The Time I Tripped into a Curse and got two Mates

Chapter 36

His commentary kept the mood light and teasing as we continued through the castle. Each time I asked a question about history or art, Malcolm found a way to make a joke or turn it into some playful banter. At one point, he led me to a room filled with old weapons mounted on the walls.

“This is where I used to play with my brother,” he said. “We’d pretend that we were legendary warriors who defended the kingdom from invading forces. Father would constantly catch us with these relics and chase us away. No matter how much we got in trouble for it, we kept coming back here. But as soon as we started training for real, we stopped coming here to play.”

He looked around the room with nostalgia heavy in his eyes. I could see the memories playing back in his mind, and I saw warmth there.

“You miss it, don’t you?” I asked softly. “Playing with Ivan?”

He looked at me and sighed deeply. “I miss how easy things were then. We didn’t care about anything except the snacks we were going to sneak or the games we would play. Now, we have different roles that keep us apart a lot of the time.”

“Different roles?” I questioned, “But you’re both princes. I’d imagine your roles would be the same, or at least, similar.”

He laughed humorlessly at my comment. “You’d think, but no. Ivan’s role lies more in the military side of things and mine is more political, or social.”

“That actually makes perfect sense.” I said as I considered his words. “Are you not a fighter at all then?”

“No, I’m a fair fighter, but he’s better at it. But I’m better with people.” He said casually.

“I have to agree with that,” I said. “You are definitely smoother with your words. I can’t even imagine how often your words have…swayed others.” My face turned red as I thought about my own words. I wanted to say “seduce others,” but for some reason, I didn’t want confirmation on how he used his charm on others.

He watched me for a moment as he saw the obvious redness of my cheeks. He touched my cheek with a gentle hand and I leaned into it as I nuzzled his palm. My actions surprised me, but I just wanted to feel…more of him. He smiled softly and motioned for me to follow him again.

“I want to show you something else,” he said. His tone was more sincere this time and I felt a flutter of curiosity.

Malcolm led me to a narrow set of stairs at the end of the castle. They descended into an old path that was overgrown with moss and other plants. The trees overhead were thick and covered us with dappled sunlight as we walked. After about 15 minutes, we arrived at a clearing that had a small pond and beautiful willow trees that gave amazing shade.

The space was small but beautiful. There was a set of old ruins of a building I couldn’t even guess as to what it was. Along the walls of the toppled structure hung flowering vines that I could smell from the entrance. The air smelled sweet, and everything felt calm, like this place was a place out of time.

“This is my favorite place,” Malcolm said, his voice softer now. “It’s where I go when I need to get away from everything. My siblings don’t even know about it.”

I looked around and was touched by the peaceful atmosphere and the fact that he was sharing this with me. “It’s beautiful,” I said as I sat down on a block of stone from the old building. Malcolm sat close enough beside me that our shoulders brushed, which made me feel an intense wave of desire.

“I thought you’d like it.” He said as he turned to face me. “I’m really glad you’re here, Evelette.”

For a moment, we looked into each other’s eyes. The world seemed to stand still, and the air between us was thick with unspoken words. My heart thudded in my chest, and I had to remind myself to breathe.

“I’m glad too,” I whispered as I felt the weight of his gaze.

He reached out to gently brush away a stray lock of hair behind my ear, and his fingers lingered near my cheek. Heat rose as I continued to look into his eyes. There was something about the way he looked at me that made my heart race.

“Can I kiss you?” I asked breathlessly.

I heard him suck in a breath, as if my words caught him off guard. His eyes flicked down to my lips, and the longing there was unmistakable. For someone so confident, so quick with his charming and suggestive words, the prospect of actually kissing me seemed to paralyze him. His breath hitched again, and I could feel the tension in the air between us become thick with anticipation. He didn’t move for a moment. Then, with a soft, almost shy nod, he leaned in slowly.

When our lips finally met, the connection was gentle, almost feather-light, yet it ignited a spark deep within me. His lips were soft, and though the kiss was tender, I could feel a trembling in him, like he was holding back or unsure of himself. His hesitation only made the moment more electric and intimate. Then he cautiously raised his hand to trace a slow line along my jaw, and a shiver shot right down my spine as his touch sent waves of heat tingling through my body.

I found myself leaning into him as I craved more. I instinctively scooted closer to deepen the kiss. His breath came faster, more erratic, like he was struggling to contain the emotions that were building between us. I felt his chest rise and fall against mine, and when his other hand found its way to the small of my back, pulling me closer, I couldn’t stop the soft gasp that escaped my lips. His touch was still cautious, but there was an apparent need behind it, a desire that made my heart race.

I broke away from his lips to trail soft kisses down his jawline and neck. His skin was hot beneath my lips and his scent was intoxicating. He drew in a sharp intake of breath when I pressed my lips to the soft, sensitive spot under his ear. Then I heard him release a low, shaky moan that increased in volume when I nibbled the area. His body stiffened for a second before he relaxed into the sensation as he leaned back to give me better access. His hands gripped me tighter, but there was a vulnerability in the way he responded, as though he wasn’t used to being touched like this.

I smirked against his skin as I enjoyed the effect I was having on him, so I continued to lavish attention on that special sensitive spot under his ear. But just as I started to tease him more fervently, I felt him lose his balance. In an instant, he tipped backward, his body giving way, and before I knew it, we tumbled to the grass behind the block of stone we had been sitting on. I landed on top of him in an ungraceful heap.

For a moment, I was too stunned to do anything. The moment had shifted so quickly, from heated to comical, that I couldn’t help it. Laughter bubbled up inside me and spilled out in uncontrollable fits. I propped myself up on my elbows, hovering over him now, as my body continued to shake with laughter. He was lying flat on his back as he stared up at me with shocked eyes. He was completely thrown off guard.

His mouth opened and closed a few times, as if trying to find the words, but nothing came out. He looked like he couldn’t decide whether to be embarrassed or amused by what had just happened.

“What’s wrong?” I asked between bursts of laughter. “It’s funny! This is funny.”

For a split second, he just stared at me incredulously. Then, the realization seemed to hit him all at once, and he shook his head with a smile that slowly stretched into a full grin. A deep, infectious laugh erupted from him that echoed throughout the private clearing. Our laughter mingled with the rustling leaves and the soft chirps of the birds nearby.

Malcolm sat up, still chucking as he brushed a stray leaf from my hair. “Wow, you really knocked me off my feet, huh?”

I rolled my eyes at the cheesy comment, and I couldn’t stop laughing. “No, this was all you. Did you forget we were sitting on a small stone? Smooth, Malcolm, real smooth.”

He grinned, his expression playful and warm, and for a moment, we just sat there in the ruins as we stared at each other. The earlier tension melted away and was replaced by something lighter, more comfortable. I somehow felt closer to him now, more connected as we had just shared something intimate, yet fun. It was a moment I knew I would remember. It was the perfect blend of passion and humor.

I rolled off of him and stood up as I offered him my hand to help him stand. “Come on,” I said as I shook my head fondly. “We should probably try kissing again when we are on a more…stable surface. Less chance of falling over, you see.”

Malcolm took my hand and got to his feet. His eyes still gleamed with that boyish charm. “You know, I’d take my chance on any surface,” he replied with a wink, “if it means more of that.”

I felt my cheeks heat again, but this time I whole-heartedly welcomed it. Maybe falling wasn’t so bad after all.