4: The stupid phase of Edward Ainsworth

“Edward, please rethink this.” I heard Dyan whispered from behind, but the dice had already been tossed and I was rolling with it.

“Who the fuck are you?” the man asked, his voice deeper than it was when he spoke to the girl, but if he aimed to terrify me, he had to try harder because I didn’t scare easily.

“No one,” I replied. The wicked smirk that has always lingered on my face in a serious moment appeared.

The man nudged his head to his men and they let the girl go and stepped forward toward me.

“I advice you to think this through, but I doubt you lots have that skill.” I chuckled and their eyes flared as a wolf-like growl left their mouths.

I backed away, only to come in contact with Dyan, who stood behind me.

“This makes no sense. This isn’t what we are here for,” he groaned. “And I didn’t ask for this.”

The first man swung at me and as I ducked, Dyan caught his hand and punched him in his face.

“I know, but you have to admit, this is fun, right?” I yelled.

“No, it isn’t.”

“Told ya!” I laughed and surge towards the third man at the back, aiming my leg at his stomach and knocking him off onto the floor.

Their leader saw we had beaten his men into unconsciousness and he stepped forward, pulling out a dagger tucked at his side.

“Oh-oh,” I stumbled back. “Do you think you can take him, Dyan?” I asked, running back towards my friend, but Dyan stopped me with his hand and turned me so I face the man about to attack me with a silver dagger.

“You started this, my prince. I think you should man up and finish it.” I did and in under a minute, the man fell face down and unconscious.

“I told you it would be fun.” I chuckled, slapping Dyan on the shoulder, and he glared at me in response.

I stopped chuckling when I turned and I catch the grey-silver gaze of the girl of my dreams on me.

She crossed her hands over her chest, hiding her nakedness from my eyes, and my instinct kicked in. I quickly shrugged off my jacket and handed it over to her. She gave me a sceptical look, and I nodded, genuinely wanting her to take the jacket. She must have believed what she saw in my eyes because she slowly collected the jacket and turned away from me to shrug it on.

I turned from her to give her privacy despite her already having that. I saw Dyan roll his eyes at the act, mumbling under his breath, stupid.

Sure, neither of us has found a mate since the last three years of our shift, but that hasn’t stopped us from mingling with the maidens. Dyan has seen all my phases, the charming prince phase, the gentleman phase, the aggressive lover phase, the possessive prince phase, and with all those faces, the one he couldn’t stand the most was the stupid lover phase.

I expressed that phase to Abigail Yung, a fair lady and the daughter of Lord Yung, immediately after my first shift. I thought that was the mate bond, and I did stupid things like picking a fight with her mate on her wedding day and declaring my love for her. Good thing the king never heard of it.

The stupid phrase literally meant the phase when I become and do stupid things for the girl I’m chasing. I wasn’t chasing this girl. I was going through the noble thing, helping her, but Dyan already concluded that this was a stupid idea.

I felt a hand on my shoulder and turning around; I saw the girl now covered up in my jacket and I smiled at her.

“Thank you.” She said, and this is the first time she’s spoken to me and weakening shivers run through me.

It makes no sense.

“You’re welcome. What is your name?”

“Kailani Zaine.”

“Okay, Kailani, I am Edward Ainsworth and you are safe now.”

She nodded and flashed me a grateful smile. “Thank you.”

“Do you have a place to stay?”

She shook her head, her eyes looking anywhere but at me. “No, not today.”

“Do you want to come back and stay with us? I mean, we have a whole lodge to ourselves, but I promise no funny business.” I suggested before I could even think it through. I didn’t even think about what bringing her over would mean for us.

Dyan was right. This is my stupid phase.

“I wouldn’t mind having a place to stay for the night,” Kailani replied, and I pressed my lips together again. This is me being noble, and that’s a good thing.

I turned to Dyan, and I found him with his arms crossed over his chest and a frown on his broad face. I know he is going to yell at me the fastest chance he gets.

We arrive at the resort and the reality of my offer to Kailani dawned on me because the lodge had only one inn and living room. The plan was for me to take the inn while he’d take the living room, but with my suggestion, I do not know how that’s going to go now.

