Chapter 69 — Fire (1)
After changing into proper clothes, Cynthia sat before the fire the maids had made for her, warming her hands against the flickering flames. Hearing the door creak open, she instinctively tensed.
"Tell His Highness to sleep. I can’t meet him tonight; it’s late."
"So you know it’s late?" Lucian’s voice cut through the silence that soon fell in the room.
Cynthia jolted upright, forcing a smile despite her irritation at his unexpected visit.
"What brings you here, Your Highness?"
"First, you attended a tea party outside the mansion without notifying me, and now you come home late. What am I supposed to conclude from this?" He crossed his arms, a frown deepening on his face.
Cynthia blinked, his words not fully registering. "What?"
She gasped, quickly correcting her tone. "Excuse me?"
"Your Highness, do you always do this?" Lucian demanded, his gaze travel over her thin nightgown, which clung to her curves despite its modesty.
"Do what?"
"Stay out late when I’m not home," he said, his voice dropping. "I mean, I always find you at the entrance. I doubt you might be..."