The Royal Elite: Mattias Read Online Free PDF Page B

corner of the world, something about an attack from within their own sibling ranks. Alannah paid scant attention to the troubles and tribulations of the upper echelon; she was too busy studying histories and mysteries of the world to bother.
    “Actually, his Highness was about to do so,” Alannah said, offering Mattias's services without asking.
    “Of course,” Mattias said, going along with the plan.
    Alannah wasn't sure what to think of his easy agreement. Was he such a paranoid man, then, that he really thought danger might lurk even here, behind these intensely guarded walls?
    Turning with Mattias when he guided her away from the collection, Alannah matched his stride toward the doors. She gave her bodyguard, a man known as Barrett, a side glance when they passed. With that glance, she conveyed her wish for him to trail at a discreet distance, meaning she wanted a modicum of privacy.
    Prince Mattias might not be a man obsessed with artifacts and mysteries, but he was proving to be a mild mystery himself. It was enough to warrant deeper exploration, and the only way she could do that was to remain in his presence.
    “So. Let us revisit the collection and I'll explain, in detail, what makes each piece so interesting,” she said, deciding to school the Prince on the way to her room.
    She heard him exhale, possibly in resignation, and smiled.
     
    As much as it pained him, Mattias took the long way back to Alannah's suite. He endured her prattling about this artifact and that one, about its origins, its myths, and where the piece ranked on her overall list of favorites. Every now and then he found himself charmed by her animated expressions and gestures of a hand. This woman was far removed from the socially awkward one present in the great ballroom earlier in the evening.
    Mattias could understand, however, why she was not sought after like some of the women were. Many of the men wanted a paragon of beauty on their arm who reeked confidence and control, rather than a nervous, fluttery gazelle that didn't like to make eye contact until absolutely necessary. Side by side, Katrina and Alannah were worlds apart on almost every level, though they did share one trait: both were achingly beautiful. Katrina wouldn't be caught dead discussing the things Alannah could talk about for days, and Alannah would probably grow bored comparing the latest designs and fashions.
    Arriving at Alannah's door, Mattias decided he needed to remain in Alannah's presence a while longer. The lights were still out, a fact that put him on edge. It would be the perfect time for a hit man to strike, using the cover of darkness and confusion to move about the halls all but undetected. That meant he needed to get her to invite him inside.
    “Well, I've enjoyed seeing the artifacts and hearing about them, Miss Ast--”
    “You've been bored off your rocker,” Alannah interrupted. “I mean, I could tell a few things sparked your interest, but overall, on a grand scale, you were pretty distracted.”
    If she only knew, Mattias thought. He saw a way to extend his time with her, and gestured toward her door with a hand. “I'll tell you what. Should you win at a game of chess, I'll memorize five artifacts from the collection, right down to the finest detail.”
    Alannah arched a sleek brow. “And if you win?”
    He should have said that she drink with him, which would make it easier to watch over her when she passed out. Instead, mischief took hold. “Then you accompany me to the private masquerade tomorrow evening.”
    “You mean the one where the stage dancers will be half nude?” Alannah looked scandalized.
    “I don't think it's as blunt as all that,” Mattias countered. He knew Morano ran a class act. The dancers would likely be very scantily clad, or in something sheer, but not all out nude. Not in the beginning, at least.
    “The stories of what goes on behind closed doors are legendary,” Alannah said.
    “And I'm sure some of them are true.