by A. J. Rosen
“But I’m naked.”
“And I don’t care.” When he was about to doze off again, I clapped loudly to regain his attention. “Adrian, I’m going through with the plan. We’re going to do it in three days. And you have to help me gather all the supplies we need to burn down the tree.”
He yawned. “Okay.”
“Also.” I breathed in and out. “After we do it, I’m okay if you come with me.”
“Are you serious?” He was awake now.
“Yes.”
He opened his arms, about to wrap them around me, but I quickly stood up, and he fell into his bed instead. I tried hard not to be affected by his behind on display. “But we’re going as friends. No trying to kiss me like you did last night. We’ll wait to see what happens after we get rid of the gift. Maybe our feelings will change, maybe they won’t. But we’ll deal with that later.”
Adrian had recovered and leaned back against the head of his bed with a smile on his face. I expected him to argue with me, but all he said was, “Okay.”
Sometimes I forgot that with Adrian there was no need to complicate things. I smiled and copied him. “Okay.”
I avoided leaving my room as much as possible after solidifying my plans with Adrian. Hawke and Lincoln checked on me every now and then, but I still needed time to process everything, so I kept our interactions short.
It was around five o’clock in the afternoon when I received a text from Kris telling me that Vlad would come get me for dinner. I quickly hit the call button. She seemed to be expecting that because she answered on the first tone. “What’s up?”
“Do you seriously want to torture me or something?”
“What?” She sounded innocent, perhaps a little too innocent.
“Why are you asking your brother to take me to dinner? Please, for the love of your ancestor Poseidon, stop trying to set me up with your brother. It won’t happen. Trust me.”
“Ave, it’s not like that. Maybe I should’ve been clearer—I mean he’ll meet you at the Hyped and walk with you to the Royal Quarters so you can have dinner with my family. It’s still not safe for you to be alone, Ave.”
She had no idea how unsafe it really was.
“Of course, if you want to invite your mom and dad, they are more than welcome. And I’ll tell Vlad he doesn’t need to escort you after all.”
I suddenly felt dumb. What was I thinking? How could I jump ahead and think Kris was still trying to set me up with her brother over a simple dinner invitation? Was it possible that I was secretly hoping—Stop it, Avery! I pushed away the thought and inhaled deeply. “Right. Of course. Sounds great. See you later, then.”
Just as I hung up the phone, there was a firm knock on my bedroom door before it swung open and Lincoln stepped inside. “Hey, I’m sorry to bother you.” She smiled nervously. “But do you need anything?”
If this was a month ago, back when I had no clue I was a Stavros, I would’ve done a backflip if my mom had knocked on the door instead of just letting herself in uninvited. Now, here she was knocking and apologizing for knocking.
“No.” I shook my head. “Not unless you can give me answers about my real parents.”
The look on Lincoln’s face when I said the word real was almost as if I had stabbed her in the heart. I had spent all my life believing that she hadn’t cared for me, and seeing her reaction made me wonder if she actually did care after all and had just pretended not to. I quickly brushed that thought away, though. If she cared, she wouldn’t have made my life miserable by picking a fight every chance she could get.
Still, I felt bad for hurting her. Whatever happened in the past, Lincoln and Hawke had spent eighteen years of their life protecting me. They could’ve had their own lives instead of putting them on hold. A thought came up and I knew how I could make it up to her for now.
“Do you want to go to the Ambrosias’ for dinner with me? Kris just called. They’ve invited us over to their place at the Royal Quarters.”
Lincoln blinked. She had probably expected another harsh statement. “Sure. I’ll let your father—I mean, I’ll let Hawke know.”
“Okay.” Well, that wasn’t difficult. At least I wouldn’t have to spend alone time with Vlad now. I pushed myself up from the bed and texted Kris to let her know that I didn’t need Vlad to babysit me after all.
I had been wrong. Even though I had come with my parents and didn’t have to endure walking to the Royal Quarters with Vlad, I still had to try to ignore his presence once we got to the Ambrosias’ suite. That was hard to do when I could feel him watching me throughout dinner. Yet every time I looked up, his gaze was on his plate or anywhere else but on me.
Was I imagining it?
About the seventh time I felt his stare, I looked up and my eyes finally caught his. He was blatantly staring. Neither of us broke away until Kris nudged me, asking if I was all right.
“I need to use the restroom.” Although it was a lie, I excused myself from the table anyway and made my way to the bathroom. I locked the door behind me and sat on the closed seat of the toilet for one full minute. I stood, hit the flush button, and washed my hands, dedicated to my white lie. When I opened the bathroom door, I found Vlad leaning against the wall by the door.
Without saying anything, I turned left, heading for the dining room when his words stopped me in my tracks. “I’m sorry.”
I was convinced I had misheard him. “You’re—what?”
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said the things I said to you the other night.” He shook his head, looking both dejected and regretful. “I was out of line.”
“It’s fine.”
His eyes searched mine for the truth. Before things got awkward, I spun on my heels and left him standing there. No one seemed to notice that Vlad and I had both been missing except Kris, who looked at me questioningly. I gave her a tiny head shake.
