Alana’s POVMy body trembled as I went up to Ava's room. As the adrenaline that'd powered me through that conversation with Alaric and Ava left me, my body finally succumbed to the feelings of weakness.I felt so drainedI blinked and pinched myself to make sure I wasn't dreaming.Had that conversation really just happened?I was so lost in thought that I bumped into Riya as she came out of Ava's room with a tray containing an empty plate and a glass.I gasped, stumbling backward.“I'm so sorry.” I said to her.“No, it's okay.” She whispered looking about incase anyone else was around.My brows furrowed in confusion and I looked where she looked.“What's wrong?” I asked her.“I just wanted to inform you that you shouldn't do anything stupid by telling Ms Ava you took care of the prince when he was drunk. Don't be fooled by whatever she tells you, she will metaphorically kill you!”I gasped unwittingly in shock.“I – I wasn't planning on telling her.” I managed to whisper back in a sha
Ava’s POVMy heart lept immediately I heard the scream. It had to be Alana!Yes! My plan was going smoothly! Sera hadn't failed me afterall. I was so happy I was nearly shaking with the excitement. It was all I could do not to burst into a full blown grin and begin dancing around in happiness.Alaric immediately turned around.“Did you hear that?”I contorted my face in confusion.“Hear what?” I asked innocently.I couldn't let Alaric go and check on her just yet, he had to see she and Jay together and I was pretty sure Jay was not yet in place.“I just heard a scream now babe, you didn't hear anything?”I shook my head slowly. “No babe, I didn't hear anything. Are you alright?”He looked at me askance.“What are you trying to say?” He eyed me suspiciously.I batted my eyelashes and looked away for a bit as though I was trying not to say what was on my mind.“Well…”“Well what?” he demanded.“Well you've drank so much in the past eighteen hours, you might be hallucinating as it is. I
Jay's POVI sighed as I walked through the hallways looking earnestly for Alaric.Where the hell was the man?He'd called me back from a trip he himself had sent me on and now he was nowhere to be found.He wasn't picking up his phone and even Ava that'd called me to inform me, wasn't picking up hers either.And she'd sounded like it was urgent so I'd been searching everywhere for Alaric since I got here.I'd checked his room, checked the bar, checked the kitchens.Where the hell was he?It was so annoying.I was really tired and stressed out but I feared that if I stopped to eat I might miss him.I'd informed the guards at the gate to tell Alaric that I was around so I really hoped we weren't both just going in circles around the palace looking for each other.I paused at a verandah to look down if I could pick any clues as to Alaric's whereabouts but I immediately heard the sound of rushing footsteps.My head jerked up immediately, my entire body at alert.“Beta Jordan!”A maid shou
Ava's POVIt was as though they'd lit my nose on fire. Those couldn't be bathing salts.“Wh–” sneeze. “–at. The –” sneeze. “– Hell is –” sneeze. “– that!” Sneeze.I coughed and coughed for some moments, my eyes watering, clouding Alaric's worried face from my view.After a few minutes I stopped wheezing.“How do you feel now?” Alaric asked as I took deep breaths to steady myself.I glared at the maid, dying to hurl insults at her and slap her till she cried. My lungs burned because of her!“Thank you so much.” Alaric said to her, then opened the bottle of water for me to drink.I took a few swigs and then said weakly,“Please tell them to leave, I'm feeling crowded.”In reality I was almost ready to lash out at the both of them, I decided that it was better they left than I exposed myself.Alaric nodded and waved them away and the guard and maid disappeared immediately.I hugged Alaric around his neck tightly.“Thank you Allie. I thought I was going to die.”“Die? What the hell do you
Alaric's POVI walked away as fast as I could, feeling the tendrils of anger and hurt begin to wrap around me, followed by the tendrils of frustration at why anger and hurt were trying to consume me over something so unnecessary.I heard footsteps behind me and knew it would be no one but Ava.I clenched my teeth as I increased my pace.Truth be told, I didn't know where I was going. I just wanted to get as far away from Jordan and Alana as possible.My God… look at the way Ava had called Jay Alana's lover.I growled, wanting to break open the wall beside me.“Alaric!” I heard Ava shout menacingly from behind me.She broke into a full run to catch up with me.But I didn't slow down. I couldn't slow down. I felt like if I stopped, the feelings would take over me completely and the frustration at feeling those feelings would make me consume myself.“Alaric!” She shouted angrily as I burst out into the open from the palace.The cool air blasting onto my face made me slow down a bit as I
Alana's POV“Well, well, well. If it isn't the castle's latest moppet.” Ava giggled as she waltzed into the kitchen, over to the sink where I was washing some dishes.I sucked in a breath in shock as I'd obviously not been expecting anyone. Everyone had just finished eating lunch and it wasn't time to prepare dinner yet, so I was the only one in the kitchen.I'd decided to do the dishes when I came in here and saw that Mandy, the maid who was in charge of kitchen cleaning today, hadn't eaten all day. I mumbled a greeting to Ava as I felt my chest clench. I suddenly started to feel hot all over. What was she up to now?She snickered, sliding into a comfortable position beside me, her back against the counter.“So how's your injury?” she probed, her eyes glinting with mischief.I'd almost forgotten. The bandage was still wrapped around my head. Ava had sent a maid to offer her apologies yesterday after the incident. I wasn't too surprised she hadn't come herself, but I was still surpri
Alana’s POVI swallowed, feeling somewhat frantic. I had to do something! But what exactly could I do?My heart raced. I was NOT romantically involved with Jordan. If –A thought suddenly occurred to me and I sucked in a breath, my hands reflexively coming up to cover my mouth. What if Jordan heard the rumours and thought I was the one insinuating such to people because I was something like a gold digger that wanted to get with him because of his position?Goddess no! Why was this happening to me? Jordan was the only friend I had other than Alaric and now this was happening to ruin things just as Ava had happened to ruin things between Alaric and I.Why did things like this always have to happen to me? Why couldn’t things just go smoothly and normal for me?Or… was this also Ava _happening_ to my friendship with Jay?But she’d apologized and called a truce…_And what good thing has happened since then?_Was the thought that blew into my mind on a wind of confusion.Air slowly left
Alaric's POVI clenched my teeth hard and tried to ground myself as I walked briskly to my room. I forced myself to focus on my breathing, ignoring Ava who was once again shouting after me.I burst into my room and banged the door shut, but of course she was right on my heels.The door hinges rattled frighteningly as she banged the door open again, hitting the wall with a force that sent flecks of paint spraying from the wall.“Please get out of my room Ava, I am not in the right frame of mind for this.” I growled, staring her down. I was doing my very best to keep my voice even and be cordial. All I wanted was for her to leave the room so I could calm down again.Hearing Ava talk to Alana about her being in a relationship with Jay had put a dent in the resolve I'd built after my drive. All I needed was a few minutes of peace and quiet and I would be in my element again.But of course Ava could not understand that, it was almost like she was created to rile me.“How dare you Alaric! S