Valencia

I slowly turned around to see another man standing besiden. He was a head shorter thann and sported a small beard. His hair was on the shorter side, too.

But he was bulky and looked like he had spent all his life tanning in the sun.

“I didn’t know you were back”n turned around smoothly to greet the man.

Something thumped behind them, a bag that thudded on the porch as the man threw his hands open and pulled him into a hug.

“Look how happy you are to see bme/b,” He said even thoughn showed no trace of happiness.

I kept looking at the two men, waiting forn to exin who that guy was.

“Name’s Martin. You can call me Marty for short. I bwas /bon the hunt, but we all got news that my sweet little brother, the one least expected to find anything even remotely to do with the witch, found something. Naturally, I returned to see what bluff my little brother was cookingb…/b”

Martin took a brief pause and looked me up and down, as if deciding if he wanted to kill me or not.

and I must say, bI /bam not disappointed.”

Little brother?

So he was one of the siblings ofn! The few that were alive, that is.

“Yeah. bBut /byou should be in your room, resting and getting refreshed for the training, right?”

Martin chuckled and ruffledn’s hair as if he was some toddler and walked inside, hands behind his back.

“I

I spent half of my life looking for her, and now that she is here, you want me to go train some pups?” Marty said and inched closer.

I btook /bba /bstep back warily and my eyes flicked ton who also approached me to dissolve the tension,

“Come on, you are making her feel awkward, Marty”

Martin looked surprised and ced a hand on his chest.

“Oh, did I now?”

He looked at me for reassurance and then added, “I am so sorry, where are my manners?”

He muttered to himself and then wiped his palms on the side of his dirty jeans and bowed to me.

“I apologize, blessed one, for myck of civility. I would blike /bto introduce myself as Martin or Marty. I am the oldest living son of King Aecidus, thereby making me the heir apparent to the throne.”

He said thest line with a lot of pride and maybe expected me to just scream in excitement or something

I still looked atn warily, so Martin straightened up and whispered ton..

“Is she mute? Or deal? Or both perhaps?”

I folded my arms across my chest and replied. “Neither”

Martin smiled at the both of us. “Oh, apparently, all her limbs and organs function well.”

“You should go catch up with others. A lot of our brothers and sisters must be returning.”

Just how bmany /bhad this King of theirs sent to look for me?

“I get it, little bro. You want to call dibs on her because you lured her here and fear that me or the others might snatch her.”

Martin said in a teasing tone, but that made me feel all the more awkward.

“Okay,

ay, now. She has not even seen her home yet. Dont make her wanna run away already”

Martin finally raised his hands in mock surrender and stepped back.

“Alright, if you are so hellbent on having her for yourself, know that you have to fight all of your brothers. Is she worth it though?

Think about it!”

Martin said in a tone bthat /bsounded borderline threatb, /bbut he gave me one bst /blook and walked out of the house.

I let out a sigh of relief upon seeing him leave, but I was pissed at the rate at which one surprise after another was being thrown at

ТЕНШ

“I dont even know how many times I want to ask what is going on anymore.” I muttered exasperatedly, andn’s face was now etched with worry.

“I know the circumstances under which we met weren’t ideal, but trust bme/b, I never nned to hurt you.”

I ignored his words and asked instead.

“What did he even mean by all your siblings wanting to fight you for bme/b? I am not some toy to call dibs on!”

always /bensured you consented to being with me.”

“Being with you? That is what you have to say

ay to all the lies you told me?” I shouted at him.

I didn’t want to believe him, so I looked around for the nearest object and bhurled /bba /bcushion at him.

He grabbed it easily in his hand and added.

“Please, I beg you to remember, it was you who asked me if I wanted to be your call boy. I never touched you without your consent. Inever…

1-13:10 Sat, b23 /bAug El

23 Aug

He trailed off as bhis /bgaze dipped to my lips and stayed there.

“You never what? Kissed me without me asking? Or had your fingers inside me? Is that what you were going to say?”

The mention of those moments unknowingly made my heart flutter, even if hated him for lying to me.

1 had been looking all around the city for him like a madd, running to strangers, drawing ire of Sophia, and now here I learn that every time I trusted him, he broke it.

When fan didn’t say anything, didn’t provide any exnation, I felt even more angry and yelled at him.

“Just tell me how you found me and how did you know about that mark on me? The one that only you found.”

“You are not aware, but everybody has been looking for you, Valencia. You are the blessed one, even if you believe it or not. Why did you think your colleague, Thomas, wanted to get so close to you? The tracker that he put in your bag, who do you think, came that night when you texted me that you felt somebody was watching me?”

Wait…

He was reading and receiving all my texts? He had heard all those voicemails?

And yet he never bothered to reply?

Frustration swelled up inside of me, and I raised my hand to p him again,

“Why the hell did you do this to me? Why did you do any of it?” My mind was reeling with the shock of betrayal yet again.

This time, he didn’t stop me and let my palmnd on his cheek. The p reverberated through the room and I saw a faint imprint appear on his cheek.

“To save you, your highness. It is all veryplicated, but you are the center of something epic….”

But I grabbed him by the shirt and asked, “Was ying with my emotions part of your job as well? bWas /bkissing me also part of your n to make me trust you?”

His voice was soft when he answered. “Falling for you was never ba /bpart of my n.“,

田