The King's Lover-Chapter 423: Crossing a Line

Rylen was settling in for the night when he heard impatient knocking. It wasn’t too loud, just urgent. His servants looked appalled. Rylen couldn’t blame them; who could be so disrespectful as to knock in such a manner, and so late, too? 𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶

He signalled to them to go to the door, and it opened to reveal Mara. Rylen was standing up before he even thought about it, as Mara’s expression was enough to make him alarmed. Her expression was a mix of horror and fright.

She bowed. "I am sorry, Prince Rylen, but please, would you be kind enough to come with me?" Mara pleaded. She kept her head bowed as she spoke, and her grip on the hem of her dress was a little too tight, as though she was fighting hard to keep her composure.

Rylen turned his attention to his servants, dismissing them. They exited quickly, none of them saying a word or even glancing at Mara. The maid kept her head bowed as she stepped aside to make way.

Only when they were alone did he ask, "What happened, Mara?"

"I will explain on the way, Prince Rylen, but right now, please come with me." Her legs shuffled on the marble floor, inching to leave.

Rylen didn’t argue or press for more information. If Mara were here, he was sure this had something to do with Caira, but he could not begin to comprehend what had happened to make her maid so distressed. And if Caira was in danger, shouldn’t the guards be informed? Besides, what kind of danger would she be in, in the castle?

Rylen’s mind churned as he waited for Mara to tell him, and she did as they hurried through the castle halls. She led him outside the castle, and Rylen did his best not to show any emotion as Mara told him what she knew.

They eventually arrived at the gazebo, where Caira was sitting facing forward. She didn’t react when they approached her; it was as if she couldn’t see them. The area was dark, with only moonlight shining down. The torches by the castle walls didn’t reach the gazebo, and unless there was an occasion, the torches in the garden were usually not lit.

"She won’t leave," Mara was saying. "I have pleaded and begged, but she refuses to move from that spot. She can’t remain there, not with the mosquitoes and the cold. It is too dangerous. Please, convince her to go inside. I am sorry, Prince Rylen, but you’re the only one I can call."

"I will do my best," Rylen said in a soft voice, but his palms formed fists. He was seething.

It wasn’t an emotion he was used to, but Rylen recognized it instantly. He was angry—very much so. He could scarcely believe his ears at how cruel Caius could be.

Mara didn’t know exactly what had transpired inside the crown prince’s chambers. She hadn’t returned to the princess’s room and had remained outside the doors of her chambers just in case Caira needed her.

When the crown prince arrived, he was not alone, and she had been worried about that, but the servants left even before the door to his bedroom closed.

She had let out a sigh of relief and a little happy tune, thinking that perhaps Caira had made the right choice. But not long after having these thoughts, the doors opened, and Caira walked out, looking pale as a ghost.

Mara had immediately rushed to her mistress to see what was wrong, but Caira wouldn’t speak to her and had rushed out to the garden with tears in her eyes. No matter what Mara said, she didn’t respond.

Rylen climbed the three steps that led into the gazebo. Caira didn’t say anything; she didn’t even move, but he could see the gleaming trail her tears had left. He sat next to her, and even then she didn’t stir.

"Princess Caira," he called and lightly touched her leg.

She jumped, and Rylen pulled his hand away. She looked shocked and confused that he was there. Then her confusion peeled away, and the low trickle of tears tripled. She threw herself on him and wailed.

Rylen was too stunned to react, and for a moment he forgot his role was to comfort her. His entire being was too aware of the fact that she was grabbing him by the front of his shirt and pressing her face against his chest.

He could smell her, along with the perfume she had used. She smelled lovely. She was close, too close, and it overwhelmed his senses. Rylen forced himself to concentrate, to remember why he was here, to remember that his cousin had done something terribly wrong.

"You said he didn’t hate me," she cried into his shirt.

He raised his hand and lightly patted her on the back. "Please calm down, Princess. I am sure there is a perfectly good explanation for what happened."

Rylen didn’t know what he was saying, but there was no way he could just say his cousin was cruel. Besides, for the first time in his life, his bystander role annoyed him. He had always been content, but right now he felt like crossing a line he usually wouldn’t.

His hand on her back seemed to help her regain her composure; her wails dwindled to a sob before she pulled her face away and hid it from him.

"I am sorry," she said.

Rylen pulled the handkerchief out of his inner pocket. Wasn’t it a good thing he had not undressed when Mara arrived? He handed it to her, and she graciously accepted it.

She used it to wipe her eyes and nose before she turned to him. "I got some on your shir—"

"Pay it no mind, Princess," Rylen cut her off.

Caira’s eyes widened at his words, and she looked like she might cry again.

"Please, don’t cry, Princess."

Caira nodded and used the handkerchief to cover her face. "He must hate me," Caira mumbled.

"Who could possibly hate you?" Rylen said, his eyes soft.

He wasn’t supposed to say that. He was supposed to assure her that his cousin didn’t hate her, to lie to her that this was simply happenstance, but he did none of that. Rather, he made her feel better without referencing his cousin.

Caira pouted, fighting another urge to cry. "Someone who doesn’t want to marry me."

"Anyone would feel lucky to have you as a bride."

Caira gave a dry laugh. "But not him. What should I do?"

"I need you to stop crying and go inside. It’s too cold to be out here. Get some sleep, and tomorrow we will deal with this with a clear head."

"You make it sound so easy," my husband just rejected me to my face.

But she couldn’t say this out loud; it would make it too real. Rylen seemed to understand what was going on without her having to say anything. Mara must have told him, and this only worsened her embarrassment.

She had also thrown herself on him at the sight of him. He was right; she should get some sleep before she embarrassed herself any further. Her sisters would be appalled. It was no way for a princess to behave.

"I know it isn’t, Princess, but I am sure you can do it."

Caira sniffed and nodded. She stood up with her chest high, her back straight. She was a princess and shouldn’t forget that. "Thank you, Prince Rylen," she said as composed as possible. "I apologise for pulling you out of bed at such an odd time."

Rylen smiled. "Don’t mention it, Princess. It was my pleasure."

Caira nodded and, still gripping his handkerchief, walked away with Mara by her side. The maid bowed to him before rushing off with the princess.

Rylen didn’t move from the gazebo immediately; he couldn’t, because all he could think about was how to not solve this problem.