Chapter 152

As Carissa left Evergreen Palace, she bumped into Rafael. He looked as though he were still suffering from a hangover; his complexion was pale and unwell. He was still dressed in the battle-worn uniform he had worn upon returning to the capital the previous day, stained with blood and dirt. The familiar scent of sweat lingered in the air as he leaned against the red palace gate. His messy hair had been straightened, and he now wore a gold crown. It seemed out of place with the battered uniform, making his appearance quite peculiar.

He cast a lazy glance her way, and the sunlight shone on his dark eyes, which did little to liven his demeanor. Carissa stepped forward and greeted him respectfully. “Your Highness, did you stay overnight in the palace?”

“Yes, I did,” Rafael nodded, giving her a cursory look. “You look quite elegant. You resemble a noble lady from the capital.”

Carissa smiled. “I am a noble lady from the capital.”

He looked taken aback for a moment, then nodded absently. “Why did the queen summon you to the palace?”

Carissa raised an eyebrow. “How did you know it was the queen who summoned me?”

How did Rafael know?

Rafael rubbed his temples, appearing somewhat distracted. “Oh, just a wild guess. You met the Empress Dowager last night. I figured you were summoned to pay your respects to the queen.”

“You guessed correctly. It seems you know some of the inside details,” Carissa pondered briefly before meeting his gaze directly. “Has the king mentioned to you that he wishes to take me as a concubine?” It was more straightforward to ask Rafael directly than to beat around the bush.

Rafael’s eyes widened, and he met her gaze. “Did you agree?”

Carissa was both amused and exasperated. “How could I agree? I have always regarded the king as an older brother. How could I possibly become his concubine?”

Rafael’s eyes brightened slightly, but before he could respond, she continued, “When I was younger, you and the king frequently visited my home to see my brothers. Naturally, I viewed you both as brothers. Though our statuses have changed, the affection I felt for you two as siblings has never waned in my heart.”

Rafael looked momentarily stunned. “Older brothers?”

Hoping that Rafael would relay her sentiments to the king, Carissa nodded. “Yes, I’ve always regarded both the king and you as older brothers.”

Rafael scrutinized her beautiful face, unwilling to let go of the matter. “Do you consider the king your brother, or do you see me as a brother as well?”

“Both of you, of course,” Carissa replied. She felt she had made her feelings clear to both Kylie and Rafael, so surely Salvador would understand her intentions. Then she said, “I won’t trouble you any further. I shall take my leave.”

Rafael watched her depart with a complicated expression. An older brother? To hell with it—who would want to be her brother?

Rafael already had a sister. There were also many princesses from other royal concubines the previous king had. Though Rafael wasn’t close with them, they were still considered his sisters.

He thought about Carissa’s words and turned back toward the palace. Perhaps she was hoping to use his presence to convey her rejection to Salvador directly.

After Salvador finished discussing state affairs, Rafael snuck back into the study. Seeing Rafael still dressed in the same attire from the previous day, Salvador’s patience wore thin. The stench from Rafael’s clothes overpowered the scent of the scented candles in the hall.

“Don’t you have a change of clothes in your mother’s palace? If not, go back to your estate immediately.”

Rafael slouched lazily into a seat. “I was just about to leave the palace when I saw Carissa. She said the queen summoned her. Shouldn’t you want to hear what she had to say, my dear brother?”

Salvador was intrigued by Rafael’s smug expression and asked with interest, “And what did she say?”

Rafael grinned brightly. “She said that she considers both you and me as older brothers, and that it would be inappropriate for a sister to marry her brothers.”

Salvador burst into laughter. “So, you and I are both her brothers?” If so, what was there for Rafael to be so smug about?