Jaguar and Aselia had arrived one day early from the masquerade ball. He wanted her to settle in and meet his parents before that. Knowing well that they would be thrilled, as recently their father has been pestering all his four sons to get married and settle down instead of floundering around.

Jaguar being the son of his second wife had a bit of a rift between him and his brothers, except Prince Casmian. Both of them always got along and Casmian trusted his stepbrother more than his brothers, who were more interested in expanding their careers and partying.

The royal palace had different wings, the main wing was for the king and his first queen, the east wing was the residence of three princes while the west wing was for the king’s second queen; Jaguar’s mother and his sister.

Jaguar had taken Aselia straight to the west wing. Aselia was lost in the beauty of the magnificent palace. An exterior of white and gold with marble and gold columns, arches, balustrades and pillars. An atmosphere of opulence and grandeur surrounded it. The interior was a breathtaking display of exquisite craftsmanship, adorned with intricate details and luxurious embellishments.

The grand foyer greeted her with its soaring ceilings, adorned with ornate chandeliers that cast a soft, warm glow down below. The walls were decorated in regal tapestries and exquisite paintings, Aselia was in awe. The artist in her couldn’t help but gawk at the artwork.

The palace’s private quarters were equally impressive, with chambers fit for royalty. Jaguar smiled at her expression as he led her to her room. A middle-aged maid appeared in her crisp white uniform and bowed.

"Welcome back! Prince Kamian," her eyes remained downcast.

"Lirsa! She is my guest, I want you to remain by her side and take care of all her needs," Jaguar instructed her and she nodded.

"Welcome to the Royal Palace, my lady. Let me know if you need help with anything," she respectfully stated.

"Thank you! I will," Aselia answered as Jaguar led her forward and Lirsa stayed outside.

The palace’s private quarters were equally impressive, with chambers fit for royalty. Jaguar opened the door to the bedroom and Aselia walked inside. It had a grand four-poster bed adorned with rich silk draperies and intricately carved headboards. The walls were covered in luxurious flowery wallpaper, and the room was bathed in soft, golden light from the delicate sconces.

"Wow! This is beautiful. Your home is breathtaking," Aselia had her mouth slightly open as she took in the beauty of the room.

Jaguar slightly smirked at her words, his chest puffing up, she was impressed.

"Not more beautiful than you are," he murmured in her ear, his hands wrapped around her waist and he tugged her closer to his body, her back touching his ripped chest.

He rested his nose in the crook of her neck, his hands covered hers and rested over her belly. Aselia could feel his breath over the rim of her neck, she wanted her body to react to his proximity but it didn’t. There were no goosebumps on her skin or butterflies in her stomach.

His lips lightly touched her neck and she squirmed out of his hold and turned around to face him with an apologetic glance at him.

"I should get freshen up," a tint of hurt flashed in his eyes but it was gone as quickly as it had come.

"Yes! I will send Lirsa. She will help you get changed and then we will have dinner with my parents and sister," he raked his hair in frustration and exited her door, slowly closing it behind her.

Lirsa helped Aselia get dressed in a sky-blue floor-length dress made up of chiffon and decorated with rhinestones. She excused Lirsa after that and braided her hair and adjusted them to hide her ears.

Aselia waited for Jaguar to come get her. A small knock on the door sounded and she opened it and there he stood in his princely attire, looking all dashing and handsome.

A crisp white dress shirt with intricate designs on his collar and tailored black pants, black cufflinks and black loafers completed his look.

His hands were clasped in front of him while his raven hair was combed backwards.

His eyes trailed her up and down and settled on her beautiful face and he warmly smiled at her before offering his arm to her. Aselia took it without hesitation.

"You are beautiful, Falcon."

"You are not bad yourself," she whispered with a mischief and he hid his amused smile. They made their way to the dining hall, passing through well-lit corridors, lined with sculptures and beautiful art. The dining hall was a sight to behold, with a long, polished table adorned with fine china, crystal glassware, and shimmering silver cutlery. Ornate chandeliers illuminated the room, casting a warm glow on the sumptuous feasts laid out on the table. The walls were adorned with intricate wood panelling and statues.

A young girl in her late teens, clad in an aquamarine silk gown was sitting on a chair on the left side of the table. She was busy on her phone, her raven-black hair had the same colour as Jaguar’s.

"Fari!" Jaguar softly called and her head jerked in his direction. Aselia let go of Jaguar. Her eyes went wide in astonishment as she leapt from her seat and launched herself into Jagaur’s awaiting arms. Aselia couldn’t help but smile.

"Brother, you are finally home. I have been missing you so much," she tightly hugged her brother and closed her eyes.

"That’s why I am here and I brought you a gift," there was this fondness in his voice as he took out a small green box from his pocket he held it to her as she let him go and jumped up and down while accepting it. She opened it to reveal a beautiful cyan heart-shaped pendant.

"Thank you! I love it," she happily leaned forward and kissed her brother’s cheek and her eyes landed on Aselia standing next to Jaguar.

"You are welcome! Fari, I would like you to meet Leia. She is my friend," Jaguar introduced them, his hand going around Aselia’s waist. Aselia smiled and extended her hand towards Fari.

Fari noticed her brother’s hand around the girl’s waist. Her lips tugged in return as a slightly cold smile descended on her face, she shook Aselia’s hand.

"Hello! Welcome to our palace," she said in a chilling tone.