Jasmine wasn't expecting the question, and her face gave away her expression. This was a question she had asked herself as well.
Was she a Fae? She didn't have an answer to that. It couldn't be that because her mother was one, she'd be one too, or was that how it was?
Jasmine almost shook in fear that she would turn out a Fae as her mother was one. If she was, then... She looked at Nikolai, who was still waiting for her reply. This man wouldn't hesitate to kill her. He had been looking for reasons to do so.
"No, I'm not," Jasmine tried to reply confidently, but Nikolai caught on her jittery voice.
"But your mother is, that leaves a seventy-five percent chance that you're one," His next words blew off her facade.
Ho-how did he know her mother was one?
"Stay indoors as much as possible. Come out only when I ask for you. If you do turn out to be a Fae, we won't want someone else claiming your head instead of me," This time around, Nikolai grinned, scaring Jasmine, and she watched him leap to the floor above. She quickly stuck out her head to see him, but he had gone. How did he do that? If she was sure of one thing now out of her many questions, it was that Nikolai wasn't an ordinary human.
Moving back into her room and closing her window quickly, lest someone else appeared in front of her again. The man who stood on the floor above watched the slender hands that reached out and closed the windows.
'But your mother is-' Nikolai's words continued to ring in Jasmine's ears as she sat on her bed and wiped the sweat from her face. This man—this man is beyond mysterious. Now that he knows there is a possibility she could be a Fae, she has to avoid him more until she could escape. But would she escape? Jasmine asked herself. The villagers won't waste one more second to kill her if she turned out a Fae; this she knows already. She hates to admit it, but staying in the castle seemed a better choice. She just has to prove her loyalty to Prince Nikolai, and who knows, he might spare her like he did with Peter.
Lying on her bed, Jasmine resolved to read as many books as she could on Faes. Her mother didn't tell her anything about her kind. She would have to find out herself, starting from the next morning. Thankfully, Nikolai always has a book he wants to be returned to the library. She would definitely find a book about Faes. With that thought in mind, overshadowing her nightmare, Jasmine was quick to fall asleep.
Nikolai stood on his balcony, the breeze gently blowing on his face, and he calmly said, "It is her."
"I told you so, brother, I told you!" A man appeared beside Nikolai from the shadows. His hair was midnight black, short and wavy. As he smiled, his long left canine came into view, his red eyes looked down at the lower ground before looking back at Nikolai.
"I want to do nothing with her but kill her," Nikolai said, a frown marring his forehead. His words made the mysterious man laugh.
"Are you sure, Brother Nick? Your ego is just hurt you don't have much effect on her like everyone else. She isn't even scared to question what you are. A brave one," The man smirked, praising Jasmine.
"The Faes are too peaceful for my liking. I haven't had a good bloody fight for a long time," Nikolai frowned lightly.
"You don't suppose they start creating havoc now? They're still healing and waiting for the girl's arrival," The man said, then added.
"Would you allow them to make her cause another war?"
"Isn't that what we all have been waiting for, Damien?" Nikolai questioned him back.
They gazed at each other for a second long before Damien broke the stare and grinned, "That means you also want to use her as much as they want to. Maybe that was why her mother ran away with her when she was young, but then fate is not by her side."
Nikolai ignored his words and stared at the sky, hearing the flap of wings coming from behind him but didn't turn until the person landed beside him. It was Peter.
"I have delivered your message, Prince Nikolai. He said he'll start taking actions immediately."
Nikolai nodded, dismissing him when Damien spoke up, "You look most handsome now and can bed any woman you want than delivering his messages at this hour of the night, Peter."
"Sir Damien," Peter bowed to him.
"I am indebted to Prince Nikolai forever," He said simply.
"Nevertheless, don't let this boring man over here influence you with his lifestyle. Get yourself a woman," Damien winked at him.
Peter cleared his throat and bowed his head more, "Actually, I have found my soulmate already," He said.
"Lucky you. Tell me if you need tips on how to woo her. Who's she? Pretty she is?" Damien taunted him.
"Yes, she is. It's Jasmine. I do hope Prince Nikolai will let me spend time with her," Peter's words brought silence in the air, and it seemed like they could hear the gentle breeze blowing. Damien, who was already to taunt him, paused in his words and turned to look at Nikolai, who was still staring calmly at the sky, then he grinned.
"Oh, don't worry, he's thinking of discarding her already," This time, he saw the slight change in Nikolai's face before it disappeared as quickly as it came.
"It's time for you to leave, Damien. The old man would be furious to know you came here to meet me," Nikolai spoke out before going into his room, closing the door to the men on the balcony.
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