A moment of silence pursued Zahra's soft outburst of questions. She watched Adrian closely but he composed a mask to cover his face that did not reveal the emotions he felt inside.

Why did he even care in the first place?

More questions of doubt and uncertainty sprung up in Adrian's mind - ones he wished he could answer. But he pushed them aside, letting a calm smile fall onto his lips which widened at the idea of teasing her.

"Don't you get your hopes up on a chivalrous Knight falling for you, my dear," he said, the grin widening at the murderous expression that crossed her face. "I'm sure that's every girl's fantasy - to have me be their sweetheart."

A redness rose up in Zahra's cheeks, matching the deep scarlet of her hair as she glared up at Adrian who still had that cocky grin on his face.

"Oh please. If anyone's in love with you here, that would be yourself. You're the worst narcist I've ever met."

She stormed ahead of him, trying to keep up with Adrian's swift pace. He laughed, raising his arms up on either side of him. "I'm only being honest - you know I'm irresistible."

The pain that shot through his shoulder made him cringe slightly. Adrian muttered something incomprehensible under his breath as he stopped the walk, adjusting the bandage. Zahra bit down on her lower lip and a look of guilt crossed her face but just when Adrian was about to meet her gaze, she covered it with a grin.

"Feels blissful, doesn't it?" She scoffed, gesturing at his wound.

Adrian answered with a wry smile, saying, "Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned."

Zahra laughed, the sound soft and airy. Adrian felt his heart thud unevenly against his chest but looked away the moment she turned to face him, instead pretending to tend to his wound.

"You know your facts." She grinned at him, oblivious to the whole purpose of the sudden conversation.

Adrian had easily managed to turn the spotlight away from the big question: why did he even care? Though he had successfully distracted Zahra from having that thought, it still loomed dangerously in his mind, warning him that maybe he was making a mistake over caring about her.

Was he?

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Author guidance for This story

A CLOSED COLLAB BETWEEN TRISH AND CASSANDRAMORROW

Trish and I have dedicated this story to myimmortal220, a.k.a. Brandon. Thanks for being a great collaborating buddy! :)

You may have read A Midnight Reverie by Trish. You may have read Deathly Secrets by cassandramorrow. If you have, then you have (no doubt) fallen in love with Trish's Adrian and cassandramorrow's Alexander.

This is their story. Placed in a different world, the two must compete for the love of one woman: Zahra Naveena. Yet boundaries set in stone by their kingdom's society threaten to make love impossible not just for one, but for all.

"Rules define our world. That means we have to play by them. And breaking them would lead us all straight to hell." - Adrian Richards

Note: Even though the story contains characters from other books, you don't have to have read the other works in order to enjoy this story!

ZAHRA "SARA" NAVEENA
Age: 18
Appearance: Flaming red hair, olive-tone complexion, extremely slender, very short in stature (5'2"), freckles, brilliant brown eyes
Personality: Hates men (and isn't afraid to say so), cocky around the male species, strong and overconfident, protective, hides sensitivity with sarcasm
Class: Outcast

ADRIAN RICHARDS
Age: 21
Appearance: dark and silky brown hair, enticing emerald eyes. Tall (stands at about 6'2") and has a lean build.
Personality: a little bit of a flirt and a tease but is very gallant. Friendly and sociable and is quite an introvert. Would do anything for his friends and family (sacrificial) and wants the best for his kingdom (true to his job).
Class: Soon-to-be Knight


ALEXANDER HALE
Age: 23
Appearance: Very dark brown, wavy hair; stormy, troubled grey eyes; tall (6 feet exactly), lean
Personality: Dark, enigmatic, aloof (though very personable when he's with Adrian), has commitment issues when it comes to women which gives him a rather roguish reputation, extremely protective
Class: Prince whose kingdom holds him in disgrace

updated Apr 18 by cassandramorrow