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“We’re at least acquaintances.” She said and pulled her chin from his grasp. He made no move to stop her.

Altviar barked out a coarse laugh that didn’t suit his soft features in the slightest. “Oh, I enjoy you very much, you red beauty.”

The sound made her want to crawl inside of herself, to disappear from the earth as if she’d never been there in the first place. She shivered instead, continuing her walk towards the palace. He joined her, no need for an invitation it seemed.

“What are you doing down here, Majesty?” Crimson questioned and let her hood fall back to her shoulders, fixing it into place. He was tall enough that he blocked most of the rays without issue, especially with how close he stood to her.

West wouldn’t like his proximity.

She smiled at that particular fact.

“Nothing to concern your lovely self with.” His voice lilted in a heavy accent that she would forever recognize. “Just a stroll about the gates when I found myself utterly bored with any of the entertainment options I had within the walls of my castled confine.”

“I can’t imagine ever growing bored inside the walls.” She admitted to him. A few people recognized him and bowed in his general direction. He waved them off with a flourish of fingers and kept walking.

“When you’ve lived there as long as I, you find that everything loses interest after a while. The colours all meld together and things no longer stand out. When you’ve had your way with everyone inside, there isn’t as much to do anymore.” He said, bored. “Well,almosteveryone.”

Crimson dropped her pleasant expression. “And it’s going to remainalmost everyone.”

Altivar chuckled, low in his long throat. “Quick to assume, aren’t you,Lyric?”

She didn’t answer, confirm or deny. Of course he would know who she was, who she’d pretended to be.

He went on. “I could have very well been speaking about our delightful captain now, couldn’t I? I haven’t had hispleasureyet, either.”

“But you weren’t.” She licked the bottom row of her teeth in annoyance. He hadn’t even been by her side for ten minutes and she was already growing tired of his endless taunts. “Considering that little stunt you pulled at your mother’s ball.”

“Did you enjoy that?” He rephrased his question in a lower tone, “Did West enjoyyou?”

Crimson tucked her snarky remark away for a later time as they neared the Gold Gate. “We don’t need help creating a romantic environment, thank you very much.”

“From the chemistry I saw in the ballroom, orlack thereof,you most certainly do.” He inhaled deeply, dramatically. “My reptiles have more sinful things to do than the pair of you. Why, I almost wonder if there’s another reason why West brought you here. Perhaps one that’s not linked to a romantic awakening?”

“Why are you so fascinated by the aspects of our relationship? Not everyone has copious amounts of sex with whomever and whenever they’d like.” Crimson snapped at him, anxiously awaiting the moment when he wasn’t by her side. But it wasn’t like she could lose him in the crowd; especially not as the crowd became slimmer as they entered the top level of Tazali.

He’d easily be able to find her once again.

Altivar shrugged his shoulders. “I told you already. I’m bored.And I find you two to be extremely interesting.”

“Our relationship, existent or not, has no place in your life. With all due respect, your Majesty, I suggest you butt out.” She couldn’t help the flare up of anger as it surged for her, taking control of everything inside of her and leaving her with nothing but a burning fury behind.

“You’re adorable when you get mad, feisty even.” He snorted and shoved his hands behind his back. His hood had fallen a little, revealing his brown hair to be braided in two small wefts on each side, tumbling into a four strand one down his back. Golden beads were woven into them, in random places by tiny hands. “No wonder the captain seems so taken with you.”

He’s not,she wanted to say.

“You really shouldn’t be focusing on us when you have plenty of other things to focus on.”

“Like what, pray tell?”

“Perhaps getting ready to rule when your mother hands it over?” She aimed her tone to sound kinder, nicer, less aggravated with him. He seemed to enjoy getting a rise out of her and letting him win would only make it worse.

“I’mnottaking over.” He scoffed, all matters of amusement slipping off his pretty face. “Soon, or ever. My mother is an immortal who enjoys ruling, so why would she ever hand it over to the likes of me?”

Crimson supposed she hadn’t thought about it that way.

“That must be hard for you.” She was genuine as she considered it all from his perspective. There, that was a drop of pity for him. For never earning his birthright, as any other mortal would have done. To show his hand to his mother and prove to her that he could do it, perhaps even better than she was.

“More than you can ever know.” He admitted and she believedhim. He’d dropped whatever the shell he usually had up and for once, Crimson saw a different person. Then it was gone and the Altivar she knew returned.