Surely one day she would have Grant back again?
Surely one day she could look at the prince and not have her heart beating fast?
It was on Fawn’s fourth month of working in the prince’s employ that these things changed once again. It was the weekend, and Fawn had once again taken the opportunity to work overtime, not because she needed money but mostly because it allowed her to escape reality.
Moving down the hallway, which was the last area to be swept, she took a hold of the mop and was about to push it forward when she heard it.
Fawn whitened.
Not again.
She had to be dreaming this. Maybe she was too tired, maybe she was too depressed, but she couldn’t possibly—-
Another cackle.
Oh my God, this place was haunted!
When she heard it for the third time, this time Fawn knew it was coming from the wall right in front of her, which was even more proof that she was hearing a ghost. Heart thundering hard against her chest, she took a step forward.
“H-hello?” Her voice echoed in the living room.
She touched the wall.
And gasped.
Because instead of a ghost, she had found a hidden entrance, with the wall swinging open to reveal a flight of stairs.
I really shouldn’t go there. All the horror movies I’ve watched tell me that it’s suicidal to go there.
I’m glad you know that.
But I need to know about the sound.
Fawn!
I’m sorry!
Mind made up, she finished her internal conversation and closed her eyes.
God, keep me safe.
Her descent was slow and made arduous and nerve-wracking by the dark. With every second that passed, she expected her to lose her footing and tumble to God knew where. But somehow, Fawn was able to reach the end of the steps.
She felt for the ground before taking a cautious step forward.
More darkness awaited her, but the cackling also grew louder.
Curiosity killed the cat, Fawn!
But what if there was another girl hurt like the last time? What if the prince hadn’t been able to catch all the bad guys during his parties? What if this was a ghost seeking justice?
She continued walking blindly.
Another cackle.
Oh God, that really, really made her want to flee in terror.
“H-hello?”
The lights switched open, and she found herself staring at a woman with scars crisscrossing her once-beautiful face, grinning at her from behind a cell with steel bars.
Fawn screamed.
DÉJÀ VU, Fawn thought as she found herself once again huddled in the chair in front of the prince’s desk, shivering in fear, and the prince silently commanding her to drink brandy. This time, she didn’t even think of refusing.
She downed it in one shot, and because she hadn’t learned from the past, she ended up choking even more.
“Serves you right,” the prince said unsympathetically. “You were supposed to sip it, parthena mou.”
“You were nicer before,” she mumbled.
“I beg your pardon?”
“My first shock,” she told him tremulously as she handed the empty glass back to him. “You were much nicer.”
“Ah.” The prince took his usual place, too, perching himself on the edge of his desk. “That was because I gave you the benefit of the doubt.”
“For what?”
“For having brains.” He shot her an unimpressed look. “But clearly you don’t.”
She glared up at him. “Are you really blaming me?”
“Yes, I’m blaming you,” he snarled. Even now, his heartbeat hadn’t gone back to normal and he still couldn’t get the sound of her terrified scream out of his mind.
Fawn was incredulous. “How is it my fault?”
“Because this wouldn’t have happened,” he hissed, “if you hadn’t let curiosity get the better of you in the first place.”
“Are you serious?” she gasped. “You have it the other way around! This wouldn’t have happened if you didn’t have so many stupid secrets to keep in the first place! Seriously!” She counted them with her fingers. “One: you have a dungeon – a dungeon, oh my God – for a basement. Even worse, two: you have a woman imprisoned in your dungeon. And worst of all, three: that woman is batshit crazy and she tried to strangle me!”
Her voice cracked.
They stared at each other, and when her lips started to tremble, the prince bit back a curse. How the hell he could stay angry – even when he knew he had a right to – when she looked like that?
He said quietly, “I’m sorry.”
The apology took her by surprise, and before she knew it, she was already crying, the tears gradually relieving her of her terror. Taking the seat across her, the prince forcibly scooped Fawn into his lap and, ignoring her flimsy struggles, pushed her head firmly on his chest.
“I’m sorry.”
The words had her forgetting about struggling, and she found herself crying even harder. “I was s-so scared.”
“I know. I’m sorry.”
The harshness of his tone penetrated her shock, and Fawn fought for control, sniffing back her tears as she lifted her gaze to his. “I’m sorry, too. I know it wasn’t your fault.”
“It was.”
“It was not.”
“Will we never agree on anything?”
The prince’s tone was sardonic, but his gaze was gentle, and it was this that had her lips trembling anew. Eyes bright with tears she struggled to keep at bay, Fawn said with a bewitchingly tremulous smile, “P-probably.”
Ah.
Did she know how she looked right now? Any man would be forgiven for kissing her, and he was tempted.
And God, he was tempted.
Damn tempted.
Drawing a deep breath, the prince forced himself to lift her off his lap and place Fawn back on her seat.
They stared at each other, her gaze full of questions.
When the prince finally spoke, it was in a carefully neutral voice. “Before you ask anything, you must know that the more questions you ask of me, the more secrets you will have to keep.”
Oh. Fawn could feel her fear gradually ebbing as she stared at the prince. Her heart started to squeeze, tighter and tighter until she realized that she was hurting...for him.
And that was crazy, wasn’t it?
He was the Prince of Darkness, and he had the world on
