Page 13 of Glass Hearts
“Whatever the reasoning, she is either ridiculously smart or insanely stupid, leaving a calling card. I have a feeling she doesn’t really know what she stole. I say we find her, but leave the enforcers out of this. Someone else must have received these. I agree with Archer; this isn’t her first hit. So we will each try to collect as much information as we can. Our hearts are still connected to us. So the closer we get to the little thief, the more we will feel them, which should help us narrow it down.”
“We could also go check out the Hinterlands.”
“I don’t think that is an actual place, Koi.” Now it is my turn to shake my head. I know all the lands. In our quad, I am the one always with my nose in books. I had hoped that I was wrong about there not being a Hinterland.
“As much as I am sure you all want to find our little mystery, we also need to narrow down the shortlist for the females advancing to the next round.” Sylas sighs as he removes his little man bun and tiredly runs his hands through the long brown strands. “Hendrickson and Mendez cornered me as I was leaving. They need the final list by the end of the week. The females move in next weekend.”
“I want the Duchess,” Grayer interjects.
“Not an option, Gray. She is a petty thief who will meet our dungeon once we find her. I also don’t think she wasactuallya duchess. A duchess wouldn’t be throwing food into her clutch like I caught her.”
“I think she will look delectable in chains, brother. You boys do what you want. She will always be my duchess.Mine. Now I am going to go find my Queen.” Grayer winks at Sylas and walks out of his room.
“Sorry, Sy, the only woman that caught my eye was the little thief. I trust your judgment about the ladies moving into the castle.” Koi pats Sylas on the back as he also leaves the room.
“Don’t worry, Sylas, I will help you with the list.”
Sylas knows how important it is for me to find a queen. While my brothers are still princes, I am already a king. A king who was betrayed after being blinded by love once. I don’t need to fully don my glass heart, but keep it to protect the hidden truth of my dreadful coronation.
My land was in chaos after the attempted murder, until the council swooped in. The council decided it was time for them to intervene in the love lives of the princes. I destroyedmy brother’s life because of that dreadful night. They will say otherwise, yet I can’t help the guilt that I do feel.
And that is why trusting a woman like the little thief is impossible.
Grayer
The Duchess is tricky to find. I would rather her moaning in ecstasy beneath me right now, but this little game will have to do for now. She is a mystery I am enjoying unraveling. I can’t wait to smell her sugary vanilla and cinnamon scent again. Just thinking about it makes my dick hard. I lick my lips and adjust myself in my pants. Not that my brothers off to the side would care.
It has been a few days since the ball. All we have found is her cute little thief’s name,The Shadow. She steals jewels and coins from the rich. Is that why she wore such a delectable ensemble at the ball? I should have had that dress pooled on my floor that night. I wonder how one would steal a dress…
Reports say she hangs around Harsekeep after her little missions. So that’s where I’m going tonight. Hidden, of course. I made the executive decision to also not bring my brothers or tell them of my search. They are all a little mad at our thief. I would rather imprison her in my room, not the dungeon, as Sylas and Archer would like. As for Koi, I am not sure what that brute is thinking.
I could tell he was as turned on by her at the ball. Yet since her little game, he has been pretty quiet. Which isn’t normal for the lovable golden prince in our group. Like me, he likes to bed a variety of women and dash as soon as they asked about ‘relationships.’ It’s easy for me to brush them off, but somethingabout the happy, golden demeanour of my half-brother makes females even more heartbroken when he lightly lets them down.
“I have narrowed down the list. We have to accept the Baudelaire sisters, then there is Winona White. Cla-” He goes on listing random names. I tune Sylas out; none are my duchess, so I don’t care.
I wonder if she has ever had to kill someone when she steals? She could probably stab me—as long as I could see her face—and I would thank her. Where does one also learn slight of hand like she had? Sure she could easily steal from me; but how did she successfully steal from the ever-observant Sylas and Archer?
“Grayer, pay attention. Is there any other woman from the ball that caught your eye to be a potential bride? The little thief is not an option.”
“Sylas, she is mine, so there is no need for that stupid list for me. I just need to find the little shadow.”
He shakes his head. He thinks I am not serious, but I have never been more serious. Obviously, her beauty had drawn me, even with that mask upon her face. Yet, I can’t seem to get her out of my head for different reasons. She was ballsy and didn’t fling herself at me, instead opting to volley back my crude words with wickedly sinful promises. I want to verbally spar with her more, especially knowing she has a bit of a dark side, too. The audacity to steal from four princes? Sign me up for her kind of fun!
“You really should have just fucked her at the ball; maybe then you would have gotten her out of your system. This is all this is an obsession with the unknown. She turned you down, so she is something you can’t have. And it’s for the best; she is no good, brother. I think Winona White may be good for you. She seemed to have that dangerous edge about her you like.” Sylas is such a good liar to himself. I saw how much his eyes heated aftersaying I should have just fucked her, the subtle hint of jealously permeating the air.
“Nah, I think I will stick with the little shadow.” Before he can lay into me again about duty, honour, and blah blah blah—I slink out of the room. They didn’t even question why I was wearing my black tactical gear. My brothers are all distracted. Not me. I know exactly what I need to do.
As I go down the long hallway to leave, a small hand wraps around my bicep, pulling me to a stop.
Adrianna. We shared her once, and since then, she has been a nuisance. She is just as obsessed with my brothers; I was the fool to have gone back to her bed for seconds on a rather low night of my life. Her father is Councilman Paul Clarsef, an expert in portal magic. If I had known both times I slept with her that her father was a councilman, I would never have crossed that line. We all didn’t know.
“The list hasn’t gone out, my prince. Can I expect my name on there? Or should I go to Daddy and inform him how you stole my innocence without a ring upon my hand?” She was far from a virgin when we met her, but her father thinks she is an innocent angel. He would believe her before us, naturally. After all, who believes thecrazy womanizer prince? Or that all four princes would be willing to share one woman in bed?
“Adrianna,” I droll, as I remove her hand from my arm, “talk to Sylas. He is in control of the list. You will not be my bride, no matter how much you whine to daddy dearest. I have found my future wife. Maybe my brothers would entertain your manipulations.”
With that, I brush past her and make way for the exit. I nod in greeting to the driver. Harsekeep is far, and this carriage will attract unwanted attention. I will have to get Wallace to drop me off on the outskirts.
He raises a questioning eyebrow when I make my request. But the good man just shakes his head and turns to drive as I enter the carriage.
