Todays son shall be Talk by Salvatore Ganacci
Enjoy
Lilith's POV
The thing with Alex is complicated. Despite being held captive in a kingdom that feels nothing like mine, here I am, laughing with the man who should be my enemy.
"No food for you, big guy—only made for the princess." Booth growls at Alex, who smirks in response. They both look so harmless at first glance, you'd think they were adorable. But looks can be deceiving. Both are bloodthirsty creatures who wouldn't hesitate to cut someone in half if they felt like it.
A shiver crawls down my spine. I shake it off.
"Come here, big guy," I call Booth.
Both Alex and Booth turn their heads toward me like little puppies. The sight almost makes me smile. "Come here, big guy, let's share."
Booth quickly kneels in front of me, wagging his tail like he's waited his whole life for this. As soon as I lower my plate, it's empty in seconds.
"Holy crap," I mutter, staring at the plate in disbelief.
Alex chuckles, leaning back casually. "If you thought he'd leave anything, you clearly don't know Cerbs. He's a monster, devouring anything he can get his claws on."
"Booth is not just anything," I reply, emphasizing the name I gave him. "He's THE royal dog."
Alex raises a brow, his tone cutting. "Royal, my ass."
Booth barks at Alex, almost in agreement with me.
I smirk. "Keep being mean to Booth, and you really will die alone."
Alex stares at us for a moment before something unexpected happens—he smiles. A real, genuine smile. It's fleeting, but it's there.
"You should smile more, you know," I say without thinking.
The smile vanishes almost instantly, as if it never existed. His gaze hardens. "I don't do that."
"Smile?" I ask. "Everyone smiles, Alex."
"I'm not everyone."
"But—"
"I don't. Period." His tone leaves no room for argument.
The air grows awkward. Thankfully, Ms. Adele's voice interrupts.
"Oh Lord, there you are, you sneaky Cerberus!" Her voice catches both Alex and me off guard. She walks in, looking between us with a knowing smile. "Oh my, I didn't realize you two would be here. Hope I'm not interrupting anything."
"There's nothing to interrupt, Ms. Adele. In fact, I was just leaving," I say, offering her and Booth a small smile before glancing at Alex. "Thanks for the meal."
I walk away, grateful for an excuse to leave the tension behind.
Alex's POV
I just nod as she thanks me, avoiding her gaze. Once she's gone, I feel an intense glare burning into the side of my head. Adele and Cerb. Perfect.
"What?" I snap, already bracing for the lecture.
"That is exactly what I would love to know," Adele says, crossing her arms.
"How much did you hear?"
"Enough to know you have no clue how to treat a princess—or any young lady, for that matter."
"What were you expecting?" I scoff. "For me to kneel and beg for her sweet pardon? Not gonna happen."
"Why don't you shove that ego of yours up—" She stops, closing her eyes and taking a calming breath. Adele rarely curses, and I can tell she's biting her tongue for my sake.
"Alexander," she says, regaining her composure. "I didn't raise you to be rude to ladies."
"I tried," I argue. "But she's insufferable with all her questioning and curiosity."
"She's young and innocent, and she's trying her best. Don't forget, she's being held captive against her will." Her words hit harder than I'd like to admit.
I sigh, raking a hand through my hair. "Fine. I messed up. What do you want me to do?"
"For now, you need to get to the meeting room. Obrovsky's been waiting with news for you. As for our young lady, I'll handle it. Fortunately for you, you have the best nanny in all the kingdoms." She smiles smugly.
"Thank you, Adele," I murmur, giving her a quick hug. Physical affection isn't my thing, but she's the closest thing I've had to family.
When I walk into the meeting room, Obrovsky is already waiting. He stands and gives me a brief bow.
"Long time, no see, young king," he says.
I pat his back as a sign of respect. "What do you have for me, Obrovsky?"
"We have good and bad news, my king. The good news is, the Celestials have made a move. They're looking for the princess."
"And the bad?" I ask.
"Our spy was found dead at the Cerberus Realm portal."
Damn. "So they know."
"We're not entirely sure. The Celestials have unique ways of killing, but this time, the death was… spiritual."
"Explain."
"The soldier's body showed no visible wounds, but when the sorcerers inspected it, they found nothing. His soul was squeezed out."
"That's impossible. The only way to do that is with the crystal."
Obrovsky remains silent.
If the crystal has been used, it means it's no longer in the Celestial castle. This changes everything.
"Gather your best soldiers," I order.
"When do you need them?" he asks.
"Tonight or tomorrow morning at the latest."
"We'll be ready."
"You're not going," I say firmly.
He frowns. "Pardon?"
"I have another task for you."
Obrovsky glares, clearly displeased. "With respect, my king, I belong on the battlefield this is important what good could i-"
"You will take care of the princess"i declare
"Your majesty you want me to babysitt?"
"Are you questioning my decision, soldier?"
He exhales sharply, muttering, "Never."
"You're my best and most trusted soldier. I wouldn't entrust the princess to anyone else."
There's a long pause before he nods. "As you wish, Your Majesty."
"Good. I'll see you tonight."
As he leaves, I feel the weight of the situation settle on my shoulders. If the crystal truly isn't where it's supposed to be, we're walking into a storm. And for now, I can only hope leaving Lilith in Obrovsky's care is the right choice.