The Selected

Adeline's POV Pt 3

We had been walk for hours trying to reach the safe house Dorian had set up for us. Buying a horse would raise too much suspicion as to what two wonderers were doing with that much money or make us targets. Let us just say the walk had been awkward. After this morning, I had tried to stay distant from Rowan. He was messing with my mind and my heart and I couldn't fall for him. I wouldn't.

He had realized how distant I had been trying to be after multiple attempts at making conversation and had been sulking ever since. He looked like a child who's best friend had uninvited them to their birthday party. His sad expression broke my heart but I knew I needed to be a bad guy in order to stay focused and sane.

"We should be there soon. Maybe another half hour," Rowan said in a monotone. A sighed in relief. I don't think my sore legs can handle walking much longer. I kept my mouth closed as a habit Imogen taught me to not complain.

The walk hadn't felt as long since that single question kept consuming my mind. How? How did I fall for Prince Rowan?

Is it when I realized how similar we are to each other? Or how we shared all the same pain? Is it when we were children and all the fun memories we shared as he taught me how to live? Or when I catch his small kind gestures? Or his constant attempt to keep me distracted or trying to get me to smile? Could it be when I had lost everything and he consolidated me back in his castle? Is it when he saved me from drowning? Or when he held my hand on the train and I knew he would protect me and everything would be alright? Is it when I woke up in his arms feeling happy for the first time in a long time? Could it be when we shared our deepest secrets to each other and I felt like I could share everything with him?

Maybe all of those. Maybe he had been collecting little pieces of my heart and now I'm afraid he's collected most of it. I couldn't give him the rest. Not yet anyway.

"Do you want to rest princess?" Rowan asked like he asked every fifteen minutes making sure I was okay and hydrated.

"It is fine. I find it best we finish this mission as quickly as possible and get it over with," I said right before noticing Rowan wince.

"Right, let's get it over with. The only important thing about all this is your coronation after all," he said but his dark tone said something else.

A part of me wanted to tell him he was just as important as the coronation but saying it out loud brought a whole reality to it that I wasn't ready to face. I thought-- well more like hoped-- that the prince was just trying to prove that he did have an affect on me. That he could win me with his womanizing ways. That he was winning the game. But I knew better. I could see his sincerity. I would be honored to have him as a friend but my feelings for him are too dangerous. I guess karma has a funny way of payback. Poor Mathew, I now know what he was going through with me. I hope in his next life he receives pure happiness.

"You look down princess? Care to share your thoughts?" Rowan's voice brought me out of my thoughts.

"I was just thinking about Mathew," I admit.

Rowan's face falls. "Are you okay?"

I nodded my head but I knew that was a lie. Might as well come out with it. "I fear I did something horrible to him. I feel so bad."

The frown on his face grew deeper. "You can't help who you fall in love with."

My lips parted in surprise. "H-how did you know?"