Chapter 148

Several Years Ago: A Backstory.

The air in Adele Blackfen’s world had always carried a certain expectation. She had been raised to believe even the wind should lower its voice in her presence.

Which was exactly why she was currently frowning at the idea of walking through mud.

“This is unacceptable,” Young Adele muttered under her breath as she stepped down from the carriage, in need of a new horse.

Her skirts were already too close to the ground for her liking. The estate of Alpha Blackfen Park stretched endlessly ahead, and she needed a new horse.

A servant moved quickly to steady her descent.

Adele ignored her hand.

Before her, the conversation of nobles and soldiers blurred into background noise, as their carriage disappeared away from the stable. Her father had already moved ahead, speaking with King Elijah about something dull and political.

Adele didn’t care.

She was here because she had been told to observe the estate operations.

Which translated, in her language, was to walk around, stay silent, and don’t embarrass the family.

She was excellent at two of those three things unfortunately.

As she stepped forward, her gaze caught movement near the stables.

She saw two figures, and she recognized one immediately. The other, she did not.

Her eyes flicked briefly to the familiar boy standing near the carriage line.

Xander.

She gave him a polite, shallow bow.

“Prince Xander,” she said flatly.

Young Xander blinked at her once, slightly startled, then returned the bow with awkward precision.

“Lady Adele.”

That was the extent of their exchange.

Adele had already lost interest. Her attention shifted immediately to the stable entrance.

A figure stood slightly behind Xander, with green eyes. He stood still, observant, and quiet in a way that irritated her for no logical reason at all.

He was dressed simply compared to the others with dark clothing, and no insignia that mattered enough for her to recognize. He looked like someone who belonged in the background.

Adele assumed exactly what anyone in her position would assume. He naturally looked like a servant.

She stepped forward, and immediately frowned.

“Are you blind?” she asked sharply, without even greeting him.

The green-eyed boy blinked, then slowly turned his head to Xander, as if checking whether she had spoken to someone else.

Xander looked equally confused.

“I…” Xander began, then hesitated. “I think she means…” he trailed off, and paused as Adele was already gesturing toward the stable.

“I am moving there,” she said crisply. “Do you not see?”

The boy turned back to her.

“I don’t think I’m your servant,” he said calmly.

Adele paused. She stared at him, then blinked as if she had misheard. “You what?” she questioned coldly.

He exhaled slowly, almost amused. “I said I am not your servant.”

Adele’s expression hardened instantly. “That is irrelevant. I told you I am going to the stable, so you should move before me, and fetch a horse.”

The boy tilted his head slightly. “So… walk?”

Xander made a strangled sound behind them. He looked ahead, and saw his father already walking into the estate. “I’ll leave you both,” he said quickly, already stepping backward. “I need to be with my father.”

And just like that, Xander abandoned them both without hesitation.

Adele did not even look at him leave. Her focus was entirely on the green-eyed boy now.

She pointed sharply at a black horse. “Bring me that horse.” She ordered.

The boy followed her finger toward the stable.

A black horse stood calmly inside, brushing its hoof against straw.

He looked back at her. “I’m not a handler.”

Adele frowned deeper. “Then what are you?”

“Unemployed, apparently,” he muttered calmly.

Adele’s eyes narrowed.

She straightened slightly, offended by his tone alone. Her dark eyes sharpened. She needed the horse, and he was taking her time. “You are standing on my my land.”

The boy’s lips twitched in mockery. “Correction,” he said mildly. “We are standing on your father’s land. There’s a difference.”

Adele stared at him. She believed he had just spoken a foreign language. “I am his daughter.” she said with a matter of fact tone, believing he was stupid from the words he just uttered.

Rather than the apology she wanted, the boy nodded. “That explains the entitlement.”

Adele inhaled slowly. Her chest tightened in immediate offense.

She turned sharply and walked into the stable without another word.

The boy watched her go.

Just when he thought she had left, she returned a few minutes later, holding a bucket of water.

The stable hand who had given it to her looked mildly terrified.

The green-eyed boy was still standing exactly where she had left him, unmoving and unimpressed.

Adele stopped in front of him. She looked at the bucket, looked at him, and poured the water on him.

Cold water splashed across his chest instantly.

The silence afterward was violent.

Adele set the empty bucket down neatly, then dusted her hands.

“There,” she said. “Now you look like you belong here.”

The boy blinked in surprise as water dripped from his hair down his face. He looked at her very slowly.

“Interesting,” he said quietly.

Adele frowned. “What is?”

He stepped forward. “You didn’t hesitate,” he said, his anger growing. “That’s impressive.”

Adele lifted her chin. “I am not afraid of consequences as nothing can be done by you. Now, fetch me my horse.” She commanded, staring at him like a bug.

He hummed softly.

Adele stepped forward again, but he moved first. His hand caught her arm instantly in a rough hold and in one motion, he pulled her into the stable.

The door shut behind them with a sharp bang.

Adele barely had time to inhale before her back hit the wooden wall.

Her eyes widened instantly.

The boy was suddenly close to her face now. Water still dripped from his hair, and his expression was no longer amused.

His eyes were annoyingly green, and he was far too composed for someone dressed that plainly.

“You see me for the first time,” he said quietly, “and you throw water on me.”

Adele stared at him, completely frozen by the mere thought of him holding her, talk more of being violent with her.

He leaned close enough that she felt the pressure of him.

“I bet you’re rarely told no,” he continued. “Or corrected.”

Adele’s lips parted slightly.

“Let me warn you,” he said, his voice lowering with warning. “I don’t know who you think you are.”

Her breath caught.

“But I am who I am. I don’t care about your title,” he added. “And the next time you try to treat me like I exist below you just because of your name…” His eyes narrowed faintly. “I will not be polite about it.”

Adele blinked, utterly speechless. Shock flickered across her face. She couldn’t believe this.

Nobody had ever spoken to her like that before.

Her mouth opened slightly, then closed again.

The boy stepped back, just enough to give her space.

Adele slowly straightened herself with her back still against the wall. Her pride was still intact, but shaken.

She lifted her chin. “You are insolent,” she said. Adele narrowed her eyes. “You will regret speaking to me like this.”

He tilted his head slightly.

“Will I?” he asked lightly, then added casually. “I think you’ll regret meeting me first.”

Adele stared at him in rage.

For the first time in her life, a person she considered beneath her had made her feel small.