The Royal Elite: Mattias Read Online Free PDF Page A

gray eyes and the faint rosy stain on her cheeks. The interest she displayed seemed genuine and heartfelt.
    “To be honest, I'm not sure. Why don't we discover together? I only overheard a few others exclaiming that the pieces were exquisite yesterday. Once the storm passes, we can examine the gardens.” Mattias continued to guide her in the direction of Morano's extensive library which housed the collection.
    Alannah smiled into his eyes, fingers fluttering nervously on his arm. “Excellent. Maybe we can just see the artifacts tonight and do the gardens tomorrow. ”
    Mattias was of the impression that Alannah merely wanted to spend more time with the collectibles, and that come tomorrow, she would provide some excuse or another to forego the gardens. Blow him off like she'd tried to blow him off earlier on the terrace. Glimpsing the bodyguard following at a discreet distance in periphery, he said, “Whatever you wish, Miss Astbury. I'm at your disposal.”
    Arriving at the library, Mattias paused with Alannah in the doorway. Two guards stood at either side of the entrance, features schooled, eyes straight ahead.
    Inside the grand room, bookshelves lined every wall but one. That space was reserved for a floor to ceiling stone fireplace with a mantel as long as a car. Dispersed in the middle of the room were waist high glass cases, the subtle lighting shining through the compartments to highlight the piece within. There were hundreds of items on display, and the sight of them—more than the thousands of books on the shelves—sent Alannah into a tailspin. She gasped, then tugged on Mattias's elbow to bring him abreast of the first case.
    Rather than eyeball the ancient bowl or whatever she was ogling, Mattias slanted a look down at Alannah's face. She was more animated than he'd seen her yet. Even the shyness and socially awkward tendencies slipped away under her enthusiasm and knowledge. For the next forty minutes she lectured him on this piece and that piece, correctly identifying nearly every one. Mattias wouldn't have known except for placards on the front of the case that explained each item in detail. He was more aware of her fingers clutching his arm and the scent of her hair, which reminded him of peaches and vanilla and something cleaner, reminiscent of an expensive salon.
    Either way it allowed him to remain in her company, keep an eye on her while Ahsan and Leander checked with their contacts. Her bodyguard lurked just inside the doorway, ever present.
    Just as Mattias was about to suggest another round of wine, the lights in the manor went out.

Chapter Three
    Alannah froze in her tracks, darting a glance up from the dark case to the Prince's face. A face she could barely see in the gloom. The only available light spilled in through two tall windows, and as her eyes slowly adjusted to the change, she became aware of the tension in the muscles under her fingers and the way Mattias clenched his jaw.
    Thunder cracked through the sky, as if declaring victory over the power grid.
    “What should we do?” Alannah asked, keeping her voice low. She didn't want to alert the bodyguard and lure him over unintentionally. He annoyed her on every level—but then so did being here at the manor, with all the fluff and testosterone crammed between the four walls. She loathed social gatherings and loathed trying to mingle with women who preferred to size her (and her wallet) up and either discard her or figure out how to use her. The sham everyone here engaged in, this gathering of the elite, was laughable at best. Alannah could think of a hundred things she'd rather be doing. The saving grace were the artifacts that had been doused into darkness along with everything else.
    “Give it a second,” Mattias said with his distinct accent, “and see if the power comes back on. Usually it's only a few minutes.”
    “All right. Tell me, what did you think of the collection?” Alannah asked, getting back to business. There was