Saving the Stranger Prince (The Stranger Prince Series #2)

Chapter 8: This Means Nothing.

"The Sun is such a lonely star. Whenever he comes out to meet his friends, they all disappear."
- The Sun is Also a Star, by Nicola Yoon.

♚

"I hadn't realised father was so desperate that he'd go through this much trouble." Prince Christian stood in her room, his back resting casually against the wall.

His arms were crossed over his chest, but Katherine could tell he was tense all over. It was dark now, and the room was dim lit, everything smelled too royal for her. She was still trying to adjust.

She looked over at the Prince who had his jaw set, ever since she had told him about what she had heard in the room. He had told her that the old man she had heard was Silvester, the King's personal assistant, but he was also a genius inventor, dedicated solely to the well being of the Kingdom.

The Prince didn't look like he had expected his father to go this far, which made her even more curious. Had the King shut the Prince out so much that the Prince knew nothing at all?

But all of a sudden, Katherine realised something else.

"You're still in love with her, aren't you?" She said, and he looked up at her and narrowed his eyes.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"It's not hard to see." She stood up, casually looking at him, "You're bothered by the fact that she's hurt."

"You don't know anything." He frowned tightly, "I just don't want it to be my father. He'd be too desperate, and he'd kill her way too fast."

The Prince's tone was off. Katherine wasn't stupid, but she wasn't sure if even the Prince knew that everything he had said was just a lie. He was giving himself false hopes. He still cared about the Princess of Archensheen, and hurting her wasn't something he had the guts to do, no matter how much he made himself look bad.

"You didn't hear him tell the cure?" He changed the subject hastily. She decided to let it go.

"No. I had heard footsteps so I had to move."

"Try to get to know the cure, it's really important." His eyes looked distant as he stared at a spot at the wall.

"Who is Amanda?" Katherine said, and his frown deepened.

"Don't you ask too many questions?"

She knew she was getting under his skin. And she was enjoying it. Very much.

"Maybe it'd be easier for both of us if you just answer them."

"She's no one you should be concerned about and that is all you need to know."

"The guards had asked me about it," She wasn't going to let it go, "They said something about her being your favourite-"

"I think that is enough prying for a day." The Prince now pushed himself away from the wall and came to stand in front of her. His stare was cold as it was directed at her.

Surrender, the eyes demanded. The green eyes. Those eyes were so rare, yet she saw nothing beautiful in them as all she could see was coldness and nothing else. Submit, they said. He didn't like it when people tried to win over him.