Daughter of Winter

Chapter 19

I started to prepare for dinner myself, though I was apprehensive about what would happen at the table.

There was no way that a meal with him at the table would go well, not with what had just happened. In addition, I had popped in to Lysander's head again, this time for much longer. I was terrified of him finding out, and what he would do if he did.

Moments after I picked out a fresh dress and took off my clothes, there was a knock on my door.

"I am back," a deep voice said. It was Kendryek, he finally had returned. I expected to feel some sort of relief, maybe happiness, but instead I was just annoyed.

"Oh good. I was afraid I wouldn't get to see you for another year," I replied. He scoffed. The doorknob started to turn. I made an embarrassingly high pitched noise and sprinted, half naked, into the bathroom, slamming the door shut as I went.

"Would you please ask if you can enter before barging in?" I asked. All of my clothes were on the outside of the door and there was nothing in here, save for a towel, that I could wear.

"I knocked. If you did not want me to enter, then you should have said so," he defensively replied. I threw my arms up in the air.

"I didn't expect you to barge in to another person's room!"

"This is my mansion, Allyn," he pointedly said. "Every room is one of mine." I grit my teeth and took a deep breath.

"Your Highness, could you please exit your room for one moment while I put on clothing?" I asked in a sickly sweet voice. I heard footsteps and the door close.

Not entirely trusting him, I peeked my head out to check. He was gone.

I scrambled out of the room and to my bedside, where I threw my clothes on as quickly as I could.

There was one problem, though, as my dress had two string at the top that needed to be tied. They were on my back and challenging for me to both see and reach. I put them in a shoddy knot for the time being, making a mental note to ask a servant to tie it for me.

"You may enter your room now, Your Highness," I said with a mock bow.

He reentered the room, immediately filling it with his powerful, shimmering aura and the scent of pumpkin spice. He was clean shaven and perfectly manicured, dressed, and styled for tonight's dinner. It struck me again, that odd feeling of realizing that I was in a relationship with the son of one of The Seven. This time I reminded myself that I was the daughter of one of The Seven. We were on the same level.

"I'm glad to see that you missed me," he said sarcastically, moving towards me.

"I did," I murmured. I wrapped my arms around him and pulled him to me. Our bodies touched. He shrank back briefly.

"When did you get so cold?" he asked, laughing.

"A lot has changed in the last month or two that you've been gone," I stated flatly, still bitter. "Lysander told me about everything." He tensed up and pulled back a bit farther, eyeing me carefully. I shook my head and pulled him closer again, yearning to be close to his power again.

"I am sorry," he murmured.

"I know. I do not want to talk about it right now," I muttered. I felt the core of his power and reached out to it, but this time it did not comfort me as much as the last. I was more full this time, the void in me a little less large. I did not need him to fill it.

"I missed you too," he whispered in my ear.

He pulled away.

"The situation in the Spring Court is, manageable," he said reassuringly. "Do not worry." I nodded.