Awakening in White Locks

Chapter 21

•⏳•

“Leaving already?”

Nilingon ko ang pinanggalingan ng boses at nakita ang Archduke na nakatayo sa gilid ng isang itim na kabayo.

Whoa, he looked magnificent!

I cleared my throat, pretending not to be mesmerized by how handsome he was.

I stepped down from the carriage and walked toward him. He was wearing his usual Archduke uniform, his face carrying that unreadable expression he always had.

But honestly, I didn't care about that as long as we could communicate properly.

“Greetings, Archduke of the North. What brings you to the Palace again?” I asked with a smile, stopping just a few steps away from him and his horse.

I saw something flicker in his eyes—an emotion I couldn't quite read. “I should be the one asking you that.”

I chuckled. “The King, your father, invited me for a chess match. Can you believe it, Your Grace? He sent me a letter early this morning—when I hadn’t even had enough sleep—only for me to find out it’s just for chess! It’s so frustrating, but I can’t exactly refuse since your father is the King,” I said, sighing deeply.

Napansin ko pang balak akong patigilin ni Lala sa mga pinagsasabi ko. Maaari akong parusahan ng kamatayan, maputulan ng ulo dahil sounding offensive itong mga sinasabi ko, but hey, I was just venting, alright?

Izra's lips twitched slightly before he sighed. “Then... how about we go horseback riding?”

I blinked several times, trying to make sure I wasn't imagining what he just said. Did Izra just ask me to go horseback riding with him?

“I... don’t know how to ride a horse, Your Grace,” I said, pretending to be shy.

Narinig ko ang mahinang pag-ubo ni Conrad behind me, kaya palihim ko siyang sinilip para samaan ng tingin. Kaagad naman siyang nagpanggap na parang binibilang niya ang mga ulap sa langit.

Tsk. This guy's going to expose me. Yes, I know how to ride a horse, but I wanted to experience that heroine moment I read about in books.

“Don’t worry, I’ll handle the horse,” Izra said confidently.

“No, Your Grace—Ah!”

I gasped, eyes wide, as he effortlessly lifted me and placed me on the back of his horse. He single-handedly raised me up like I weighed nothing! What strength!

I swallowed nervously as he climbed up after me. Now I was sitting in front of him. Thank goodness I was wearing pants, or this would have been way too awkward. He held the reins, and my eyes wandered down to his hands.

Veiny.

I cleared my throat and looked away.

“Stop thinking dangerous thoughts, young lady,” he whispered, his voice low and close to my ear, sending a shiver down my spine.

Why did he have to whisper that?!

I swallowed hard, trying to calm the sudden pounding of my heart. His voice was too close, too deep, and too... distracting.

"W--What are you talking about, Your Grace?" I stammered, tilting my head slightly to avoid his gaze. Feeling ko namumula na ang buo kong mukha ngayon.

He chuckled softly, the sound reverberating through my back as he adjusted the reins. “Nothing you should be concerned about,” he said, his tone laced with amusement.