Lucien strode into the dining hall and was welcomed by Chester’s warm voice.
"Where are you from, Elian? Around here?" Chester asked.
Lucien’s footsteps slowed, his eyes taking in the way Elian was sat between Chester and Rowan, his frame visibly smaller than theirs. A small tinge of jealousy crowded his chest when he saw how at ease Elian looked around other men.
Apart from the sex, he was sure there was nothing else Elian enjoyed with him... that is, if Elian truly enjoyed it and not because he had to.
"From a small village. Straight north," Elian answered softly, unaware of the jealous eyes behind him.
"I will like to visit. I love traveling," Chester said with subtle enthusiasm.
"Oh, I’m not sure someone like you would find anything interesting from my small village—"
"Then we shall take you to the village, Chester," Rowan gently cut Elian off, placing his hand on Elian’s lap.
Elian blinked slowly, shaking his head. "Um, I don’t think I am allowed to—"
"It’s alright, Elian. You’re going as our guide," Rowan said, winking at him.
Elian gulped, unsure of how he was going to present such an absurd idea to Lucien. The last thing Lucien would agree to was to let him leave the manor, and if he learned Elian was heading to his village, he might just have him chained.
"That would be perfect. Tomorrow morning we shall go," Chester nodded in agreement.
"Oh..." Elian sighed. "Okay." He would love to go to his village, too, but at what cost?
"Awesome. Where is Lucien?" Rowan was about to point toward a maid and ask her to go call the Duke, but Lucien’s voice paused his hand mid-air.
"There was no need to wait for me," Lucien elegantly strode to the head of the table where he took his seat.
"Oh, we dare not wait without you, Lucien. It’s courtesy," Chester replied.
Rowan scoffed. "I wouldn’t mind. I was starving."
"You’re always starving," Lucien gestured to his maids to start serving the food.
As the maids got to work, two pairs of eyes found a way to connect.
Lucien’s green eyes found Elian’s blue ones, and for a split second, they felt wrapped in their own separate world. Not the soft clinking of utensils, nor Rowan and Chester’s light chattering, could pull them out of that unreal, magical world they found themselves in.
The only things on their minds were the last few minutes in Lucien’s chambers. The adrenaline of almost getting caught, the toxicity of their dynamic, the boiling chemistry between their bodies as they became one. It was safe to say that if they were alone at that moment, the dining table would have been a canvas for their art.
"Ms. Beck said she could not find you. Where have you been, Elian?" Lucien suddenly asked in a calm, unbothered tone.
Elian choked, suddenly coughing with widened eyes.
"Here, here," Rowan quickly grabbed a cup of water and lifted it to Elian’s lips.
Elian took it from Rowan and took a few sips, gently patting his chest.
"Are you alright?" Chester questioned.
Elian cleared his throat, glancing at Lucien who had started eating his food with surprising calmness.
’Was he insane?!’ Elian gritted his teeth.
Asking him where he had been when Lucien knew exactly how he’d pinned him to his door and fucked him senseless.
The nerve!
"I’m fine. Thank you," Elian said, pulling his plate of food closer.
"Then answer my question, Elian..." Lucien looked up, locking his gaze on Elian’s paling face. "Where were you? And, what were you doing?" A very dismissive smirk tugged at his lips before he resumed eating.
Elian felt like someone was pressing a steamed towel over his face. His fingers trembled over his plate and he quickly retreated them under the table, clutching his pants tightly as he bounced his legs nervously.
"I—" he blinked, darting his eyes around the table and seeing how everyone was watching him patiently.
"I was—"
"He was with me, Lucien," Rowan came to Elian’s aid, smiling encouragingly.
"Uh. U-yes—I was with Rowan," Elian nodded.
What else was he supposed to say?
"You were with Rowan?" Lucien asked, narrowing his eyes at Elian.
Elian almost screamed and pulled his hair. What did Lucien want? Why did Lucien look like he was disappointed with Elian’s answer?
Did he expect him to simply tell everyone how the Duke felt so good inside him like he was talking about the weather?
"He was. We were talking about the good times we could have when he finally gets to go home with me," Rowan smirked at Lucien.
Lucien slowly nodded. "That’s alright," he murmured.
