Betrayed By The Hero, Loved By The Lord-Chapter 18: Teasing (1)

Agnes didn’t want to enter the next room Selene stumbled upon after seeing only a coffin inside. "There truly is a coffin he sleeps in. The lord is strange. Isn’t it only the pureblood elders who enter a deep slumber in coffins?"

"It is," Selene said, puzzled by what Xavier got out of resting here. "We shouldn’t trouble it and I am a little afraid of what I might find there. He was serious about going to sleep. No one rests this early unless they were forced to by the king and locked away."

Selene thought more about how alone Xavier might have been in his estate. He wanted to be entertained by her taking revenge and returning to the life she had before, but that was not enough.

"The town can be a terrible place at times but I should help him see its beauty. See why I am unable to leave but what could I do for him? He is a strange man," Selene agreed with Agnes. What could she do for a man who had everything and had strange habits?

Selene had plenty of time to spare to keep Xavier company so he would not become bored and want to rest so early.

Selene looked away from the room after hearing the light footsteps of the butler.

"Lady Valor, I’m afraid this room is off-limits to guests," said Harold Goodwin, the butler. "Only myself and the lord enter here. He does not like anyone else inside."

Selene stepped back so Harold could close the door. "I am sorry. I did not know we shouldn’t enter. I will remember it for the future."

"It is fine. As his future wife, perhaps he will allow you to enter. The lord comes here when he wishes to be alone and I wake him only when he needs a drink. The coffin is sometimes an upsetting sight to many," said Harold.

"I would love to get rid of it," Selene said her thoughts out loud. "That was wrong of me. I do not want to see him lying in it so I will avoid the room."

Selene didn’t know what to make of Harold since his face remained stoic. There wasn’t a smile or a frown to tell her when she did something he liked or didn’t like.

"The head maid is currently pulling together her best maids for you to pick who will serve you and I have been instructed to get what you will need for now. Be it something from around the estate or from the market, I will do my best to serve you," Harold promised.

"Thank you. How long have you been with Lord Blackthorn?" Selene asked.

"For ten years now. My family are loyal servants to the Blackthorns so my brother serves the lord’s father."

"I see. Agnes will do for now as my maid and if needed, I will see who the head maid has picked. Please pass on the message to her. Do you know what he likes to do in his spare time?" Selene asked, trying to learn more about Xavier.

"There is a dungeon below us. He deals with intruders and the prisoners he still has in his hold. The lord mostly rests," Harold answered.

"Prisoners?" Selene muttered.

Again she was puzzled by the fact she didn’t see any guards walking around yet Xavier was able to catch intruders. freēwēbnovel.com

"I do not see any guards. Are they around at certain hours?" Selene asked, hopeful she would get an answer.

"The guards are there, Milady," Harold replied, confident the guards were where they should be. They wouldn’t want to upset Xavier.

"I might not come from a strong line like Lord Blackthorn but I am still a pureblood with wonderful sight. I have seen guards only the night when I arrived but not since then. Not even when I stood by a window in the direction of a gate. I would rather hear the truth than be on a wild chase," Selene said, but she knew she wouldn’t get the answer from Harold.

Selene sighed. It was best not to think about it. Being a Blackthorn, Selene had to guess that there were strange things in this world Xavier had access to and she simply could not know about it.

"I will retire to my room for a moment," she said, deciding to end her tour.

"The guards are there but they go out of their way not to be noticed. It is why many are so comfortable trying to sneak onto his land. Should I have them gather to greet you? It would take his order to do it," Harold said, trying to do what he could to please her.

"It is fine. I will try to spot them by myself since I am always hearing they are around. When the lord returns, I want to see him. Please inform him," Selene said and then started to walk toward her bedroom, but she stopped after sensing another presence. "How?"

"I’m disappointed you didn’t miss me and send someone to have me return," Xavier said from where he stood behind Selene. "Leave us."

Harold led Agnes away so she could finally meet the other maids.

Selene turned around to face Xavier. ’You are light on your feet. It is like you appeared out of thin air."

"Yet you managed to notice me faster than others. Enjoying yourself?"

"I was. I didn’t know the room with your coffin was off-limits. I won’t enter it again," Selene said since she knew the butler was going to mention it.

"Why not? I have already offered to make space for you inside it," said Xavier.

"I must decline again and I do not want to see you lying there. I think of my parents when I see a coffin, not of my elders resting. Must you lay there when you are bored?" Selene asked, still trying to think of something else he could do.

The corners of Xavier’s lips curled into a smile. "Well, if there was somewhere more comfortable for me to rest then I could give up the coffin until I am ready for a long slumber. We should go to our bedroom."

"Why?" Selene asked, turning as Xavier walked around her so he would not lose sight of him.

"It is better to talk there than here unless you want to go inside the room with the coffin. I am more than willing to speak there," Xavier said.

"The bedroom is better. It is more private for us to speak. Did your talk with the king go well?" Selene questioned, anxious about the result.

"He will personally see to it that your divorce goes well. I have not mentioned marriage for us since I do not trust the king. He gave Gabriel the advice to work his way up in the palace where he can have the power to make your life miserable. It will be fun to see their reactions that you will be my wife," Xavier said, looking forward to the announcement.

"That advice must be why he suddenly informed me that I can have you. One day you must tell me what you see in him," Xavier said, doubting that Selene’s eyes were as wonderful as she claimed.

"Why does it matter? He is now my past. What I thought before does not matter now," Selene replied.

"It certainly does. What if you come to love me? We are two different men so what would we have in common that you might love?" Xavier wondered.

"Nothing. You are different as you say so I won’t compare you to Gabriel or be wary that you will make his mistakes. I will trust you and I will not bother you by falling in love. It will save us both the trouble," Selene said, her heart in need of a break.

"And if I want to be bothered?" Xavier asked, merely to get her reaction. "What will you do then?"