The Silver Eyed Prince (Highest Royal Coven of Europe) Read online

“It’s okay.” Ben shrugged, moving on to paint her pinky finger. “That was a long time ago. I’m over it. If there’s anything I learned, it’s that words hurt more than actions. But don't let the bad things people say, change who you are. I never did. And I've been proudly gay and fabulous since third grade, no matter what Bart and the third-sex offenders of the world, say.”

  Elizabeth kept the pleasant expression plastered on her face even as the bleakness of it all threatened to bring her to tears. Perhaps she could be strong like Ben and defy the ridicule, but would she survive the despair that would follow if William tired of her and left her? How could she live without him?

  From the moment, she first saw him. Her thoughts had been filled with no one but him. She missed him when he wasn't around and in spite of their differences, nothing had diminished her affection for him.

  It would be hard, living without those silver eyes teasing her, or that lovely voice with a distinct accent, which could be sweet and sexy, curt and commanding, depending on his mood. She would miss everything about him—, even his arrogance, annoying bossiness, and outbursts of impatience.

  But she must let him go before it was too late. Before she lost herself and loved him too much to have the courage to walk away. And God, she loved him so much. She physically ached just thinking about losing him.

  The sound of swift, heavy footsteps on the front porch followed by loud, urgent knocking on the door startled not just her, but everyone in the room.

  Chad placed a hand on her arm and stood up. “I'll go get it.”

  He opened the door and Prince William stepped in with nary a glance at him or the others, directly riveting stormy silver eyes beneath dark furrowed eyebrows to where she was sitting.

  “Why the hell didn't you wait for me?” he asked angrily.

  “I-I'm sorry—”

  “Sorry?” he interjected. “I searched the entire school for you! I was so worried—, I thought something terrible had happened to you!”

  “No, I—,” she gestured towards her friends who hurriedly stood up and curtsied, except for Chad who was watching with a stoic expression, “we decided to cut classes and hang out.”

  “You decided to what?” he exclaimed with an incredulous glance at her friends, then, at her.

  “We cut—”

  He raised his hand and didn't let her finish. “You decided to ditch school and simply forgot that I was going to pick you up? Do you realize that I had to cram my schedule and cancel conferences just to get you in time? How could you be so irresponsible and thoughtless?”

  She stared at him and saw the hurt and disappointment in his beautiful face. Her resolve weakened. All she wanted to do was wrap her arms around him and tell him the truth, but the words stuck in her throat.

  “If I may say something, Your Highness,” Chad interrupted in a crisp, clear voice, inclining his head in deference, though his eyes had narrowed a fraction.

  The Prince darted him a dark look. “Are you instrumental to this careless behavior?” he asked roughly.

  “Not in the context of what you're implying, Your Highness,” Chad replied, seeming unfazed by the reprimand. “We took the liberty of taking Elizabeth home because she had been badly harassed in school.”

  “They were calling her all sorts of bad names, Your Highness,” Ben added.

  “Chad got into a fight because Bart Hammerstein called her a—ouch!” Carlos floundered, as Lela kicked him on the shin.

  “Is this true?” The Prince turned to Chad.

  “Yes, Your Highness,” Chad replied grimly. “When you left, she was defenseless against the uproar from angry citizens. I came just in time to protect her and preserve order in the most effective way I saw fit, which was a severe warning by force of violence.”

  “And it worked,” Lela added, “but it started again, though subtly, in class.”

  The Prince fell silent for a moment. Finally, he swept his gaze around the room. “Leave us,” he ordered in a voice laced with unquestionable authority.

  Elizabeth managed a weak smile as her friends brushed past them, peering at her with concern.

  “Hang in there,” Chad, the last one to leave, whispered. “We'll see you tomorrow.”

  Prince William closed the door behind him and pulled her into his arms. “I'm sorry, love.” He kissed her forehead and tilted her chin. “I shouldn't have left you there by yourself. It's my fault. I don’t know what I was thinking.”

