Page 110 of To Scale the Emerald Mountain

I silently follow Alec upstairs and into my dressing room where he deposits my purchases. He pauses, as if reluctant to leave. He turns away from the dressing room and exits with me following him, watching his wide back. Alec again pauses in the doorway and turns back to me to ask, “Can I get you anything?”

“No.”

He pauses again and swallows nervously. “I really enjoyed our conversation, Ellya.”

Before I can stop myself, I smile at him and say, “Me too, Alec.” Now that I've saidhis name, I can't seem to stop.

When he leaves, I sink to my bed and hold my face in my hands while my anguish leaks from my eyes.

The next morning I wake to find a large bouquet of assorted flowers, tied tight with a piece of black ribbon on my nightstand, their floral scent perfuming the air.

My heart squeezes painfully.

I shouldn’t have stayed with Alec and Kraeston at the library. I should have gone straight to my chambers yesterday, rather than stayed to talk to Alec, allowing myself to get lost in his orbit.

It’s early, barely past dawn, but my racing mind can’t go back to sleep. I consider calling for breakfast but decide to go down to the kitchen and maybe work off some of this anxious energy creeping in by preparing something myself. My feet pad through my chambers to the hall. The dim silence of the palace is peaceful. Serene.

Arriving at the kitchen, I swing the door wide before stopping in my tracks. Alec is leaning arrogantly against the counter, smiling wide like he sensed me coming.

He likely did.

Alec lowers his large cup of coffee, his hair wet and shining like an ink pot. He’s wearing an incredibly unforgiving pair of loose black pants. Nothing else. My eyes roam from his face, down his scarred chest, to where the low slung fabric on his waist meets bare skin, dark hair, tight muscles.

“Good morning, Ellya,” Alec purrs, his voice silky smooth.

My eyes pop back up to his and he offers me a dazzling smile.

I scowl at him and fold my arms tight. His face instantly falls.

“Of course, you’re here,” I spit, scrambling for my anger that’s quickly slipping through the cracks to let me loose in a dangerous place.

Alec composes himself and takes another drink of coffee. “I do live here.”

Busying myself, I begin making tea. He comes behind me and deftly plucks the kettle from my hands. “I’m capable of making myself tea.” I offer him a cutting glare.

Alec smirks at me, heating me further. “I am aware that you are quite capable of doing things for yourself, but I like to do it.”

“I came down here to make breakfast for something to do.”

He doesn’t back down. “Then we will do it together.”

My heart flutters. I clear my throat, trying to steady myself. “Do kings usually make themselves breakfast?” I ask coolly.

Alec chuckles. “Do princesses?”

I only offer a huff in response to his fair point.

He finishes making my tea and slides it down the marble counter, fine porcelain scraping against the smooth surface. I take a sip as Alec begins pulling out the required ingredients and pans to cook. I hum happily as the drink douses my senses with hot, sweet, minty perfection.

“You know how I like my tea?”

Alec gives me a playfully scolding look. “I know everything about you. Who do you think makes your tea for you every morning?”

I should leave. I know I should leave.

My traitorous feet again move towards him, gravitating towards Alec as if he is the sun that fuels me. I go to the island where he has laid everything out and begin cracking eggs.

Blissful energy radiates from Alec’s aura as we begin preparing breakfast together.