Chapter 9

9

EIRA

I don’t think I should feel as comfortable as I do here in Wylan . But I do. It feels as if a lifetime has passed since I was brought here, but it’s only been two weeks. I still have a constant rotation of guards, always the same six males the prince brought with him to Arcelia .

Kasim still irritates me every time he has guard duty. He either silently glares at me or will not shut up about how spoiled of a princess I am. I refuse to give him the satisfaction of knowing that his attitude bothers me or that his words cut deeper than the scars across my skin. He is nothing but a grump, which is my new nickname for him, Grumpy Man .

Asher has slowly become my favorite to have guard me. He always has a smile on his face and appears to be happy more often than not. He is the much-needed sunshine on my dark days, and I look forward to the days he is my guard.

I have not had the chance to learn much about Alair other than that he often jokes with the passing guards. He’s much like Asher in that way. He tries to make me laugh when we are together, and he focuses more on me than himself. Although , his dimples are adorable when he laughs, so I suppose I have learned one thing about him.

Branimir is quiet and usually sports pink cheeks around me. His freckles stand out against his bright cheeks when he blushes. I have a feeling he doesn’t spend much time around women. When he worries he’s too bold with his questions, his ears turn as red as his hair. He often has to brush it back as it tends to fall into his face when he ducks my gaze.

Reverie usually stays in the shadows when it’s his turn to guard me. Allowing me to roam the hallways and rooms freely. I cannot count how many times he has scared me by popping out of the shadows. He seems so comfortable in the shadows that he has become one with the darkness itself.

Today , my guard is Benidict . Sigh . He is so beautiful. He has long platinum-blond hair and dark brown orbs that remind me of a mythical being rather than a soldier. He often takes me to the library where I attempt to learn everything I can about the kingdoms. I’m not sure how I’m going to read the thousands of books the prince has managed to procure, but I am going to do my best.

We are quietly walking down the hallway toward the library as usual when I can no longer stand the silence. “ So , Benedict …”

“ You can call me Bene .”

I smile as I nod. “ Okay . So … Bene , how long have you known the prince?”

“ Dax ? Hum … I’ve known him since we were children. The seven of us grew up together.”

My brows knit as I ask, “ Is everyone around here always so informal with the prince’s title?”

Bene laughs and explains, “ The seven of us call each other by name, considering how long we have known one another. We only use titles when necessary.” His eyes glitter with amusement as he says, “ He would not mind if you called him Dax instead of prince.”

I bite my lip as I debate his words. With a huff, I say, “ It feels weird to call him Dax . I feel like I should call him prince. It’s what I was taught.”

Bene shrugs and holds open the door for me. “ Much of what we were taught is no longer relevant in the world we live in now. You don’t have to be as formal with us.”

I nod as I make my way through the library and head to a section I haven’t had the chance to look at yet. Running my fingers along the dusty spines, I blow off the dust, so I can see the titles.

I jump, letting out a screech of fright when a loud noise erupts from behind me. I look back to find Bene rubbing his nose. My eyes widen. “ What the hell kind of noise was that?”

He looks up at me, confused, then looks around the library before turning back to me with an arched brow. “ It was just a sneeze. These books are super dusty; they’ve haven’t been touched in a while.”

I shake my head as I argue, “ That was NOT a normal sneeze. It sounded as if a demon just left your body!”

He snorts. “ I have never had my sneeze compared to a demon leaving my body before.”

Turning back to the rows of books, I huff out, “ Well , someone should have. That sneeze would frighten children.”

He chuckles as he trails behind me. “ I will keep that in mind if I ever need to frighten children.”

I feel my cheeks heat as I nod. “ You do that.”

“ Are you looking for anything specific, Eira ? I can help if you would like.”

“ Really ?”

He seems confused by my question. “ Yes ? Do you not want my help?”

I almost drop the books in my arms as I spin toward him, shaking my head. “ No , that is not what I meant. I only… I just thought you may not want to help the woman who thinks of the prince as a villain.”

“ Why would I not want to help you? If I don’t help you that would only reinforce your views of us were correct, would it not?”

My eyes lower and trace one of the many designs on the floor. “ I suppose,” I whisper.

He lowers himself enough to catch my eyes with his. “ Have you ever thought that maybe villains are just misunderstood?”

My brows furrow. “ What do you mean?”

Placing a finger under my chin, he raises my face to meet his gaze. With a soft smile, he says, “ Everyone always views villains as evil beings. But did you ever think that maybe the villains just live by a different set of morals? Maybe my morals don't adhere to those of a hero, but that doesn't mean I don't have any. So am I really the villain, or do I just not fit the standards the heroes wish for me to adhere to?”

I’m about to reply, but he places a finger over my lips. “ I am not saying we aren’t villains; I am only saying we may not be as bad as you believe us to be.” He pulls away, taking a step back. “ Continue your search, Eira . I’ll leave you to your thoughts.”

I watch him take another step back before turning to head in the direction of the sitting area. I stand frozen as I try to process his words. Is he right? He does have a point. Are my views on heroes and villains skewed because of what I was taught? Is there a definitive line between good and evil, or is there a blurred area of good intentions?

I know true good and true evil exist, but what fills the space between the two? Do Dax and his men live in the space between?