CHAPTER 49: MENDING A BUTTON

The next morning was gloomy, with the sky veiled in thick grey clouds. The cold air carried a biting chill, and Lilith was keen on spending the entire day buried under her blankets. She had no gloves or shawl to keep her warm, which made the thought of getting out of bed even more unbearable.

It wasn’t until she heard a knock at her door that she reluctantly climbed out of bed.

Opening the door, she found Lucian standing before her, a neat pile of folded clothes in his arms.

"Good morning, Sir Lucian," she greeted.

"Good morning, Lilith. I imagine you must be cold—it seems winter has come sooner than expected this year," Lucian said. "I thought to bring you these to keep warm until the seamstress delivers better clothing suitable for this season." He extended the bundle toward her.

Lilith almost dropped to her knees in gratitude. "Thank you, Sir Lucian. You’re too kind. I thought I might freeze before noon," she said with a soft chuckle. Lucian returned the smile.

"You’re welcome. I’ll let you rest a few more hours. We’ll continue your training later this evening," he said.

"Thank you," she replied sincerely.

As he turned to leave, he suddenly paused and faced her again. "Ah, I almost forgot. The prince requests your presence in his chambers as soon as possible."

He offered her another small smile before walking away.

She closed the door behind her, then carefully arranged the clothes in the dresser. Selecting a pair of gloves to wear for now, she decided she would take a hot bath and change into one of the dresses afterward. Once she had fixed her hair, deciding to let it loose and tidied her appearance in the mirror, she made her way to the prince’s chambers.

As usual, the prince was nowhere in sight when she entered. She took a few steps forward, tilting her head slightly—then noticed the bathroom door slightly ajar.

Inside, Prince Hades sat immersed in the tub, only his upper body visible above the water, glistening under the dim light. His long, dark hair was soaked, cascading over his shoulders, with a few strands clinging to his face and neck. His head tilted back against the edge of the tub, eyes closed, his strong neck stretched to reveal smooth, pale skin and the gentle rise of his Adam’s apple.

Lilith stood frozen, unsure if he was asleep or simply lost in thought. Her breath caught when Hades suddenly ran his fingers through his wet hair, slicking it back and revealing the sharp lines of his jaw.

She swallowed hard when he slowly lifted himself from the tub, water cascading down his body, muscles flexing with each movement. Lilith quickly turned away the moment his lower body began to rise from the water. She took a few hurried steps back toward the main door, standing stiffly with her hands clasped in front of her.

From the corner of her eye, she caught sight of him emerging from the bathroom, now wearing a thick blue robe that reached down to his ankles.

"Good morning, Your Highness," Lilith greeted—thankfully with a steady voice—keeping her gaze lowered.

He moved about the room, drying his hair with a towel and pulling clothes from the dresser, acting as though he hadn’t noticed her presence at all. It wasn’t until he was nearly fully dressed that she felt his eyes on her. Though still looking at the floor, she could sense his attention fixed on her.

"The button of my shirt has fallen off. I need you to fix it," he said.

Lilith finally looked up and saw him wearing navy-blue trousers and a white loose shirt. Two buttons adorned the neckline, but one was clearly missing, leaving the top slightly open.

"The mending kit is on the table beside me," Hades said casually.

Lilith glanced over and spotted the small basket resting on the table. She hesitated, then asked, "Would you prefer to remove the shirt so I can sew the button on properly?"

Hades gave a faint smile, his tone teasing, "Not really. You can just fix it while I’m wearing it. It’ll only take a few stitches."

Her eyes widened. "I possibly can’t..."

"Of course, you can," he interrupted smoothly. "If you’re worried about pricking me with the needle, there’s no need. I would not feel a thing. So, let’s get on with it, shall we?"

Lilith swallowed hard, her fingers trembling slightly as she forced a polite smile and moved toward the basket. She threaded the needle carefully, willing her hands to steady, then stepped in front of him.

Her heart pounded with each step, louder than it had any right to be. She could feel the warmth radiating off his body, could see the way the loose shirt revealed the smooth line of his collarbone and part of his chest. But what truly made her breath hitch was the way Hades was watching her, as though memorizing her every expression.

She tried to focus on the task at hand, but it was nearly impossible to ignore the way her skin tingled under his gaze.

The black veins snaking up his neck caught her attention, dark and vivid like creeping vines. They reached dangerously close to his Adam’s apple. She hadn’t noticed them earlier—perhaps the distance when he was in the bathtub had hidden them—but now, up close, they were impossible to ignore.

A strange urge to reach out and touch them surged through her, as if doing so might soothe whatever pain they might be causing. But she quickly averted her gaze, forcing her focus back to the button she was stitching.

Standing this close to the prince was overwhelming. Lilith found the prince even more intimidating with her standing so close to him. She could literally smell him, feel the warmth from his body, which was soothing.

Once she was done sewing, she leaned in slightly to snip the thread with the small scissors from the kit. That’s when it happened.

Her breath hitched again as his hand lifted—slow, deliberate—and brushed lightly against her cheek, as he touched a few strands of her hair.

"You have beautiful hair," Hades murmured, voice low and smooth. "You should wear it down more often."

Lilith felt every hair on her body stand on end as she slowly lifted her head, only to find the prince already staring directly into her eyes, a knowing smirk curling on his lips. He was fully aware of the effect his words had on her. He was savoring each moment, each reaction. And Lilith could tell—he was enjoying every second of it.

"T... thank you, Your Highness," she stammered, her heart racing as she blinked multiple times. She quickly took a few hurried steps back, putting some much-needed distance between them, hoping it would quell the heat rising to her cheeks.

"The head maid will have your ball dress prepared for you. You can let her know if you’d like any changes," Hades said, his tone casual, but his gaze never leaving her face.

"Very well. Thank you for everything," she replied, though her voice was a bit shakier than she would have liked. "Is there anything else you would like me to do?"

"No, that will be all."

Lilith bowed, grateful for the excuse to leave, and hurried out of the chamber. She didn’t stop until she was back in the safety of her own room, her back pressed against the door as she let out a shaky breath. Her chest rose and fell rapidly as she tried to steady herself.

W... why was the prince acting so strangely? she thought, her mind spinning. His words... his touch... Why did it feel like he was playing some kind of game with her?