Am I setting this up to procrastinate working on my current WIP? Yes. Should I stop, also yes but this is a great distraction.

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Chapter 11

The plush cushions could have eaten me alive, and I wouldn’t have struggled. In that moment I wanted to fade into the background. To be a fly on the wall or a creak in the floorboards. Anything to not be interrogated by her parents.

Eyes stared daggers at me in the dimly lit corner of the office. The conversation had come to a halt when I refused to speak my eyes watering. Alexis tried to reassure me but was clearly awkward in front of her parents. They wouldn’t let up they wanted every detail even when we tried to explain we were just friends.

I was far too distracted to speak to them my mind running through every lie and omission. Everything I missed or didn’t question because I trusted her. The bowing, the private study, even the damned dagger I had strapped to my leg. All of it was a lie, I ignored all of it and now I can’t even focus on the conversation.

Tears threatened to spill from my eyes. My chest was tight each breath burning in my lungs; I shook violently at the pain. Goosebumps formed where she touched my back creating frozen circles. Her eyes were off me while she yelled at her parents her lips tugged into a frown.

The yelling got louder when Alexis stood looking at her parents furiously, “We are just friends; will you two stops!”

Just friends. That’s all we were and all we ever will be. Why would we be anything different, more. She didn’t even like me so why did it hurt so much to hear that. The lying and hiding things she was content with it all. There’s no reason to keep me around now that I know.  

“I wouldn’t go that far,” I whispered loud enough for her to hear. She immediately stopped moving and turned to me. Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes a few daring to roll down her cheeks. Her face fell she didn’t look angry anymore. Just broken.

She breathed out heavily, “What do you mean?” her voice was raw it felt as if a single word could break her. Like she was about to fall off a cliff and I was the rock holding her weight.

 I looked down at the ground tracing patterns in the carpet, “You lied to me Alexis. How much of this was a lie? Did you even plan on telling me! Or was this all just a game to you?” I yelled at her standing up quickly. She didn’t move staring up at me the dams finally breaking, “I’m going to go find my friends then I’m leaving.”

Without another word I stormed out I didn’t listen for a response. I barely heard the yelling the ensued. Her parents weren’t happy, but I wasn’t sticking around to feel their wrath. My heart beat harshly against my ribs feeling like it would break out. The lump in my throat became unbearable making breathing near impossible.

###

Each hallway I passed merged into one long corridor. No matter how many twists and turns I took I couldn’t find anyone. The only reassurance I had was the changing paintings and decorations. Every wall and floor was the same devoid of signs of life.

With no one around to guide me I wandered through the palace. Why were there no guards here. Surely a palace of this size should have a reasonable guard. What did they do about intruders here.

A set of large oak doors sat open to grand garden. Cobbled paths spread throughout beds of flowers. Tulips and roses created a rainbow in the room their colourful petals twinkling under the sun. Behind everything else there was an ancient tree its branches stretched out in a grand display.

Sobbing I finally sank to the ground my mind wandering elsewhere. Curled in a ball at the foot of the tree I studied the leaves around me. They fell in soft swoops until they touched the ground. The squirrels above rustled the branches to watch them fall. With a grace I wish I had they landed on the dew-soaked grass.

Tremors shook my body as I grasped onto what air I could get. Panic was finally setting in my body forcing me back to the moment. I pulled my knees to my chest hiding my tears from the world. Burning smoke filled my lungs with each breath clogging my throat.

Running away was probably one of my worst ideas yet. I was lost in the home of the people I was running away from. Unsure of whether they were angry with me. One thing was certain Alexis should be. She looked broken when I left and the things I said, I went too far.

 A figure sat down beside me the rough fabric of their clothes rubbing up against my bare skin. They sat silently their black trousers forming tightly to their legs. One hand ran up their leg the other out of view from me. I was aware it was the queen’s wife or well I guess the other queen.

She didn’t speak at first just looking at me as I cried into my legs. The wet material clung to me when I sat up to look at her. My eyes felt puffy and sore from crying and stung when I wiped away my tears. She smiled gently not a sign of anger on her. A few loose hairs fell in front of her face and dark spots had begun to form around her eyes.

“Did you follow me?” I asked quietly.

She shook her head pulling one leg up to rest her chin on, “Are you okay dear. You look quite frankly terrible,”.

I just stared at her in disbelief my mouth ajar. She couldn’t seriously be asking if I’m okay after everything ive done. Yelling at Alexis was already a really bad idea, but I also stormed out. The amount of trouble I had caused she should be furious. On top of all that she somehow found me despite no one being around to tell her where I was.