  “No, I'm the one to blame. I should've known that it's not allowed. You and I, we can't—”

  “Don't worry about a thing.” His arms tightened about her. “I'll have some of my men escort you in school. You should be safe enough with them and your friends around you. I'll have a word with Sir Henry and Mr. Stapleton to enforce severe consequences to anyone who—”

  “William.” She shook her head. “This is ridiculous. We can't—, I can't—,” her voice broke. “I-I can't see you anymore. Please understand. I'm sorry.”

  Prince William couldn't believe what he was hearing. Was she breaking up with him? “What do you mean you can't see me anymore?” he demanded, curbing a sudden burst of temper as he held her by the upper arms and pushed her slightly away from him so he could look at her.

  His gaze was met with red-rimmed eyes brimming with tears. “There's no point in us being together,” she cried. “Can't you see? It's not meant to be!” A tear fell and she shivered violently with a sob. “I can't live like this. I just—.” Her tears flowed in streams, choking the rest of what she had to say. Hastily, she swiped them with the back of a shaky hand.

  Prince William felt an unfamiliar surge of panic. He'd forgotten how fragile and innocent she was. Unlike him who grew up under public scrutiny, Elizabeth was vulnerable, unaccustomed to open criticism. No—, he couldn’t allow society's censure to separate them! He couldn't lose her this way.

  “Don't listen to what they say.” He cupped her cheek and brushed the wet streaks with his thumb. “I promise you, it will die down within a couple weeks once they get used to seeing us together.”

  “That's not the point.” She pulled away from his touch.

  “What is it, then?” He frowned.

  She drew a heavy sigh. “When a road leads to nowhere, we call it a dead end.”

  “And you think that's where we're heading?” he bit out sharply. “Damn it, Elizabeth! Did you think I was playing you?”

  Elizabeth winced at his cutting retort though it was exactly what she had insinuated. Even if she truly couldn't bring herself to believe what she was accusing him of, it would be best to end it now and deal with reality.

  “Weren't you?” She raised her chin defiantly. “You knew you shouldn't be involved with anyone beneath your rank, but I didn't. I was unaware and I paid for that ignorance in school today. We should have never been together in the first place. You should be dating some Princess, not preying on some naïve Tainted like me who's stupid enough not to know the rules!”

  “Preying on you?” He muttered a slew of curses under his breath and grabbed her by the wrists, shaking her. “Rule number one: don't you ever insult me with false accusations—, do you understand me? Did you think I needed to do that to get a girl? I can have any female I want, Royalty or otherwise! I don't need to lift a finger, much less prey on anyone. Who do you think you are, to assume I am that desperate to have you as my plaything? You forget who I am, Elizabeth!”

  She felt the swell of anger in her chest at his belittling affront. He had put her down and flicked her with a forefinger as if she was worth nothing more than a speck of lint on his fine coat. With a strong jerk, she freed one hand from his hold, swiftly propelling it downwards to strike him. He caught her wrist before her palm landed on his cheek.

  “Rule number two—,” He hauled her against him, pinning her wrists behind his back, the way he did when he stole that first kiss in school. “Don't you ever dare raise your hand at me, again. Is that clear?”

  Elizabeth shuddered at the fury
she had ignited in him. His eyes glowed wildly and his teeth were bared. She could feel the taut tension that raged in every muscle of his body she was in contact with.

  Good. This was exactly what she wanted, wasn't it? “Let me go!” She suppressed the trepidation rising in her chest. “Find someone else to amuse you!”

  “I don't need anyone to amuse me, nor do I want anyone else,” he replied in a surprisingly even tone despite his anger.

  “Then, that's your problem!” she retorted with ferocity. “Why can't you just leave me alone and play by the rules?”

  “I did. Several times.”

  “Well—then what are you doing with someone like me?” she exclaimed, annoyed by his composure even under stress. She wanted him to rage at her, fight with her, and be furious enough to leave her! At least then, she could fault herself for losing him.

  He quirked a dark eyebrow. “Why, what about you?”

