I watched as Tallis talked to Nelson about sothing. I watched the way his jaw locked in place and his eyes focused on the piece of paper he was being shown.
Could it have been him? Could he have been the one I t so many years ago?
So many thoughts swirled in my mind at that mont. Tallis was Theo. But he could also potentially be the boy from the forest. That thought made my heart flutter.
Warren’s deep sigh drew back out of my reverie.
He followed where my gaze had been. “You’re looking at Tallis.”
“I wasn’t,” I tried to deny it. “I was just deep in thought. Tallis and I are just re acquaintances.”
Acquaintances who had kissed on multiple occasions. But Warren didn’t need to know that.
Tallis and Nelson walked off sowhere and then Warren turned to . From the look on his face, I knew that he wanted to say sothing, sothing that I wouldn’t like to hear at this mont.
He stepped toward and I instinctively took a step back. It was unintentional but based on his expression, I knew what I did just now was hurtful to Warren.
“Sorry,” I muttered. I didn’t know why I was acting so awkward. But being under his gaze like this really unnerved .
He cleared his throat and bored his eyes into mine. “You know how I feel about you, Ciana. I made it clear months ago and my feelings have never wavered since that mont. You ca into my life by pure chance. You were there in the palace for my brother but sohow I feel like you were sent there for .”
He took a deep breath, stepped toward , and grabbed my hands. “I have feelings for you, Ciana and they run deep.”
I gulped.
My heart hamred like crazy in my chest and my palms began to sweat. I didn’t want him to say the words. I didn’t want to hurt him. His heart was too pure and too good to break.
But I also couldn’t lie to him.
“You said you needed ti. That you had to sort through your feelings and I have given you that ti.” His hands squeezed mine. “Ciana Black, you are an extraordinary woman. Will you please do the honor of being mine? I know we can be so good together. Just...say yes.”
Ti stood still.
His eyes glistened against the light that hung above us. I could see the hope and fear in his eyes and it broke . This was not what I had wanted.
I had thought that maybe if I waited long enough, his feelings would fade, or he’d realize that what he was seeing in was only friendship.
A while back, maybe there was also another part of that thought one day I would be able to see more in him. But that day never ca.
I could never see him as more than just Warren, a friend, to .
Even as he held my hands right now there was no spark. There was no fluttering feeling in my belly.
“Say sothing,” he pleaded, “please.”
I looked down at our hands and then t his gaze once more. There was a small smile playing on his lips that had my heart breaking even more.
“I...” I was struggling to get the words out. “I...can’t.”
I watched as the light slowly dimd from his eyes and his smile slipped from his face.
He dropped my hands from his. “Why?”
I let out a shaky breath and wrung my hands together. “I can’t be with you, Warren, because I don’t view you in the way you want to. I wish I could give you what you wanted but I can’t. I can’t force that feeling when it’s not there. And it’ll never be there.”
He flinched at my words. It was like I was throwing daggers into his chest and he was just standing there taking it.
“I knew it,” he scoffed at himself bitterly, “I wonder if I had never told you what I did just now, would anything be different?”
“Warren, you know the answer.” I shook my head.
He let out a helpless chuckle and turned his gaze to the distance. “Well, at least that made feel a little better, and not regret telling you the truth.”
“Sorry, Warren. All I can say is that I’m grateful to get to know you, and that you’re my friend.”
“Friend,” he spat the word like it was bitter acid. “We are friends. You’re right.”
“I am sorry.”
“The truth hurts, but I can’t continue to lie to you, just like you can’t and shouldn’t lie to . No need to apologize. Thank you for being honest.”
“Warren...”
“Has my brother confessed to you?”
“What?” My eyes widened.
He took a step away from , placing a comfortable distance between us, his face looking a bit pale. “Well, I hope he figures out how he feels about you before it is too late...”
Warren’s words left in a bit of a daze. Since when had he beco an advocate for and Theo being together?
“Um,” I cleared my throat, trying to find an accurate word to describe my relationship with Theo, but failed.
“You’re in love with my brother, aren’t you?”
My eyes nearly fell out of their sockets. “What? No.”
“Then with Tallis? I see the way you stare at him when you think no one is watching. At least, he is a more interesting fellow than my brother.”
I nearly choked on my own saliva.
Oh, Warren. If only you knew that they were the sa person.
Before I could say anything, Tallis decided to make an appearance.
