Finding paradise

Chap 13 p 3

"Are you okay, you seam stressed." I glanced up from where I had been seated on the couch.

Everyone but Conrad and I had cleared out, and we sat in bitter silence, neither of us daring to speak.

"I'm fine," I snapped, my mind drifting off to those gray eyes once again, how could he have turned on me, he couldn't have wanted to kill me, but his father had been there, that meant they both had wanted me gone.

"All I ever wanted to do was just make you happy, something he could never do." I jerked my head up at the mention of him, how had Conrad known that I was thinking about Nathen.

"He tried to hurt me, I chose you, it's always been you." I hoped my words were not to forced, I didn't trust Conrad again, not after what had just happened.

"I'd choose you if I could, my father wants these games, he wants me to choose the strongest girl possible." Conrad took my hand in his, his eyes alectric when they met mine, they however didn't hold the emotion I thought would be in them.

They were void of anything. "But I know you are the strongest and amazing girl I have ever met, and I think I love you." My eyes traced his every move, as he lifted my hand to his lips, kissing my knuckle..

I was speechless, my body immobile , every inch of my mind was consumed with this mystery of a person.

"He didn't do it, did he." Conrad's head whipped around, he had stood up after I had remained mute, probably annoyed at the fact that I wasn't one to just fall to my knees in love, I was not as easy to win over, and he knew my words of admiration were not sincere.

"Of course he did." Conrad dismissed the topic all together, striding over and taking my hand. "Let's go, breakfast awaits."

I nodded, following suit as I mindlessly followed him out of the cabin, my eyes taking in the day around us.

Clouds, just as there always  were nothing different, there never really had been, because if anything changed, it was quickly disposed of.

The day was spent, Conrad attempting to win over my trust, however he wasn't sincere, I could see it in his eyes, with every passing second, I grew more and more ancy I wanted to escape this word, I wanted out.

I no longer had Nathens book, and my hope of ever finding paradise existed only in my imagination.

"Would you like to see the library?" I glanced over to see that Conrad had joined me in the sitting room that night, his hair a bit messyer then normal.

I jerked my head up to gaze at him. He sported a boyish grin, his bright eyes filled with hope. A four person Courtet strummed in the corner, a melody I had grown fond of the past few years.

"That would be wonderful," I admitted, slumping my shoulders slightly. He knew I so liked to read, but some reason I thought it was odd, girls enjoyed doing simple actavaties, and reading was not one of them.

"Shall we go then?" I nodded, following him out. We stride down a rather large wooden lined hallway, adorned with pouring over pots of flowers, and beautifully colored paintings. My neck might have popped out of place from how far I stretched it to look at every immaculate detail.

"This one was painted by William Powell, have you seen any of his other work?" I had heard about him in school, he had passed a few decades ago, but his pieces were loved by everyone.

"Not that I can remember, but my father had a small book with his art in it." My mother and father loved art, my mother had painted a bit in her own life aside from helping my father.

"Ah, here we are," we both halted in front of two oak double doors, my heart racing at what sat inside.

Conrad threw the doors open, a wickedly handsome grin spreading across his face.

"It's beautiful," I admired, turning to catch his intense gaze. He stood, a hand resting against the door, his grin faltering a bit as he shot forth his next words.

"It's all yours if you promise to commit to me, completely. I could give you the world, if only you would trust me, do you?"

I could see the moonlight pouring in through the large ornate windows, curtains accenting the oak and cream lined walls. I had never seen so many books in my life, titles that were so foreign to my mind, I almost died to open one up and read right at this very moment.

"I promise," my words Seamed so distant, as though they came through one of the books, I was not sure if the words were true or not, but all that mattered at that moment was that I could fill my mind with knowledge, and see how this whole world came to be, and if paradise really was just in my imagination.