That’s alright? Elian frowned.
Whatever was that reply supposed to mean?
Seeing that Lucien had given up on his incriminating questions, Elian focused on filling his stomach. Sex with Lucien had proven to leave him with a ravenous appetite.
After their quiet, "peaceful" meal, Lucien stood, eyes looking straight at the door.
"Have a goodnight, Chester, Rowan," he said, walking toward the door.
"Lucien," Chester stood, facing Lucien.
"What is it, Chester?" Lucien asked.
"It’s about the matter which brought me here. When will we talk about your father?" he asked cautiously.
A dreadful silence fell over the room and Elian was the first to sense the sharp swing of Lucien’s mood. It went from cold to chilling, and he noticed the way Lucien stiffened at the mere mention of his father.
"Tomorrow, Chester." With that, Lucien left the dining hall.
Elian didn’t mean to, but he found himself springing from his chair immediately. "Goodnight, Rowan. Goodnight, Lord Chester." He nodded politely and hurried out of the dining hall.
He could feel Rowan’s suspicious eyes on him, but he couldn’t stop now; it would make everything all the more suspicious.
Outside, he saw Lucien already walking toward the hallway but, in the last second, Lucien changed his direction and headed for the exit.
Elian frowned. Why was Lucien going outside on such a cold night?
Sighing, he quickly flew down the stairs and followed Lucien.
The night air blew against his skin and he shivered, wondering exactly why he was following the Duke into the night. But he never turned back.
He realized that Lucien was heading to the walkway which led to the orchard, and his curiosity only heightened.
What was it about Lucien’s father that made him want to disappear from people?
He walked quietly, staring at the tall, dark manor beside the walkway.
Lucien reached the short gate and quietly unlocked it, stepping through it without glancing behind him, but he did leave the door unlocked for the person trailing him.
Elian hesitated for only half a moment before he walked through the door, the chilling wind blowing raspberries into his skin. He shivered and lifted his head to admire how the trees shadowed them from the moon above.
The orchard was eerily quiet that night, the sounds of crickets occasionally echoing across the place.
He couldn’t find Lucien anywhere, and he paused, trying to guess which way the Duke had gone.
Suddenly, he heard a soft footstep behind a large tree and immediately moved toward it. As he got closer, his pulse raced, his nose becoming suddenly super sensitive to the mixed scents of flowers and Lucien’s sensual clove scent. He knew he was close.
He stopped beside the tree, sensing Lucien in front of it.
"Why are you out here? It’s cold," Elian spoke very quietly, hugging his arms.
"Come where I can see you," Lucien commanded lowly.
Taking a deep breath, Elian stepped out, standing right in front of Lucien, eyes locking onto him.
Lucien’s jaw tightened as he saw the way Elian’s nose turned red from the cold and the way Elian tried not to shiver even when his lips slightly trembled.
"Why are you out here?" Lucien asked calmly.
Elian blinked, looking away for a few seconds.
Indeed, why was he out here?
He could have simply gone up to his chamber and called it a night, but no, he followed the Duke out into the cold night, hoping he understood what was wrong with a man who didn’t even know what was wrong with him yet.
"I... I followed you," Elian answered frankly.
"Why?" Lucien questioned.
Elian licked his cold lips. "That’s my job," he murmured.
Lucien chuckled lowly. "Really?" His voice softened, surprising Elian.
Elian gulped, glancing at Lucien’s handsome face. What did Lucien mean by "really?"
Of course, what else did he want to hear?
"Yes," Elian nodded.
Lucien sighed, raking his fingers through his hair. "You should go, then. Go up and get some sleep. Your duties are paused until morning," he muttered tiredly.
Elian frowned; that should have been like music to his ears, yet it stung him in ways he couldn’t explain.
Lucien had never dismissed him from his side; quite the opposite, always commanding his presence. Suddenly asking him to leave him alone pulled certain strings Elian didn’t even know he had.
"Are you not coming up?" Elian asked, shuffling his feet reluctantly.
"I am not," Lucien answered calmly.
Elian cleared his throat, rubbing his arms to chase the cold. "Um... do you need a hug?" he murmured, biting his lip as he stared gently into Lucien’s green eyes.
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