I wanted to run to him so badly. âIâm going to head to my room,â Cade said. âIâll see you in the morning okay?â
I nodded and walked in the direction of Lexusâ room. From a distance I saw the door open, and he was there. He looked at me and I held back the urge to run. When I got to his door he pulled me in. He closed and locked the door. âLex-â He kissed me before I could get a word out. I pushed away from him. âI didnât come for that.â I wish I had but I was still upset with him. âYou ditched me, you didnât speak to me for a month, and I went through hell here.â
Lexus stared down at me. âI know. I heard it from your mom and the old human woman you stayed with. Do you know how hard it was for me to leave the castle without taking you with me?â He ran a hand through his hair. âIâm sorry. Iâm not going to let anyone separate us. Weâre back to our last plan.
We wonât get married, but weâll still be together, just in secret. Everyone else will just think youâre my adviser.â
I shook my head. âNo I canât do that. I canât work here at all.â
âItâll be fine Aqua. I wonât overwork you the way my parents did. While youâre working for them I wonât let them over work you either.â
I explained to him my dream with Diana and what Ruben and Calvin told me about the truth about holders. âThatâs why I canât stay. I came back with Cade so I could see my family and you.â
âYouâve been hanging around Ruben and Calvin the last few days?â
I rolled my eyes. âYes but it wasnât like that. It was just for protection and planning.â
âI could protect you all by myself Aqua.â
âYou didnât talk to me for a month! What was I supposed to think Lexus? You said we shouldnât be in contact, so we werenât.â I sighed. âSeriously, I want to be the kind of holder that holders were meant to be not the puppet to the royal family. Iâm leaving in a few days or maybe even tomorrow.â
âThen Iâm coming with you. I get it okay. My family fucked Dianaâs vision up to make their job easier. I donât want to be a part of that.â
He seemed so sure so soon. âBut youâll have to give up the throne,â I said.
âI donât want to be king Aqua. I realized that while I was gone, it meant nothing to me. I said weâre not going to separate again, and I meant it.â
I smiled. âOkay⦠now we can make out.â So, we did make out and passionately. We undressed each other and his hands glided all around my naked body. I felt hot and wet all at the same time. My body never wanted him the way it wanted him now.
When we finished I got out of the bed and picked up my clothes. âWhat are you doing?â Lexus grabbed me from behind.
It felt good to be in his arms. âIâm going back to my room.â
âYou donât have to go. We donât need to hide anything. Everyone who works here already knows about us.â He kissed my neck.
It was weird not having to sneak around. âOkay, Iâll sleep here tonight.â
In the morning I woke up before Lexus and looked around his room. I noticed a scale on his desk. âHey that isnât yours right?â I pointed at it.
Lexus sat up and yawned. âNo, I was gifted it while I was away.â
âOh. Was she pretty?â The scale was beautiful so she must have been.
He got out of bed. âShe was about fourteen Aqua. A kid from the elf village I stayed at. She was a hybrid.â
I wondered what made her give him her scale. My mom made it sound like you really had to make an impression on someone for them to give you their scale or feather. âIâm going to take a shower. I grabbed some clothes from my room earlier.â
âIâll join you.â
I blushed. âYouâre getting too comfortable.â
âToo comfortable? We had sex last night, twice.â
Now I was really flustered. âYou donât have to say it.â I whispered.
Lexus laughed. âIâll shower after you.â
I took a shower then he did. Once we were ready we left his room and went to my fatherâs. âOh, I should tell you something.â
I knocked on the door. âTell me what?â
When my Dad answered I noticed it right away because he was in his pajamas still. He had a tank top on, and his shoulder was clear. âWhereâsâ¦â There was no mark and when I looked at his hand there was no ring.
âLynn rejected me and moved out. Sheâs with her parents for now. Grays going back and forth but heâs here now.â Dad explained. He didnât look too bad, but he wasnât dressed, he usually got ready early even if he didnât work. He hugged me then invited us into the room.
âSo, whenâs Mae moving in?â Lexus asked bluntly.
Dad sighed. âIâm not with Mae, itâs too soon.â Lexus and I were both a little confused. âItâs too soon for Gray.â He clarified. âI donât want to introduce him to someone new so soon. Plus, it would get back to Lynn and hurt her more. Letâs stop talking about me, Cade told me about your holder dream and everything else. If you leave I might go to. Iâve worked here my whole life based on a lie. Iâm not as close to the king as I used to be and most my children are leaving the castle. Itâs time for me to move on too.â
I looked at the door leading to Grays room as it opened. âAqua!â He ran to me and hugged me. âWhere were you??â
I rubbed his back. âI went to my Gramâs house for a little while to get better. Iâm fine now.â
I ended up hanging out with Gray for half the day and Lexus stayed with us. Cade opened the door and it seemed urgent. âAqua, youâll want to see this.â There was a lot of yelling coming from down the hall, so I left with Lexus.