Chapter 9 The Interesting One

Ryder’s POV

The street outside the shop was quiet.

I stepped away from the building slowly, hands in the pockets of my jacket, my boots making soft thuds against the stone walkway. The evening air was warm, the lights from nearby shops casting long shadows along the street.

Behind me, the door to the dress shop closed.

Elara. Interesting girl. Very interesting.

I could still picture the way her eyes narrowed at me when I approached her outside her apartment. She was very suspicious of me. She guarded herself well. Like a wolf that had learned early not to trust anyone.

I liked that. A lot.

A soft whistle sounded from the alley to my right. I turned the corner casually. Ivan leaned against the brick wall with his arms crossed, while Darnell sat on a wooden crate nearby flipping a knife between his fingers.

They had been watching the entire time. Ivan raised an eyebrow. “Well?” he asked. “That took longer than expected.”

I smirked. “She’s interesting.”

Darnell snorted. “That girl? She barely said five words to you.”

I leaned against the wall across from them. “Exactly.” But she said enough to peak my interest. I don't know what it is about her.

Ivan’s eyes narrowed slightly. “You approached her on purpose.”

“Of course I did.” I said matter of factly.

Darnell stopped flipping the knife. “Why?”

I shrugged lazily. “Curiosity.” I said as my eyes flickered between the two.

Ivan wasn’t convinced. “You don’t do things out of curiosity.”

He knew me too well. I tilted my head slightly. “You see anything inside the shop?”

Darnell exchanged a look with Ivan. Then he nodded. “The dress rack.”

My smile widened. Good. He saw it too.

The rack moved,” Darnell continued. “Barely. But it moved.”

Ivan let out a slow breath. “So it wasn’t just us.”

“No,” I said quietly. “It wasn’t.” I kept watching both of their reactions closely.

Ivan pushed off the wall. “You think she’s a witch.”

I chuckled. “Careful. That word tends to scare people.” I shook my head then a full blown laugh came out.

Ivan didn’t laugh. “You think she’s a witch.” He whispers this time. His brows are scrunched together. He's serious. That's the funny part.

“Maybe.” I shrug my shoulders but I keep thinking about her. Her hazel eyes with a glint of gold. Her long brown hair that each her ass. I shake my head trying to clear my thoughts.

Darnell leaned forward, elbows on his knees. “And if she is?”

I stared down the street where Elara's apartment is. If she was a witch.  That complicated things. But complications could be useful. Especially when they belonged to someone the future kings were watching.

“Did you see the training field earlier?” I asked.

Ivan nodded. “The twins noticed her.” Darnell smirked. “Oh they definitely noticed her.”

I remembered the way the air had shifted earlier when Cassian and Atlas saw the warriors around her. Their power had bled out across the field. They were very upset when the group of warriors came over and talked to her.

I looked back at them. “They’re already watching her.”

Ivan frowned. “And?”

I shrugged again. “Well, I noticed her as well. If I get her before they do.” I left my comment laying up there in the air.

Darnell tilted his head. “You think she’s their mate?”

I laughed. “Relax. I doubt it. I just think they are interested. So I have to act first. I want her as my mate. She just might be. That maybe the reason I'm so intrigued.”

Even as I said it, a strange thought crossed my mind. What if she is my mate. That would definitely explain this feeling I have about her. The feeling I get when I see her. My wolf don't sense anything yet but that's normal.

Ivan’s voice cut through my thoughts.

“What. You want her man. You really think she may be your mate?"

“Maybe.” I shrug

Darnell slid the knife back into his belt. “So what now?”

I pushed off the wall. Now? Now things got fun. “I keep bumping into her. I get to know her. I don’t go away.”

I let the sentence hang for a moment.

Ivan’s expression darkened as he realized where I was going with this. 

Silenced set between us. Darnell let out a low whistle. “Damn.”

Ivan rubbed his jaw thoughtfully. “That could work.”

Of course it could. But first, We needed information. I turned toward the street. “Find out everything about her.”

Ivan raised an eyebrow. “Everything”

“Everything.” I said as a small gin creeped up one side of my mouth. 

Darnell grinned as well. “You want us digging tonight?”

I glanced back at them. "Oh Yes.” I said as a smile came up on my face.

Ivan crossed his arms again. “And what about the ball?”

Ah yes. The ball. The night the twins would turn eighteen. The night the entire kingdom would be gathered inside the palace. The perfect night for chaos. My smile slowly returned.

“We’ll be there.”

Darnell chuckled. “I figured.”

Ivan looked toward the palace towers in the distance. “You really think this is going to work?”

I stared in the same direction. The crown. The throne. Everything my father had spent years preparing me for.

“Of course it will.” Because we planned this for many years. I was raised for this. We have detailed plans and blueprints. We've got our weapons set and ready to go. But now there's just one thing

But first, we needed to learn more about the girl. Because something about Elara has peaked my interest. She wasn’t normal. 

And if my instincts were right,  she might be far more dangerous than anyone realized.

Which raised a very interesting question.

If the twins were already watching her. And now I was watching her. Who else might be watching too?