The Blood of the Crown [BL]

While Zephyr and Cassius were locked in the room, the ball continued.

She wandered absentmindedly through the palace corridors in search of clothes for Cassius when a male voice interrupted her.

— Lady Bianca?

She turned and found Mateus standing a few meters away. He wore a formal uniform, but his posture was still that of a guard accustomed to protecting. His eyes studied her with a mixture of curiosity and respect.

— Mateus? — Bianca blinked, surprised to see him there. — What are you doing so far from the ballroom?

He hesitated for a moment before answering.

— I came looking for Chief Zephyr. But it seems he's busy.

Bianca let out a low chuckle.

— Yes… very busy charming the noblewomen.

A comfortable silence settled between them. Mateus seemed like he wanted to say something but didn't quite know how to start. Bianca, on the other hand, noticed something interesting.

Mateus wasn't the talkative type. He was loyal to Zephyr, always following him without question, but now, he seemed… different.

— You care about him a lot, don't you? — Bianca asked, tilting her head slightly.

Mateus looked away, scratching the back of his neck.

— Chief Zephyr can be an idiot sometimes, but… he's my boss.

Bianca smiled.

— "Can be an idiot sometimes"? That's the harshest complaint you can make about him?

Mateus huffed, crossing his arms.

— He pays me well.

— Oh, so it's just about the money?

Mateus pressed his lips together but didn't answer. Bianca studied his face for a moment, recognizing something there. A kind of loyalty that went beyond money.

— You know… you don't have to call him "Chief" all the time.

— He asked me to call him that.

— Then make up another nickname. — Bianca grinned. — Something more fun.

Mateus frowned, thoughtful.

— Bossy?

Bianca burst into laughter.

— That's perfect!

Mateus looked away, clearly regretting speaking.

— Don't tell him that.

— Oh, but now I have to.

The slight blush rising on Mateus' face was enough for Bianca to decide that teasing him would be her new favorite pastime.

But at the same time, something in her felt an odd familiarity with that conversation. As if she were talking to someone she had known for a long time.

And she couldn't explain why.

The silence between us was heavy, charged with electricity and something more—something I knew Cassius wasn't ready to admit.

Leaning against the wall, I let a smirk play on my lips as I waited for his next reaction. He gripped his own shoulder so tightly I could bet it would leave marks. The tension in his body was evident, and that only made everything even more entertaining.

— Have you lost your mind? — he growled, his voice low and sharp as a blade.

I tilted my head slightly, pretending to ponder.

— Maybe a little. — A slight glint of mischief danced in my eyes. — But losing your mind is necessary when you want to change the rules of the game.

He didn't back away. On the contrary, he stepped even closer, our faces mere inches apart. His red eyes burned with restrained anger, and I could see the muscles tensing beneath the thin shirt he wore. The closeness made my heart race, but I kept my expression relaxed.

— I don't know what you want, Delacroix… but if you think you can manipulate me, you're gravely mistaken.

I chuckled softly.

— I would never manipulate you, Your Highness. — My voice came out low, almost seductive. — I just like testing people's limits. And you… well, you have very interesting limits.

He took a deep breath, as if fighting something within himself. I could almost see the internal battle waging in his mind, and that fascinated me. However, before he could say anything, a sound outside interrupted us.

— Prince Cassius? — Bianca's voice echoed down the corridor.

We froze.

Cassius stepped away from me so quickly that, for a moment, I wondered if he feared being seen too close. He smoothed the sleeves of his shirt, trying to regain his composure, while I merely watched the scene with amusement.

— What are you going to do now? — I asked casually.

He shot me one last deadly glare before striding to the door and unlocking it with a swift motion. When he opened it, Bianca was standing there, her violet eyes narrowing at the sight of him.

— What the hell is going on here?

Cassius glanced at me, and I smiled innocently.

— Just a friendly conversation between political allies. Nothing more.

She didn't seem convinced. Her sharp gaze moved between us, as if trying to decipher something just out of reach.

— If you say so. — Bianca crossed her arms. — Anyway, Cassius, we need to go. There's something I want to tell you.

He nodded and walked past me without a word. But before leaving completely, he glanced over his shoulder, his eyes burning with a silent promise.

I watched in silence as the door remained open. My smirk widened before I lifted my head and shouted for all to hear:

— At the end of the day, only fools sleep in peace!

My voice echoed through the corridor, and I savored the tension that followed.

I had won this round.

But the game had only just begun.

Bianca stepped away from the ballroom, feeling an unease she couldn't explain. Ever since she had seen Zephyr at the ball, something inside her had been restless. The phrase he had said earlier still echoed in her mind:

"At the end of the day, only fools sleep in peace."

It was a phrase her brother from another life used to say. But how could Zephyr Delacroix know it?

The ball was coming to an end. The guests were saying their goodbyes, the hall slowly emptying, and I took the opportunity to escape the last formalities.

I walked through the palace corridors, feeling the cool night air creeping in through the silent halls. I was about to leave when I saw her standing by a window, gazing at the full moon in the dark sky.

Bianca seemed lost in thought.

— If you stand there like that, someone might think you're plotting something.

She turned slowly, a small smile on her lips.

— You say that as if you don't know I'm always plotting something.

I let out a chuckle and leaned against the wall beside her.

— You're right. You do seem dangerous.

There was a moment of silence between us, but it wasn't uncomfortable. Bianca looked at me as if trying to figure me out.

— Zephyr… — she started, her voice softer. — How do you know that phrase?

I blinked, surprised by the sudden question.

— What phrase?

— "At the end of the day, only fools sleep in peace."

The air between us grew heavier. I realized Bianca was serious, waiting for a real answer.

I could lie. I could make up some random story. But… something told me I didn't need to.