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+Chapter 5+

Mari blinked up at the King of the North, anxiety brewing under her skin again. “I-I don’t understand…”

Lucien had to stop himself from rolling his eyes at the brutish North King, he shoved him to the side and stood in front of Mari instead. “He meant to say that we would still be required to ask you a few questions, and after that, you’ll be reimbursed for all that you lost in the fire.”

Mari was still skeptical but the offer to get back everything she lost was too good a deal to pass up on. All she had to do was answer a few questions and she would get her life back.

“Oh, s-sure,” Mari complied, staring at her hands. “I’m not sure I’ll be much help though…”

“It’s just procedure,” Lucien said with a shallow smile in his voice, “For the sake of documentation.”

That kind of made sense to Mari, plus she didn’t exactly have a choice to leave. If both Kings wanted to keep detaining her, she couldn’t stop them. She heaved a sigh of relief when they both stepped some distance away to have a conversation, resting her head against the tree trunk.

She had wished for something different from her usual everyday life but if this was the other option, she would rather live how she always had. At least while she was lonely and cold, she was certain of her survival.

A short distance away Lucien and Kade were glaring each other down, just short of openly snarling at each other.

“Clearly I should be the one to have custody of the witch,” Lucien said magnanimously.

Kade flicked a brow, black eyes menacing. “There’s nothing clear about that.”

“She lives in my territory, she belongs to me, and you scare her.” Lucien listed off.

“How am I sure you won’t murder her the moment I turn my back?” Kade countered, ignoring the reasons Lucien provided.

The King of the South scoffed, “Is this the time to act like some kind of witch protector?”

Kade shrugged imperceptibly, “Everyone knows I was lenient with the witches caught in my territory.”

“And that’s why there’s a lot of them there right now,” Lucien said sarcastically.

“Look, arguing isn’t going to get us anywhere.” Kade crossed his arms, “We’ve discussed this before, witches are the key to defeating the Shadows. We signed a treaty so we are bound by a contract to share.”

Lucien couldn’t fault Kade’s logic but for some reason, relinquishing the witch to him made him feel like he lost, and he hated to lose.

“Sharing is fine with me but I don’t trust you to handle her properly. If you take her with you, she’ll run away again,” Lucien said calmly.

Kade narrowed his eyes at this, he didn’t have any counter to that though. Lucien with his silky smooth words and pleasant expression was better at handling situations that involved conversations than he was.

“I’ll give her to you after she’s been made to understand her current situation,” Lucien concluded.

“Fine,” Kade half-growled, having no intention of leaving the only witch to be found on the West Continent to the King of the South.

Lucien grinned, his slanted smile revealing fangs that caught the sunlight. “Glad we agree,” He said as walked off in the direction of the witch.

Kade followed after him, keeping a distance from Lucien. He could already tell that the witch didn’t trust him at all. He could see it from the skeptical looks she shot him with her blazing hazel eyes.

“I’m sorry for keeping you waiting,” Lucien said smoothly when he approached her, taking off his gold overcoat to reveal a dress shirt underneath that had the top buttons unbuttoned to reveal tan skin.

Mari’s eyes went wide in shock, she knew that her King was very pleasant but she didn’t expect him to go as far as taking off his coat for a messy commoner like her. She took the coat graciously, bowing without thinking. “T-Thank you, Your Highness.”

“Don’t mention it,” Lucien said nicely, a smile on his striking features. “And I never asked your name…”

“It’s Marion, Your Highness, Marion Heath.” Mari quickly supplied, putting herself together. She clutched the coat given to her, worried that she would stain the expensive material with her dirty hands.

“Marion?” Lucien repeated, trying the name in his mouth like a new exotic flavor.

“Mari works fine too,” She quickly added, “Everyone calls me that.”

“I see,” Lucien said dryly, dropping his startling blue-eyed gaze to his coat in her hands. “That’s for you to put on,” He enunciated to her.

Mari colored up at the implication in his tone and hurriedly put it on, looking at the ground again to avoid King Lucien’s intense gaze. Unable to help herself, she snuck a glance at King Kade to find him still staring at her. His emotionless black eyes made icicles stab at her spine.

Mari put on King Lucien’s coat and was enveloped in a cool but very heady scent of white roses and peppermint, the warmth from his body heating up her skin. She knew better than to relax though, not until she was back in her scorched apartment, reviewing the damage done all by herself.

“Come along, Mari,” King Lucien’s silky voice broke her out of her depressing thoughts.

His overcoat literally swallowed her up, the sleeves completely covering her fingers, and the edges brushed at her ankles. It looked far more compact on King Lucien’s fit frame but on her, it looked like she stole her grandmother’s church coat.

Both Kings led the way out of the woods while Mari quietly trudged behind them, noting how tall they were compared to her. She tried not to trip on the edge of King Lucien’s coat as she walked, feeling self-conscious for all the fuss she made only for the issue to be resolved amicably. Walking behind both Kings provided her an avenue to properly study them up close, her attention fixed on them.

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