She may even surpass him. He had also enjoyed the private, intimate moments they had shared, and he hoped would continue to do so.