Chapter 87: To Continue

The two maids bowed respectfully the moment Basil opened the door before pushing the cart, laden with covered dishes, into the room with practiced grace, keeping their eyes strictly averted from the flushed prince before them.

Basil stepped back to give them clearance, his hand resting on the edge of the doorframe, his heart still hammering against his ribs as he forced his expression to remain impassive, but the heat burning across his cheeks made it an impossible task. He still couldn’t believe what had happened. The memory of Darius’s lips on his own lingered with humiliating clarity, making his pulse race all over again.

The two maids moved with quiet, terrifying efficiency. The moment they entered, their eyes flickered briefly toward Darius, who remained seated on the bed, before immediately lowering them respectfully again. Neither woman allowed the slightest reaction to show on her face as they began arranging the meal. Covered silver platters, crystal glasses, polished cutlery, and fresh linen napkins were laid out across the small dining table near the window, their movements synchronized and silent as though they had practiced the routine a thousand times.

The tension hanging in the air was not entirely lost on the women and neither of them dared look directly at either prince for longer than necessary, yet they could feel it. Something had happened between them. The atmosphere felt strange, charged in a way neither could quite explain.

Did they have a fight?

The thought lingered in both their minds.

But that made no sense. Things had been going remarkably well between the two princes ever since Prince Darius woke up from his month-long coma. Prince Basil had been nothing like his usual haughty self, constantly indulging Prince Darius, checking on him, and catering to his every need.

So what exactly could have happened?

Neither woman could dare voice her thoughts. Instead, they continued their work in complete silence until the table was perfectly arranged. Once satisfied, they stepped neatly aside and folded their hands before them, waiting for further instructions.

Across the room, Darius watched Basil carefully.

Basil was looking everywhere except at him, and it was painfully obvious he was starting to retreat into his own head, perhaps already regretting how far they had gone. Darius refused to let that happen. If he allowed Basil to wallow in guilt, embarrassment, uncertainty, and self-doubt, he might actually lose him for good this time.

Not after getting this far. Not after finally getting a taste of those soft, addictive lips.

He wouldn’t let him pull away now.

"Leave us," Darius commanded, his tone sharp. "If there is nothing else, you are dismissed."

Both the maids and Basil looked at him in surprise. This was completely against protocol.

Palace attendants were expected to remain nearby while members of the royal family ate so they could immediately address any request. Once the meal was finished, they were responsible for clearing everything away without delay. Basil stared at Darius in confusion.

What exactly was he thinking?

"B-But, Your Highness," one of the maids hesitantly spoke up, keeping her eyes lowered. "We are required to remain on standby until you have finished your meal."

Darius’s expression hardened, and the warmth that had lingered on his face moments ago vanished beneath the cold authority of a royal prince. "Do not make me repeat myself," he said flatly. "Get out of my sight. You will be called when we are done."

The two maids visibly stiffened, bowing hastily before shuffling out of the suite in a flurry of hushed anxiety. The distinct click of the latch echoed through the room, officially sealing the two princes back into their private world.

Basil released a long, shaky breath and leaned his head against the solid wood of the door, closing his eyes briefly. His heart had barely settled from the chaos of the past hour, and now he was trapped in the same room with the source of every frantic thought currently assaulting his mind. "What do you think you’re doing?" Basil demanded, finally opening his eyes. He turned away from the door and fixed Darius with a disapproving look. "You shouldn’t have dismissed them like that. It is their duty to remain until the meal is finished. What if we needed something from them?" He shook his head, running a hand over his face as he walked toward the small dining table, trying to focus on the silver dishes rather than the lingering heat in his chest.

"Come here," Darius said calmly.

Basil stopped mid-step. He turned slowly with a deep frown. "What?"

Darius’s blue eyes darkened as he locked them onto him, unyielding and intense.

"I said come over here."

A strange, sudden shiver ran down Basil’s spine at the sharp, commanding edge in Darius’s tone. An undeniable urge to simply obey surged through him, but his defensive nature refused to crumble so easily. He squared his shoulders, staying firmly where he stood. "Why?" Basil demanded, his voice tightening. "I hope you aren’t planning to continue whatever that was, Darius. What we just did... it was a mistake. Some kind of madness. We let the moment get to us, and we need to talk about this before—"

"Stop it, Basil," Darius cut in smoothly, his voice dropping into a dangerous, darker register. "Just come here. You honestly think I’m going to let you escape like this after finally getting to taste those lips of yours? That isn’t going to happen. Come here right now. We are continuing from where we were interrupted."

Basil stared at him, disbelief clashing with the sudden rise of his own racing heart.

How could he say things like that so casually?

How could he look completely unaffected while Basil felt as though his entire world had been flipped upside down?

"Darius, you are going to regret this if we keep pushing boundaries. We need to think about—"

"Come here," Darius interrupted again, his posture shifting as he gripped the edge of the mattress. "Don’t make me repeat myself, Basil. Or would you rather I strain my weak legs and walk over there myself?" The words struck exactly where he knew they would.

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