Chapter 96 - Innocence

On Calhoun's words, Madeline turned her brown eyes to look into his red eyes that peered down at her. Sophie had turned the other way to look at when Calhoun had taken the opportunity to whisper those words into Madeline's ears. The words he had uttered were little, but they held too many meanings if she tried to decipher them. His gesture made it almost look like they were secret lovers who were hiding their love in front of people, and it seemed like Calhoun enjoyed it the most even though it wasn't true.

Somewhere, it made Madeline question what kind of childhood Calhoun had when he was young that had turned him to be the person he was today. Now that they were out and close with no shadows to hover over them, she noticed how red his eyes were. They were almost the colour of her blood.

"You keep looking at me like that, and I am going to think that you have fallen for me."

Madeline quickly turned her eyes to look at the nearest tree, her cheeks slightly warm over his words. She had never met a man like Calhoun, who was so forthcoming when it came to his words. The men she had met until now, in her village or others, they weren't aggressive like Calhoun.

"So easy to be ruffled, Maddie," he teased her, "I wonder how you will react if I whispered other things in your ear. Things that can make you embarrassed," Madeline's eyes snapped back at him with a small glare.

"We should get back to the castle, isn't it? I feel my skin is burning," said Sophie who turned around to look at Calhoun and the human who had a look on her face as if she did something she was not supposed to do, "Lady Madeline, you look red too. We wouldn't want your pretty skin to be burnt because of the rays of the sun."

Madeline was impressed with the young vampiress' skill to switch her attitude from throwing a jab to showing concern which was confusing her.

Sophie waited for Madeline to speak before sending a glare to have the human to say, "I would like to spend some more time here. I will see you later," Madeline bowed her head to Calhoun but she didn't offer her bow to Sophie as she was not the King nor the Queen of Devon. She was only the cousin of the King who had been hostile towards her.

Calhoun didn't stop her and he gave her a nod. If she needed air, he would give her. The only condition was that she was not allowed to step out of the castle grounds. She could stay out and do what she wanted until it held his best interests. He saw her leave and Sophie who was standing behind walked forward to come to stand next to Calhoun. Glad that the human had finally left the King's side.

"Did you see that?" asked Sophie with a miffed voice.

"Hm?" asked Calhoun who looked at the back of Madeline before turning his gaze on his cousin sister.

Sophie said, "She is a rude girl, brother Calhoun. She didn't even offer me a bow before leaving," the vampiress was used to people showering her the same attention as any other high standing lady as she was related to the King.

"You should have offered her first then."

"Why would I be the first one to do it? She is a human. Aren't we taught not to bow at the humans?" Sophie retorted back, "Why did you bring her here? Is it true that you have your thoughts on making her the Queen?" Now that they were alone, Sophie didn't see why she should not clear her doubts that were left in the shadows.

"Why do you bring it up?" asked Calhoun, who gave one last look at Madeline before starting to walk back inside the castle.

The vampiress was quick to follow him, walking beside him and not behind him only to let the other servants know who she was and what she meant to Calhoun so that they would respect her, "Brother Calhoun, you mentioned about her being the Queen and how she will learn things eventually. I am just being curious."

"Haven't you heard of the phrase 'Curiosity killed the cat', Sophie?"

"Yes. Yes, I have, but I wanted to know if you meant it or if you were only teasing her," Sophie would have stopped herself from walking to get him to stop too, but Calhoun was not any man. If Sophie decided to stop walking, Calhoun would drop her there without turning to look back or wait for her and she would only make a fool of herself.

In the past, Calhoun humoured women to please their ears and gain favours from those connections, but this time, the person here was a human. What possibly could a human offer him? Especially when she came from a poor background with her father being a woodcutter.

"What are you going to do by knowing it?" asked Calhoun, his words were nonchalant, "You should not stick your nose in my matters, Sophie. You know how I hate when people do it," and though his words were casual, Sophie could sense the underlying warning in his voice.

Sophie knew how much Calhoun disliked when someone tried to go against him. Most of the times it had turned with the other person being found in the dungeon or dead, "I am sorry, I didn't mean to cross you!" she bowed her head quickly.

Calhoun finally stopped walking when they were in the corridor with no one around. He stared at Sophie, who was his first cousin who had her head bowed down at the moment in apology.

"You should go back to your room and rest. I have other important matters to attend," said Calhoun without giving any attention to Sophie's apology. He turned around and left the girl alone without another word. The vampiress had grown up watching and looking up at the King of Devon, which was why she knew when to shut up and when to speak. And as much as she took the leverage with other people about her connection to the crown, she couldn't do the same when it came to Calhoun.

She was left there standing alone, her hands turning to fists at the thought that Calhoun had dismissed and brushed her words.

"If she is someone you are interested in and are planning to make her your queen, I won't let that happen," stated Sophie to no one in particular, "I have worked hard to where I am, to be in your sight. I won't let a lowly human like that girl try to steal my place in this castle," she promised before going back to the guest room.

Sophie was not in a good mood when she entered the room with a maid who followed to attend her. Going to the couch that was present in the room, she plopped herself on it and looked at the maid who was standing in the room.

Sophie said, "I have something for you to do."