Chapter 44  

Lucian left saying he needed to take care of a few things and I just lay in my bed, daydreaming about him. I had Irene to thank for everything that happened. I wished she was here, I felt lonely without her.

Was she alright? What if something really bad is happening to her in this moment and I am just laying here in my bed?

"My Lady?"

Startled I sat up and turned my head.

"Irene!" I almost jumped out bed.

She smiled.

"Where were you? You made me worried."

She looked at me confused.

"You were worried about me?" She asked.

"Yes why not?"

"I am just a maid My Lady?"

"I...I thought we were friends."

Lord, I hated this. I knew that it never worked to be friends with a maid. I had already tried with Lydia and Ylva and they would always say the same 'A Lady and a maid can never be friends'. They were right. I was naive to think that.

How could they see me as a friend when they had to serve me all the time?

"We are if that's what you want, My lady?"

I looked at her surprised and she gave me a smile.

"Could you call me Hazel then?" I asked hopeful.

"Yes, Hazel."

Finally!! After so many years I got a friend. I felt like crying.

"So what happened? I thought something had happened to you. That maybe the bloodthirsty king had taken you."

"No, I am perfectly fine."

"Then why are the maids saying they don't know you?"

She looked around and seemed to contemplate about something.

"Can I tell you a secret now that we are friends?" She asked approaching me.

"Yes,"

"I am not a maid Hazel. I am just a witch."

I blinked a few times confused by what I heard.

"I came here to help you and your husband." She continiúed.

"Help us? Why?"

"I can't tell you much, but I need you to believe me."

"Believe you? You just lied about being a maid. I trusted you Irene."

"I am sorry." She said and she looked sorry. "But there was no other way I could have spoken to you. I really need you to believe me."

"Why would I?"

"Because you don't want your husband to die?"

"How do you know Lucian?"

Suddenly a thought popped into my head.

"Is he a witch too?" I whispered and then I thought he couldn't be. Why did I even think of that? Witches didn't have red eyes or did they?

"Your husband... is something very powerful that has never existed before. If he uses his powers in the wrong way he could destroy himself."

"What are you saying?" I asked confused.

Grabbing my arms she sat me down on the edge of the bed.

"Hazel, do you remember I told you magic is not a thing to use easily, that it has consequences?"

"Yes."

"How do you know that?"

"He doesn't even know what he is, do you think he will know how to use his powers?"

I was quite for a moment trying to digest all the information I just got.

"Listen, I am a witch right?"

"Yes."

"Alright. If I try to cast a very powerful spell and use all my power and overexert myself I could die, if not I would be weak for several days and my enemies would kill me meanwhile I can't protect myself. The same goes for your husband, he needs to use the right amount of power, and to be able to do that he needs to be very familiar with his powers."

I just looked at her, many questions swirling in my head and doubts on whether to believe her or not.

"So your husband must not think that he can fight an whole army himself. He could but that would make him very weak, or worse he could die."

"And what makes you think he will fight a whole army himself?"

"He might have to do that, because of you."

"Because of me?"

"Yes. He is planning on escaping with you. He is not safe outside these walls. Both his brothers have sent their men everywhere looking for him."

"How do you know that?"

"I got the information from someone I trust."

"So is Lucian a witch or not?"

"Some things I can't tell you." She said. "I need to leave now."

"Wait! Why are you helping my husband?"

Somehow I was afraid to hear the answer. Was she a previous lover of his?

"I was not his lover, Hazel." She said looking amused.

"Can you read my thoughts?"

"Just one of my many talents." She said swirling and then she was gone.

I blinked several times. What had I just seen? She just disappeared in front of my eyes. Impossible.

"Your highness. Please consider your decision." Lincoln begged.

"I have already made up my mind." Lucian said irritation clear in his voice. He knew Lincoln feared for his life and wanted to protect him but he wished the man would stop begging.

He had promised Hazel to be a better husband so he wasn't going to hurt her anymore.

"Have you prepared everything?"

"Yes Your Highness."

Leaving Lincoln behind Lucian entered Klaras room through the window without anyone noticing him. It was late but he hoped she would be awake, and she was.

She lay on her bed reading a book. He approached her slowly thinking it was stupid of him to do this.

"Klara?"

Startled she sat up on bed "Lucian?" she looked at him with a questioning look then stood up.

"What are you doing here?" She asked.

Yes, how stupid. What was he doing here? He should just have escaped with Hazel.

Something flickered in her eyes.

"Lucian..." She began a warning in her tone. "I don't know what you think of me but I am not like that."

He knew what she was talking about. She thought he had come here to take her to bed. He couldn't blame her when he had snuck into her room in the middle of the night.

"Klara, I can't marry you. I am sorry that I am changing my decision all the time but this is my last and final decision."

Her eyes widened as she put the pieces together.

"You are escaping aren't you?"

"Yes."

"No," She shook her head "you can't. Then why did you come here to tell me?"

Because he knew how she felt about him. If he just escaped without saying goodbye when he had promised to marry her, he would scar her for life. And he knew how painful it was to live with a scar.

"I am not the right one for you. You will realize the day you find the right one. I have to go now." He said turning around.

"I will scream if you go." She threatened.

"Go ahead."

"Lucian I'm going to scream." Ignoring her he continued toward the window.

He knew she wouldn't scream, at least not if her feelings were true.