Chapter 7 My Fault

• CILLIAN'S POV
• I couldn't believe Rosalind was here in my quarters. She sat at the edge of my couch looking like she felt out of place.
• "I apologise for my brother. He can be a handful sometimes."
• But personally, I felt she belonged here. And if I would have it, I would keep her here with me safe and sound.
• She averted her gaze from mine. "It was nothing, Prince Cillian. I am a mere omega to his royal lineage. He can treat me however he pleases."
• The words sparked even more anger within me. It wasn't like she had said anything wrong. It was the law.
• We were the higher authorities in this kingdom but the thought that Killian could treat Rosalind however he felt sat ill with me. For a mere mistake, he had wanted to kill her. A world without Rosalind wasn't possible.
• "No, he can not."
• "Prince Cillian?" Rosalind seemed puzzled.
• "I will not allow anyone to treat you less than you are worth, Melody." My words became a growl and once more that day, my wolf fought to rise to the surface.
• There was something about Rosalind that made him want to give her the best he could and protect her from those who wished to hurt her including my brother.
• "No," Rosalind seemed disturbed. "You cannot pick a fight with your brother for my sake. It is not right. I would not feel good about that. Both of you are flesh and blood."
• I was dazzled by her kindness. If only she knew things weren't that simple with Killian and that it didn't feel that way. Sometimes looking at his face which was a replica of mine felt like a betrayal.
• "How can you still want to preserve our relationship? He tried to kill you."
• If I hadn't come in time… I shuddered to think what he would have done to her.
• "But he didn't," Rosalind said emphatically. Then she looked away as though she had done something wrong.
• "He had no way of knowing. It was my fault. I should have asked for your name when you told me to come to the palace. Then I wouldn't have gone to the wrong Prince and riled him up."
• "Rosalind."
• She had done nothing wrong. I didn't think it was possible for her to do anything wrong.
• Her alluring blue eyes rose to meet mine. "Please forget this. For my sake."
• "Rosalind. You are a good person."
• She had not tried to put a rift between me and Killian. Killian felt she gas dubious motives meanwhile she was trying her best to convince me of his
• "You honour me, Prince Cillian." Her cheeks coloured, the blush spreading all the way down to her neck.
• My eyes tracked the redness hungrily as I suddenly realised we were alone. I wanted her to call me by my name. I wanted to teach my lips across her soft skin and watch her blush for my touch alone.
• I looked away from her beautiful innocent face with her thick-rimmed lashes and pouty kissable lips.
• Cillian, focus.
• "How is your sibling? Did you get something for him with the money?"
• Her smile suddenly dimmed and her blush disappeared.
• "Some. But most of the money was used on the transport here."
• I was a fool. An idiot. I had acted like an absolute prick. How could I have forgotten the cost of travel simply because I could just hop in a car and be wherever I wanted.
• I should have sent the driver to pick her up.
• Rosalind seemed to blink back tears as she spoke.
• "I felt the job would be worth the expense. We would finally be able to afford Bast's treatment. But at this point, I just want to return home." She forced on a tight smile. "Please can you help me arrange a suitable means of transport?"
• "Then what will you do?"
• She shrugged helplessly.
• "Live my life the same way I have all these years. By finding work and doing it."
• "And Bast?" He must be her sibling.
• Tears filled her eyes but she didn't let them fall as she gave a brave smile.
• "We will treasure the little time we have left with each other."
• This was disastrous. In trying to help her, I had put her in even more trouble.
• I sat next to her on the couch and took her hand in mine. She looked at me, her eyes wide.
• "I'm sorry you went through all this because of me. I gave you hope of a better life but all I did was put your life in danger."
• "No, Prince Cillian don't say that." She shook her head. And placed her second hand over mine. "Twice now you have saved my life. I could never repay you."
• "You don't need to. I don't want you to."
• Somehow we were already sitting extremely close. I leaned in and even if her eyes widened imperceptibly, she remained still. Very still.
• I stroked her chin and her eyes fell close. We were sharing a breath and our lips were only about an inch apart. I dropped a kiss on her cheek and I felt her hand tightened in mine.
• "I need to get going." She whispered hotly but she didn't move.
• I dropped another kiss on her jawline. And another on her nape. I felt her breathing change but it could have been mine. I was losing control. My wolf wanted to bite down on her neck so that everyone knew she was ours.
• I needed her desperately. I needed more of whatever this was. I hadn't even known her for up to forty-eight hours. The depth of my feelings in such a short time scared me.
• I stood quickly. Rosalind looked surprised then she looked away as well.
• Maybe it was better if she left. If she stayed I might be unable to control myself around him. I could mark her and it could prove dangerous.
• If I were a normal person perhaps we could have been something more but I was a prince. They would never accept someone from the district as my mate. If I forced it, she would have had a terrible 'accident' the second I left her alone.
• Politics was dirty. I couldn't bring her into something like this, yet…
• Rosalind stood up on unsteady legs.
• I would have loved to believe it was from my kisses but she was probably tired from all the travels she had made today and an almost-death situation.
• "Could I do anything to convince you to stop?" I asked desperately. "If I offered to pay for the treatment of your sibling, would you think of taking on the job again?"
• "The job?" She asked with an edge of confusion.
• "The one you came here for."
• "Prince Cillian, I don't understand how the both of them correlate. You know I don't take freebies. My brother's treatment would cost a lot of silver, probably even gold. I can't collect much from you. From anyone."
• "That's why I asked you to take the job. You will get food, a roof to sleep under and with your every paycheck you will pay me back for Bast's treatment."
• Cillian, let her go. This cannot end well. I tried to caution myself. If we couldn't stay alone in a room together without keeping our hands off each other then in months of working here…
• Rosalind's voice tore me out of my musings.
• "But Prince Killian…"
• She was right to be bothered. Killian never forgot a grudge. I was almost certain that our current animosity was in a way related to the little mistake I had made as a child of mistakenly pushing him into the palace pool.
• "Let my brother be my responsibility," I said persuasively. I would do and say anything to make her stay. To make her life easier. "But if I were to take care of that would you stay?"
• She hesitated and then looked at me, uncertainty shining in her eyes.
• "Yes."
• She was trusting me to keep my word. To keep her and her sibling safe. Then I would do whatever it took to keep her safe. Even standing against my twin.
• *******
• Immediately after she left, I was in Killian's hall.
• "Cillian." He said gruffly, probably still angry that I hadn't let him execute Rosalind.
• "I am done with putting up your selfish and cruel ways. I hoped that in time we could become brothers in truth but with every passing day, you have proven that will always remain a dream."
• Killian moved a piece of tile in the strategy game he always played with himself. He never invited anyone to sit with him. No one was smart enough, he would joke snidely.
• "So? I never asked you to live in your dreams. You have always been a weak-minded person. That isn't my fault, little brother."
• He had come out barely a second before me but he never failed to call me 'little brother' whenever he felt I was being particularly stupid.
• "Rosalind will live here with us." As a servant but that was beside the point. "And if you mistreat her or touch one lock of hair on her head, I will forget we are brothers and I will unseat you from this throne that you don't deserve."
• I had never seen Killian surprised but it flickered across his face before it disappeared.
• Then he laughed.
• "Why little brother, you are growing up. You almost scared me."
• He stood up and met me where I stood.
• "I can't wait to see what you do."