Celina stopped near the hallway when she noticed Beth along with Flora and Avery. They were all standing still in the middle of the room, talking about something serious. The maid exhaled roughly the moment she saw the person responsible for her behaviour the night before. Avery. Her blood boiled, and all she wanted was to yank her from the group and give her a good hearing.
The thought before it had time to flourish in her mind got interrupted abruptly. They had been summoned to the meeting room—all four of them. As the housekeeper led her to Prince Javier, Celina reminded herself that she would enter that room and apologise about her behaviour.
As soon as she stepped in the meeting room, the maid could almost taste the strong emotions, and all those thoughts fled. Celina could only focus o
/HIS POV/The day after the ball, Javier woke up damp and sweating. His heart hammered in his chest, the deep breaths he forced himself to draw doing little to slow it. Another dream. This time it focused on him as a child again, and he was tired. He was tired of seeing his dead parents, his childhood and knowing that he can never have any of it. Never experience those things again.Every single time it tore him from inside to see those faces which have been long gone.Wiping the sweat off his forehead he let out a sigh. It would be futile to try to go back to sleep now, what with the way his heart and mind still thrummed from his dream.He blinked against the dark, feeling a peculiar mixture of antsy and peaceful. His skin was bathed in sweat yet cold to the tou
Celina couldn't comprehend the reason why Avery would be in her room unless it's another prank to belittle her somehow. Abel insisted on accompanying her, reassuring her that he only wanted to calm both the parties. The eighteen-year-old flat out refused. She had to do it on her own.The moment she stopped near her door, Celina took a sharp breath, peeking inside. To her surprise, Avery was waiting by her bed, her eyes roaming around the room. Celina took a step inside, her fingers clammy and wet from the perspiration."Avery""Close the door" The command was evident in her voice. Celina could feel herself almost choking on air at the command. Avery was right there in front of her, arms crossed and her expression steely.This couldn't
“Hello, Your Highness,” A soft voice travelled to his ears, breaking the silence and cutting Javier's ruminations short.Frowning, he blinked at the person standing in front of him. She was the first guest to come forward and recognise him; he had to give the stranger credit. After all, it was a giant ball filled with all sorts of people in masks just for entertainment. “How do you know who I am? Have we met?”“Yes, we have,” The stranger replied, smiling as she took a sip of her champagne. The room was too dark to allow him a good glimpse of her eyes, which might have helped him in a way.Then again, why in the world would he agree to throw such a party? Javier should have known better than to create more intrigue when all he wanted was to seek solace away from people.
A day after rejecting Javier, Celina locked herself in her bedroom and began evaluating her life choices. She relived the nightmarish moment for the hundredth time.The maid did not think she would ever forget the sound of her name on the Prince's lips or the look on his face when Celina said that she couldn't go through with their dinner. He did not appear angry or aggrieved. The eighteen year old felt he would have preferred a response that was deserved of scorn.No, Prince Javier's eyes had looked upon her with the grey-green of a storm at sea. His parting glance spoke of regret and the disappointed hopes of an imagined future that would never be.She immediately wanted to confess to someone, to the person who would let her cry a bit on their shoulder over it.
Celina stepped her foot in the quaint little house. As she opened the heavy, creaky door, the sound of metal being smashed together grated her ears, sending an uncomfortable shiver down her spine. She’s never liked the sound or smell of metal, even though the dragon rider grew up surrounded by those."Who is that sword for?" The dragon rider asked, finding a familiar face polishing a new weapon.The man startled, almost dropping the sword at the sound of her voice. And he does end up letting go of the thing altogether as soon as his eyes land on Celina, immediately going to hug her instead. She laughed, welcoming the embrace and breathing in deep, nose wrinkling a little when the smell of burning metal and coffee. She missed her uncle.Celina pulled away first, about to
/HIS POV/Javier had never spent an entire day in bed for no particular reason, especially not in the last couple of years. He dimly remembered having the flu as a child and sleeping through fever dreams for days, but he's never stayed in bed simply because he'd wanted to. The Prince didn’t think he could ever again muster up the strength to slip out from underneath the soft, warm sheets. Especially after learning about Celina and Abels trip to the concert.Red hot fury bubbled in his stomach as he thought of both having a great time together. What if that slimy prick of a driver made her realise her feelings for her? What if they drive together in the sunset? The thought caused his stomach to turn. He should have fired him long ago, so he wouldn’t be a problem at all.
Please leave a review!! It helps other readers discover my book quickly :))***/His POV/Javier held Celina's face firmly in place, cupping her jaw as he kissed her hungrily. It was as if he's trying to make up for every day they have spent apart. His mouth was relentless, sucking on her tongue, claiming it and making her moan. The eighteen-year-old pushed her body even more against him, unable to get close enough.The Prince seemed to sense what she wanted, taking two steps required to press Celina up against his closed bedroom door. His body crowded her fully, feeling every curve and every nuance of her body against his."God, I missed you," The Prince murmured against her lips. But he didn't give her time to respond, immediately re
Celina woke up with a crick in her neck, her face buried in soft and sweet-smelling sheets. The eighteen-year-old really couldn’t describe the feeling of it. She appeared strange and disoriented for a handful of seconds, so unfamiliarly warm as if she'd fallen asleep in the sun. Then as the maid tried to move, a limb that’s decidedly not hers slid down her waist.She froze. In her stillness, she slowly became aware of a few more things. First, it was not her tiny maid quarters, and secondly, the bed was more warm and comfortable. A glance down her body told her that she was, in fact, very much naked and crisp; white sheets pooling around her middle weren’t hiding a lot. And there was a hot body pressed snugly to her back.In a fraction of a second, everything camer
•Few Years Later•The dragon lumbered toward the Captain, swinging its long tail behind it. Turning a full rotation of the pen before it sank on the ground, folding its wings and letting out a smoky sigh. Lisa, a newbie who sat atop, gripped on the belly strap far too tight, lips still quivering as they landed."Ease the grip next time, Lisa", Celina mused, her hand stroking the bulge of her belly while staring at the poor dragon. It must be uncomfortable for the creature to endure that for more than an hour.Lisa blushed, shakily getting on her feet. "Yes, Captain"Someone cleared their throat from behind, the familiar sound making her smile.
