Not So Innocent (A Dark Fantasy Novel)

All of The Stars

Disclaimer (just to be safe): this book is PG-13

Lexa watched as the Prince strided down the hallway, with a kiss on her cheek and a day's worth of exhaustion built into the soles of her feet. Just outside of the doors to her quarters, she was only steps away from leaving this day before the wedding behind.   

The day had been an eventful one, for the soon to be queen. But it had not been a difficult one. At a certain point in Lexa's time spent playing the sweet Adelaide, she had fallen into an ease with the prince. Sure, he was a kind man, annoyingly so. All this flattering talk of love and lifetimes spent together made her want to chop her own head off. But at the very least, the Prince was predictable.

Which made manipulating him so easy that it was almost too boring to bear. Where was Cleo when Lexa needed her? She may have been a conniving twit, but at the very least she was a challenge. An equal to compete with Lexa's own skills.

Regardless, the day before the wedding went as to be expected. The whole day had been spent listening to the prince drone on and on about the wedding. Honeymoon this, Children that. At some point it took all of Lexa's will power not to drive the excessive speaking out. 

William had left her with beautifully crafted parting words, something that she had made sure to feign swooning to. Something about Adelaide's innocence and kindness. Lexa had forgotten at this point, for it was what she did with all of the useless information not relevant to her plots. 

Lexa opened her doors, and sighed upon arrival. 

Bennie had never been one to handle envy well, especially when it came to Lexa. Some would say that it was his most dominating flaw.

But that had been different before, when he was not the high sorcerer. She had been able to use that jealousy to her advantage then. But now...now with all of the raw power that he had absorbed, he was uncontrollable. Powerful. Dangerous. He was no longer the goofy kid that she had once known, falling over his feet just to catch a glimpse of her attention.

But even high sorcerers wanted something. And Lexa, for better or for worse, knew that all that Bennie wanted was her. It had always been that way, and some things never did change.

Not even when one becomes the most gifted in the kingdom.

She shifted her eyes to where he laid upon her bed sheet, scowling at her. He sprawled across the fabric leisurely, like he did not give a care about how Lexa saw him. No leaning against the bed post this time, or sprawling across the couch.

Just him. And the bed.

And him.

It's like he knew what he was doing to her.

"How did you know?" She asked blandly.

"What? I'm just here to check up on my Innocent Adelaide." He flaunted his tone in a poor attempt at mocking Will.

"You've been watching me?" Lexa hadn't felt anything, the usual tug at the fringes of her mind.

"Being the sorcerer does come with it's..." he looked her up and down, sending chills through her veins. "Perks."

Bennie, she could tell, was about to speak of undesired topics. Things that she would not tolerate with the exhaustion on her mind.