make this meeting. I know you wanted to meet with both of us.” Dave stood, grabbing his papers and books.
“It’s fine,” Alchan said, dismissing the apology. Lilliana jumped as her kettle began to scream. Alchan turned to look at her with a frown.
“Sorry,” she squeaked. Grabbing it off the fire, she poured what she needed, dumping her tea bag in unceremoniously. She tried to get out of the kitchen as quickly as possible and headed for her room.
Only a few moments later, there was a soft knock at her door. She opened it slowly to see Alchan frowning at her. Her knees went weak at the sight of him, standing tall and domineering in her doorway.
“Are you okay?” he asked, obviously concerned. He didn’t try to step into her room. He never did. It was his home, but Rain had been right. Her room was her private sanctuary, and not even the king entered without express permission, something she never gave him for her own reasons. He never asked for it, either, probably for his own.
“I’m fine. I felt bad for accidentally eavesdropping, then the kettle spooked me. It’s fine,” she declared at the end, smiling weakly. “Don’t you have meetings to go to?”
“I do,” he confirmed. “I just wanted to check in with you. Rain will be with me, but if you need him, you know where the war room is. Feel free to come get him. He needs time off, and you’ve proven invaluable at getting him to relax for a moment.”
“Oh, well…” She shrugged. “He’s a wonderful male to pass the time with. Oh, not like…” She bit her tongue, trying not to say anything more, tucking her head and focusing on her tea. She expected the bedru to be angry, but instead, he laughed.
What a beautiful laugh it was—rich, deep, masculine. He found her funny, and it made her stomach do strange things, and her face heated. Her already weak knees threatened to give out.
“I know what you meant. I would never assume when he’s with you, don’t worry. I know my Consort only has a taste for men. As lovely as you are, you aren’t his type.”
“Of course.”
Skies, did he just call me lovely?
“Have a nice day, Lady Lilliana,” Alchan said before walking away. His last words had been stiffer. She hadn’t seen his face because she was still staring at her tea, still warm in her hands. Once she heard him leave the house, she let out the air trapped in her lungs, but the funny feeling in her gut didn’t change. She knew what it was. She had heard lovers describe the sensation—the attraction.
For the first time in her life, she was attracted to someone—someone she didn’t want to be attracted to. Over the years, she had plenty of opportunities to scratch an itch, as some called it, but she had never felt the itch. The first time she had was the moment she had seen Alchan and Rain in the kitchen.
Now, it never left her. She’d had plenty of opportunities but never took them.
I should have. Maybe it would have prepared me for this. But I can’t…I can’t act on it now. I would never try to hurt someone’s relationship. Rain and the king are so obviously in love. What is wrong with me? Why now? Why do I have to feel like this now? Centuries of never wanting anything to do with sex, and now, that curiosity pops up? Skies damn it.
She was frustrated, stuck between a rock and a hard place. She tried leaving. She suggested it often enough to annoy the two males she lived with, especially Rain. Alchan always gave her a flat out no, which was his right as the king.
Her growing attraction to both males was a serious issue. It was worse with the king, which put her in exactly the position Leria had wanted. That just made Lilliana angry. She hadn’t wanted to be this pawn, and now, she was playing right into it.
Lilliana sat down at the dining table and frowned as she stared at the home where she lived.
Maybe I can…convince myself not to like them. What’s wrong with them? The obvious is that Rain doesn’t like females. Maybe Alchan doesn’t either. That would be nice. If neither of them like females, I could ignore how I feel and get over it. I mean, it hasn’t stopped me from growing to really care for Rain. He’s such a wonderful male, but at least