Word Count: 1633
~Kiva
Dragging my fork through my vegetables, I keep my back pinned straight and my eyes lowered.
Tonight, I have three of Caspian's close friends visiting for dinner. Each have their own political significance, and each are boisterous and loud, which is not the company I assumed Caspian would keep.
"You know, I've always wanted to meet you, Princess Kiva," one of them, Charlie exclaims, grinning broadly.
I shift uncomfortably. "Really?"
"Sure. Everyone talks about the pretty Princess who lives in that castle that no one can get to."
I swallow uncomfortably, glancing toward the threshold of the dining room where I know Ark and another guard stand.
He will be hearing all of this, I just know it.
"You've wanted to get in to see my wife?" Caspian questions, chewing on a roasted carrot.
"Soon to be wife, and yeah, I thought about it." Charlie shrugs lightly, winking at me.
My stomach turns. Does he think this is charming?
The man beside Charlie holds his stomach as he laughs, nudging his friend with his elbow. "Of course you did."
"You must be excited about your wedding night, then," Charlie says, looking straight at me.
"I haven't thought about it much." Liar. I've thought about it a lot.
Since finding out Ark is my mate, the thought of having sex with Caspian repulses me. It's going to be expected of me on our wedding night, which is a horror I'm not ready to face.
"I bet you have, Caspian," Charlie exclaims, wiggling his brows at the Prince.
Caspian turns his head to look at me. "I will admit, it has definitely crossed my mind."
I turn away so he doesn't see my expression shift.
"I don't think I would get anything done if you were my wife, Kiva," Charlie continues. He really is just asking for me tip my glass of water onto his crotch.
Caspian is meant to be a gentleman, and by now, should be telling his friend to hush. I'm going to be his wife, not a pawn for his friends to shift around for their own amusement.
"Good thing she's not getting married to you then, huh?" The other man laughs, twisting his knife in his hand.
It may be blunt, but it would feel very good to stab it into Charlie's temple.
Caspian seems to finally sense my discomfort. "Maybe you should get some early sleep. Me and the boys want to hang out for a bit longer."
I get up, tossing my napkin into the table. "Whatever."
Storming from the room, I push past Ark without sparing him a glance, heading straight up to my room.
Ark has the good sense to not bother me for a few hours.
This is unbelievably frustrating.
Maybe Caspian got caught up in the moment and didn't realise his friends humour was making me uncomfortable. Maybe I should have said something.
Still...I'm not sure how I feel about it.
Midnight eventually hits, and I'm still not able to sleep. I keep playing the dialogue over in my head, hating myself for not sticking up for myself.
Stalking to the window, I shove it open. The cold night air chills my skin, a nice relief to the stuffy room.
A strange, eerie sound from down below has me tilting over the window sill at the ground below. Sure enough, Ark stands just outside the back door, the light illuminating his back as he looks over a figure on the ground.
Narrowing my eyes, I peer closer.
It's Charlie, hardly recognisable considering his face is covered in blood. The only reason I know it's him is based on what he was wearing at dinner only a few hours ago.
Ark stoops down, grabbing the man by his collar. Charlie doesn't put up a fight, his body mostly limp as my mate inspects him.
Ark is going to kill him...
"Ark!" I exclaim loudly enough for him to hear, but quiet enough to not alert the whole manor. "Ark, stop!"
He drops Charlie, tilting his head to look up at me.
"He deserves it."
I grip the window sill tightly. "Get up here. Now!"
Ark nudges Charlie, who is completely unconcious, with his foot. Finally, he pulls away, disappearing through the back door again.
With a dry throat, I slam the window closed and turn toward the door, anticipating Ark's arrival.
He doesn't knock, striding straight into the room.
"He deserved it," he tells me firmly, shouldering the door closed.
My breath catches in my throat at his appearance.
He's wearing his usual guard uniform. It's hard to see any blood on the black fabric, but there is no missing what I can see staining his skin. It's all over his gloveless hands, some even splattered on his neck and chest.
