Dark Depths

Chapter Ten: Specific Conditions

(A/N): Hello everyone! Exciting news! Dark Depths is finally complete and has a release date! As you might notice in the image, the release date is June 20, 2017, and the book will be available on Kindle and paperback versions through Amazon. To celebrate, I'm posting a new chapter! I've also updated all the other chapters to the current version, so feel free to check those out again as a preview to the full version.

I don't do a lot on Wattpad anymore, but if you want to stay up to date with my work, visit my profile page and follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and my blog! You can get info on all that on my profile page.

So, June 20! Don't forget! It's up for preorder now!

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Chapter Ten: Specific Conditions

1

Well before midnight, Nathan let himself into Ellister's study. He liked the enormous map that was painted upon the wall, but he did not look at it now. He'd just said his goodbye to Treasure, who was likely the brightest star that had ever come into his life. He wished things could have been different—wished she'd been a human instead of a nymph. He would have had everything then, but he was sure he'd made the right choice. He would have to live with it.

If Nathan had been present in this room earlier, he would have known that the prince had not moved at all, still slumped over his charts, jotting notes here and there. The advisors had left him to himself, going off to enjoy their lives and left Thaddeus to his own. The crown prince was completely oblivious to that thought however; he was immersed in his work.

Nathan, in dry clothes but still drenched with heavy heartache, set himself down in a chair opposite Ellister without being invited to do so. He poured himself a drink and leaned back in the plush upholstered seat without words, until the crown prince broke the silence, though still giving full attention to the maps.

"Did you cut yourself?" Ellister asked abruptly.

The man's words, at times, were strange in starting, as if he expected the person he was speaking with to be on the same trail of thought. Cuts, yes; Nathan had wounds. That nymph in Ellister's chamber had bitten and scratched him. Was that what the man spoke of? This time, Nathan elected to feign ignorance.

"I beg your pardon?" he asked politely.

"Fran said she thought there was blood in the water. You were nowhere around after that, she said. Thought you'd hurt yourself."

"Oh yes, that," Nathan acknowledged. "I did cut my arm while reaching for the buckets. I left to tend to it. A few drops must have fallen into the pool."

It was a complete lie; he knew that. His only concern, however, was if Ellister knew it.

"It's quite fine," Thaddeus assured him flatly. "Though do try to be more careful with blood. I would hate for those nymphs to develop a taste for it."

Relief came over Nathan at that. "I will. I apologize."

The crown prince never once lifted his eyes, and Nathan wondered if the man meant what he'd said. Could he have been cast out of Ellister's good graces so suddenly? It wasn't his fault that those creatures—which the prince counted as lovers—had attacked him, but of course it would do no good for him to say anything of that sort. From now on, at least for a while, Nathan would have to keep his eyes open.

He swallowed down more of the liquid he'd taken into his glass, hoping to blur the beautiful face he still saw when he closed his eyes.

"Nathan..." the crown prince said suddenly, drawing his attention.