Mistake

Rosalind's POV

This was the last time I would accept the invitation of a prince because of how handsome he looked.

Not that princes were lining up to invite me anywhere.

"My prince, please have mercy." I bowed so that my forehead was flat on the ground. "I would never… I would never… I only came here because of your invitation. I came here for a honest job and I–"

I squealed as the prince pulled me up by my arm so that I was on my feet and our gazes locked.

His beautiful hazel eyes, so warm a day ago, looked so dark and wicked now. Almost like he had become a different person since then.

I bowed my head immediately. How could I stare into the eyes of a prince so brazenly? Especially when he was so angry at me.

He pulled me closer to himself, making a gasp escape my throat.

"What happened? Why are you acting so innocent? It is what you were sent here for right? To seduce me for information. Or to seduce me in order to get a possible successor to use to threaten my claim to the throne?"

I struggled to breathe against his hold. It felt nothing like how it had felt with Ronny. Maybe because for starters I was intensely attracted to the prince.

His body felt cold and hard against mine yet his hand felt like a hot branding mark that scorched me.

"My prince, I…"

His hand left my arm and drifted down to my waist and lower to my ass cupping it and pulling me closer to him and his lips dropped to my nape.

I shivered my legs going weak beneath me as my breath came fast. So fast that I felt dizzy and I couldn't pull away. I didn't pull away.

"You took your time to dress up like you were a peasant…you didn't have to. All you needed to do if you so badly wanted to fuck me was show up naked."

That easily the spell was broken. This wasn't the man who had offered me his jacket and protected me from scorn. This wasn't the man who had asked me not to leave so sweetly and told me to come whenever for a job.

No. Or perhaps it was the man I had met who never existed to start with. Maybe it was a persona of warmth he donned to impress the people.

I pushed him away with all my strength and he budged barely a step backwards but his hand dropped from my body at least.

The dark amusement in his eyes died. "Guards!"

My heart leapt to my throat as he called out.

"Guards!"

Two guards entered the hall quickly and bowed to the prince. "Prince Killian, how may we be of service?"

"Take this thing to the executioners and tighten the security to my quarters." He eyed me with disgust. "Desperate wenches like this should be unable to gain entry."

Executioner? I hadn't even touched the tapestry. I hadn't broken anything or even looked at him badly. How could he execute me for coming for a job he had offered me? Even begged me to take it.

"My prince please if I have done something to offend you, I apologise. Please don't send me to the gallows!"

What would happen to Bast if I died here? He would sit at home hopefully waiting for my return with the remnants of the loaf of bread I had gotten him and no money to feed himself much less buy pain meds. He would die. Slowly and miserably.

The guards didn't particularly care as they gripped my arms and began to drag me out of the room while the prince watched on dispassionately.

"My prince! My prince!" I struggled with each step. I couldn't make Bast an orphan for the second time.

The doors suddenly slammed open and the prince walked in.

"Stop this instant!"

Wait what?

I looked at the prince in front of me. He wore royal blue and white in contrast to the other prince behind me in black with gold accents.

They had the exact same face. The same hazel eyes, the same perfectly sculpted face, the same dark hair. It was like someone had made a clone of himself.

What sort of sorcery was this?

I knew about the princes. Everyone did. Twins separated at birth and raised by the sister of the late king and the sister of the late queen respectively but nothing in the rumours had ever said anything about them being identical.

So identical they looked like the same person.

So identical I could have easily mistaken one for the other.

"Cillian, what brings you to my den of debauchery?" The first prince - what had the guards called him - Killian smiled. His smile didn't look playful in any way.

"I was told my guest lost her way." He looked at the guards holding me and they let go immediately excusing themselves from the room.

How had he known to come– I caught a glance of Sam as he joined the guards leaving.

He must have gone to confirm if I had been meeting with the right prince. He had probably saved my life.

Bast, I'm coming home. At this point I nolomge4 gave a damn about the stupid job. I just wanted to leave with my life intact.

"Your guest?" Prince Killian's eyes moved to me and his gaze sharpened. "That is your guest?"

He looked disbelieving.

Prince Cillian moved to stand beside me and glared at his brother.

"Yes, mine."

The way he said mine made me shiver. But it only seems to add to Killian's fury.

"So that was the important issue that made you miss the meeting yesterday?!"

Important issue? I slid a look at Prince Cillian. He thought I was important enough to miss a meeting for? I didn't know how to feel about that. I didn't know how to feel. Period.

But I took a small imperceptible step to move closer to him. His brother seemed so volatile that I was still in shock that they were twins.

How could two people look so alike but have such differing personalities?

Prince Killian scoffed at my movement towards Prince Cillian.

Prince Cillian looked back at me with an apology in his eyes before looking back at his brother.

"I'll have you know I was visiting the districts. I saw someone in need and decided to help. But you wouldn't be able to understand." He outstretched his hand for me to take. "Rosalind, come let's go."

I was about to when Prince Killian spoke again, his harsh voice a sharp contrast to his brother's soothing one.

"You realize you are making a mistake? You can't draw a snake close and expect it not to bite. People like her only want one thing. Easy wealth."

Prince Killian's gaze moved back to me and stayed. It felt like I was on fire until he doused me with cold water with his next words.

"Honestly, you should thank me for thinking of executing her."

Prince Cillian looked very angry and twisted his hands into fists. "Killian!" He took a threatening step towards his brother while I watched with wide eyes. "No one will touch Rosalind. Not even you. If they do, then I will not spare them."

Prince Killian moved towards him and glared at him. "You would fight me your brother for this commoner?"

Even I wanted to ask the same question. Since I met Prince Cillian he was always defending me and standing up for me but would he also do that with his brother? Was I that important to him or was his relationship with his brother just that terrible?

I suspected it was a bit of both which Prince Cillian confirmed with his next words.

"Brother? When was the last time you considered me that truthfully?" He sounded hurt like the admission had cut him deep.

"I don't even care anymore. You aren't worth this. Go back to whatever you do in your free time."

He moved to take my hand again but Prince Killian wasn't having it. No one could be happy on his watch.

"You do know she is mostly just a whore sent by the council members to get inside your head but no you don't ever think do you?"

"Did you just call Rosalind a whore? Apologise this instant."

All traces of calmness had fled Prince Cillian's eyes.

"And if I don't?" Prince Killian smirked, obviously waiting for his brother's reaction.

Prince Cillain raised his hand to hit his brother. It felt like it was happening in slow motion. I couldn't allow him to do that for my sake. Besides, it was what Prince Killian wanted. I couldn't let him fall for that.

I caught his hand and squeezed it gently.

He inhaled sharply and looked at our hands twined together. His angry demeanour vanished and he squeezed my hand back.

Then we turned away from that twisted angry prince.

"You are making a mistake brother. You just wait and watch."

But we were already out of his hall even as a shiver went down my spine.

That had felt like an ominous promise to me specifically for some reason.