For almost a whole minute, she did not move from where she stood and with each passing second, the tension from within her kept on rising such that it even became unbearable for her to breath.
Unlike other children of king Fredrick, she had never been exposed as she had always been hidden from the world's eyes but with the little information that she had received from her maid, she knew that the vampires were cold ruthless creatures that bore no emotions and with her within the four walls with such a creature caused her body to freeze.
"Come over here."
When she heard that, she could tell that it was her time to die but even with all thoughts running in her mind, she did not attempt to raise her head.
Knowing that standing there was never going to help her, she slowly started to make way towards the man who sat on the large neat bed. Each of her step became heavier than the previous one and prince Daceus who had not moved from his previous position watched her without uttering any word.
When she was five steps away from the man, she stopped walking and that caused prince Daceus' eyes to narrow but maid could not see that as her eyes were glued on the marbled floor.
"I never knew that the floor was this interesting."
With his words directed to her, she slowly raised her eyes to meet his midnight eyes which seemed much darker due to the limited light in the room, she was slightly taken aback by his captivating looks.
At first, her eyes fell on his wet messy black hair. Spikes of it wove in and out of one another like waves of a turbulent sea of his mind.
Then there were those midnight eyes that only blankly stared at her and she could feel herself drowning into their abbysal but before that happened, she snapped back to the present.
"I apologize, your highness. We were taught not to look directly into our Master's eyes."
She finally spoke and even in her own voice, one could sense that fear that she was exuding but still, she managed to act calm.
"That is what all servants do but when I demand attention, I require you to look at me."
"Yes, your highness." Even on saying those words, her mind compelled her to bow but knowing that she was standing right in front of a night creature, her back straightened.
'Maybe her father sent her here because he knew that she could not survive.' She thought and before she could start her last prayers, she heard his voice again,
"How are you going to be of help to me if you are standing that far."
"Please don't kill me.."
Out of fear of sudden death, she quickly blurted out. She had never had a perfect life but with the promise she made to Javier, she just didn't want to die. At least not before she had an actual taste of what it meant to love and to be loved.
Prince Daceus whose gaze was still on her was slightly taken aback by her words. Not that he had not expected them from her due to the fear that lingered on those green eyes but due to her courage to say them.
"I will kill you if you continue to stand there." Though his words were somehow playful, there was that underlaying threat that she did not fail to notice and mastering all the courage that she could gather, she finally closed the distance between them.
She had expected him to do the worst but instead, he just handed her the towel that he had been holding and in that process, their hands lightly touched. It was a subtle action and Evelyne whose mind was reeling from fear did not notice it.
"Dry my hair."
It was an order. Though she had served in the palace for a while now, she had never attended to any of the royal family members and with the way he was looking at her, it made her movements awkward.
When she finally placed the towel on his wet hair, she started to rub his head while not putting too much pressure on his skull.
She had never done that to anyone but still, she knew how it was done. After all, her nanny had always done it to her.
With time, her full focus fell on the task at hand and while she was busy doing what he had just told her, prince Daceus continued to observe her.
There was something different about her and it did not take long for him to know what that was.
When he had touched her hands, he had felt the softness of her skin which was in pure contrast to the other maids coarse hands. The other thing was about her delicate features that made her look unreal and even if she was unaware about it, she looked so gorgeous such that she provoked the beast inside him.
Wanting to confirm his doubts, he inquired,
"What's your name?"
"It's Evelyne, your highness." She replied and afetr a short humm, he then asked,
"Do you not have a last name?"
"It's Evelyne.._ Evelyne Woods."
She had decided to use Emily's last name knowing well that using her last name would only reveal her identity.
Seeing him nod at her response, she felt somehow relieved but her relieve did not last for so long.
"Is it. Really?"
To draw her attention, he stood up from where he had been sitting and with him too close, she had to crane her neck so that she could meet his obsidian eyes.
"Because I thought that you last name was Leigh."
Saying that, his gaze only intensified and she could feel danger looming much closer than she would have thought.
"That is not my name.._"
"Another lie, and I will have your tongue cut out princess."
With his interruption, she could feel the heaviness of her sin falling into her shoulders and it was on the verge of breaking her very own soul and body.
"Just how did he find out?!"