Calina
»»♔««

Henry's expression remained composed despite my threatening stance. He glanced briefly at Silas, signaling him to stay calm.

"I don't doubt your abilities, Calina," Henry said, his voice steady. "But this isn't about a fight. This is about duty and destiny."

I scoffed, my eyes narrowing. "Destiny? Duty? Those are just fancy words for a cage."

"Why? Why don't you want to marry me?" Henry looked truly perplexed.
I was so stupefied by the question I forgot my anger as he stood, holding his ribs.

"I will not marry the man that kidnapped me. There is no way I will ever marry you, Henry. That I can promise you." The urge to start screaming and demand to be released was almost unbearable.

"I'm only twenty seven years old, not that much older than you, and most women find me attractive. Why won't you give me a chance? Why fight the inevitable?"

"Pfft. Inevitable my ass. My father was tricked into signing a document over twenty years ago. I don't accept the terms, and if there's a loophole, I'll find it." I glared up at him, not seeing even an ounce of malicious intent in his gaze. The gentleness is his eyes just made me want to scream more.

"We..." I waved my finger between us. "Are never getting married. I don't like you." I spoke each word slowly, needing them to sink into his thick skull.

He seemed a little sad that I was fighting this, and that realization was blowing my mind.
I poked his ribs, causing him to hiss through clenched teeth.

"Are you sure they aren't broken, Henry? I really did a number on you," I asked with a smirk curving my lips.

I did not like him. Why would I pretend otherwise?
Silas clamped a meaty hand down on my shoulder. "Do not touch the prince if you're not going to be kind."

Ira shifted away from the door. With narrowed eyes, I shook my head, and he froze in place.

"Silas," I grabbed two of the fingers on my shoulder, manipulating them back towards his wrist. He groaned out his pain, bending forward against his will.

"Unless you're prepared to have a broken arm, I'd suggest you never fucking touch me," I bit out through clenched teeth before letting his fingers go. He clutched his wrist to his chest, scowling at me as he backed away.

"Calina, there is no need for that language or physical assault," the Queen reprimanded.

"Well, he shouldn't have touched me." I glared over at Silas.

"I was just doing my job and protecting my prince," he said defensively, cradling his hand.

"Well, next time, use your words. There's no need for physical assault." I tilted my head and cocked a smile, throwing the queen's words back at him.

"Calina," Ekko responded unamused.

"My ribs are not broken. I have been examined by a doctor. He said they were bruised. Nothing to be concerned with, Princess," Henry replied, taking my hand in his.

I was so bewildered by Henry's statement that I didn't even protest when he brought my hand up to his lips and kissed the back of it.
How were my intended insults not hitting their marks?

When the bizarreness of his lips on me wore off, I snatched my hand out of his.
"Is this why you followed me and dragged me from Freedom? To collect your bride?"

Henry sighed, looking genuinely pained. "I understand how you feel. These expectations are not easy, but it's our reality."

Ekko, who had been quietly observing from the sofa, spoke up. "Trust is built over time, sweet pea. You don't need to have all the answers now. What you need is an open heart and a willingness to give it a chance. The prince is willing to compromise, Calina. He's not asking for blind obedience. He's asking for a chance."

I looked between them, my anger slowly being replaced by confusion and a reluctant curiosity. "A chance for what?"

Henry took a deep breath. "A chance to show you that this life, this role, doesn't have to be a burden," Henry said softly. "It can be a partnership. We can redefine what it means together. Our marriage is not just a contract. It's a symbol of unity between our lands. The people are counting on us. This alliance can bring peace and prosperity. I hope you can find a way to come to terms with your new life. I feel like we could be great friends." He smiled at me kindly.

"I won't accept this. You should know that I'm really good at holding grudges," I declared, giving him my dirtiest look.

He needed to understand that I would never accept this. I would never stop fighting.

"Well, let's remain amicable until we have decided things. Let's work towards what really matters, the people of United Greecia." Ekko stood and clapped her hands together once before pulling me out the door with a surprisingly forceful grip. I shot one last venomous look at Henry, who watched me with an unreadable expression.

»»♔««

Ekko remained quiet while we walked side by side down the corridors.
Which was good because this whole prearranged marriage to my kidnapper was festering in my gut like a peptic ulcer. I needed the silence to rein in my fury before I burst.

