***
"Why are you frowning so much?" Jessie asked. She picked up a red ribbon and pulled it through Dylan's hair, winding it through a braid. "Milady should smile more."
"I know," Dylan rolled her eyes. "I was just thinking of something."
'I hate ribbons, but I can't tell her that. Jessie looks so happy.'
Suddenly the door burst open, and Grisa Hollingdale entered the room.
"Dylan!" she exclaimed, giving her a lovely smile. "I've missed you."
She flew into her friend's arms, nearly knocking them both to the ground. Stiffly, Dylan let herself be held in her embrace. She still wasn't used to physical contact, but then she relaxed. Grisa didn't want to hurt her, she realized, just to give her a hug.
"I told her to knock," Lucas said apologetically, "but she wouldn't listen."
Dylan chuckled softly. "It's okay."
"You look beautiful." Grisa said, still not freeing her from the hug. "You've always been beautiful, today more than ever."
Beautiful. She had never thought of herself as beautiful. Perhaps it was because her heart was so irreparably damaged. Perhaps it was because she looked so much like the man who hurt her. Either way, beautiful was a word that she did not associate with herself.
"I have something for you guys," Dylan said, pulling away from the hug. She gestured to Mina, who handed them each a small black velvet box.
"What? Dylan, you really didn't have to get me anything," Grisa said in excitement.
She opened her gift and gasped when she saw what the square black velvet box held. Grisa saw the most gorgeous pair of earrings she had ever seen. Picking up one earring, she held it to the light. It was a long earring made of pearls and glistening emerald gems.
She gasped, her eyes wide, looking up at Dylan. "Oh, Dylan! This is too much. You should never have—"
"I wanted to," Dylan said, interrupting her. "Just take it."
"Thank you so much," Grisa said, tears in her eyes. She put on the earrings and looked in the mirror. "They're gorgeous!"
Dylan looked up at Lucas, who was staring at the box with an unreadable expression on his face. "Aren't you going to open yours?" she asked him.
He hesitated a moment more, then opened the velvet box. The brooch within, made of a glistening emerald gem surrounded with pearls, matched the earrings Grisa got.
"Thank you," he said with a smile. Then he hesitated. "But I didn't get you anything. I—"
"It's fine, you don't have to worry too much. If you want to give me something, then maybe you could wear it around, and tell people you got it from a new jeweller named Yvette Rodwell."
'This is all a part of my plan to bring in sales.'
After a while, he sighed and took the brooch out, holding it up to the light. "Okay."
"I'll put it on for you," said Grisa, fastening the brooch to his coat. "Doesn't it look pretty?"
Dylan looked at Grisa and Lucas. They looked like the perfect couple. They looked perfect. Fit for one another.
Dylan checked her hair in the mirror one more time, then stood up. "Shall we walk to our classes together?" she asked.
***
Cadence walked beside her along the hallway with a light hold on her arm. She liked it—the reassuring feeling of his hand lightly holding her. Not guiding her, not holding back, just being at her side.
Dylan noticed that everyone moved back to allow her through, and smiled at her when she passed. Her new position as heiress presumptive definitely played in society's new attitude toward her.
"Hmph," Grisa exclaimed, souring her face. She hooked her arm through Dylan's free one, and tilted her head to her. "Don't pay any attention to them."
Dylan nodded in agreement.
'Had they forgotten how horribly they had treated me?'
"Ah, we're here," Lucas said as they stopped just before her classroom door. "Will you be okay?"
"You're stronger than you know." Grisa squeezed Dylan's hand. "You'll be okay."
Dylan frowned. Would she be okay? She could see it—their souls were in their eyes and they were eager. Now that she was an heiress, they all wanted her for something. Her power. Her money. Her inheritance. They were greedy.
"I'll be fine," she lied. "Don't worry."
Dylan waved goodbye to them, watching her friends walk off.
***
Caspian watched her throughout class. Her eyelashes fluttered when she read, and her long braids hung over one shoulder, the strands adorned with red ribbon. The way her lips moved, just the tiniest bit, her attention completely focused on the work she was doing. She looked like an angel.
"Lady Dylan, could you stay after class for a few minutes?" the Professor asked.
She stopped reading and looked up. "Of course," she said, smiling sweetly.
Her smile made Caspian's breath catch. Beautiful, Caspian thought as he leaned against the classroom door frame, waiting for her to finish.
"I'm going insane," he muttered to himself—"and I like it."
Caspian heard someone coming behind him so he turned around. When he saw who it was, he shook his head, like he was disgusted. "What are you still doing here?"
He gritted his teeth angrily. Maybe he ought to sent Cadence away—back to his father. There was no way, absolutely no way, he would let someone as dangerous as him stay near Dylan. Cadence spent his life spilling innocent blood. Killing was as simple as breathing to a man like that.
"Don't get too comfortable," he warned. "Someone like you has no right to be around someone like her."
Cadence's fierce eyes wavered. He loved her. He loved her dearly. He wanted to be the one to reach up and wipe her tears away, but his hands were too dirty with blood. He was dirty, much too dirty and corrupt to be kissing her perfect lips.
From behind them, a soft voice asked, "What's going on here?"
Dylan stood in the doorway, looking at Cadence and then at Cas through narrowed eyes, as if unable to take in what she saw. Hugging her books to her chest, she felt completely confused by the situation. Why did they look like they were about to fight?
Sauntering her way, Cas cast a mischievous grin at Cadence.
"Nothing," he said, raising a hand and caressing a lock of her hair, which had escaped her braid. "I was waiting for you."
"Oh, did you need me for something? I was actually on my way to—"
Without warning, he caught her hand firmly and pulled her quickly to him. "You've been driving me mad, Dylan. Do you know that?" he whispered, his face close.
'What?'
Dylan leaned back a little. "Please," she said quietly, "let go of my hand."
Cadence's eyes darkened—murderous and hot as flame. He hated him. He envied him. If he was like the Prince, then maybe just maybe, he would have a chance at making her happy.
Cas leaned into her ear until his lips were so close they tickled the fine hairs on her lobe. "Why don't you ask your knight why he's really guarding you?"
Dylan turned her head to look at Cadence as she quietly said, "What are you talking about?"
Cas released her wrist then, but only to capture her jaw, holding it so she could only look at him. His hands then lightly encased the sides of her cheeks as he leaned down over her, and kissed her forehead. The light touch of his lips sent shockwaves of tingles all through her.
"I'd wait for you forever," he told her, "so only look at me until you're ready."
Then he turned on his heel and left. She watched him go, his figure growing smaller and smaller until he disappeared down the hallway.
'What the fuck?'
What she didn't see was the look of pure heartbreak across Cadence's face.
AUTHOR'S NOTE:
Dear readers,
I cannot thank you enough for helping me. Words can't express how much I appreciate your support and encouragement. I'll forever be grateful for the encouragement you gave me when I needed it.
Thanks to you all, I was able to get back up on my feet.
To show my appreciation, I will be releasing the prologue of a new story I've been working on this WEDNESDAY THE 7TH.
From,
Your thankful author <3