I Bought the exiled king (by Natalie Winter) novel Chapter 39

Valencia

I slowly turned around to see another man standing beside lan. He was a head shorter than lan and sported a small beard. His hair was on the shorter side, too.

But he was bulky and looked like he had spent all his life tanning in the sun.

lan had been all smiles and grins, but his demeanor changed completely upon seeing him,

“I didn’t know you were back” lan turned around smoothly to greet the man.

Something thumped behind them, a bag that thudded on the porch as the man threw his hands open and pulled him into a hug.

“Look how happy you are to see me,” He said even though lan showed no trace of happiness.

I kept looking at the two men, waiting for lan to explain who that guy was.

“Name’s Martin. You can call me Marty for short. I was on the hunt, but we all got news that my sweet little brother, the one least expected to find anything even remotely to do with the witch, found something. Naturally, I returned to see what bluff my little brother was cooking…”

Martin took a brief pause and looked me up and down, as if deciding if he wanted to kill me or not.

and I must say, I am not disappointed.”

Little brother?

So he was one of the siblings of lan! The few that were alive, that is.

“Yeah. But you should be in your room, resting and getting refreshed for the training, right?”

Martin chuckled and ruffled lan’s hair as if he was some toddler and walked inside, hands behind his back.

“I

I spent half of my life looking for her, and now that she is here, you want me to go train some pups?” Marty said and inched closer.

I took a step back warily and my eyes flicked to lan who also approached me to dissolve the tension,

“Come on, you are making her feel awkward, Marty”

Martin looked surprised and placed a hand on his chest.

“Oh, did I now?”

He looked at me for reassurance and then added, “I am so sorry, where are my manners?”

He muttered to himself and then wiped his palms on the side of his dirty jeans and bowed to me.

“I apologize, blessed one, for my lack of civility. I would like to introduce myself as Martin or Marty. I am the oldest living son of King Aecidus, thereby making me the heir apparent to the throne.”

He said the last line with a lot of pride and maybe expected me to just scream in excitement or something

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Chapter 39

I still looked at lan warily, so Martin straightened up and whispered to lan..

“Is she mute? Or deal? Or both perhaps?”

I folded my arms across my chest and replied. “Neither”

Martin smiled at the both of us. “Oh, apparently, all her limbs and organs function well.”

lan sensed my discomfort, so again prodded to Martin.

“You should go catch up with others. A lot of our brothers and sisters must be returning.”

Just how many had this King of theirs sent to look for me?

“I get it, little bro. You want to call dibs on her because you lured her here and fear that me or the others might snatch her.”

Martin said in a teasing tone, but that made me feel all the more awkward.

“Okay,

ay, now. She has not even seen her home yet. Dont make her wanna run away already”

Martin finally raised his hands in mock surrender and stepped back.

“Alright, if you are so hellbent on having her for yourself, know that you have to fight all of your brothers. Is she worth it though?

Think about it!”

Martin said in a tone that sounded borderline threat, but he gave me one last look and walked out of the house.

I let out a sigh of relief upon seeing him leave, but I was pissed at the rate at which one surprise after another was being thrown at

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“I dont even know how many times I want to ask what is going on anymore.” I muttered exasperatedly, and lan’s face was now etched with worry.

“I know the circumstances under which we met weren’t ideal, but trust me, I never planned to hurt you.”

I ignored his words and asked instead.

“What did he even mean by all your siblings wanting to fight you for me? I am not some toy to call dibs on!”

lan nodded, “I understand and respect you. Which is why I never forced you to come with me anywhere. I always ensured you consented to being with me.”

“Being with you? That is what you have to say

ay to all the lies you told me?” I shouted at him.

lan took a pause and replied, “I never lied to you, Valencia. I always tried to tell you the truth. Even if I was breaking the rules laid down by the King”

I didn’t want to believe him, so I looked around for the nearest object and hurled a cushion at him.

He grabbed it easily in his hand and added.

“Please, I beg you to remember, it was you who asked me if I wanted to be your call boy. I never touched you without your consent. Inever…

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1-13:10 Sat, 23 Aug El

Chapter 39

23 Aug

He trailed off as his gaze dipped to my lips and stayed there.

“You never what? Kissed me without me asking? Or had your fingers inside me? Is that what you were going to say?”

The mention of those moments unknowingly made my heart flutter, even if hated him for lying to me.

1 had been looking all around the city for him like a mad lad, running to strangers, drawing ire of Sophia, and now here I learn that every time I trusted him, he broke it.

When fan didn’t say anything, didn’t provide any explanation, I felt even more angry and yelled at him.

“Just tell me how you found me and how did you know about that mark on me? The one that only you found.”

lan raked a hand through his hair.

“You are not aware, but everybody has been looking for you, Valencia. You are the blessed one, even if you believe it or not. Why did you think your colleague, Thomas, wanted to get so close to you? The tracker that he put in your bag, who do you think, came that night when you texted me that you felt somebody was watching me?”

Wait…

He was reading and receiving all my texts? He had heard all those voicemails?

And yet he never bothered to reply?

Frustration swelled up inside of me, and I raised my hand to slap him again,

“Why the hell did you do this to me? Why did you do any of it?” My mind was reeling with the shock of betrayal yet again.

This time, he didn’t stop me and let my palm land on his cheek. The slap reverberated through the room and I saw a faint imprint appear on his cheek.

“To save you, your highness. It is all very complicated, but you are the center of something epic….”

But I grabbed him by the shirt and asked, “Was playing with my emotions part of your job as well? Was kissing me also part of your plan to make me trust you?”

His voice was soft when he answered. “Falling for you was never a part of my plan.“,

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