I stopped so suddenly it took the queen six more steps to realize I wasn't beside her.
"I won't marry him," I stated crossing my arms when she walked back toward me.

"I know it doesn't seem like it, but Henry is a good looking, kind man. He has always been very respectful to me and the staff through the years. I've known him his entire life. He is quite a catch, Calina. I was in a prearranged marriage too. After the shock of it wears off, a friendship forms, and often a lasting love."

None of that mattered. I felt nothing but animosity towards him. Let's be honest; my anger was teetering towards hate.
He landed himself on my shit list the moment he injected me with a drug and brought me to a foreign country against my will.

My jaw clenched. I placed my hands on my hips, but that made me feel juvenile so, slid them down, keeping them stiff at my sides.  "I'm supposed to marry a guy who kidnapped me? No way. You sound as crazy as him."

Ekko sighed. "It's not as simple as that." She paused, glancing over my shoulder. "King Knox."

I turned just in time to see him give a slight bow before stepping closer. "I'm terribly sorry for interrupting. I need to have a word with you, Queen Ekko."

When I fully turned toward him, our eyes met, and I drank in those pale green eyes, the light stubble, and the playful smile. "How is your morning going, little Rogue?"

My gods, he was beautiful. The way he said "little Rogue" was almost tender, and it was thrilling and arousing all at once to have his complete attention on me. But I needed to shove those feelings into a box. There was no way getting involved with a man like that would end well.

I decided to hang on to my earlier anger and rolled my eyes, walking away from him and my grandmother. He let out a low breathy chuckle that I only briefly heard before turning a corner. Movement behind me caught my attention when I turned the corner.

"Do you have to do that? Follow me everywhere? I promise I won't run away," I complained to Ira.

"It's protocol, princess. I'm officially your shadow, it's for your safety."
I briefly squeezed my eyes shut, turning away. The Queen didn't have someone following her all the time. Guards were posted in the hall, and the only time she was followed was when she went outside. They were afraid I'd leave again. That was one more thing that was out of my control. The list of things that I had control of in my life kept shrinking every day.

My entire life had always been living by someone else's rules. When could the choices in my life be my own?

"I need more space, please. Can you at least give me that?" I asked, tossing the question over my shoulder as I walked.

"Of course, Princess."

I wandered through the castle and took my time exploring every inch. There were over six hundred rooms in the palace. That should give me plenty of time to shuffle through my thoughts. Maybe exploring will help me find my place or at least understand my new life. I should call Raine, but I was already too upset and if she didn't answer like I need her too, I might break. It felt like my life had been ransacked, and all I wanted to do was give in to my despair.

Some rooms and hallways had plush carpet, while others were adorned with gleaming marble flooring, accented with white and gold trim. Each room was more beautiful than the last. Art older than the kingdom itself adorned the walls, and if I chose, it could all be mine.

According to Henry, it wasn't even my choice to say no. I had decided to stay because my grandmother asked, but his demand made me want to rebel. However, if I left, I'd be on the run for the rest of my life, like my parents. I'd have to hide my children as well. That was no life I wanted to live. Remaining hidden wasn't a life lived.Which might be exactly why my parents kept it a secret from me. So I could live my life without carrying their burden.

I paused at the end of one hallway with French windows that gave way to an unobstructed view of the mountains on one side the bluest ocean I'd ever seen on the other. I stopped long enough to bask in its beauty before moving along. Sliding my fingers across the olive branch wallpaper, I continued my journey.

♔

I ultimately found myself drawn to the master kitchen. The chef was out for the day, as she was very particular about the ingredients in her recipes and had gone down to the Venue market on the square with her team to buy the best for the queen.

This granted me solo access to her kitchen to bake something for myself. Being a princess meant I no longer had to do things on my own; everything was done for me. Everyone waited on me hand and foot. It was driving me a little crazy. I grabbed the chef's white coat to avoid getting my lavender dress dirty with cake flour, then got to work.

"What is that smell?" Inquired a rich, dark voice behind me.

Startled, I jumped back from the oven, clutching my hand against my chest. I spun around to face the culprit who had nearly made my heart stop. The air left my lungs, and my pulse began to race wildly at the base of my throat, but not from fear. Knox was standing behind me.

The hair on my arms rose as I quickly flicked my gaze over his body. He was wearing long black gym shorts, black sneakers, and a grey muscle shirt that hugged his chest and arms in all the right places. He looked hotter than any man had a right to.

