𝙴𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚖𝚘𝚛𝚎 ✔

Chapter Eighteen

Yet, he never made it to dinner the next day, or for the entire week after that. Garna kept feeding us excuses as to his absence, yet none of them sat right with me.

"I apologize, but his Highness is feeling rather ill with a headache today and will not be making it to dinner."

"He has caught a cold and is in no shape to join you all for dinner, he sends his regards."

"He is still ill with the cold. However, his condition has improved so perhaps you will see him tomorrow."

It went on and on for seven days. I did not mind his absence, but everyone else was restless, including Alveary. She only came to talk with me a few times, and the conversations only pertained to Adam. Which, after a while became quite unbearable. I understood her concern for the man. However, I was more than certain he was lying.

The first, and well only meeting with him was all I had to base my assumptions on, yet the more I sat and thought about it the more it seemed reasonable. After seeing him walk in the room with us that night, his body language made it seem as if he were in pain, the look on his face was as if he were somewhat distraught, a little bit conflicted and it was obvious that he was hesitated every time he moved, every time he said something pertaining to the curse. Why? I hadn't the clue. But his tension seemed to ease off after eating, which only added more confusion to the pile.

What did that Witch do to him? The only way I was going to find out was if I took him up on his offer and spent time alone with him. I needed to gain his trust because he seemed more than happy leaving all the details of his situation buried, and so did everyone else. Even so, I understood why, and if he was cursed with something vile it would make breaking the curse, if the way he described was true, extremely difficult or even impossible to achieve. No matter the affliction I still wanted to know, I needed to know if he was truly something to fear or simply just a young man cursed to suffer for the rest of eternity.

In his absence, Lottie and Justine had become quite the terrors. Lottie spent every moment she had in my presence trying to tear me down as if I was actually competition. She should have been putting all her energy into removing one of the largest obstacles in her way, but instead she focused on me.

Justine had a way with men, that much was obvious from Sebastian's ball. Not only that, but she was also more versed in acquiring the throne and the affections of the Prince than any of us, all because that was all she was born to do.

In time, I was sure, we would see who each and every one of us really was, and surely no one was braced for the truth. Not even me.

"Good afternoon, everyone." Justine grinned as she came through the doors, which lead into the drawing room on the main floor and joined the rest of us. "I wonder, do you all think our delightful Prince will be joining us this evening?"

"Perhaps, it has been a week." Alveary answered, looking up from her sewing. Surprisingly she had gotten much better at it and had stopped stabbing herself. Well mostly.

"He will come when he is ready. The dirty vagrant probably scared his majesty away." Lottie added.

"He is most likely overwhelmed with everything that is going on, give him time to process and when he feels comfortable around us, he will return." I snapped the book I was reading shut and stood up to leave. "If you need me, I will be in my room."

Lottie mumbled something as I shut the doors behind me, which only worsened my mood. As I ascended the stairs level by level, I felt as if there were eyes on me, like when we arrived. Once I reached the fourth-floor balcony, that overlooked the foyer and entrance hall, I found who those eyes belonged to.