“If you’re not going to answer at least indulge me as to what you are to my daughter,” She sighed leaning her head back against the bark, “Are you two friends or is there something more there?”

Something more? I continued to just stare at her for a moment trying to find an answer. My breath hitched in my throat; did she think we’re dating? “I’m not really sure. I mean as far as we’ve discussed we were friends, but she lied to me a lot.”

Despite her lying I couldn’t deny the thought of her still gave me butterflies. There was no denying the sadness I felt over yelling at her. Or the pain of believing she was mad at me. I couldn’t hate her I don’t even think I could dislike her.

The queen just watched with silent content as I worked through my emotions. She wrapped an arm around my shoulder pulling me toward her. Snuggled tightly into her side she whispered things to me. Told me to calm down and that everything would be fine; until my breathing evened out the lump in my throat receding.

“I understand she lied to you, for that she will face consequences we don’t lie to those we care about.” She whispered once I had fully calmed down, “However I do believe she was worried about you treating her differently based on her title.”

 I leaned further into her the comfort of being held overruling my fear of the queen, “I’m sorry.” I yawned out my eyes becoming heavy. Sleep wasn’t an option, so I forced my eyes open focusing on the colours that surrounded us.

###

Eventually the other queen who’s name I had learned was Arabelle joined us. Alexis wasn’t with her. They wouldn’t tell me where she was ignoring all my questions about her. Instead, the queens got me up off the ground telling me that my friends were waiting for me. I stared at them for a moment remembering why I was here.

Kat and Raine had been waiting for me for what now seemed like hours. While I cried into the side of someone we were supposed to impress. Nothing I could say now would justify the way I behaved. Lauren was going to kill me when she found out. I didn’t even want to think about how the leaders would react.

Maybe they would keep it a secret? Surely the others don’t need to know what happened. Kat would want to know, and I couldn’t hide it from her. Raine might find it funny. The adults wouldn’t find it amusing; I’ll end up on cleaning duty for a month. Worse yet Lauren is sure to yell at me over all this.

I was dragged back to the office where Kat and Raine sat on a sofa talking. The moment the door closed behind me they stopped standing up to bow. They both looked at me with an unnerving expression. They were not happy.

Before they could say anything queen Arabelle handed us each a small black pouch. The gold inside clinked against each other as it shifted in our hands. The queen whose name I had yet to catch went to speak to my friends taking their attention off me. They spoke in the corner about something I couldn’t understand.

Queen Arabelle pulled me to the side before anyone noticed her face hardening. “I will forever be in your debt for saving me. however, if you lay one hand on my daughter not even the gods will be able to stop me. Understood?”

I nodded quickly fear spiking in my chest once again, “Yes, your majesty.”

As quickly as it had left her smile returned warm and comforting. She pulled a black box from the desk handing it to me, “I know you can’t accept a title but please accept this. It will allow you access to some resources reserved for the royal family.”

Shocked was an understatement for how I was feeling. One moment she was threatening my life. The next she was offering resources not even available to the public. Better yet it was with a medal that I was familiar with. A medal only given to those of noble birth recognised as national heroes. I was neither and the other two didn’t receive anything like it.

###

When we were finally dismissed, they sent a maid with us to make sure we didn’t get lost. She was a lot quieter than the man who had shown us in. We were a lot quieter now as well. Kat and Raine hadn’t said a word to me since we left the office.

They finally spoke to me when we were getting the horses Raine just laughed at me. Kat was surprisingly upset about all of it. She didn’t know what we were going to tell Lauren. My suggestion of not mentioning it fell on deaf ears even with Raine’s backup. None of us wanted to lie but we didn’t want the lecture that would come from all this.

On the way back we spoke about Laurens behaviour before we left. We were confused to say the least. She was usually so calm and collected no matter what was happening. By the time we entered the market we were sure we had done something wrong. That had to be why she was acting so weird. Nothing else made any sense nothing happened.

We were mistaken however because the moment we returned Lauren was on us. Quite literally. She within moments of our return had us in a tight hug. The doctor wasn’t far behind joining in on the hug silently. Both held us tighter than they ever had before my sides aching from the pressure.

No one spoke for a while just enjoying the hug. Until the doctor decided he wanted to check us all for injuries. Shooing the leaders away who had come to find us he dragged us to his tent. Lauren was close behind just sitting in a corner while he made sure we were okay.

For now, we had escaped questioning, but it was only a matter of time before we would have to explain.