By the Way, Have You Noticed?

Now, for a change of pace and setting

It was night, and the alley was even darker. Citrina began to question the man who had a mark on his cheek in the shape of Dions fist. She did this while standing in the shadows. Dion had done the same thing to the other man, but he was still unconscious, so he didnt have to be questioned.

Her target wasnt tied down at all, but fear or pain had stopped him from moving his legs. He sat hopelessly on his backside as she came up slowly.

Okay, I think you know what to do. Lets hear what you have to say, she said as she put her face close to his.

The man almost squealed when she smiled. He then gave his unconscious partner an angry look. If they had both stayed awake, they could have flipped a coin to decide who would be questioned.

When Dion saw this, he beamed. You did get lucky, didnt you?

What?

Well, youre the only one awake, so I cant beat you until youre unconscious. If you were both awake, I could use one of you as an example to get the other to talk. Dion moved closer and spoke in a whisper. Wouldnt you rather be the example? I can wait until your friend gets up.

The man did squeal this time.

Dion Alaia, could you please be a little less rude? Citrina gave a warning while still keeping her smile. If you scare him too much, it will make the tortur I mean, questioning less effective.

She said this in the most charming way. It made the man feel as cold as ice. He was so scared that he didnt know who this girl was. And how did she stay so calm while standing next to this man who seemed like he liked to cut off heads for fun?

People tend to be afraid of things that arent normal, and this girl was just that. The way she made him feel was like running into a stunningly beautiful woman at midnight in the middle of a graveyard. It would be great in a bar. At a cemetery, it made people wet their pants. Sadly, he had already lost his chance. If he had thought about how strange it was for a rich girl to be walking around in a dangerous part of town at night, none of this would have happened. Regret cant be fixed by looking back, though. Now he had to look at a smiling Citrina, whose voice was getting more and more melodious.

Tell me, youre not one of those bad people who specializes in human trafficking or kidnapping, right?

Uh, no, Im not

Tehee, its fine. Theres no need to act. Lies will only waste time. Yours and mine. I honestly dont care if you did those things or not right now. Im a little curious about what you were going to do to Rina, but Ill make an exception and ignore that, she said, holding her fingers to her cheek in a cute way.

After that, her smile went away.

Right now, Im thinking about how you can be useful to Rina, and you should be thinking about the same thing. Have you thought of anything?

She looked up at his face while her head was at the same level as his chest. Her big gray eyes that didnt blink made him gasp.

I suggest that you think very, very carefully before answering.

Her smile came back all of a sudden, and she began to talk in a slow, serious way.

To help you out, let Rina tell you that Prince Echard was in this area not too long ago, and Im looking for the people he talked to. If you happen to know anything about them

I-I-I dont

Because Im so nice, Ill even warn you again. I dont know is the last thing I want to hear. If you dont know, you should tell me who does, or I wont have any reason to be nice to you anymore.

The man let out a desperate scream as his face turned white, and she smiled even sweeter.

Well, now is the time to answer. Do you happen to know the people who talked to Prince Echard? She asked in a way that showed she was enjoying the conversation a lot.

Hmm A man with an equestrian accent I wonder if hes still hiding somewhere nearby, Citrina murmured after she was done questioning him. Most likely not But, just in case,

Sorry to interrupt, but what do you want me to do with these two? Dion asked, looking down at the two guys tied together at his feet.

Hmm, interesting question. Im not a Sunkland noble, so keeping this capital safe is the last thing on my mind. But Bel is here right now, and I dont want her to get in trouble, so lets tell some castle guards, she said, slapping her palm. Oh, forget that! Whats your deal with Bel? Thats more important. She talks about you so much that youd think you were best friends or something.

Dions eyebrows went up.

Ive said it before, and Ill say it again. I dont understand what youre saying. I know the girl, but thats about it.

That made sense based on what Citrina had learned. Also, Dion Alaia wasnt exactly the type to trust people. Because of who he is and the fact that Bels past is a bit of a secret, he would keep an extra close eye on her. He would never be best friends with her.

All of that was circumstantial proof, though, and she didnt care about that right now. She heard about it from her friend. For Citrina, there couldnt be any bigger truth. So, anything Dion said that went against what Bel said could only be wrong, no matter how true it sounded. This made her think that the way he was acting now was very strange.

Oh, youre going to act like a fool, huh? That can only mean youre trying to hide something. What is it? Oh no, dont tell me! She gave him a hard look.

Dion Alaia, she said. Youre the kind of person who likes young women, right? Youre after Bel.

Bah ha ha. Oh, come on. Twenty is the limit for me, he said, dismissing her claim. Its said that iron sharpens iron, but people also sharpen each other. Id rather be whetted by a girl made of steel. After all, crossing a dull blade is no fun. If were going to dance, lets do it on the edge of a knife. Sorry to break it to you, but in that way, I dont see any difference between you, the princess, and the Greenmoon girl. If you want my love, youll have to be much tougher.

Are you sure were talking about the same thing? Relationships and love? Why do I get the feeling that you want to cut off someones head instead?

Hey, isnt it true that love is love? Who cares what blade its told through?

You dont have many friends, do you? asked Citrina, horrified.

Dion looked at her, then gave a shrug. Not very many, but probably more than you, little miss Yellowmoon.

Citrinas face went totally blank as soon as he said that. She looked at the ground below her. I dont care. I have Bel. Thats enough.

Dion scratched his head strangely because he knew he had brought up a hard subject for the girl.

Yeah, I mean, I know what you mean. Its enough to have one soul mate. Friends, on the other hand, are good to have more of. And you dont have to hurry, so just take your time finding them. Might as well, now that your family isnt holding you back, he said, giving her a sideways look before looking away again.

Citrina gave him a look of surprise.

Dion Alaia, you sneaky man. Were you trying to hide a heart behind that murder-happy persona the whole time?

He rolled his eyes. Yes, and it also beats. I dont wear my heart on my sleeve, though.

Well, maybe sometimes you should. With kids, being honest goes a long way. And it looks like youre pretty good with them. Are you sure you dont want to do something like becoming a teacher? Citrina said in a teasing tone.

He made a face. No way. Unless you want to kill me through boredom.

You sure? I think it would work out pretty well for you. Even more so if you do it for Her Highness. Being bored doesnt last long when shes around.

He tried to answer her joke, but he couldnt think of anything to say. He scrunched up his face and shook his head.

Also, did anyone notice that he put one girl on his list of young girls who was definitely over twenty, at least on the inside?