PBPGD

CHAPTER 19.1

Wade laughed out loud as if he was astonished as he stared at Claude, “What do you mean? Do you think I will eat Canillian up?”

“We do not know that.”

Wade laughed like he would bring the house down and wiped a tear from his eye. It was strange how he managed to be dignified despite the churlish acts. “Have you not labeled him as a fake? Is this sudden change of heart not too abrupt?”

“No, I still think Canillian Vale is a fake. It’s just…” Claude looked out the window as he let his words trail, and his brow furrowed, “I think he is amusing. Maybe even interesting.”

Wade was even more surprised at those words. “Interesting. Only that?”

The crown prince sounded a bit irritated, and Claude rubbed his smooth chin as he answered. “He refused to become my family’s steward a few days back.”

“Oh, did that hurt your pride? Are you going to tease him until he gives in?”

Wade raised both hands in exaggeration, but Claude’s answer was composed, “No, I want him more now. The Marchioness worked hard to make him an acceptable substitute for Kieran, and he is a rare specimen. He is fundamentally different from the idiots who don’t work, and instead stick to their family names. I do want him for that.”

Wade’s smile disappeared as he looked at Claude, as the idiots were the second and third sons of noblemen, who stayed near him, and often gave him poisonous glances. Their words dripped with honey but their actions were disingenuous.

“You are sharp,” Wade sighed and murmured loudly so that Claude could hear him. “I know that you have your father’s blood, and you make me think of your father. That is very uncomfortable.”

“That is an honor for me since I respect my father.” Claude smiled as he crossed his legs, his shiny black hair fluttering from the breeze as Wade opened a window.

Cosoar was not far from the Shelby Estate, but it did take three hours to get there. That was enough time to organize his thoughts. Ian Sergio was a Geore prince, aggressive, and liked fights. No matter how highly Kieran spoke of him, a brute was a brute. Claude narrowed his eyes as he looked out the window.

It was natural for Claude to feel instinctively competitive when it came to other men and he wondered why Canillian Vale wasn’t.

He felt oddly annoyed that Canillian was a man, no matter how small and frail he was. His pretty face and voice would change one day and that thought was driving Claude crazy. He bit down on words and opened his fisted hands as he looked at Wade, whose eyes were closed. Maybe he was thinking like this because the crown prince reminded Claude that gender was irrelevant when it came to beauty. Of course, Claude didn’t see Canillian in that manner, this was just curiosity.

Was this why first impressions were so important, he wondered? The child who had pressed snow on his hand was a girl wearing boy’s clothes, awkwardly to say the least. He was used to it now, but… damn. Claude swallowed a curse and began to think of other things. Canillian was not important. Ian Sergio, who may bring bloodshed to the Empire, was what he needed to be concerned about. Claude took out his pocket watch as the car shook on an unpaved road. His blue eyes were tense as he drank in the green scenery.

***

“Stop following me around!” Lia shouted before running to Kieran’s outhouse. Her breath was short from having run all the way there, and Ian smirked as he languidly followed her.

“I am the guest of this house, Canillia. Don’t run away from me.”

Lia wiped the sweat from her brow as she glared at him, “I am Canillian, and I guided you to the hall where guests reside!”

“Yes, Canillian. But I came to see you, not the manor.”

“Prince Sergio, why are you doing this to me?”

“Call me Ian.” Ian smiled with his eyes, and Lia’s head turned away when she saw his happy face.

“Yes, Ian. But I am busy, and you following me around does not help things.”

“Oh, shall I help?”

“No!”