Chapter 106: on one condition

Caius looked at Hazel in amusement before bursting into laughter. He pulled her closer and sighed, clearly enjoying the way she had confidently called his mother her mother-in-law.

"That’s not my mother, Hazel. My mother is blonde. I thought you saw her picture in the frame that day."

Hazel stared at him for a moment before her expression changed. "Ohhh... That’s right."

She remembered seeing the picture, but she had been too distracted by everything else to pay much attention to it. She looked at Caius again, feeling a little embarrassed.

"So who is the woman in the secret room?"

Caius’s smile slowly disappeared. He held her waist and looked at her for a moment before speaking.

"I didn’t want to bring you into this because I was afraid you wouldn’t trust me. I’ve already offended you so much, and I don’t want to give you another reason to doubt me."

Hazel rolled her eyes. "Of course you don’t. I don’t know how you managed to skip the part where I’m planning to punish you."

Caius sighed.

He really didn’t know whether to laugh or feel sorry for himself. Even after everything he had explained, Hazel still hadn’t forgotten how he treated her. Perhaps he deserved it, but he hoped she would eventually stop reminding him of his mistakes.

Hazel suddenly grinned as something came to her mind. "Well, since we’re being honest, I was kidnapped by a..."

[Hazel, don’t! Please...]

Hazel froze.

She immediately recognized Janet’s voice inside her head. Her eyes moved toward Caius, who was watching her with curiosity. She quickly closed her mouth, pretending she had forgotten what she wanted to say.

[Don’t talk back! And don’t tell Caius about the witch. Rita requested that we keep it a secret. We’ll explain everything to you later.]

Hazel swallowed. She didn’t understand why Janet was so desperate to stop her from telling Caius, but she knew better than to continue. If Janet and Rita had a reason for keeping the information from him, she didn’t want to expose them without knowing what was going on.

She cleared her throat and forced a smile.

"Oh, I can’t remember the person’s face. He was so ugly that I don’t even want to think about him."

Caius raised an eyebrow.

Hazel quickly continued, "You must have known something since you can hear my thoughts. So, who do you think it was?"

Caius studied her face for a moment before answering.

"When you entered the throne hall, you have Doris in your head before you attack. I could tell she had something to do with the people who kidnapped you."

Hazel released a quiet sigh of relief.

At least he hadn’t noticed that Janet had spoken to her. "That’s true," she replied. "But I still don’t feel safe. Ahh! How am I supposed to have private thoughts when you’re listening to everything?"

Caius chuckled. "I can teach you how to block me."

Hazel immediately turned toward him. "Really? How?"

"Your mind is connected to mine through our mate bond. Since the bond is stronger now, I can hear your thoughts more easily. However, you can learn to control what you allow me to hear."

Hazel sat up straighter, suddenly interested. "Teach me!"

Caius smiled at her eagerness.

"First, relax. Don’t try to fight the bond because that will only make you frustrated. Close your eyes and imagine a door inside your mind. Think of it as the entrance to your private room. You decide who is allowed to enter."

Hazel closed her eyes immediately.

"Now imagine yourself closing that door," Caius continued. "You don’t need to force it. Just focus on keeping your thoughts to yourself."

Hazel took a deep breath and imagined a large wooden door closing inside her mind. She pictured herself pushing it until it shut completely.

"Done!" she announced proudly.

Caius looked at her. "Done?"

"Yes!" He smiled. "What are you thinking about?"

Hazel hesitated before answering. "Nothing."

Caius chuckled. "You’re still thinking loudly enough for me to hear you."

Her eyes flew open. "What? I closed the door!"

"You imagined closing it, but you didn’t lock it."

Hazel frowned. "Then why didn’t you tell me to lock it from the beginning?""Because you need to learn how to do it yourself."

She gave him an annoyed look before closing her eyes again.

This time, she imagined a door with a strong lock. She shut it carefully and turned the key, making sure it couldn’t open easily.

Caius waited for a moment. "Are you thinking about something?"

Hazel smiled. "Yes."

He raised an eyebrow. "What is it?"

"That’s none of your business."

Caius laughed. "You’re getting better, but I can still hear you."

Hazel groaned and tried again. She imagined herself standing in front of the door, closing it, locking it, and placing a heavy barrier behind it. She focused on the feeling of being alone in her own mind, without anyone listening to her thoughts.

For several seconds, Caius remained silent.

Then he frowned.

Hazel slowly opened one eye and looked at him."What?"

He stared at her. "What are you thinking about?"

Hazel’s smile widened. "Nothing."

Caius narrowed his eyes. He tried to reach for her thoughts through their bond, but all he could sense was the connection between them. Her feelings were still there, but her private thoughts had become quiet.

He couldn’t hear her anymore.

Hazel burst into laughter. "I did it! I finally did it!" Hazel raised her chin proudly. "Of course. I’m a fast learner."

"Don’t get too excited. I can still sense your emotions, and you might lose control of the barrier if you’re distracted."

Hazel waved her hand. "Whatever. At least I can finally insult you without you knowing."

Caius laughed, but he didn’t argue, he had discovered that his mate could keep something from him. It was a small thing, but he found it amusing.

Hazel suddenly became serious. "I’ll agree to help you with the secret chamber on one condition."

Caius’s expression changed immediately.

He hadn’t expected her to bring it up herself. He had wanted to tell her everything, but the fear of losing her trust had kept him from doing so. Now that she was willing to help, he wasn’t going to waste the opportunity.

He looked at her carefully. "I’ll do anything. What is it?"