"Rowan," Prince Hereon called, his voice laced with quiet disdain. His gaze locked on his approaching cousin.
Rowan wore a glittering silver robe split down the middle, revealing the smooth elegance of his fair, caramel-toned skin. His dark hair was trimmed close to the scalp, neat and sharp, and that ever-present smile of his carved dimples into his cheeks—a smile that never failed to set Hereon on edge.
Like now.
Hereon instinctively moved Karina behind him, shielding her from Rowan's view. He had not expected a visitor when he brought her here tonight, and not 'this' one. Not Rowan. He rarely received anyone in his quarters, save for his younger brother Arin or their father. Anyone else was expected to wait in the main palace—unless they had an appointment.
So Rowan's unannounced visit, especially at this hour, caught him off guard.
Rowan, unfazed, let his gaze drift past Hereon. "Who are you hiding from me, Hereon?" he asked, leaning forward with that familiar, taunting lilt that always grated on his cousin's nerves. "Or... is it someone I'm not meant to see?"
Hereon wasn't sure whether to strike him or order him out. Either way, he stood rigid, glare sharp, spine tight with barely restrained fury.
Ever since the death of his mother, and topped with his hiding from the crowd due to the beast within—known only to his father— the Head Council, Minister Kael, Rowan's father and brother to the King, had been pushing Hereon too hard into the crowd: to show his face, to address his people, to clash swords in battle, to lead in war. And the King had agreed.
That was why he was forced to go to Karina's home with his father and watch her parents slaughtered.
All of it had driven him to the verge of losing himself. So he visited his mother's grave often, and his father let him—because he knew what lay underneath. But the minister and his son would not rest. And now, Hereon stayed guarded around them. He feared their motives.
And Karina—if they found out about her, he feared what they might do. That was why he had to protect her. At all cost.
"Hereon?" Rowan raised a brow. He looked patient, but inside, he wasn't. He couldn't understand why Hereon was hiding this person.
Hereon sighed and stepped to the side, revealing Karina. "She is a maid whom I sent on an errand", he lied.
Karina's head remained bowed, but her fingers tightened around her bag, stiff with fear. This was the palace—one wrong move, and her head could end up swinging from a rod before a watching crowd.
Rowan let his gaze roam over her. His dark eyes narrowed as they landed on the bag. "Were you trying to run away, maid?"
Karina shivered at the cold edge in his voice. It wasn't like Prince Hereon's. His voice, though cold, never made her flinch. But this one—this voice made her want to run, for real this time.
Curiously, she looked up and met eyes that were deep and dark. Cold, despite the smile on his face. Even as he appeared calm and unbothered, there was a chill in him she didn't trust. As someone connected to nature, she knew when something *felt* wrong…
The sight of her looking at him didn't quite sit well with Rowan. Maids were not meant to look their masters in the eye.
"Did the prince not inform you that you shouldn't look your masters in the eye?" he asked, tilting his head slightly, a brow raised.
Karina quickly lowered her gaze. "I apologize, my lord."
"Good," he beamed, then turned to Hereon, who was already glaring at him. "She is quite respectful, I must admit."
Hereon tsked. "You are not her master. None of the maids in my quarters are."
Rowan didn't seem to like that. There was a fleeting shift in his eyes—just a flicker—but enough to show he didn't appreciate being talked down to in front of a maid.
"Very well," he said, shrugging as that charming smile returned to his face.
And that smile only fueled Hereon's anger. "What are you doing here?" his voice thundered, sending a chill down Karina's spine.
She glanced up briefly and caught the storm in their eyes—locked on each other like two forces about to clash. It felt like the myth of Sango come alive, as if the god of thunder himself were preparing to descend.
"Why, Cousin," Rowan said casually, as if the question hadn't shaken him too. "Why are you upset that I'm here?"
He already knew Hereon hated being disturbed. But he still wondered—why the coldness? Why the wall? Rowan intended to find out.
"Leave," Hereon said flatly, without so much as a blink. He saw no need to hide his dislike.
But as always, Rowan remained unfazed.
"The Council was wondering if you'd be able to give a speech tomorrow. Also, your coronation is fast approaching—it's mandatory that you spend more time in the open, instead of locking yourself indoors all the time." He ignored Hereon's deadpan glare. "This is what I was sent to inform you."
"Yet you choose the middle of the night?" Hereon raised a brow.
"Of course. When else should I come? You see, I'm also a busy man—making sure your coronation goes smoothly." He grinned, but it did nothing to shift Hereon's mood.
Why should his cousin care about the coronation? A coronation Hereon hadn't even begun to consider. If he became king—even if only in an acting capacity until the final date—how could he rule without unleashing the beast within?
Rowan turned to Karina, smiling charmingly at her—and it didn't sit well with Hereon. He wanted to slam a fist into that smug face hard enough to leave his teeth dangling.
"Look at me," Rowan commanded
Karina obeyed, but her gaze flickered away. She didn't quite meet his eyes.
Rowan hummed softly, a spark glinting in his eyes. "For a maid, you're quite striking."
Karina shivered. Hereon growled low under his breath.
Rowan stepped closer. "I haven't seen a maiden this pretty in a while—"
Unfortunately for Rowan, Hereon blocked his path. "You were leaving."
This caused Rowan to look at Hereon with a displeased frown, but it shifted quickly—almost as if it hadn't been there at all. "Why are you so protective over a maid?" he asked, shaking his head. Then, with a raised hand, he took a step back, his gaze sweeping over Karina once more. "See you soon, Madisa" he winked, then walked away, his shoulders squared as though carrying the confidence of a thousand men when he was of medium built and not as muscled as Prince Hereon.
Prince Hereon growled, turning to Karina. "That is my cousin, Rowan. Avoid him if you ever come across him."
Karina nodded, her hand tightened on the scarf tied around her head in place.
Hereon noticed her movement. He wanted to see her hair down so badly, but he knew keeping it covered was safer.
He shifted away from her and began walking toward the maid's quarters, with Karina following behind. It was the only thing she could do—he was the only one who knew her secret, so she had to follow him.
"About your hair," he murmured as he strode, "We'll do something about it..." 'But not to cut it', he quickly rebuked that thought.
Meanwhile, Karina, lost in her own thoughts, couldn't imagine any other way for her hair to be dealt with—except to cut it.