"Is that his blood on you," I whisper, horrified.
"He's not dead," Ark says casually, inspecting his hands distastefully. "I don't think he is anyway."
I can hardly breathe, the reality of what has happened settling into the pit of my stomach, causing it to churn to the point of nausea.
I know Ark is a mercenary. I know he's killed and he has killed.
But seeing it...I can't handle it.
"Why...why would you do that?"
Ark frowns, pointing over his shoulder. "Were we at the same dinner party? The way he spoke about you-"
I go to step toward him, but decide against it. "That is my issue to deal with, okay? You're meant to guard me against imminent threats, not stupid words said over dinner."
Ark sighs, stepping toward the connecting bathroom.
"Caspian is going to fire you," I add. Charlie will awake and if he isn't too shameful about being beaten, will go straight to his friend.
"Not if you don't let him," Ark mutters, washing his hands.
I watch the blood wash off his hands, staining the white basin with red.
This is wrong. So wrong...he can't be my mate, not when he's hiding so much. Now, I realise I can't keep this foolish secret anymore because I don't want to give up the dream of having a mate.
"I know who you really are," I breathe.
He doesn't flinch, drying his hands. "Do you?"
"You work for them."
He steps back into the room, ruffling a now clean hand through his dark hair. He isn't trying to kill me for revealing his secret, so I suppose that's good.
"Who?" He frowns.
"That group...the ones who tried to kill me." My voice is shaking so hard and I can't reign in any control.
"No, Kiva, I don't," he responds sternly. He seems confused, but it wouldn't be the first time he's had to put on an act.
The night he got beaten within and inch of a life by them...he must have sacrificed a lot just to make his story more legitimate.
Maybe if he's willing to do that, he's willing to kill his mate for the cause.
"You were there that night, and every night after that. You pinned me to that bed and tried to kill me," I growl out.
"You're not making any sense." He shakes his head, stepping toward me in an attempt to calm my increasing panic.
I stumble back until I'm pressed against the window.
"You're my mate, aren't you?"
He doesn't look like he's understanding me. "What's your point?"
"I touched you that first night. And since then we have met multiple times, I mean, how can you deny it?" I'm breathing so fast I could be sick.
"Because I have no idea what you're talking about. Who have you been meeting?" His gaze darkens, anger and confusion tinting his tone.
"You!"
He takes another step at me. "Not me. I'm not with that group, I mean they nearly killed me during that second break in. How could you think I'm with them?"
"Because you...you're my mate," I breathe out harshly.
He pauses, closing his eyes for a moment. I watch him draw in a deep breath, calming himself.
"Let me get this straight. You touched one of the men that broke in that night, and you felt the spark," he clarifies.
"Yes."
He sweeps a hand through his hair. "That's impossible."
"It's not. And since then I've met with him...you. And talked and stuff." It feels stupid explaining this to him. Why is he denying the truth that both of us know? There is no other way around this, there's only one answer...
"Whoever you've been meeting isn't me, Kiva," he tells me slowly, sounding a little disturbed himself.
I draw my hand to my face. "I kissed him."
Something sinister dances in Ark's eyes. "What?"
"I kissed you, him...whatever. I kissed my mate, I know for a fact it has to be you." I feel like my world is spinning out of control.
What if Ark is telling the truth? He seems genuinely concerned, but Ark is so deceptive with his emotions, I have no idea whether he is acting.
"You have two mates," Ark murmurs, pinching the bridge of his nose as he comes to terms with what he is thinking.
"That's impossible." I refuse to believe that is even a possibility.
"Clearly not. How else would you explain it?"
"I know who you are, Ark. Nothing can convince me otherwise," I breathe. "Now leave."
He gives me a lasting look. He could sit here for hours convincing me if what he both know is a lie.
My mate is pure evil. And I don't know what to do about it.
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I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! and as always it is available 10 chapters ahead on Radish!
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~Midika 💜🐼