Sand Scented Jar (Gazellian Series #9)

Chapter 16

Chapter 16: Met

It was one of those fleeting moments— when we found ourselves in the middle of a peaceful place, a greenhouse to be exact, where he could fully relax, close his eyes and I could simply watch him. I hated that I couldn't even blink.

Kreios always had that image— a carefree king— known for breaking the norm. If there were ever a meeting with all the kings of Nemetio Spiran gathered in one place, he'd be the one to stand out. He was different— dangerously.

Who would have thought that the foolish, runaway grandson of the great councilor Leon Doyle would one day wear the crown? I was among those who mocked him, questioning his decisions and believing his future would have been better if he'd succeeded his grandfather. But Kreios was destined for something greater— a higher position than any of us had imagined.

I might have provoked him— filled him with the idea that I was the one who made him this way. But the more time I spent in this kingdom, despite our pointless banter, I couldn't deny one thing: he was a king— the perfect ruler of the largest empire in Nemetio Spiran.

"Now you fall in love with me again, My Queen," he said, with his amused and mellowed voice.

I bit my lower lip as I kept staring at him, silently cursing how confidently he carried himself. He wasn't touching me, and there was a slight distance between us, but the tension was unbearable— so thick I could hardly breathe. He wasn't even looking at me, yet it felt like if one of us made a move, we'd find ourselves tangled together behind the bushes surrounding us.

He knew how godly his beauty was, just like his sister.

Kreios might not have been that pristine and elegant just like Tobias, Dastan, or even Uno— the traditional king that I used to grow up with, but the way he was different from them made him look more dangerously attractive.

Alam kong hindi lang sa mga mata ko kundi pati na rin sa napakaraming kababaihan mula sa iba't ibang lahi.

How could he unconsciously slant his body on this bench, legs stretched out against the ground, arms sprawled across the backrest—positioning himself in a way no king should? Vampires, all of us, radiate more at night—but Kreios, with the filtered sunlight streaming through the glass panes above us, could make anyone falter.

How could he look so vulnerable, yet I still felt the challenge—as if he was daring me to crumble and beg for him?

My hands balled tightly on my thighs, unconsciously crumpling my dress as I looked at him.

"You shouldn't sit like that, Kreios. Someone might see you. You are a king."

He closed his eyes, "I don't care. Is the king not allowed to relax sometimes?"

"You can rest inside your room—"

"Our room," he corrected.

"Go."

"With you? I don't think so," he smiled, still with his eyes closed.

"We can arrange a separate room if—"

Hindi na ako muli pinatapos ni Kreios, bigla siyang nagmulat, umupo nang maayos, mabilis na pinagkrus ang kanyang mga hita, bahagyang inihawak ang isang kamay sa isa niyang tuhod habang itinuon niya ang isang siko sa likuran nito. With a single snap of his fingers, the golden chains tied on my feet turned into dust and slowly vanished into the air.

I gasped as I looked at my feet, unable to process the sudden change of events. I thought he'd never allow me to wander his kingdom without his chains. What made him remove my chains?