The Protected (Book 2)

Chapter 9: Envious

I had gathered my wet clothes and went to join Mathew near the horses. He had started a fire while I was gone. "Good job on that fire."

His head shot up to me as he flashed a proud smile. "My great intellect served well."

"Nerd." I let out a small laugh. "Or one would say something like you had only the best teacher ever."

Mathew let out a wondrous laugh that I found myself smiling to. "Okay, well maybe my teacher helped a bit."

"Duh," I flipped braid over my shoulder in a pompous way earning another laugh from Mathew. I hated to admit it, but I really liked his laugh. It was deep and rich that hit a weird spot in the pit of your stomach, and you could hear the happiness in his laugh that made it contagious.

I went to sit beside him near the fire trying to warm my body. Maybe now would be a good time for that soup recipe I learned from my mother. "You know, you're a good student. I see a lot of potential in you if you are interested in learning?"

Mathew rubbed his hands together in front of him warming them up. "I use to hate it when I was forced to go to those guard lessons. Not that I hated your father's lessons but I hated having my father watching me fail every lesson or have you come and try to help me I just felt incompetent. I hate the feeling of not understanding. That's why I like books, they are straightforward."

He hated when I tried to help him? I remember during one of the lessons, Mathew was struggling with the order of some sword stances and thrusts that I had already learned. I tried to help him but he just threw his sword on the ground and walked away from the field all together. I always thought he just hated me, but I guess he hated the feeling of not understanding it.

The prince tilted his head to look at me. "Clary?"

"Yes?" I said looking back at him. The were different emotions mixing behind his eyes that I couldn't decipher.

"I am sorry," he said earnestly.

I scrunched my eyebrows in confusion. "For getting me wet?"

He shook his head with a light laugh. "No, I do not regret that. After all, that's the closest I will get to seeing you naked."

I gasped hitting his arm. Even though he was rubbing his arm in pain, he was also on the ground laughing very hard. I was ready to hit him again but he put his hands up trying to stop his laughter.

"Before you hit me again, let me at least get this off my chest before I die," he said and I decided to let him continue only because I was curious. "What you said earlier today, I never knew the hardship of becoming a guard, especially a female guard. I apologize for making it all the more harder, it wasn't fair. Truth is, I do respect you as a guard, I've watched you grow up and kick almost all your classmate's behinds. You are sort of the coolest person I know. I guess I have always been envious of you. I took it out on you in an immature way. If I couldn't have your life then I might as well make it not as enjoyable. I know, I know that was a bad move on my end. That is why I am apologizing. You are not as bad as I made you out to be in my head."

I knew my jaw was open but I could not close it. These were the last words I would have ever imagine leaving Mathew's mouth. In fact, they were unimaginable. I pinched myself to make sure this was all real earning a dark look from the prince.

"Don't make me regret this," he sighed. "You can close your mouth now."

"You... you? Envious? Of me?" I tried to process. That seemed impossible.

He rubbed the back of his neck looking embarrassed. "So you are going to make me regret this."

"But why?" I asked trying to understand. "You are smart, charismatic, handsome, you have got the whole kingdom in love with you--"