"Stop right there!" Magnus ordered, and Alora halted at her place. "Close the door," he added.
"Huh? Why?" Alora asked in a trembling voice and gulped.
"Don't ask questions. Just close the door, Alora," Magnus said with a stern tone.
"I'll come after His Highness changes his clothes." Alora went toward the door, ignoring his command when with a gush of wind Magnus appeared in front of her. The door was shut with a loud voice and Alora's breath hitched.
Fortunately, Alora had closed her eyes, so she couldn't see Magnus' naked sight. "Your Highness, if anyone comes here and sees us together, then the matter can escalate. I shall wait for His Highness outside in the lounge," she humbly said despite being feared.
"I don't wish to let you go," Magnus whispered in her ear.
Realizing Magnus's closeness, Alora promptly opened her eyes and tilted her head to gaze at him. "I won't ever enter Your Highness' bedroom without his permission. Please, forgive me this time," Alora said as her lips trembled.
"What if I don't want to forgive you?" Magnus inquired.
"Why? Your Highness, everyone makes mistakes, even princes," Alora spoke gently, attempting to calm him after her release.
"I NEVER perceive my bad actions as mistakes. I'll forgive you once you open your eyes and truly see me," Magnus declared firmly.
"What? No! I couldn't possibly gaze upon Your Highness," Alora adamantly refused to open her eyes.
"Then, you've to stay the entire night here," Magnus stated and took a step away from her.
Immediately, Alora opened her eyes and looked at him. Magnus was not naked. He already was in his clothes and had been enjoying the expressions on her face.
"Such a cute little human!" Magnus smiled and walked past her to sit on the reclining comfortable chair.
Alora realized he was teasing her and even enjoyed the way she reacted. "Why did Your Highness act as if he was... without clothes?" her voice lowered along with her gaze.
"Because it was fun to see your facial expressions," Magnus replied. "Did you miss me?" he then asked, bringing her attention to him.
"No," Alora lied.
"Then, why did you look so desperate to see me?" Magnus questioned her.
"I wasn't desperate," Alora stated.
Magnus cocked his eyebrow at her in amusement.
"I did miss His Highness a little," Alora then replied.
Meanwhile, Magnus kept his finger on his temple, engrossed in reading the parchment, while Alora let her eyes wander around the opulent bedroom, still marveling at its magnificence.
"You seem to like my bedroom," Magnus said as he put back the parchment on the small, circular table.
"Yes," Alora answered with a glint in her eyes.
"Do you wish to be in this bedroom?" Magnus asked.
"Why would I live in Your Highness's bedroom?" Alora inquired.
Magnus ended up chuckling. "Have you thought of the answer to the question I asked you?" he suddenly made her recall their morning's interaction.
"I couldn't come up with any answer, Your Highness. I don't know why you said it's my worst mistake for choosing to live here, with you, rather than my family," Alora truthfully told him.
A knock on the door interrupted their conversation.
"Odin is here, Your Highness," Tobias said from outside.
Magnus stood up from his seat and went to the door. He opened it while Alora wore the blindfold quickly. However, the problem was she needed someone's help to go outside. She felt a familiar hand grabbing hers.
Magnus walked outside with her and brought her to the seating area. After he made her sit, Magnus himself sat on the central sofa while Odin and Tobias remained standing. They both were inquisitive to know why Magnus was gentle to Alora.
Alora wondered what was the matter that the atmosphere looked so serious when finally Odin spoke.
"Greetings to Your Highness. I went to Miss Wilson's home and informed them about her presence in the palace of Elmswood," Odin informed Magnus.
Alora was shocked to learn that. She thought Magnus would not inform about her presence in Elmswood Palace to her family. But in front of the prince, she couldn't even argue. "What did my family say? They aren't worried for me, are they?" she thought they would come to Elmswood to take her to the capital.
Magnus gazed at Odin as he suddenly turned silent. "Will you make us wait till tomorrow morning?" he annoyingly asked.
"No, Your Highness," Odin said.
"Then, speak," Magnus stated.
"Norman Wilson has sent a servant with me, who will take Miss Wilson to their old family residence," he replied. "Also, Miss Wilson's family doesn't care about her. Except for her mother, no one wants her to return to the capital." Odin began narrating everything that he had witnessed in the Wilson's house.
"Because their second daughter is getting married, so they think Miss Alora's presence could only bring disaster there. Even Miss Alora's younger sister hates her. No one wanted Miss Alora, except her mother, who also has to stay quiet," Odin stated with a chuckle.
Tears emerged in Alora's eyes as she tightly clasped her fingers. She didn't wish anyone except Magnus to know about her family, but the opposite happened. Now, they all knew how hated a child she was in her own house!
Alora feared that even Magnus would kick her out of the palace. A hope that she had built to live with him had suddenly shattered.
"I'll ask the servant to take Miss Alora to her old family residence," Tobias pronounced and asked Alora if she should come with him.
Alora left her seat and thanked Magnus for giving her his precious time. Her eyes welled up in tears as they even damped her blindfold.
"Close your eyes," Magnus finally pronounced, ordering Tobias and Odin.
They both were confused to hear the instructions from the prince. But without raising a question, they closed their eyes.
Magnus appeared in front of Alora and opened her blindfold. His hands cradled her neck, lifting it so that their eyes could lock with each other. His thumbs wiped the tears off her eyes and in his husky, deep voice, "I'm going to make them cry. Send a message to Norman Wilson and his entire family to show their presence here tomorrow morning. If they fail, they all will die."