Serpent in Shackles

Chapter Twenty

I showed Leila all the main places in the house; the dining room, sitting room, the Shadow Knight's office, the training room. She said the same thing over and over again - this place is amazing.

"And this is my room," I said, swinging the door open.

"My room," she muttered mockingly as she stepped into the spacious room. Her jaw practically dropped as she looked over the gorgeous space, clearly noticing how different it was from my room at the palace.

Leila paused for a moment before leaping onto the mattress.

A deep sigh filled the room. She propped herself up against the headboard. "That is one sexy, sexy man."

"Shhh," I whispered, throwing a finger over my lips. "They can hear everything."

She waved a hand at me, dismissing my remark. "Come on. You can't tell me you haven't pictured that man naked at least once. I've been here for an hour and I've already pictured it three times. And trust me, it's a nice view."

My cheeks instantly warmed. "Onto other topics..."

Leila wiggled her brows and stood from the mattress before prancing through the room, taking a closer look at everything.

As she did, I strolled over and plopped down in the middle of the bed. "How's Dad doing?"

"He's doing well," she mutterred, surveying all the paintings on the walls. "He misses you like crazy but he's throwing himself into his work to fill the time. He pretends he's not worried but you and I both know that he's stressed out of his mind."

"And Prince Roan?"

Rings scraped against metal as the curtains flung open, almost falling off of the curtain rod from the force she yanked them with.

Sunlight poured in from the expanse of windows covering the sky blue wall. "He's- well, he's managing. Crying like a baby. Snapping at people."

"So basically his normal self."

Leila nodded and rolled her eyes, no amusement to be found in it.

"How did you get here?" I asked.

"I rode a horse that I found."

"So you stole a horse?"

"You say stole, I say borrowed," she drawled, still perusing the grand space. "I'm going to return her." Her head snapped back to me, delight glinted in her eyes. "Eventually."

I shook my head, chuckling.

The soft blanked engulfed me, forcing my eyes closed. The feeling of the Shadow Knight's hands, his breath, his touch, lingered on my body.

"Oh my. Who bought you this?"

I shot up in the bed and burst into laughter. A wicked smile spread wide across her face as she twirled a pair of light blue, lace undergarments around her finger. Of course she found the drawer.

I wiggled my finger, signalling her to put it back in the drawer. "That was already in there when I got here."

She nodded her head and mouthed sure, before tucking it back in the drawer. "Tags are still on so they're brand new. Just for you." She winked.

"I meant to ask, how did you find me?"

"Oh, I followed you the day you left. I asked the General first and he agreed. We just wanted to keep an eye on where you were."

She shrugged, crawling into the bed beside me. "Even the bed is nicer."

I rolled onto my side to face Leila, who was already propped up on her elbow. "Leila," I hesitated. Not to tell her, but to accept the words that I was finally ready to admit. "I don't want to go home." Tears surfaced in my eyes. "And I don't love Prince Roan."