MALAKAI (The 'Mala Series' book 1)

ct-14 Staying away

A week passed and Kai had not seen Katherine. He'd gone to her house the day after seeing her secret place, but Julia told him that the princess wasn't going anywhere.

Even though she wasn't going anywhere, Kai wanted to see her and know if she was okay after all she had said to him concerning her tabooing father. But then Julia had told him she wanted to be alone.

That was all good to him. Except it had been the same excuse throughout the week.

She wants to be alone. She wasn't going anywhere today.

It was all seeming a bit strange that the princess who always wanted to walk around the gardens or go to the library or just take a stroll round the castle compounds suddenly found her house so comforting.

Maybe he really did something wrong. Perhaps putting her tears on his eyes was going overboard?

Kai sighed. He hadn't had to think much about how he had offended someone since Mara. He had often done one or two things that would make her refuse his company. Then he'd pay a child to beg her forgiveness for him.

Surely this isn't a Mara case. I mean -

Kai shut down the thoughts before they sprouted in his mind. He had tracked down Keita's place during the week. It was a comfortable and neat room in the barracks built for one. Except Kai had spotted a few lady things in a corner.

Keita had paled again at Kai's presence but Kai reassured him of his friendliness by playing cards with him. His main reason for coming was to ask Keita to help with the equipments he was with now.

Some charcoaled pencils, a paint palette, paint brush, art board and other equipments for art. It was one of his secret talents only Mara and Viktor ever knew about.

He felt free when he painted. It was as if his locked were just poured on a white surface. Mara often encouraged him to keep painting, but he hadn't really had time to focus on painting since she left.

Today he painted the princess's stunning secret place. Capturing all the phlox plants blooming, and the princess's form in the midst of it all.

Her sadness was silhouetted against the happiness and beauty of her environment. He'd thanked Keita with a small purse of coins. Keita had refused, but after Kai's persistence, he conceded.

The Queen had sent him a very very nice pay. Kai had stored some in the bank and left some with him. The Queen had also handled financing the tailor who had come and filled Kai's wardrobe with clothes his size.

Kai was still painting at night when he heard a knock. He stepped out of the room and closed the door. He wasn't sure he wanted anyone knowing he could paint.

It was Sebastian's distinguished form at the door.

"Guardian." Sebastian said, with an acknowledging nod.

I will never get used to this title, Kai thought.

"Sebastian." Kai said in greeting. "What do you need?"

"The Queen has asked me to inform members of the court that there'll be a ceremony tomorrow when she names lord Jerome her hand." Sebastian said. "She wishes you to accompany the princess and not any random guard the princess chooses."

Kai raised his brows in question.

"The Queen's words not mine." Sebastian said, then turned on his heels and left.

So the Queen knows Katherine is avoiding him, Kai thought. He'd have to find out why.

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