Later that evening, as Hawke and Lincoln were thanking Jane and Kristov for their hospitality, I pulled Kris into a tight hug. It was heavier than any hug we had ever had. I remained like that for a long while, knowing that this was probably the last time I would ever see her. Once the tree had been burned down, I would run away with Adrian as a fugitive, leaving this part of my life behind. There was no one I would miss more than my best friend. Kris seemed to pick up on how strangely I was acting. Her eyes questioned me once I let go. I didn’t have an explanation for her, so I simply gave her a meek smile. Vlad was nowhere to be seen, probably in his father’s office working on files, which was fine by me because somehow I felt that if he had seen that hug, he would’ve been able to guess that it was a good-bye.
I locked myself in my room for most of the next day, preparing myself mentally and physically for what Adrian and I were going to do tomorrow. Neither Lincoln nor Hawke pushed me to go to any other activities in the schedule; it seemed that they agreed that me being home was the best way to keep me safe for now. I wasn’t sure what excuse they had given the officials, but I didn’t really care. I had other things to focus on.
My partner in crime, however, had a different idea. He showed up at my door around seven o’clock in the evening with a crazy idea. “I think we should celebrate it.”
“Celebrate what, exactly?” Both Lincoln and Hawke had received a phone call about an hour ago and left after telling me to stay put. Their words were less harsh than back when I had thought they were my real parents, but it was an order nonetheless.
“Our freedom.”
I blew out a heavy, “Hmm,” and walked to the kitchen to pour myself a glass of water. “Yeah, no. I don’t want to celebrate anything when we have yet to accomplish it.”
“Oh come on, Montgomery. Let’s hit Royal Bar or Isles of the Blessed.”
“Nope.” I drank then put the glass on the kitchen island.
“Fine. Then let’s do whatever you have in mind.”
His expression turned serious as he took the empty seat beside me. “I heard you went to dinner with Vlad again.”
He wasn’t exactly wrong. “And?”
“I’m just—” He ran his hand through his hair and sighed loudly. “I’m just checking you don’t have cold feet.”
“My feet are toasty warm.” When his face didn’t look convinced, I continued, “Look, I don’t know what you’re thinking, but nothing’s going on between me and Vlad. Yes, I had dinner with him, but it wasn’t just the two of us. My parents were there, his parents were there, Kris was there.”
Adrian’s frown turned into a boyish smile. “Okay.”
“Besides,” I felt the need to remind him, “didn’t I tell you that we would start slow? That we would be friends first.”
“Yeah, I know. I was just worried when Domenico told me Vlad was picking you up for dinner last night that you were going to change your mind.”
“You thought wrong.” Suddenly I felt more exhausted than I’d ever felt before.
Adrian was about to say something when Lincoln and Hawke walked through the door. They were surprised to see him. Hawke lifted one brow, looking expectantly at me. I gave him a shrug.
Lincoln was the first to break the ice. “Lord Ambrosia, I didn’t expect to see you here. Would you like a cup of tea or coffee?”
Player or not, Adrian suddenly looked very nervous in front of my “parents.”
“No, thank you, Mrs. Montgomery. I’m about to leave, actually.” He turned to me. “I’ll see you tomorrow?”
“Yeah.”
Adrian nodded at my reply, and after saying farewell to Lincoln and Hawke, he left.
“What is he doing here?” Lincoln muttered under her breath without directing the question to anyone. I stood up and moved back to my bedroom, leaving the two of them with their questions. I was going to try to make it an early night.
Maybe it was the nervousness, but I found myself wide awake at two in the morning. And apparently claustrophobic as well, as I felt that it was getting hard to breathe inside my own unit. Perhaps I was starting to go stir crazy. After tossing and turning to no avail, I finally swung my legs out of the covers and got out of bed.
I tiptoed out and took my coat from the hanger with one hand while the other carried my boots. Once I was standing in the elevator and on my way down, I put my coat and boots on. I pulled my coat tight as I walked across the lobby and out the front sliding doors. My gaze fell to the oak tree in the garden at the center of the Court. Twinkling lights had been placed on each branch, like it was a makeshift Christmas tree. I found myself compelled to walk toward it just like the day I first arrived at Court.
Up close, I felt the peace I’d been longing for. My chest no longer felt tight, and I could breathe normally. I looked up to see that many flowers had bloomed; they looked like tiny ornaments.
I felt his presence before I heard his voice.
“You were called by Dodona, too, huh?” He walked closer until we were side by side.
“What do you mean?”
Vlad bobbed his chin toward the oak tree before us. “Legend has it that the tree whispers things to those who can hear it.” The lights from the tree cast shadows and made him look mysterious. “Were you called?”
“No,” I replied curtly. When he didn’t say anything yet continued to stand there beside me, I couldn’t help asking, “What are you doing here?”
“I was going to the fish pond, it’s my favorite place. But then I saw you.”
“And?” I sneered, still avoiding eye contact. “You saw me and you thought I wanted company?”
“No. I’m probably the last person you want to talk to.”
“Then why are you here?”
“Because I keep my promises, and I promised my sister I would keep you safe, so here I am.”
