The King's Lover
Chapter 251: Lustful Lunatic

Chapter 251: Lustful Lunatic

Rose got ready earlier than she needed to, eating only a little of her dinner because she was too anxious to eat—but more importantly, because she wanted to get ready well ahead of time.

The best time to check for maps or anything that would help her get away from the crown prince would be before he came to the room. If she left earlier than normal, she would have even more time to search the crown prince’s bedchambers.

After she was all dressed, Rose made her way there. She didn’t miss the stares the guards gave her, but she was here on a mission. Their stares hadn’t bothered her before; they didn’t bother her now. She was more concerned that they would stop her from entering, but they didn’t turn her away as she had suspected.

When the door closed behind her and she knew no one else was in the room but her, Rose headed for the shelves filled with books. She didn’t know what she was looking for, but she scanned through them, going through rolled papers, books, and documents.

Words, words, and more words. Nothing made sense to her, and the more she scanned through pages, the dizzier she got. One thing was certain though—nothing looked like a map.

Rose had to work carefully, which took more time. The crown prince didn’t knock when he entered the room, which meant she only had a very short time from the moment she heard the sound of the door opening.

As soon as she was done with a book, Rose was quick to return it. She even went through the drawers but came up with nothing. She searched, looking to the door every time.

When the doors opened, Rose was exhausted from going all over the room—through shelves, drawers; she would have checked the wardrobes and under the bed if it would help—but it didn’t take her long to figure out that what she was looking for wasn’t in here.

She stood with her arms around herself, hoping she didn’t give anything away. She glanced back, but nothing seemed out of place—she had made sure of that.

Mister Henry walked in first, and Caius wasn’t too far behind him. Rose’s jaw tightened as her gaze rested on him. He caught her gaze immediately, and it felt like time slowed.

The crown prince was dressed casually—a coat over his tunic, breeches, and high boots. He was missing the gold band, but Rose knew he didn’t wear it unless there was an occasion.

He moved a hand to his beard, and the corner of his lips lifted. Rose realized she was staring.

"Your Majesty," she said with a curtsey, locking her eyes to the floor.

She’d rather be elsewhere, but Rose didn’t want him to know anything was amiss. She didn’t want to upset her plan before she even had the chance to execute it.

"Henry," Caius called, interrupting the steward’s words. "You’re dismissed." He handed his coat to the older man <a href="https://.com">.com

Henry didn’t even look shocked as he accepted the coat. He just glanced at Rose and nodded his head. He bowed and quietly left the room.

Rose stood to her full height, clutching her dress, but she didn’t lift her head to look at the crown prince. She heard his footsteps and could feel him come closer.

She closed her eyes so tightly her lids started to hurt. He stopped in front of her, not saying a word still. Rose got even more anxious—she didn’t think she had done something wrong, but why was there this overwhelming feeling to apologize?

Unable to take the suspense anymore, Rose lifted her gaze and was met with Caius’s intense stare. She was so startled she almost lost her footing, but Caius grabbed her waist and pulled her to himself.

Rose placed her palms on his chest, more for support than anything else—but it might have looked like she was trying to push him away. The way his eyes darkened made her realize he had misunderstood.

Rose wanted to rectify this, but it immediately occurred to her that his actions didn’t make any sense. She was the one who wasn’t allowed to see her sick mother—why was he the one acting terribly offended?

Rose tried to take a step back, but she couldn’t—not with the crown prince’s tight grip on her waist. It was also unsettling how he still hadn’t spoken to her.

He pressed her closer to his body, and Rose couldn’t help the jolt of horror she felt. How was he already hard? He had the look of someone who could kill, but he was still just a lustful lunatic.

It was truly all she was here for—to satisfy his never-ending lust. She knew that, but it was still very depressing to have clear proof. The crown prince saw her as nothing more than that.

His other hand gripped the back of her head, and he kissed her, crushing her arms between them. It was the same oppressive kiss—the one that left her out of breath. Not just that, but it made her feel like her lungs had been pulled out of her chest.

Rose struggled against him when her lungs could no longer handle the lack of air. When he finally broke the kiss, Rose took a deep breath, her face flushed. It almost felt like she was breathing for the first time.

Caius moved his lips to the side of her neck and kissed her hard. Rose squirmed at the sensation. She hated how her body was already reacting, as though anticipating what was happening next.

Suddenly, she was lifted and tossed onto the bed. Rose bounced, the pillow supporting her head. She didn’t even get the chance to get her bearings before she heard the sound of the crown prince unbuckling his belt.

Rose’s vision blurred. She suddenly felt queasy.

"Your Majesty," Rose called.

Caius blinked, as though snapping out of some trance. He gritted his teeth and hovered over her. He kissed her again, and Rose felt the queasiness start to fade.