The Alpha King Marked Me. I Still Haven't Told Him I'm A Girl novel Chapter 53

Chapter 53: Fifty Three

I turn, smiling faintly. "Cyrus. Well, no."

He holds a hand over his heart in mock pain. "You wound me."

I haven’t forgotten the image I glimpsed in his mind, and every time we touch, I try to get back in there. To see more. But all I get a fragments, pieces of nothing I need. It would seem learning to get into a person’s head wasn’t all I needed to learn. I also need to learn how to sift through the memories I need. Or control it.

But... Cyrus is right about the least complicated man I’ve met. I hadn’t realized just how easygoing the humans really are. Shortened lifespans for them meant living their short years unapologetically and true to who they were. When they say yes, it only often means yes. Or no. Never a whole complicated answer hidden underneath layers that I had to unravel myself.

It felt like a breath of fresh air. And in truth, I quite enjoy my time with Cyrus, even if everyone and everyone’s mother seems to have an opinion of me. Apparently, I’m a whore who’s screwing the king and the prince.

"What are you doing out so late?" he asks. He extends his arm to me. "Walk?"

I take it. "If you haven’t noticed, it’s never ’late’ here. The true merriments begin at midnight. You’ve attended the revelries hosted in honour of your presence, yes?"

He flashes me a boyish grin. "You mean the orgies?"

"Merriments," I correct with a small smile of my own. "I’m sorry about earlier."

His brows furrow. "What happened earlier?"

"The training yard..." My voice trails off as his eyes show no recognition of what I’m speaking of. Just how hard did Lucien knock him out? "Think nothing of it. I am genuinely curious, though. What brings you all the way to Ebonheart? I’m pretty sure it has nothing to do with the sights. I hear Voss is a rare beauty herself."

He laughs, voice rich and somewhat light. "Maybe a little bit of curiosity, amongst other things."

I look over at him. "Other things."

His eyes shimmer with desire and they drop to my mouth. "Yes. Other things. Perhaps the gods have been kind enough to send you my way."

"You cannot keep flirting with death, Cyrus. I am not on the table. Never will be."

He stops walking, turning to me. "Why is that? You clearly have no interest in being the King’s woman. Drop out of this meaningless Selection. A woman like you should be fought for. Not the other way around. Come back to Voss with me and I will show you what it means to be cherished."

I blink, heat flushing my cheeks. "We only just met. Surely, you do not think I will abandon my life here, just to be with you."

"Your life here?" He takes a step forward, that soft powdery scent teasing my nostrils. "I am not entirely dense, you know. You work for the king. You talk to me because he bids you to. You kissed me because of him. Even now, the only reason you tolerate me is to take information from me. To hand to him. You do not exist here as a sole figure. You do not have a life here. Not the kind you really want."

I yank my arm from his grip. "And you think you can give me that?"

"Yes," he says without missing a beat. "I can buy you your freedom."

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