CHAPTER 92: GET YOUR WARM

A sharp ache pierced Lilith’s chest. It hurt to hear him speak of his mother, the quiet pain in his voice made her own heart ache in response. It was obvious how much the prince loved and missed her.

"She sounds like a wonderful mother who loved her son," Lilith said gently.

Hades turned to her, his dark hair tousled slightly by the wind, framing the sharp lines of his jaw. His intense eyes gleamed with warmth. "She was. I will always be grateful for having her in my life."

Lilith offered a soft smile, unsure of what more to say.

"Do you miss your mother?" he asked suddenly.

The question caught her off guard. She stammered, "I... I miss her presence. It would’ve been nice to experience life with her—without my stepfather."

Hades gave a small, understanding smile. "Would you like to visit her in Eryndor?"

"Yes. I would like that," Lilith replied almost too quickly. She pressed her lips together afterward.

"Alright," he said simply.

Lilith wanted to ask why he had brought it up, but chose not to. Instead, she focused on keeping her balance as they glided across the frozen lake.

Hades shifted to stand in front of her, still holding her hands. He spun her gently, slower this time, letting her turn in his arms before stopping her with one hand on her lower back and the other still in hers.

He reached up and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Do you remember what happened last night?" he asked, his thumb brushing her cheek. "Our conversation, I mean."

Lilith’s heart skipped a beat, her cheeks flushing at the memory of his words, but she wasn’t going to admit that.

"Last night?" she echoed, frowning slightly as she feigned ignorance. "I don’t remember anything happening between us."

Hades smiled knowingly. "Are you certain? Not even a little?"

She shook her head. "Forgive me, Your Highness. I don’t recall anything."

"Hm." He hummed thoughtfully, before pulling her a little closer. One hand slid lower to the small of her back, the other gently cupped her jaw, tilting her face up to meet his gaze.

"Shall I remind you then?" he whispered against her lips, the warmth of his breath sending shivers down her spine.

Lilith opened her mouth, then closed it again, speechless. Her heart pounded, and that fluttering sensation in her stomach and lower returned with intensity.

She swallowed hard and whispered, "No."

She wasn’t sure she could hear him repeat those words from last night and remain composed.

"I wish to return to my chamber. I’m cold," she muttered suddenly.

Hades’ smile widened. "I could get you warm in seconds."

"I would prefer warmth from the fireplace, thank you, Your Highness," Lilith replied, adjusting her gloves as she moved a bit away from him.

"My methods are quite... unmatched and pleasurable. I will have you shaking and sweating away the cold in minutes." His voice dropped, eyes darkening with teasing intent.

Lilith swallowed hard, her body warming in response. "I still prefer the fireplace," she said quickly, looking away.

Hades chuckled but said nothing more. He held out his hand, and she took it, letting him guide her off the ice and back to the snow-covered bench. They removed their skates in silence before making their way back to the castle. Once inside, they parted ways and returned to their respective rooms.

As Lilith stepped into hers, she let out a long breath, trying to steady the pounding of her heart. Her traitorous body seemed to respond to the prince even when he simply opened his mouth. She removed her scarf, gloves, and shoes, then collapsed onto the bed with her eyes closed, hoping the flutter in her chest would settle.

She remained in her room until nightfall. Only then did she step out to head toward the kitchen—and unfortunately, she ran into Kathryn, who was also heading there.

"I just came to check things out," Kathryn said vaguely, though Lilith wasn’t sure what she meant. She decided not to ask.

Inside the kitchen, Madam Thalia, the cook, and a few other servants were busy preparing dinner for the nobles.

"Lilith, you’ll take this to the dining room. The prince requested a special meal," Madam Thalia instructed, gesturing toward a steaming bowl of rich vegetable soup on the counter.

Lilith’s stomach dropped. She wasn’t in the mood to face the prince tonight, but she couldn’t refuse the task without a good reason.

"Oh, this smells wonderful. I would’ve loved some myself," Kathryn said lightly, moving closer to the soup. "Seems the prince forgot to ask the cook to make enough for two."

As the other servants exited to place the rest of the dishes on the table, Lilith and Kathryn remained alone in the kitchen.

"Lilith, dear, would you help me get that cup?" Kathryn asked, pointing to a shelf overhead.

Lilith glanced at it, frowning. "I can’t reach it."

"You should climb that stool. You’ll be able to reach it if you do," Kathryn said with a sly smile.

Lilith was tempted to roll her eyes but instead returned the smile politely. It wasn’t as if she hadn’t done this before. "Very well," she muttered, dragging the stool to the shelf and stepping onto it. She stretched her hand upward until her fingers finally grasped the cup.

Climbing down carefully, she turned to hand it to Kathryn—only to notice something odd. Kathryn looked... unsettled. Her eyes darted around the room, and she kept smoothing down the fabric of her dress with shaky hands.

Lilith raised an eyebrow. "Are you alright? You look... distressed."

"I’m fine," Kathryn replied quickly, grabbing the cup from Lilith’s hand a bit too roughly before hurrying out of the kitchen.

What’s wrong with her? Lilith wondered, watching her go. She shrugged the thought off and turned her attention back to the prince’s soup. Taking a deep breath to brace herself, she carefully lifted the bowl and made her way toward the dining room.