XLII

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Looking up at Herc's wild eyes, I knew I was in for the lecture of the century

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Looking up at Herc's wild eyes, I knew I was in for the lecture of the century. I grimaced before letting him pick me up and carry me out of there. Going back out into the tavern on top of Herc's shoulders was not the way I envisioned my small detour to end.

Herc held onto my legs as my head slammed on his back as he moved briskly around the tavern. I smelt the alcohol all around as some spilled on the floor. Droplets made it to the back of my neck as Herc maneuvered to the front entrance.

The crisp air of the night hit my bare arms as Herc dropped me onto the ground.

"What were you doing?" He asked. I expected him to yell and flip out, but he didn't seem like he was mad. He seemed confused, tired, and almost worried.

I didn't know how to respond.

"Ella," he whispered. "Why do you keep disappearing? You could get hurt, kidnapped, or even taken as a slave—

"Maybe in Solennes Jubar, but Fulgurians don't have slaves..."

"Ella, listen to me." He bent forward, grabbing my face in his hands. Suddenly, I was hyper aware of every little detail of him. His eyes were brown with the faintest specs of gold where the light hit them. His cheekbones seemed sharper due to the shadows of the night. His lips were chapped as they parted. "You can't keep wandering like this. I thought you were taken."

He took a step back, dropping his hands to his side.

"I'm flattered that you were worried about me, but sometimes I just need to do stuff on my own." I gazed at him and flushed at his intense stare.

"What did you need to do on your own here?" He asked, voice exasperated.

I nibbled on my bottom lip, hugging my frame to eliminate the cold from the brisk wind. The air was thick around us.

I tried to find an answer, but I didn't know how. There was no way of saying it without giving away my secret. He would know I was the queen, and there was no way I was going to be discovered by Herc. He wouldn't mind chopping off a queen's head.

A clap of thunder interrupted my thoughts. I looked up at the sky, confused. As if on cue, rain poured from the sky. I yelped and jumped into Herc's arms, much to my dismay. He didn't seem to mind as he wrapped his arms around me and guided me back inside the tavern.

His height swallowed me whole as we stood by the entrance, drenched. I shivered in his arms and looked up at his face. I flushed at our proximity. Herc didn't move, which fueled the red in my cheeks.

Someone cleared their throat, and I jumped back. Adonis reached out to me, already shrugging off his jacket.

"You're freezing," he said, wrapping it over my shoulders.

"Thank you," I whispered. He wrapped an arm around my shoulder and took me away, leaving Herc by the door alone. I bit down on my lip before looking back. Herc stayed in the same position, running his fingers through his long hair.

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