  “Are you blind? I'm a mixed breed!” She pushed her argument to further provoke him. “I insult you and hit you. I even stomped on your foot not too long ago. Every time we see each other, we're either fighting or I end up bawling. We can't get along! How could you not see that I'm the wrong girl for you?” She broke off, breathing heavily from her tirade, hoping she had done it this time. But he only stared at her with knitted brows. A muscle twitching on his cheek, unmistakable hurt shadowing his beautiful eyes.

  Coldness rushed through her, as if she'd been doused with a bucket of freezing water. God, how she loved him and hated doing this! She suddenly felt ashamed and realized how childish it all seemed. Why was she acting like a lunatic, insisting he accept her grounds on why he shouldn't be with her, when in all probability, he might just have his own reasons for wanting to be with her? Reasons she badly wanted to hear, desperately wanted to know, so she could finally get out of this limbo of not knowing where they stood!

  True, it could only go one way—, with them parting in the end, but at least, she would know why out of all the choices he had, he'd chosen her. He could tell her the limitations of their relationship, how far they could go, and how soon it could end, so that when that time came, she would be better prepared.

  And so, ignoring the fear and anxiety that began to slowly oppress her, she braced herself and asked, “Tell me the truth. Why me, William? What do you want from me?”

  He regarded her for what seemed like eternity until gradually, she saw his expression change and felt his anger melt away. A low chuckle rumbled deep in his throat and he shook his head, drawing a resigned sigh that he blew out in a long breath.

  “You silly, impossible girl,” he drawled at last, releasing her wrists and cupping her face in his hands. “What do I have to do, to show you that I'm in love with you?” He lowered his head until their foreheads touched.

  Elizabeth's heart lurched, and then stopped altogether. When it started to beat again, she felt like a thousand horses were pounding in her chest. Every shred of resentment, every morsel of doubt she had, evaporated into thin air. Even the mighty obstacles she had ranted about just a moment ago, crumbled like sandcastles to the ground. Nothing could have prepared her for this.

  “W-what?” She finally managed to mumble.

  “I'm in love with you,” he said huskily, his long lashes fanning downwards as he looked into her eyes.

  For a moment, she thought he was joking. Surely, he couldn't have said what she thought he'd just said. But the affection shining in his eyes was all she needed to see to know that he was sincere. She tried to think of something smart—, or sweet—, or cute to say, but her brain had fogged and her tongue had solidified. All she knew was ... she was suddenly ecstatically, gloriously, happy.

  “Do you want me to say it again?” he whispered.

  She nodded automatically, feeling like an idiot, with her jaw hanging from the rest of her face as if it intended to permanently stay there.

  “I love you ... I love you ... I love you.” He punctuated each endearment with tiny kisses on the tip of her nose and cheekbones. And when she kept gaping at him, speechless, he nudged her chin with the crook of his finger, pushing it upwards. “You can close your mouth now, dear.”

  “Y-you love me?” she squeaked.

  “I thought I made that quite clear.”

  “Y-you're crazy!”

  “Positively insane.” He grinned.

  “Oh, William . . .” She gulped, trembling in his arms. “This is—, I—, are you sure?”

  “No doubt about it,” he replied, then, his lips twisted. “Though I'm not certain what you're doing with someone like me.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I'm a European Royal—pompous, inconsiderate and temperamental to the core. I have a bad habit of stealing kisses from a certain unsuspecting red haired girl, who calls me Mr. Mockery on occasion.” He chuckled at the sudden heat that climbed up her cheeks. “Didn't think I knew about that, aye?”

  “How—?”

  “I read your mind.” He winked. “Sometimes.”

  “You what?”

  “And just so you know, I call you Miss Contradiction.” He beamed.

  “Miss Contradiction!”

  “Yes. I suspect that all that name-calling and foot stomping were a deliberate ruse, when what you really wanted was to be kissed passionately—by me.” He donned his most annoying, smug, Mr. Mockery expression.

  “Ack! You are such a conceited, arrogant—” She pinched him hard on the sides.

  He caught her wrists, laughing. “Oho! Name-calling and pinching! Close enough to foot stomping! I'll take that as my cue.” He kissed her squarely on the mouth, and then picked her up and sat on the couch with her half-sprawled on his chest and lap, their lips ardently locked together.