I replied, “That promise is null and void. You don’t have to bother yourself with this anymore.” When he didn’t move, I added, “Just walk away, Vlad.” I didn’t see it coming until his hands were on my arms. “What are you doing?”
“You’re so stupid.” His low voice laced with desperation. In any other circumstance, I would’ve argued until his ears bled how he was more stupid than me. Yet something in his voice made me stay quiet. Then, with a voice filled with agony, as if it took everything in him to say it, he uttered three words I never thought I would hear from my nemesis, Vladimir Ambrosia. “I love you.”
He leaned in, and our lips were mere breaths away, and my heart beat faster and faster as he inched closer. I felt the velvety brush of his lips on mine before he jerked upward as if he’d just kissed molten lava. “I can’t.”
“Why?” I asked, startled by the desperation in my voice that trounced the curiosity.
“It’s complicated.” He shook his head, frowning. Despite the chilly air, he was sweating. “Let’s just leave it at that.”
“Are you serious?” I threw my hands up in the air. “You just confessed your love for me, nearly kissed me before suddenly pushing me away, and all you have to offer as an explanation is ‘it’s complicated’? What is it? What is it that you’re not telling me?”
“I can’t, Avy. Just forget what I said.”
“No,” I stubbornly answered, holding my ground.
“Just drop it.”
“No,” I repeated, and inched closer, closing the distance between us. “Tell me.”
“Damn it. Stop.” He raised his hand to stop me, yet his feet did not move.
“Spill.” I moved closer.
“Holy Poseidon, I’ve made a promise! I can’t—” He closed his eyes for a brief moment, and when he opened them again, determination flared in them as he sighed. “I just can’t.”
“What promise?”
“It’s nothing. None of your business,” he said.
Damn. That hurt. “Fine.” I lifted both of my hands, raising my white flag as I backed away a few steps. “Whatever.”
Later today, once the sun was up and everyone was at the Panhellenic Festival’s closing ceremony, Adrian and I were going to execute our plan. This was it. No turning back now. I told myself that Vlad was right. It was none of my goddamn business. I should let it go. Let him go.
Chapter Twenty-Four
This was it. This would be the day I finally got what I’d been wanting for as long as I could remember. With only two days until my birthday, I had to act fast. Dressed in a black hoodie and jeans, I waited for Adrian under the Whispering Oak. As expected, everyone was at the closing ceremony of the Panhellenic Festival, and most of the Court Guards were patrolling the stadium.
Where was Adrian? My fingers fought against the cold as I sent him another text.
I heard a rustle coming from the tree, then a voice brought by the wind. Just like the first day, it felt as if the tree was speaking to me. I thought back to what Vlad had said to me early this the morning while the rest of the Court was sleeping. Legend has it that the tree whispers things to those who can hear it. Was the tree trying to tell me something?
“Whatever you are trying to tell me,” I whispered back, “it won’t work. I’m still going to burn you down.” A pit formed in my stomach. I knew a tree was a living thing, but was the Whispering Oak of Dodona more alive than a regular tree? Would I be killing its spirit too?
The tree was even more beautiful than the day I had first seen it, now full of buds and blooms. Which of these flowers represented Kris and Domenico? Their happiness had blossomed instantaneously—would Kris ever forgive me for destroying this symbol of their love?
My hand slid into my pocket and pulled out the folded photo of me and Bryan. I stared into his eyes, suddenly desperate for his presence. “Things would be so much easier if you were here, Bryan.”
I heard footsteps and quickly shoved the photograph back into my pocket. Adrian had finally arrived. “What took you so—”
It wasn’t Adrian. It was Damian. The last person in the world I wanted to see right now.
“I’ve found you alone at last.”
“And I want it to stay that way. Now walk away!”
Before I could say another word, there was a blur of motion and I caught sight of a dagger as it was plunged straight into my stomach. I was thrust backward, staggering, and fell to the ground. Pain radiated from my belly, and my chest became tight. I pressed my hand against the wound and felt wetness. I put both hands against the ground and tried to push myself up, but before I could sit up properly, he grabbed the collar of my hoodie and slapped me repeatedly. When he was satisfied, he grabbed me by my hair and dragged me away.
“I’ll make my family proud, you know. I’ve finally caught the last Stavros. All I have to do now is bring you to the Faction, then they’ll crown me as their leader.”
My face stung; I could feel his handprints all over my face. My stomach bled as I tried to struggle against his grip. Through blurry vision, my eyes met a pair of green ones. It was only a split second before the figure vanished. My eyes fluttered closed, the darkness enveloping me, and I had no power left to fight.
The pain burned like fire, then slowly faded to an icy numbness. My breath came in ragged shallow gasps. I heard footsteps, then voices. I felt people swarming around me, trying to save me.
My consciousness was floating through an empty space filled with infinite darkness and my heartbeat echoed in my ears. I wanted to be saved. Three familiar faces came into my vision. The three strange ladies from the Hyped—but they were dressed differently. Instead of the usual dull-brown uniform like the rest of the Court workers, they were now cloaked in white robes. Their skin was blistered and their eyes were bloodshot. Each of them had one hand on me, the other reaching out to the oak.
My vision went black again. I lost time; I felt nothing but numbness.