I'm No Cinderella

Chapter 11

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Anything Is Yours

I was determined to make helping out in the kitchens part of my daily routine, despite Matteo's attempts to dissuade me, or the cooks own reluctance to treat me as anything but other. I attempted conversation as we worked, but only received short, polite responses in return that did not encourage more talk.

I didn't care.

The kitchens were the most homey place in the whole castle, and if I closed my eyes I could almost pretend that the sounds of the women around me were my mother and Lily getting to work on dinner. I could almost pretend that the little over a week that had passed had been nothing but a bizarre dream.

Matteo was no longer condescending, as he had been on that very first day. Unfortunately, the calculation that he now regarded me with was nearly as bad.

It was on the second day after I had discovered the kitchen, that we found a visitor waiting outside my door as I was returning, fingers reeking of garlic despite all of my scrubbing.

The alpha turned at our approach, violet eyes immediately ensnaring mine. That magnetic pull was back, but I forced my feet to come to a halt a few yards from the door he was standing beside. After a moment, Matteo cleared his throat and the prince reluctantly turned his attention to his second in command, breaking the spell. The alpha gave him a curt nod, something unspoken flashing between the two, before Matteo chuckled and turned to me, "A pleasure as always, Luna." He didn't spare a parting remark for Prince Gianluca, just turned on a heel and made his way to a room down the hall that must have been his.

I turned wide eyes back to the prince, afraid of how he might react to such a slight, but found him already gazing at me. If Matteo's informality had offended him, he gave no sign. "You look well."

I smoothed down my pale blue day dress awkwardly, "I– uh– thanks."

He smiled, but I turned my gaze to the floor to avoid the pull of his eyes. It was silent for a moment, until my eyes shot tentatively to the door he was still blocking me from and he seemed to remember why he was there. His hand rose to the back of his neck, "I had heard that you didn't get to finish your tour of the castle with Matteo, I was hoping you would allow me to show you the rest of the grounds."

It wasn't a question, of course. He had likely never been told 'no' before in his life. But still, I hesitated. I had resigned myself to Matteo shadowing my every move like a jackal stalking a lamb, but it was different with the prince. My body reacted differently. It wasn't nearly as difficult to keep my wits about me with Matteo, I never forgot what he was or what he could do, even though I was growing accustomed to his quiet, constant presence nearby.

But when those eyes were on me, like glittering amethyst gems, it was all I could do to remember who he was. What his family had done to so many innocents. That it was unlikely that a man like Gino DiLuna, who had survived The Trials by committing such atrocities that my mother had banned all mention of it from the house, would father a gentle son.

When I finally gave him a slow nod in response, he smiled, displaying perfect, white teeth.

I pretended not to notice the arm he offered, turning back the way Matteo and I had just come.

We descended the stairs in silence, neither of us breaking it until he had led us outside into the warm autumn air. I closed my eyes, savoring the feel of it against my skin. How long had it been since I had last stepped foot outside, one week? Nearly two now?