I stared transfixed at his slightly full lower lip, imagining sinking my teeth into it.
His mouth was moving now, causing butterflies to take flight in my stomach.

Wait. Was he talking to me? "I'm sorry, did you say something?" I exhaled slowly, trying to steady my racing heart.
Mentally slapping myself, I tore my gaze away from his face and focused on the task at hand, not burning my cupcakes.

So what if he was stupid attractive. That didn't mean I had to trip over my tongue.

"I asked what you were doing." His smoky dark voice caressed me, and I was tempted to ask him to repeat himself. Just to hear him speak.

"Baking,"I stated the obvious with an eye roll. I wasn't an experienced baker, but I knew my way around a cupcake recipe. Baking was something my mother and I did together at least two times a month.
"I needed to do something normal for a change." I glared at him through slitted eyes. "Why? Do you have something against red velvet cupcakes?"

"No, it's not that. It smells delicious. It's just... don't you have an entire staff to wait on you?"

"That doesn't mean I can't do things for myself." I slipped on oven mitts and pulled the cupcakes from the oven, setting them on the counter.

He stepped closer, his eyes never leaving mine. "Can I help?"
I raised an eyebrow, unable to hide my surprise. "You want to help me bake? But you're a king."

"So. That doesn't mean I can't do things for myself," he said repeating my earlier words with a charming smile.

"Cute, Knox," I said, grabbing a white apron off a nearby hook and tossing it to him. I tried to ignore the way his muscles flexed as he put it on. "Alright, you can start by mixing the frosting." I pointed toward the oversized refrigerator and began listing all the ingredients he needed to collect from it.

Once he set the items on the island countertop, Knox took the bowl and spoon from me, his fingers brushing against mine in a way that sent a shiver down my spine. As he began to mix, I couldn't help but steal glances at him. There was something undeniably endearing about seeing a man like Knox in an apron, concentrating on making frosting.

"What are you doing in here, Knox?" I asked, putting the oven mitts back on and flipping the pan upside down. With a little shake, the cupcakes fell out, and I placed them on a rack underneath the oven to cool quickly so that we could frost them.

"I just popped in to grab something to eat after my workout. I couldn't resist the delicious scent wafting into the hall."

I chuckled. "Well you've got great instincts, I can't think of a better post-workout treat than delicious cupcakes, piled high frosting."

He glanced at me, a soft smile playing on his lips. "It's nice to see you enjoying yourself. You look happier than I've ever seen you. Well, in the incredibly short time I've known you."

I didn't know what to say that, so I said nothing, busying myself  by grabbing a spatula to scoop the frosting into a piping bag.

"Oh, shit. I'm so sorry to interrupt," Emilio said standing in the kitchen doorway. "Knox you have a meeting that was supposed to start ten minutes ago.

Knox sighed, his expression shifting from relaxed to slightly exasperated. "Right, I forgot."

I quickly iced two cupcakes, putting them in a container. Dashing into the pantry, and grabbing a protein bar for him.

He turned to me, a hint of regret in his eyes. "Duty calls. Thanks for letting me crash your baking session."

"Anytime," I replied with an easy smile, sliding the protein bar and cupcake container across the counter toward him.

A wicked thought popped into my head. The moment he leaned forward to reach for the container, I smoothly leaned over the counter and dropped a kiss on the hollow beneath his cheekbone. My lips brushed against the dark stubble along his strong jawline, his intoxicating masculine scent enveloping me and igniting a whirlwind of fantasies. I genuinely had no clue what possessed me to behave so boldly, but I couldn't resist.

When I leaned back, he pinned me with a look so hot, so hungry, my mouth went dry. I couldn't look away as the heat surged between us.

A slow teasing smile flirted with the corner of his mouth. Tempting me to kiss that corner. Just one more small taste. "Well, that was unexpected," he murmured, his voice a delicious low rumble.

"Just a little thank you for helping me out," I said lightly, with a mischievous grin.

He chuckled, the sound deep and warm. "I might have to crash your baking sessions more often."
"You're welcome anytime," I replied, my voice softer now, filled with a warmth I couldn't quite hide.

He took the container and protein bar, his fingers brushing mine one last time. "I'll hold you to that," he said, giving me one last, lingering look before heading out the door with Emilio.

As the door closed behind them, I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding.  Shit. I was way out of my depth flirting with a king.