Fated Eclipse: The Illegitimate Princess And Her Alpha Suitors

Chapter 285: The Goblin Sister

Lyria’s POV

I wondered why he had that expression on his face. It felt to me as if there was more than he was willing to speak about.

”Your G-grace,” I said carefully, ”is there p-perhaps an issue with y-your sister?”

Duke Valenridge made a face, his expression shifting into something that was almost comical. His nose wrinkled slightly, and his eyes took on a look of exaggerated horror.

”There is no issue with the goblin,” he said. ”There would sooner be issues with the world than there are with my sister.”

I blinked.

”The g-goblin?” I repeated, sure I had misheard him.

”Yes, the goblin. She’s as ugly as one, and she is a menace—so much so that my niece is also a menace now,” he said to me.

”That is q-quite the statement,” I told him.

”I speak the truth,” he said to me.

Perhaps if I had not realised how much affection he used when speaking about his sister, I would have thought that perhaps he did not like her.

I stared at him for a moment. I could not place it, neither did I understand the reason why, but there was something about the way he had spoken that did not sit right with me, and that was what compelled me to speak again.

”Is she s-sick, t-then?” I asked.

He laughed.

It was a genuine laugh, warm and full, the kind that came from somewhere deep inside him.

”My sister is a goblin, Curious Wolf,” he said. ”She would outlive my entire family. She could outlive my niece too, if she had to. She is the kind of woman who survives everything and everyone. She is stubborn, infuriating, and utterly indestructible. She hardly gets sick too.”

I chuckled, but I could not shake the feeling that there was more beneath his words. The sadness was still there, hidden behind the humour, a quiet ache that he did not seem to want to acknowledge.

I chose not to say anything more, though.

I remained quiet, letting the silence settle between us, the weight of unspoken words hanging in the air.

And then there was a sound from the training grounds below.

Pippa and Debbie immediately rushed to the window again, their excitement barely contained. Their footsteps were quick and light against the polished floor, their eyes wide with barely suppressed glee. Margery followed, her steps more measured, and even Brayden glanced toward the window, though he did not leave his post.

Elara was the only one who remained where she was.

Duke Valenridge used the moment to lean closer.

”Are you really all right, though?” he asked, his voice low and serious. ”And I’m not speaking about your injury this time, Curious Wolf.”

I looked at him.

I saw genuine care in his eyes. It was not the casual concern of a passing acquaintance, but something deeper, something that spoke of a real investment in my well-being.

For someone I had only known for a few weeks... it was quite shocking how much he seemed to care.

”I am r-really okay,” I said with a small smile. ”And I am g-grateful that you asked.”

He studied me for a moment, his pale green eyes searching my face. Then he nodded, seeming satisfied with whatever he had found.

He reached for the book on the table.

”What are you doing with this?” he asked, turning it over in his hands.

I hesitated for only a moment before answering.

”Baron R-redwick is t-teaching me,” I said.

For some reason, I did not hide it from him. I simply told him the truth.

He raised an eyebrow.

”You chose the most brilliant person in the kingdom to be your tutor,” he said. ”That is quite daring of you. Perhaps I should call you Curious Wolf no more and rather call you Daring Wolf.”

I laughed softly.

”The B-baron was the one who s-suggested it,” I said. ”It was n-not my idea. But yes, I t-took the opportunity. I did not w-want anyone else to n-notice that I cannot read f-fluently.”

Duke Valenridge nodded slowly, his expression thoughtful.

”Perhaps if I teach you something too,” he said, his voice light, ”I might gain your favour?”

I tilted my head.

”What would y-you plan t-to teach me?”

He looked at me with a perfectly straight face.

”How to be a bad musician,” he said.

I laughed, the sound escaping before I could stop it.

”Your G-grace,” I said, shaking my head.

He grinned.

”I am joking,” he said. ”I will teach you something else. Something useful. Like how to take second from the bottom when the popularity poll results are released.”

I laughed again, the sound bright and genuine.

”You a-are n-not serious,” I said.

”I am always serious,” he said. ”I am even more serious than Alistair.”

I shook my head, a smile still on my face.

”You d-do not need to teach me a-anything to gain my f-favour,” I said. ”You just n-need to continue being y-yourself. That is what I a-appreciate about you.”

He gave me a cheeky smile.

”Does that mean I am your favourite right now?” he asked.

I leaned in, copying his posture.

”If you are m-my favourite,” I said, ”then w-what will I gain?”

Duke Valenridge stared at me.

Then he chuckled.

”I like you,” he said.

I blushed, though I knew he did not mean it the way I thought.

”I am going to tell Lucian that you said I am your favourite,” he said.

”I d-did not say that,” I said quickly.

He winked.

”Lucian would not know,” he said.

He stood, stretching lazily.

”I should go,” he said. ”So you can get back to studying.”

”S-stay,” I said.

He paused and then turned to look at me, one eyebrow raised.

”What did you just say?” he asked.

I felt my cheeks warm again, but I did not look away.

”You were r-resting before I c-came, right?” I said. ”You can j-just stay instead of l-leaving.”