A Malice Heart
Chapter Ten

The morning was surprisingly warm. Malice was only half-conscious as it took him a second to remember exactly where he was and what he was doing.

Oh, right. The deal. They were staying the night at the inn with the stupid heater that just didn’t stop making noise as he had attempted to fall asleep. He shifted closer to that bit of warmth that was before him, and it took him only a second to understand exactly what it was. In other words, exactly who it was.

The king’s eyes flew open instantly to replace a cloud of thick, red hair displayed right on his face and to see that his arm was flung around Drew’s waist as she lay soundly asleep in his arms, her small snoring mixing in with the sound of the heater.

Malice carefully peeled himself away from her, a cold wind immediately hitting him from the loss of contact. The assassin stirred in her sleep but didn’t open her eyes. Peering over, the king managed to see that a small puddle of drool had formed from her mouth and couldn’t help but allow a smirk at the sight.

The great assassin Drew that had attempted taking his life countless times drooled in her sleep.

Malice stretched his aching muscles, hearing his bones crack with every movement he made thanks to the oh-so-tough bed. From the looks of it, it was very early in the morning, which meant hot water, however, he was not willing to shower in it given the diseases it may hold.

He walked over to Drew’s side of the bed and squatted downwards, removing a strand of her hair that was stuck in her mouth. The piece of hair left with a long spit strand, not bringing too much of a reaction from the king as he tapped her shoulder twice. Three times.

The assassin simply turned her back to him, mumbling something.

“Drew,” he said sternly, standing up straight and leaning over her, tapping her shoulder another two times, “I believe we should be heading out by now.”

At the sound of his voice, her eyes instantly opened and her body shot upwards, looking around the room before looking up at the king, her eyes growing wide. She wiped at her mouth and looked back at her pillow to replace the puddle of drool, her face immediately turned red. Now that he had come to think of it, Malice had never seen Drew blush. Either from anger, embarrassment, or any other emotion that will trigger such a reaction from any human being. “Please tell me you didn’t see that.”

“My lips are sealed,” he replied, returning to his side of the bed and gathering up his weapons, counting them one by one to make sure none were stolen. “Unless you force me to use this upon you in further arguments.”

Drew stretched hard, her own back cracking with the effort. “You wouldn’t dare.”

Malice only chuckled in return, putting his clothes back on and sliding the knives into place.

The assassin only raised her brow, “No shower, Your Highness?”

“I’ll pass, darling,” Malice went up to the bathroom to replace a surprisingly clean mirror. He quickly washed his face with water and dried it with a nearby towel.

Get yourself together, Malice. You can get blood on your hands but not stand a day in dirty water?He took in a breath and turned back outside to replace Drew already dressed and ready, her hair braided. “I’ll just be in the bathroom.”

She slipped into the room quickly and locked the door.

Malice simply walked over to the heater and, to his own relief, closed it. A deathly silence fell over the room with the loud machine now turned off for good. He looked back to the bed where the two had slept, where he had awoken with his arm draped around Drew as if it were the most normal thing in the world. He remembered how in those few seconds, before he had realized what he was doing, Malice felt a hint of peace. A desire to stay like this just a little longer, a desire he couldn’t fully comprehend. What is it that his mind was trying to tell him? That it has grown feelings for the assassin even with her short temper and snooty self?

No, it couldn’t be that. The room was cold, the two shared a small bed and it was simply coincidental that he ended up waking up with Drew in his arms.

Malice let out a deep sigh, making a mental note in his head to think this thoroughly once he gets back to the palace. Besides, he was stuck with the girl for the rest of his life either way.

As they stepped outside of the small room, bags on their back and feeling like complete shit, the two quickly made their way down the stairs, birds already singing their morning tunes as the sun rose higher by the minute.

Families were getting out of their rooms at the same time as they did, little kids running around with buckets bigger than their own heads. Each one took their turn to fill the wooden barrel with the steaming, brown water that came from the faucet near the front desk, giggling with one another.

Malice frowned at the sight as Drew ran up to them, scolding, “Don’t run with the water like that unless you pray to look like burned chickens.”

The kids laughed at what she said, but they did indeed slow down and were more careful with their steps.

“Why ruin their fun?” Malice couldn’t help questioning from nearby, rubbing at his chin. A short stubble had already begun to grow there.

Drew only glared and shook her head in disappointment, “You know, sometimes I question why I even try. Why waste my time on someone who is a complete lost cause, you moron.”

The king only looked down at her, wanting to ask her ‘Why? Why do you keep trying when you see that none of this works? I am unable to feel what you feel yet you continue.’ He chose to simply stay silent once again, not wanting to hear the truth come from her.

Given his silence, the redhead walked off to the front desk so she could return the keys to the kind lady that he’d seen yesterday. Drew thanked her once again and motioned Malice to follow her out. The king came along, a frown still marking his face as the lady called out to him, “I’ve never seen you around here, mister.”

Drew froze in her spot as Malice turned to the plump lady, his eyes searching her own.

Right. She didn’t know he was her king.

He didn’t smile or introduce himself but merely said, “I’ve come from afar. This is my first time wandering around Alverdon Village.”

She smirked. “Well, not much to see here. Sweet Drew must have found you near one of the scabbards by the looks of it.”

Malice’s eyes darkened. “What exactly do you mean by that?”

Before the lady signed her own death wish, Drew stepped in, hugged Malice’s left arm, and laughed, “It’s only a joke, don’t take Caroline so seriously,” the lady—Caroline, looked like she was ready to object, but Drew continued, waving her off, “we’re already late. I’ll see you later, aye Carol?” Drew had already begun pulling Malice towards the doors of the inn.

“Aye,” she replied faintly, clearly confused, before continuing her work.