?Chapter 0544


    Eventually, though, we both gave in to our more mature impulses and separated so Nichs could get dressed. He slipped on his shorts, and then held up the shirt that had been our nket.


    It was almost certainly ruined: wrinkled and covered in sand, with a few mystery wet spots here and there. He rolled it up into a tight ball and held it in his hand.


    I lifted a brow at him.


    *I think I''d only generate more questions by wearing this as it is," he said.


    Yeah, he was probably right.


    Back home, the two of us returning from somewhere with him being shirtless would have people wondering, but here, we were surrounded by beach and ocean. Sunbathing could be a perfectly logical exnation for his state of dress - or rather, undress.


    No one should really think better of it.


    Julian would, of course, because he''d already suspected what was going to happen. Bridget might as well, especially now that she knew the truth of Nichs''s and my intimacy. But frankly, at this particr moment, I couldn''t be asked to care about what she thought.


    I didn''t want to bother thinking about her at all.


    Nichs kissed me again, then he pulled back with a sigh. "Let''s get going or I''ll keep you here forever."


    That threat was tempting, but... Well, at the very least, I needed to check in with Elva, make sure she was okay.


    I nodded, and we pulled apart. Side by side, we walked out of the alcove and around the beach. We went the opposite way from the deck where most likely everyone else had gathered. Near the front of the house, we passed the runway. There was a ne on it.


    Nichs reached out and touching my arm, stopped me.


    The front door of the house opened. Selma appeared, with Charlotte behind her. Three more servants,rger men, walked around Charlotte: one at either side of her and then one behind.Update first atN?velDráma. Org.


    "Charlotte!" I called. I pulled my arm from Nichs''s hold - which wasn''t overly difficult. He must have let me go. Then I rushed forward.


    Charlotte turned her head to look at me, even as the other servants kept her ever moving forward.


    Selma also noticed my approach. She barked orders to the others to keep going, then hurried to intercept me. "Remember the quarantine!" Selma said. She held out her arms, blocking my path. She was slighter than me, I could have likely overtaken her. But that didn''t seem appropriate. Even if I did, even if I fought all of them, Charlotte wouldn''t be allowed to stay. In that case, we''d both have to leave.


    But it hurt, losing one of the few allies I had here, especially when I had no idea what the King had nned for me next.


    Nichs quickly moved to my side. He didn''t touch me again, but he stood silently beside me in solidarity. I was thankful for his presence.


    Charlotte looked at me until she was loaded onto the ne and physically couldn''t see me anymore. With the ne loaded up, the closed the door, and then, a little whileter, the ne took off and eventually disappeared.Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.


    I stayed there, watching, for as long as I could. Nichs kept guard beside me.


    Selma watched also, standing on my other side now. She was the first to leave.


    After a time, Nichs and I started walking toward the house again. As soon as we went inside, we were


    approached by Nathan.


    *There you are," he said. I worried he might ask where we''d been, but he didn''t say a word about that. "Come out to the deck. We''re having a meeting."


    "About what?" Nichs asked. I was d he did. If I had asked, I would not have received an answer.


    Nathan looked between us both. "We''re holding one more event before we leave the ind."