Page 21 of Glass Hearts

Something shifted the moment I saw the sadness in her eyes that day we went to retrieve our little thief.

The kind of sadness that doesn’t cry out, but drowns you if you look too long.

Beneath the fire of her alter ego, Arabella carried a quiet despair, hidden in the cracks of her smile.

And gods help me, I wanted to dive straight into it.

She’s layered, raw, and real, and every part of me aches to understand her. To unravel the mystery of her and maybe, in the process, find the parts of myself. I don’t think I realized how much I wanted to be needed until I saw the way she tried so hard not to be.

It reminds me of when I first met Grayer.

I was just a boy then, bright-eyed and proud to discover a brother I never knew I had; only to find him hidden behind walls thick with pain.

It took time, patience, and a thousand small acts to earn his trust. But once I did, he became my truest anchor.

I’ve always been drawn to the ones who don’t ask for help but need it most.

Maybe that’s why Arabella pulls at me like a tide I couldn’t resist if I tried.

A long while passes as I stand outside Arabella’s room. I feel at peace when she is around, and I miss seeing her face. I could really use a bit of sunshine.

Today was a lot. We had to greet each lady and her chaperone. Which was then followed by a light cocktail hour. Normally, I would have loved to be fawned over, maybe flirt a little. But my mind was on a curvy, petite blonde with ocean blue eyes.

After the cocktail hour, we had to sit down to a large four-course meal that ended with more drinks and talking.

My cheeks hurt from all the false smiling.

It was getting impossible to restrain Grayer from leaving.

So Sylas, against his better judgment, encouraged a lot of alcoholic beverages.

By the end of the evening, we had to corral him to bed.

Even though he kept mumbling for us to ‘bring him to his duchess.’

I had thought Archer and Sylas were just as smitten with Arabella, but hid it better than Grayer and I.

Yet they both talked warmly to the other ladies.

Flirting and exchanging pleasantries. Before we left the dining hall, Adrianna came out to kiss Archer and whispered her exact room number for a visit.

He didn’t even push her away like he normally would have.

Sylas went straight to his room, massaging his temples.

After changing into loungewear, Archer left the tower.

To probably see Adrianna. Though I am not sure why, she was alright in bed when we shared her, but her personality is all about her dad being a councilor and parties. They have nothing in common.

So now I stand here, desperate to open her door and…

just be around her. I don’t even know what she likes.

Does she enjoy stealing? Maybe I can get her a new bandana?

Though I suppose a bandana as a gift may encourage her thievery.

Maybe she just needs an outlet? Maybe I can teach her poker or something.

Swindle people out of their money in a sort of ethical way.

With one more look at her door, I accept defeat and head to my bedroom for another lonely, sleepless night.

* * *

“Morning, brothers. I will be heading to Arabella’s room shortly to make a deal with her. Clearly, we cannot confine her in her room any longer. I also wonder if we should relocate her to the servants’ quarters,” Sylas says down the bond.

“Why would we do that?” I inquire back as I get ready for what will probably be another long day, buttoning my pressed white dress shirt.

“She isn’t what we should be focusing on. We should focus on finding a wife. She is a distraction, and her being so close isn’t helping.”

“No.” I say as I head out of my room to Sylas’s room. Grayer must still be knocked out from his drunken night, given his silence down the bond. I would imagine he would feel just as upset about this change in Sylas.

Archer is already in Sylas’s room once I get there, stroking Jett’s fur as he sips a coffee. They have been forming plans without Gray and me.

“Had a delightful night between Adrianna’s thighs, Arch?” I sneer.

“Why so mad, brother? Upset someone from our list has already offered herself to me?”

“Cut it, you two. Koi, you came in here ready to rip my head apart. Say your peace.”

“You are such a controlling prick, Sy. We make decisions as a unit, as a bond. Yet here you two are deciding without consulting Grayer and me.”

“You are right, brother.” Sylas sighs, running his hands over his face. “But she cannot remain up here. She is just causing more problems. How is Grayer supposed to move on when she is so near? Can you understand why we would want that?”

