Two sets of eyes followed my every movement as I placed plates in front of three seats. The food was already on the table and I guessed I had them to thank for that. I had gone to my room and slipped on the first decent gown I could find and pulled my hair into a tight braid, just to make my appearance a little more presentable. Kalen’s presence had me on edge.

I wasn’t exactly sure what to think. Was it some sort of witch ability of mine to have dreams about people that I would meet in the future? Or had he actually visited me in them? He displayed the right amount of curiosity in me; the kind when you have met someone for the first time. There wasn’t a single glimmer of recognition on his features – ignoring the wink I might as well have imagined. I tried to study his expression from the corner of my eye as I placed the silverware next to the plates. He gave not even a single clue to his thoughts.

“The table is set,” I called, pretending I hadn’t felt their eyes burn through me. Andreas took his seat as always, but Kalen came up behind me and pulled out my chair.

“My lady,” he said with a smirk and a glimmer in his eyes. I smiled in spite of myself. Kalen had me on edge and I was certain it was because of the mystery he posed, but I was also grateful for the buffer he posed.

I nodded my thanks and he bowed exaggeratedly. I turned my head away to hide my amusement. “Do not tell me Andreas hasn’t been treating you like the lady you are,” Kalen said as he took his seat on the other side of the table.

I caught Andreas’ scowl, but it wasn’t directed at me. “Always a pleasure to have you around, Kalen. Tell me, how long do you plan on staying this time?”

“I thought you said you didn’t care?” I interjected before Kalen could reply.

Kalen looked pleased and shot Andreas an arrogant glare. “I like her. She doesn’t just keep her mouth shut like the other girls that have stayed here.”

The scowl on Andreas’ face was replaced by something else entirely; he was angry. I could tell by the way the muscles pulled in his neck that he was using every inch of his will power to not get up and tear Kalen limb from limb. Kalen seemed to enjoy Andreas’ reaction. He was satisfied at having given information Andreas didn’t want to share with me.

“Oh, so you’ve let other girls stay here before. Tell me, is there anything I’m actually the first for?” I commented dryly as I poured water into my goblet.

Andreas acted like he hadn’t heard me at all as he continued to stare at Kalen. If looks could kill, Kalen would be fried to a crisp. Kalen was unfazed, entirely pleased with himself. He must have enjoyed getting on Andreas’ nerves. I didn’t want to be there the day Andreas finally had enough and decided no common goal they might have shared was worth dealing with Kalen.

But even with the clear animosity between them, I couldn’t dislike Kalen. There was something about him that drew me to him. His personality, or whatever else it might be, was compelling, magnetic. I found myself focusing on him more than I did on Andreas, a huge change to before.

In an attempt to lighten the mood, I gestured toward the food. “Shall we eat? I didn’t spend all day making this so it would go to waste.”

Kalen turned his attention from Andreas to me. “The food looks lovely.” He filled his plate and poured wine into his goblet. Andreas followed suit, but didn’t compliment me at all. It wasn’t much of a surprise, he rarely had something good to say about anything.

An awkward silence ensued while we ate. Finally, I could no longer contain my curiosity. “Kalen, have we met before? You look very familiar.” I narrowed my eyes slightly and tried to gauge his reaction. His expression didn’t as much as waver.

He took a sip of his wine before he answered. “I would remember a face a beautiful as yours,” he replied, his eyes mocking. Andreas abruptly got up from his chair.

“If you’ll excuse me. Dinner was delicious, Lana. You should cook more,” he said and disappeared.

My cutlery clattered onto the plate in my frustration. “You’re welcome…” I mumbled when he was already gone.

“I don’t know for how long you’ve known him, but you shouldn’t take his temper too personally,” Kalen said, a genuine smile on his face this time.

I rolled my eyes and finished my water. “I’ve gotten used to it.”

Our eyes connected and I couldn’t look away. I had looked into them before. I had to have. Those eyes I would not forget. Perhaps I was going crazy. My mind was playing tricks on me. I was wishing for a knight to come and save me and for some reason my subconscious had projected that wish onto Kalen. I shook my head to clear my thoughts, but it didn’t really help.

“You’re not crazy, Lana,” Kalen said.

“What?” My attention was suddenly focused intensely on him.

“We did meet in your dreams.” His smile was seductive, alluring. I felt an attraction to him that was almost inexplicable. But why so suddenly after those specific words? “Andreas can’t know that I’ve met you before I came here. He would know I visited your dreams and well… he’d forget that he still needs me for an important matter.”

I blinked at him, my surprise evident. “What does it matter to him?”

“Surely it hasn’t slipped your attention how possessive he is of you? Andreas doesn’t like to share. He sees you as someone that belongs to him. You may not know this, but he’s insanely jealous. Didn’t you notice it at dinner?”

My mouth fell open. I had noticed Andreas getting tense, but jealous? Impossible. After what he had done to me, he had absolutely no right to be jealous. I chose to ignore that bit.

“So everything you told me in those dreams were true?” I asked. Kalen’s lips twitched at the corner as he noticed my sudden change of subject.

“Every single word, love. I had promised to see you soon, hadn’t I?”

I couldn’t believe it. He was real. The man who’s company I had come to enjoy in my dreams was actually real.

“You’ll have to excuse me. This is a lot to process,” I said as I started to get up.

Kalen was behind me in the blink of an eye. He pulled my chair out and gave me his hand for support. A complete gentleman. “Take all the time you need, my lady. I will be here for quite some time still.” He kissed my hand. “Do allow me to at least walk you to your room.”

“You need not worry that I will hurt you. I know Andreas even better than you do. And while I’m a good match for him, I will lose when he is angry and I am not. Besides, I’m nothing like him. I do not wish to take advantage of girls,” Kalen provided as explanation to my alarmed face, his expression growing slightly distant.

I nodded hesitantly, but let him escort me to my room, my hand still in his.

The skin to skin contact still had me on edge.

And somehow, looking into those eyes… any thought of Andreas was pushed away from my mind. Kalen, just by being around could be exactly what I needed.