Cyanide Kisses

Chapter 5

That voice...
I've heard it before...
My eyes cut quickly to the direction of the sound and narrow almost immediately.
Zequoa. The prince. Our leader.
And a shitty one at that.
I mentally chuckle, but my facial expression remains stoic.
I step over Sev, who is still on the ground at my feet, and salute the royal brat.
" Always a pleasure, Lellex. ," Zequoa murmurs stepping closers to me. " At ease.", he says quietly.
I shift to a less formal stance.
" My liege. ", I greet stiffly. Trying very, very hard to keep the sarcasm out of my voice.
He smiles slightly, the expression not quite reaching his pale blue eyes.
" Lellex. You are well, I assume, since you have taken the liberty of roughing up my best soldier. "
I raise an eyebrow and glance at Sev, who has since picked himself up off of the ground and is brushing the dirt from his uniform.
That's his best soldier?
You've gotta be fucking with me...
He catches my eye and blushes furiously before looking back down at where he'd fallen.
I direct my attention back to the pompous price who is standing before me. I will my face to be expressionless once more before my contempt for the poor excuse for royalty can be seen.
The prince is eyeing me carefully. He then smiles suddenly at me and takes my hands in his. He brushes his soft, girlish lips across my knuckles and it takes all of my will power not to jerk my hands away.
I grimace, more annoyed and uncomfortable with this than I was when Sev had carried me. Zequoa peeks up at me and sees my unamused expression and laughs before dropping my hands.
I shudder internally. His laugh sounds artificial. Forced. While Sev's laugh had been whole hearted and made my heart squeeze in my chest.
Wait.
What the fuck am I doing?
I mentally scold myself for such ridiculous thought.
The prince is still staring at me. He appears as if he is trying to read my eyes. Searching for information.
Good luck.
" Come with me. ", he says quietly before turning on his heel and striding back in the direction from which he came.
I shrug and follow.
" You too Severat. ", he adds with a lazy flick of his wrist.
Severat?
I turn to see Sev reluctantly following me and the prince.
I mentally smack myself for being so dense.
Of course Sev would be a nickname. He makes eye contact with me again and, like before, turns an unpleasant shade of pink before dropping his gaze. I shrug and redirect my attention to the princely fool leading me onward.

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We stand in front of a polished wooden door with an unusually shiny brass door knob.
" This is General Levlatzi's office. He should be here if you have any questions for him.", Zequoa states quietly, " Although, I feel I must inform you that Levlatzi is a busy man and you should not trouble him with matters that are not of utmost importance."
I nod at the prince.
He eyes me curiously again and sighs, obviously discontented with whatever he has discovered.
" Well, you probably had better let the general know that you have arrived. ", he says.
" Yes, your majesty. ", I say quickly, making no move to knock on the door just yet.
" As for the boy... ", he continues," it appears as though you'll just have to learn how to play nicely. "
I open my mouth to protest but quickly think better of it. I grit my teeth and nod hesitantly.
" I don't want a repeat of what happened earlier today. He is your escort and he will be until I order otherwise."
I nod once more.
He turns halfway as if he were about to leave but then stops and speaks once more.
" And in any case you'll be under 24-hour surveillance for the first month you are present. You'll sleep together, eat together, bathe together... We'll, I think you see the point. "
Sleep together?? Bathe together?? This has got to be a sick fucking nightmare.
I open my mouth to fight the decision and my words fail me as the prince reaches over to tuck a stray piece of hair behind my ear. His cold fingers linger on my cheek for a split second and I have to suppress the urge to vomit in my mouth.
He withdraws his hand, as if thinking better of the sudden action and smiles weakly.
He then leaves me and the other soldier standing outside General Levlatzi's door.