“It’s not going to be that simple, and you know it.”

He nods pensively. “It is true, but I talked to a councilman, Hendrickson, Mendez your stepsisters are quite the characters.” She raises a delicate eyebrow at me, as if to say, ‘You’re only just noticing?’

“Yes, the Quadias can be quite the handful. I don’t know if it’s rude to ask, and if it is and you don’t want to answer, then let’s forget I asked…” Arabella wrings her hands, clearly her tell when she is nervous. Why is she so cute?

“Quadias? And of course, you can ask me anything, Sunshine.”

“It is a bit much to say all their names, let alone remember who is who. So, my best friend and I call them the Quadias, for simplicity’s sake.

And…” She bites her plump, kissable lip.

“Why did you end up adding them to the final courting list? It is not my place to get into royal politics, clearly, but I worry about them having power. Especially Bernice.”

I blow out an exhale and stop our stroll. We are getting to the servants’ quarters faster than expected, and I don’t want to stop our conversation. She is finally talking to me without diminishing her fire. I want more.

“It wasn’t our choice. The council had already had them added to the list prior.”

“Man, the council sure has a lot of say in your personal lives. That seems odd. You would think they work for you and not the other way around? I remember in school they said the council was started to support the royals. Yes, to make sure villains stayed out of leadership roles, but also to ensure the royals had a happy and healthy life after the villain era. How does forcing you to take a bride factor in that if you aren’t too keen on finding a wife? Well… some of you.”

And fuck, is she ever right about that.

The villain era was a dark time in our history.

Many of the leaders and royalty had all been villains.

Whether it was because of an awful upbringing, their unhappiness, or their just being plain evil, they had to be stopped.

So, a war was started to remove the villains from power.

That went on for a decade and a half. To ensure power remained balanced, they created the council for the royals to use as a tool. Not to be ruled by.

“Sunshine, you have no idea how you just rocked my world with that. You are absolutely right. How is it that I have been in court all my life, and here you are shattering glass ceilings?” Arabella blushes a cute pink hue, looking down at her feet.

Uncomfortable with the praise. I will have to remedy that.

“I suppose being on the other side in an unbiased way can shed light on things.”

I drop her suitcase and take her small hands in mine. She is cold to the touch, yet her blushing cheeks seem to turn an even redder hue.

“Ella. Please always speak your mind to me. It has been so refreshing having you around. Would you have considered me if I had been able to court you?”

“Prince Koi—”

“Just Koi, Sunshine.”

“Koi.” She removes one of her hands from mine, placing it on my cheek. “Of course, I would have considered it. I admire the love you have for your people and your brothers. Plus, as if you need more of an ego boost, you aren’t so bad to look at.”

She shrieks as I scoop her up in a hug. And fuck, her body feels so good pressed up against mine.

She pulls away from my embrace, me still holding her off the floor, and looks into my eyes.

I stare longingly into those blue eyes that appear in every waking moment in my thoughts.

I lean in to kiss her, but before my lips can meet hers, the door swings open and Bri walks in.

“Oh! Prince Koi, my apologies! Prince Sylas said you were bringing me a new hire.” She has a devious grin. Bri is just like her mother, Margie. Nosy.

I sigh and begrudgingly place Arabella back down. “Bri. Your timing, as always, is quite poor.”

She walks over to us and elbows me in the side. She turns to Arabella with a kind smile and extends her arm, offering a handshake.

“My name is Bridgette, but you can call me Bri! Don’t listen to anything this tool tells you about me.

I will help you get all situated. Then after that, would you be willing to start work right away?

We kind of need some extra hands for the high tea event.

” Bri turns to me. “In of which- you should already be dressed and ready to attend.”

“Ever the thorn in my side, Bri,” I joke as I bend down to kiss her cheek. “Look after my girl.” I don’t miss the little shocked gasp from Arabella’s mouth. I turn to kiss her on the cheek as well and leave, thinking more about what she had said.

The council really shouldn’t be orchestrating my life.

Especially since they are trying to keep me from my heart’s desire.

And I would rather bask in my Sunshine.