The things I put him through.

I stared at Dyan, who has given me the silent treatment since we left for the resort over half an hour ago. He had stayed silent, waiting for me to do all the talking since my talking had brought us here.

I led Kailani into the inn room. It was more appropriate for a maiden and I told her we would stay in the outer chambers instead.

She nodded and thanked me. I left her in the room since the night was already far spent and we needed to sleep.

I returned to the outer chambers, and Dyan still had a frown on his face.

“Oh, come on, let it go already.”

“Are you fucking kidding me? You wouldn’t have given me the bed even if I asked nicely, but you’ve just given it to some strange girl out of nowhere. Now you’re here hoping to share my uncomfortable space and make it even more unbearable.”

“I’m sorry I did a lot of things tonight without thinking, but she’s not a stranger. I’ve met her before. Many years ago, she’s the reason I learnt how to fight and defend myself.”

Dyan didn’t seem to buy it. “So what? She’s the one now?”

“I’ve always thought she was special and I haven’t stopped thinking about her all these years. I did some pretty stupid things tonight, but there has always been something about her that makes me want to step in and protect her.”

“It could be the mate bond.”

I paused. “I don’t know, but this feels different from what I’ve read in the books. Besides, noble born do not get mated to just anyone. But all the times I’ve met her, my instinct to protect has been the deciding factor. It’s not something I understand.”

He moved to the side of the couch, picked up two blankets, and tossed one over to me. “Well, I do, but she leaves tomorrow. We have an assignment to do here. I doubt you would do it efficiently with her in the way.”

The king had sent us to Kame, the capital city of the South, for a meeting with Vincent Trump, lord of the region. He had written a petition for revenue to the King for the renovation of the temple a few months ago and the King responded. He sent us three weeks ago with words and also the revenue and we’ve journeyed since then. The king’s treasury gave out two thousand pieces of gold, as estimated by Lord Trump. That was our only assignment to the South and as soon as we do that, we will head back to La Ville Royale, the capital city of the kingdom.

I had so much I wanted to talk to Kailani about. I wanted to know how she had been all this for years. Or how she came to now be in Kame in the south instead of Soule in the North where I first saw her.

But I doubt I’d ever get the chance to do that tomorrow. I have offended Dyan enough. I don’t want to add to it. “Fine, she leaves tomorrow.”

There was not much conversation before we both fell asleep.

The ray of sun peeking through the window danced over my face and I rubbed my eyes slowly and a long yawn left my mouth. As my vision cleared, I saw Dyan also waking. The event of yesterday probably worn him out, because he usually woke first. I don’t blame him.

“Good morning,” he mumbled and rose to his feet, grabbing his blanket and folding it.

“Good morning, I hope I didn’t inconvenience you that much last night.”

“You did. You snore too loud!”

I pouted, picking up my blanket and folding it as well, not having any comeback. We have a long day ahead today and the faster we start it up, the faster we can go back home.

I tossed the folded blanket in my hand over to him and made my way to the inner chambers where I left Kailani last night. I knocked on the door on getting there and waited for her response. I received no response from her and I knocked again, this time harder, but just like the first time, I received no response.

Dyan came over to stand beside me and I turned to him and we both shared a confused look.

“Kailani, if you’re in there, I’m coming in,” I announced before turning the doorknob. The door opened, and I stepped in, only to stop in my tracks at the sight of an empty room.

The windows of the room were wide apart, with the bedsheets knotted to make a fine climbing rope. I stood, confused as to why she would use the window as an exit when she could have used the door, when I noticed the wardrobe door close to the bed was slightly open.

It hit me.

We had kept the bags of gold locked in the wardrobe of the inner chambers. My heart sank at the thought of them being taken and I hurry over to the wardrobe to search even though deep down I knew it was gone. I widened the wardrobe door, staring at the now empty spot where I had stored the bags yesterday.

My heart was hammering like a drum, and I realized. I turned around to Dyan, who stood in the room speechless as well.

“She’s gone.”