"Spies?" Duke Kleo frowned as he put down the ink from his hand. His busy days seemed to get worse after hearing this news, especially from a girl who had stolen his heart.
Lyra nodded approvingly as if this was the question she had been waiting for her whole life. Her blonde hair was blown away beautifully, glowing in the light of the lamp. "Yes," she said firmly. "Spies," she continued. "You have to hurry before…they attack Wereal."
Dragging a chair and patting the cushion, he asked her to sit there. Like a gallant knight, he led her to it. "Where did you hear the news?" Like sparks burning in his eyes, glowing over the light of a lamp. "Is this just a joke so I can't finish my work so I don't have time to ask you to grant my one wish?"
"It's not like that," she shook her head firmly, although there was a trace of that feeling in her heart. She didn't want to sleep with him, simply because she wanted to oppose the idea of cultivating forbidden feelings. She couldn't like him anymore, or else her life would be ruined because a man came back. "This is valid news."
"Tell me how you found out!" he ordered, shifting the end of her chair to get closer to him, letting him enter the zone of her scent which was intoxicating and fragrant. "And let me judge!"
Snorting in annoyance, Lyra said, "I heard the chatter of the maids coming out of the room." She had to tell some lies, otherwise, Ella and Gena's safety could be in jeopardy.
She still remembered how frightened the two maids were just because of the idea of her wanting to tell all this to Duke Kleo. So she will try to find a solution without harming or hurting anyone. Oh, if only she had the same solution to her problem!
"They said they saw a suspicious person snooping around Wereal." The pressure of her breath increased with the new story that she compiled. "Some of them saw the spies in the palace forest. While others see them at some other point, which is hidden. But the point is they see the same thing."
"Do you know which servant you're referring to?"
"No!" Lyra shook her head hastily, choking and glaring. 'Don't let me say the wrong thing,' She thought worriedly. Lifting her chin, cleared her throat, "But I'm not hearing this from just one group of maids, but several. So surely this problem is valid and can be traced immediately right?" Her fingers reached out to shake his arm, begging and pleading. "You're going to do it right? You'll be looking for it soon, right?"
"Why do you insist?"
"I don't want Wereal to be attacked," she answered honestly. "I don't want to be in danger."
silence.
Lyra had thought she had made a mistake. Especially when she saw Duke Kleo's expressionless face, who looked at her without saying anything. His body moved now and then, looking restless and indecisive. Until then he patted her head, with a soft and soothing rhythm.
His eyes widened as if absorbing all the light in his pupils.
'My heart!' Her mind thought, choking on her own beating heart. He didn't do anything sensuous, nor did he look sexy or evocative, but this small gesture made her flutter, like… 'Fall in love again!' She quickly shook her head, biting her lip to wake her up and come back to reality. , that she shouldn't be like this.
There were several events in which she must maintain her existence, which encouraged her to become more resilient in male matters. Because if not then she will be dumbed one day.
"You don't have to worry," he said, giving off as much positive energy as possible. "I won't let you be in any danger. I'm always there to take care of you." Pulled her hand and kissed it deeply. "Always, forever."
BADUM! Lyra's heart was pounding harder, pumping more blood throughout her body, infiltrating hidden, rarely touched areas. For a few seconds, her world seemed to be chaotic and frozen, replaced by a glimmer of light centered on Duke Kleo's figure.
"Are you okay?"
Suddenly her world collapsed in an instant. "Eh?" she asked like a dazed person, feeling a caress on her cheek.
"Yes," he nodded. "Are you okay? Your face is red. Have you got a fever?" Checking her forehead. "But your body temperature is normal. Is something bothering you?"
'You,' she thought, screaming. "Maybe it's because I thought too much about the spies," she said, reasoning. "I was really worried if someone attacked Wereal." Dragging her chair to the dock. "What if someone crawled in my bedroom window while I was sleeping?" Her eyes rounded cutely. "What if someone tries to attack and kill me? I've always been scared about it."
Chuckling, Duke Kleo covered his mouth with his muscular hands. "You're thinking too much. Before someone crawls in your window to sneak in, the guards will find him and arrest him." Shaking his head, he didn't think normal. "And now you're not going to sleep alone. There I am with you. We'll sleep together starting tonight. Did you forget?"
His chuckle turned into a burst of laughter when he saw her cheeks blush again, even redder than before. Now he knows what causes it. "Are you blushing?" he teased, finding her looking down shyly. Pulling her in a hug, he closed his eyes enjoying the moment, as if the world only belonged to the two of them.
"Gosh you're so cute!" he whispered, rubbed her head, and kissed her passionately. "I want to marry you right away and make you mine!" he continued honestly. "I don't want to lose precious time alone with you. Am I wrong?"
She chose to remain silent, as her heart was too ambiguous at the moment. After all, there were a lot of things she had to get done, which came from within herself. "So you're not going to catch the spies?" Back to the main problem. It seems that she never gives up, just like him though in different matters.
"Geez!" he exclaimed, shaking his head in amusement. "You're still going after me about that? Didn't I tell you that you will always be safe with me? Is that not enough?"
"Yes," she answered without hesitation. "Of course, that's not enough. You are a noble who has a lot of controversies." Squinting, judging. "I'm sure you have many rivals and enemies. My life is really in jeopardy here, despite being prosperous at the same time."
He chuckled again, making her even more irritated. "About the spies huh?" His head looked up, looked up at the ceiling of his study, to find the end of the lamp gleaming like a diamond. "I already know about them."
"What?" She glared, gaped, protested. "You already know?" Her tone was like jerking. "Then why didn't you tell me earlier?" Her head shook, directing her to the right question. "Who is that spies? Who sent them? Do you know what their aim is?"
"If I say so then maybe we should sleep here tomorrow."
"Why?"
"Because there are too many of them."
Stefanus suddenly came into the room, carrying his tall and stout posture. After bowing he reported, "We've caught someone, My Lord!"
***