by Tiya Rayne
I find myself smiling, standing in the hallway alone. After all these years of watching her in the shadows, I have my Lilly here with me. Many times I wanted to appear to her as a random stranger just so I could talk to her, to hear her voice address me, if only for a brief conversation. I wondered what she would think of me. Would she enjoy my company? Would she laugh with me as easily as she did her blonde friend? Would she find me interesting as she hadn’t any of her other few dates? I never imagined it would actually happen, and to have her prefer my company to others is unfathomable.
I push myself away from her door, feeling unusually in good spirits, when I have the feeling of being watched.
“Do you think it is wise to be alone with me, princeling?” I stop and ask the shadows. Rykan steps out of an alcove directly behind me. I turn on my heels to face him.
“What is your affiliation with MY Lilly?”
“You may want to reconsider backup, if you are going to use words like MY and Lilly in the same sentence around me.”
“I want you to stay away from her.” I laugh.
“Do you dare mock a king?”
“No, I mock a king’s son, who dares to request anything from me.”
“I am son of Bartus, descendent of O’Rydin and the next in line to the Southern throne. You WILL follow my order and you will Stay. Away. From Lilly.” The princeling has balls, I will give him that. Either that or he is on a suicide mission. I take a step towards him and to his credit he doesn’t back away.
My voice is calm and even when I speak, “You have no rights to Lilly. Just because you foolishly stumbled upon her and she allowed you, for some reason unbeknownst to me, to take her virginity gives you no rightful claim to her. Do not forget, princeling, you are betroth. Which means you cannot seek claim to another woman.” Our laws state that a man can only claim one female that is not related to him. Rykan’s arrangement with Sarafine is his one and only claim. I watch the anger and frustration flitter across his face as he accepts my words.
He nods his head as if I have made a valued point, then a satisfied smile crosses his face. “Oh but you are wrong, Assassin. I cannot claim Lilly, but I can file a claim to the heirs in her womb. So I’ll say it this way, stay away from my sons.” The fucker had a point there. Since Lilly is a human and is staying in our realm as a guest of Avalia’s, all he needed to do was file a claim to his sons and have Avalia sign off on it. Then he could request I stay away from them. And, although Avalia would not agree she has to follow the laws of our world. However, I think he is forgetting one more thing.
“Listen to me, young prince. Nothing, not you, not the laws, not even my Queen will keep me away from Lilly. And, until she delivers those heirs of yours, I have been assigned her assassin.”
His face contorts in anger. “I will have you removed from that title. I will assign her my own guard. She is my responsibility.” My vision goes red at those words, but I smother my anger back down. I cannot kill him, yet.
“The Queen assigned it to me herself; I like to see how that conversation will go.” Avalia will never allow it. He may be able to request I’m not alone with her or that I cannot speak to her, but he will never have me removed as her assassin.
I love the look on his face as he realizes this. “I see the way you look at her.” He says. “As if you wish it was your seed that fills her womb.” I grab him by the throat and slam his back into the wall.
“Watch your tongue, Rykan. You have taken my patience to the limit.” He places both his hands on my chest and pushes me away from him. I allow the distance.
“I have struck a nerve, have I not, Assassin?” he is right, but I don’t reply. I am not sure as to why it has struck a nerve with me. I wish to tell myself that it is because he suggests something that is wrong and untrue, but that feels strangely like a lie. Maybe it is because I do not wish to speak of Lilly in this manor at all, as if she is nothing more than a casual romp in the sheets.
“Never speak to me of Lilly in that manor again. She deserves more. Only because I think she will hurt, I have not killed you yet. Try my patience again, and her hurt will not matter.” Thankfully he took my threat for the promise that it was.
“Heed my warning, Assassin. I will be watching you.” with those words Rykan traces away from the glass castle. I stand in the hallway staring at the empty space he had just left, my good mood after leaving Lilly’s bedroom completely gone. The talk with Rykan has reminded me of the dangers Lilly is in. A vicious King wants her dead, a foolish prince wants her body and everyone wants the power she carries in her belly, how the fuck do I save Lilly from all of this? And why does what Rykan want bother me the most?
To Be Continued………………
I hope you enjoyed Lilly’s story.
Book Two Available Now.
Note from the Author
My name is not really Tiya Rayne, it is a pen name that I chose to represent the two most important girls in my life, my daughters. I do, however, write Young Adult books under my real name, K.C. Connor. I also enjoy reading feedback on my work. Please leave a review or send me an email.
Where to find me
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/k.c.connorauthor
Email: [email protected]