As Celina stepped out of the bath room, fully dressed after a long hot shower, she noticed it's not raining. Despite that, the clouds were hanging low, and it's still dark and bitingly cold. With a sigh, she still zipped up her jacket and wandered out of the room.On her way to the kitchen, there was something buzzing and whirring in her ears.Beth was the first one to greet her in a cable knit sweater that screamed the eighties and a cup of steaming tea. The young woman's lips curved in a warm smile, sinking into the nearby chair."I'm sorry for yesterday."The housekeeper tutted her lips, waving. "I am
/Javiers POV/The Prince didn't know what woke him up. But suddenly, he's sitting up in bed, the sheets sliding off his chest along with Celina's arm around him. It's still dark out, no light shining in from outside, no ray of sun that might've alerted him. The window was still wide open, a thin layer of snow now covering the ground right in front of the Castle. The snowstorm has finally stopped, leaving behind the chilly air.Javier, without making any noise, slipped out from beneath the duvet and stood on his feet, his mind wiped blank. The Prince's steps were steady but languid as he made his way towards the window. Looking behind, he cannot believe that the dragon rider was in his bed.Finally, he thought to hi
"Thank you", Celina had to say out those words, a sigh escaping her lips. It got overwhelming for her—their stares, those questions and everything in general. The dragon rider had to get out of there, breathe without feeling her lungs burn. Only that if she walked away, it would appear rude."Anything for you, my love", He whispered, gazing into her eyes.The moment they stepped inside the warmth of his room, Celina could feel the air go thick and heavy, sizzle with something she's become far too familiar with.His icy, solid body pressed to her the next moment, his arms encircling and clutching her tight. She sagged back, her legs moments from giving out if not for Javier pressing her against the solid wood
Celina stared as Leader Keith's headless body laid in front of them, lifeless and in the pool of blood. She felt no remorse whatsoever. It was as if the rider was numb to sensation. Barton and Matt were also lying next to him.Motioning the dragon, she slid off him, standing on her feet. Celina turned around and gazed into the glimmering gold of his eyes, her hand reaching out to his maw. Javier preened under her touch, leaning forward and almost making the rider stumble. A giggle escaped her lips. She missed it.Lightly scratching at the scales, Celina stared at him. "You did good today. Shift back now."Javier made a sound, his wings flapping together, the sudden rush of heavy breeze almost making h
The little girl in pigtails perched on one of the towers, her legs crossed together. Celina was merely six years old when she learned that her father trained dragons. It was fascinating, igniting curiosity in her; that's why she followed him.Her mother would have forbidden her, but Celina skillfully sneaked away. Sitting by the railing, she got to watch the entire scene unfold in front of her eyes. It was breathtaking, watching as the dragons soared in formation across the sky, performing elaborate manoeuvres, shooting at targets both grounded and airborne with their claws or fire darting out of their mouth.Celina's eyes widened, watching as the dragons, as mighty as they stood, leaned in front of her father. One of them let her father stroke the maw, eyes rolling back. What was happening? How could her father not fear for
Her lips parted in shock, a puff of white cloud forcing out of her mouth in the process. That voice. It sounded so familiar. Javier? Her inner voice rushed out, panic seizing her by the throat and squeezing her eyes until pain blossomed behind those lids. What if it's all part of her imagination? She refused to turn and meet her death in some underground alley where no one could find a trace of her."Celina, it's me."The sound echoed in her ears. She still stayed in the fragile position, fingers trembling as the maid fisted the fabric of her coat. Her nose brushed against the soft skin of her palm as she tried to cover her face. Why couldn't the voice stop taunting her? Celina didn't need a reminder that Javier was not miles away from her and proba
Celina lied on her back and stared at the ceiling, breath shallow, trying not to move. The room was dark, woods completely burned out, leaving nothing but ashes and the distinct smell behind. She blinked a few times, eyes bleary and adjusting to the lack of light, slightly disoriented for a moment or two. Last night was real. The more she thought about it, the more breathlessness Celina experienced. She behaved like an oblivious fool all this time, doubting Javier when he's been trying to help her. Her body felt numb as she recalled the broken expression on his face, the defeated look as he watched her leave. The young woman knew he tried to stop her from leaving. She saw his reflection in the mirror of the car but remained motionless. Heartlessly Celin
Instead of turning away from the door and walking back to her room, Celina stayed behind. She knew it was wrong. The young woman couldn't forget the look that crossed Abels face when she told him about the pill. What was that all about? Huddling in the corner as not to be seen, Celina crouched behind the wall. The door was slightly ajar, all thanks to Abel slamming it with much force than necessary. Before leaning down, her eyes flitted across the surrounding just to make sure she's all alone. Releasing a sigh of breath upon finding no one in miles of long hallway, Celina diverted her attention back to Abel. Her eyes widened when she noticed a scowl on Leader Keith's face. Then the voices came. "What did you give her?"