We started driving, and Madeline turned on the radio and sang along off-key to the music. I did too and laughed at Madeline’s singing. After a few minutes, the car slowed to a stop, and with a scowl, Madeline realized that we had run out of gas.“Weird,” she muttered as she turned off the ignition.
CHARLOTTEMadeline and I stayed huddled together and watched the smoke rise and darken."Madeline!" Taide yelled, loudly and clearly panicked.He rounded the chaos of the wreckage and came into view a few seconds later, with a frantic look on his face that quickly shifted into relief when he saw us.
CHARLOTTE“Take ‘em off. Shoes aren’t allowed.”As I climbed down the stairs, I heard Taide’s voice, most likely talking to one of the numerous guards stationed at the house.They really weren’t joking.It felt like every time I looked out a window, I saw a man dressed in a pressed suit, a pair of d
I felt like there was more that could have been said, but I didn’t push him. Instead, I leaned back into the couch and ruminated on his words. That was when something else struck me. “Isn’t Sean your dad’s enforcer’s son?”Taide’s smile widened even more as he replied, “He is. Eventually, we all bec
CHARLOTTE“I hate bowling.”I grumbled as I sat down next to Taide.He laughed a little, but his eyes didn’t drift from where Reigh and Madeline were still engaged in a seemingly tense game. Taide and I both seemed to be terrible at bowling given our string of losses, so after being knocked out of
CHARLOTTEThe moment King Auric stepped out, the tension in the room dissipated into nothing.Reigh moved from his spot near Taide and I, and crossed the room to where Caeson stood with Madeline. With furrowed brows, he paused, scanning Caeson from head to toe. Then he lifted a hand, like he was abo
CHARLOTTE“Where’d you get all this?” I signed, eyeing my sister’s new array of toys and gifts with both curiosity and worry.Da’ana excitedly picked up the dolls and dresses to show them to me, not seeming to read the expression on my face. “I have a new… friend,” she spoke. She sounded a lot more
CHARLOTTE“You’re getting lazy,” I commented and snatched an apple from the bowl on the table. Reigh smirked, but he didn’t give me any more of a reaction than that. Instead, he continued to slice apples and lay them out on a separate plate. I fought the urge to toss the apple at his head and let
I let my head rest on his chest, just like I did with Taide, but this time, I closed my eyes and listened to the sound of his heartbeat.It grounded me, the steady thump thump thump of his heart.When the song ended, we pulled away from each other. It honestly felt like it all ended too soon. But wh
I was about to whisper something to him when Reigh reached us. He was dressed the same way Taide was, his long hair pulled back in a neat, low ponytail. His hands were in his pockets, and he seemed almost awkward with the two of us. Everything about this atmosphere was weird.After a few seconds of
CHARLOTTEI spent the next day with a feeling of semi-constant doom hanging over me. I had my meals in my room and remained holed up there until the evening when the ball was about to start.I could hear bustling and shuffling about as I got ready, and that combined with the amount of chattering I
In my periphery, I could see Caeson looking down at me with an expression I couldn’t decipher. But I could see it tear at him. He didn’t want Taide to know. “Let’s go,” Taide said, clasping my hand and leading me out. “Wait,” Caeson said, reaching for me. But Taide slapped his hand away, and I
As I hurriedly explained what had just happened, I watched his face. Concern melted into understanding, and while I was glad he understood what I was saying, I felt a twinge of horror when I realized that he did not look the slightest bit… surprised. I pulled away from him, my hands balling into fi
Caeson met his father’s eyes, blood dripping down the gash across his cheek, his neck and shirt soaked in blood, but he didn’t say a word. “This is hardly what I can do. Don’t forget it,” he shoved away from Caeson, leaving his body to go slack against the wall. Caeson’s breathing was heavy, keep
CHARLOTTE I watched with horrified eyes as Caeson dropped to the ground with a groan, his face twisted into an expression of raw agony. I could feel my heart threatening to burst out of my chest as the gruesome sight played out before me. Caeson hunched over on one knee, while his father stood a l
CHARLOTTE I trailed behind Taide and Reigh, keeping my distance as they moved through the halls. Their steps were steady and purposeful, and I made sure to stay just far enough behind so they wouldn’t notice me. They stopped at a door in the middle of the hall, one I hadn’t paid much attenti
CHARLOTTE I sat on the bed, trying to calm my breathing. My chest felt tight, and my hands trembled in my lap. I couldn’t stop replaying what had just happened. King Aurichad been here, in this room, and now he was gone. But the memory of his cold, cutting gaze lingered, wrapping around me lik