“I heard my na.” He walked up beside . “What were you guys talking about?”
A pregnant pause passed between us. What was I supposed to say?
Warren glanced at Tallis with mixed emotions and Tallis looked confused. I was not about to get in the middle of their little brothers’ tiff again— I’d learned that lesson before.
“Hey hey! Good that you’re all here.” Nelson ca toward us with wide eyes and a topper hat in hand. “It’s showti people. Let’s take to the stage and wow Maggie.”
Phew! Whatever was going on here could wait. Or never be addressed again.
“Yes, sir! Break a leg!” I responded to Nelson and waved at the royal brothers before scurrying away to stand in my area on the makeshift stage, waiting for the curtain call.
“What’s that scowl about?” Tallis followed .
“What scowl?”
He raised an eyebrow.
He was in what looked to be so kind of raggy costu. However, even with the torn clothes and disguise, it didn’t make him any less attractive. The more I looked at him, the more I couldn’t stop myself from appreciating his god-like face and perfectly fit body...
“Don’t comnt,” he said in a deadpanned tone. “I wasn’t in charge of the wardrobe.”
More and more often, when he was this close, I felt the butterflies in my belly and the weightless feeling.
“You look great, still regal like the prince.”
He rolled his eyes at which only caused to chuckle.
“Ready for the show?” he asked .
“I should be asking you. You’re the real star of the mont.”
“I just feel bad for these people who are forced to watch act.”
“Aren’t you part of the company?”
He shrugged. “Pure luck.”
I humd in agreent and looked out to the crowd. Maggie was sitting in the front center, waiting for the show to begin. Demarco sat beside her, his hand in hers.
The lights dimd, signaling the start of the show.
“You never answered my question. What were you and Warren talking about? It seed intense.” He drew his lips so close to my ear I could feel his hot breath.
I really didn’t want to tell him. Fortunately, the narration of the performance began just in ti for to step away from him.
Tallis gave a disapproving look and turned back to the stage. He walked onto it and lowered himself so he could shift into his wolf.
I watched with bated breath as he shifted into his impressive big wolf. His fur was not that midnight black I’d seen. It was slightly lighter, like gray. Whoever helped him with his disguise obviously also figured out a way to alter the color of his fur.
The play started and everything went well.
When I took a peek at Maggie seeing her grinning from ear to ear, I knew that the show was a success.
Finally, it got to the part where the Rogue was able to find his soul and his mory, he finally shifted back to his human form. When Tallis appeared back on the stage as the Alpha King, the spotlights shone on him, making his regal and handso appearance look like the incarnation of a deity.
He didn’t need to say anything, he didn’t need to act. At that mont, the stage was his.
Everyone gasped, and Maggie’s reaction was even more dramatic. Her mouth was slightly ajar, her eyes fixed on Tallis, and she could not hide her surprise even if she tried. It took her a few seconds to snap out of her trance.
I knew that Nelson did a great job setting up the stage special effects during rehearsal, but judging by Maggie’s reaction, it must be even more impressive to the audience who saw it for the first ti.
When the show ended, we received great applause from our audience. Tears welled up in Maggie’s eyes and she clapped loudly for at least two minutes straight to show us her appreciation until Demarco gently reminded her to go back to her room and take so rest.
She was so sick that sitting for a couple of hours straight to watch the show had taken a heavy toll on her body.
I sighed internally and again felt terrible for Maggie, as well as Warren.
The crowd had dispersed and it was ti to finish taking down the stage and packing everything up.
“That was incredible, Warren. You directed a spectacular show,” Nelson walked over to us, “You too, Tallis and Ciana.”
I smiled back at him. “That was incredible. And most importantly, Maggie seed to love it too.”
“She did,” he smiled. “Well done, guys. I think we all deserve a drink or maybe even seven!”
Nelson bounced off to where so of the other caste mbers were and started speaking to them animatedly too, leaving Tallis, Warren, and I on the stage.
I picked up one of the makeup boxes and was about to place it in the crate when I heard my na being shouted out loud by Tallis and Warren.
“Watch out!” Warren shouted.
I looked up and saw a huge cage falling from above.
In the next mont, soone pushed through the air. As soon as I hit the ground, I also heard a loud noise of tal hitting the ground.
I turned around and found both Tallis and Warren in the cage.
“Ciana, run!” Tallis yelled at .
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