Page 42 of Somber Prince

He stood in front of me.

“I’ve been waiting for you.”

“Why?” I asked. “Why did you want to see me?”

For once, he held my gaze steady, looking like he might be asking himself the same question—why.

“When it comes to you, I have a persistent feeling that our conversation isn’t finished,” he finally said. “And it bothers me, like a grain of sand trapped in my shoe.”

“We’ve never really had a conversation. We’ve hardly spoken, and not under pleasant circumstances.”

“Well, maybe that is the problem, then? The conversation we need to have hasn’t happened yet.”

The intensity with which he looked at me made it hard to focus. But I came here with an agenda. I had questions that needed answers.

“Very well, Rha. Let’s talk.” I crossed my arms over my chest. “For starters, tell me about the other humans living in Alveari Kingdom. You’ve been abducting us for some time. There must be quite a few Joy Vessels around.”

If the topic I chose surprised him, he didn’t show it.

“Not as many as you may think,” he replied. “There are eighteen of you here, and twenty-four in the queen’s sarai in the city of Kalmena. That’s all.”

“Do you know the names of those in Kalmena?”

“No. I’ve never met them. I left Kalmena eight years ago, long before the queen’s vessels arrived.”

That didn’t add up. Ciana was taken thirteen years ago. Rha would’ve still been in the queen’s palace at that time.

“When did they arrive in Alveari Kingdom?” I asked.

“About a month ago. Four weeks before you did.”

“Four weeks,” I exhaled, still holding on to hope. “But have there been other abductions before that? About thirteen years ago, give or take?”

“No. The portal to your world has only been opened twice during our known history—last month and about two days ago.”

“That’s it?”

“That’s it,” he confirmed, crushing my hope.

The disappointment felt excruciatingly painful, but it was all my fault. Ciana was never here. I took a far-fetched assumption and let it grow into hope. But hope was dangerous. It hurt when it died.

Concern crossed Rha’s handsome features. “What’s wrong, Dawn? You seem upset.”

I touched my face absentmindedly, then smoothed a hand over my hair. I’d twisted it into a high bun earlier, but now found a loose strand and tugged at it while working on regaining my composure.

“I’m fine.” I wasn’t ready to talk to Rha about my life back home. He didn’t need to know about Ciana, especially since she wasn’t here, anyway. He certainly didn’t need to know how it upset me. “I’m just…” I let my voice trail off, unsure what to say.

“Hungry?” he asked helpfully.

“Um…” I rubbed my chest, hoping the tightness inside would ease.

He held my gaze for a moment longer, as if trying to read me, then gestured at the table. “Do you like the dress?”

I felt grateful to him for changing the subject. “Is it for me?”

“Yes.”

“You got me a dress?”

---