The Last Dragon Rider (Book 1 of Rider Series)

Chapter 26

The rest of the morning was a blur while I got the scarabs for my swords and dagger, opting for the option to have the sheath that went across my back because I had the sheath that would hold my dagger.

After that, I went straight to work, making sure that everything was still in order as well as fixing a leak on another house, even though there hadn't been a single sign of rain for a couple of weeks now, and that made everyone worried because the river was slowly drying up while the people that were not living on the poor side held onto it for whatever reason.

"So, this is where you are hanging out at," someone called from the road while I worked on the roof with the afternoon sun bearing down on me. "Why are you fixing the roof?"

I wiped the sweat off of my brows and turned my head until I was able to look on the roof to see Caspain staring at me with one of his guards beside him, both of them on horses. "Your Highness," I said, bowing my head before I turned back to my work, not answering his question.

"What'd I tell you about calling me "Your Highness," Marini?" he asked, and I had a feeling that he raised an eyebrow. "And are you going to answer my question?"

"No, Your Highness," I said, finishing up my work. "I didn't know that you needed to know what I do and do not do." I packed up my supplies and turned my head to the west, where storm clouds sometimes gathered, and studied the open blue sky to see that there were no clouds. Pursing my lips, I shook my head and started to climb down the ladder, grateful that this male didn't have any children that would try to knock the ladder away from the house.

Caspian's scowl was what met me when I turned around to face them, and I raised an eyebrow in question when I saw his narrowed eyes. "It's Caspian," he said. "Please, call me that and not 'Your Highness' or 'Prince Caspian.' I don't like it when you do it."

I raised an eyebrow. "You don't like it when I do it," I repeated before I went to my basket and placed the satchel in there, making sure to have it hidden from view. "Why do you not like it when I do it, Your Highness? You are a prince, and I am merely a commoner, living underneath "your" rules."

He scoffed, and I had a feeling that he rolled his eyes while there was a sound of shifting leather because he had gotten off of his horse. The prince handed his reins to his guard before he made his way over to me until he was a few feet away from me. "I don't think you live underneath anyone's rules, Marini," he said, his voice soft. "At least not the ones that run this kingdom."

I stood, clutching my basket close to myself, and noticed that he was closer than I thought he would be in front of someone else. "And what do you mean by that, Your Highness?" I asked, cocking my head while I studied him.

A small smile appeared on his lips, but he shook his head and didn't make a comment. "I don't think you'd like to hear what I have to say," he said, nodding his head to the guard as if to say 'you don't want to hear what I have to say in front of him.'

"It'd be safe if he knows," I mumbled. I narrowed my eyes at the guard and earned a bowed head from the Elf sent to protect this prince by whoever's orders. "But, I do not wish to speak of it out here." I turned my gaze to the other male and saw that he was already staring at me.

He furrowed his brows and cocked his head. "What do you mean?" he asked, and I shook my head, not answering him. "Marini," he warned, and I had a feeling that he wanted me to answer.

Again, I shook my head before I started to make my way to the Town's Square to carry on with the business that I did, making sure that everyone was alright and didn't need anything. I ignored the curious glances that some people gave me when they noticed a sulking prince at my side with a guard on a horse, leading another one.