  After a while, he pulled away just enough speak. “Now tell me, Elizabeth ... Why me?”

  She studied his beloved face and let all the tenderness, devotion, and love, show in her eyes and flow into her smile. “Because I love you,” she replied softly, as he brushed his lips along the outline of her lower lip. “Even if you're a Royal pain in the you-know-where, for some reason, I just do.”

  “Ha! I knew you couldn't resist me,” he stated overconfidently, and she felt him smile wickedly against her mouth.

  “Really, Your Highness.” She drew back and tugged on his earlobe. “Your ego is way over-inflated!”

  “Hmm. Scolding and ear pulling. I take it that's another cue.” He captured her mouth with one hand on the back of her head, his fingers buried in her hair, his other arm circling her waist.

  Elizabeth felt her feelings for him unleash. He loves her, he truly does! No matter what the future may bring, nothing could change the fact that he loved and accepted her for who she was—, a Tainted girl of humble means with no pedigree, who had nothing to offer and was completely beneath him. And yet, in spite of it all, he'd given her the most precious gift.

  Unconditional love.

  Unable to resist the sudden warmth that flooded her heart, she gently sank her fingers through his thick dark hair, stroking the silken locks in a loving, rhythmic caress.

  “I love you,” she whispered breathlessly between kisses, her eyes blurring with tears of happiness.

  He released her mouth and looked at her.

  “And I, you.” He reclaimed her lips in a kiss more passionate than any they'd shared, fired by their mutual possession of each other. A low growl emanated from his throat as he gathered her closer, lowering her on the couch with her legs still draped across his lap, his kiss more insistent than ever.

  And that was exactly how her mom found them minutes later—, announcing her arrival with a loud gasp and the clang of numerous cans hitting the hardwood floor, all at once.

  Chapter 42

  Dreaming of England

  The colors of the setting sun cast hues of copper and gold in the horizon, as William cuddled with Elizabeth on a loveseat in the balcony of The Palladian. He adjusted the sunglasses protecting his sensitive eyes with a quick pu
sh of a forefinger, recalling the mortified expressions of both mother and daughter earlier, with a suppressed smile.

  Elizabeth had practically turned scarlet from her hairline to her toes, completely discomfited from being caught making out with him on the sofa. Her mother, on the other hand, though shocked at the scene she'd walked into, had been more stunned with coming face to face with him.

  Nevertheless, he'd managed to diffuse the awkward situation by issuing a quick telepathic message to her mother, cautioning against revealing anything to Elizabeth. Given that he had just earned her love and regained her trust minutes ago, he was reluctant to disclose anything that might result in losing her confidence again. Perhaps in the next few days, the right time would come.

  So, they proceeded in a manner that was nothing out of the ordinary, with Elizabeth introducing him to her mother and with him eventually securing her permission to let Elizabeth stay with him after school.

  The vibrant shades of sunset gradually faded, replaced by somber hues of purple and gray as the sun sank further down the horizon.

  He placed a gentle kiss on top of Elizabeth's head and shifted so that she was more snugly cocooned against him, with his arm around her shoulders, her cheek resting on his chest, and her arms circling his waist. She sighed and smiled up at him. He gazed into her eyes that were more violet at the moment, something he'd noticed whenever she was relaxed and happy. He too, was perfectly content, sitting here, holding her. He'd never felt this way before, filled with bliss and a total sense of peace, insulated from the restlessness that drove him to excel at everything, just to experience momentary satisfaction.

  With Elizabeth, he had rediscovered his purpose. His zest to embark on the roadmap of a more meaningful existence had been resurrected. He had awakened from what seemed like long years of slumber, refreshed and ready to tackle the destiny that had been laid out before him: To redeem his people and reinvigorate their hope that the great Omni had not forsaken them.

  The era of Purification had finally come and he would see to it that the tragedy of past history did not repeat itself. For the first time in his entire existence, he felt fortified to carry the burden of his rank. He knew without a doubt from the very depths of his heart: He was ready to be King.