“What did you do?” Zayden demanded. He was right next to me, ready to take her from me visually but I wouldn’t let him.
“Don’t touch her.”
“What did you do?” He asked again, standing to look at Kole.
“She’ll be fine. She’ll wake up with no knowledge of us ever being here.”
It was a nice thought but I knew she still wouldn’t be able to forget what I did. It’s already happened and it’s not something she could easily look away from.
“We have to get her out of here if that’s going to work.” I rose with her still in my arms and I headed for the doors.
“We can take her to my room.” Zayden said. “That’s where she’d normally wake.”
I didn’t like hearing that and he started getting in front of me like I needed him to show me the way.
“I can get there without you.” I cut in, making sure he wouldn’t pass me. “I don’t need an escort.”
“You know where it is?”
His voice was stern and I hated it every time I had to respond. “Not our first time here.”
He took a breath rather loudly behind me like he had so many questions. I was only thankful when he didn’t ask any and we made it up to his room.
I walked in with Adele and heard Kole stop everyone at the door. “Wait.”
“For what?” Zayden demanded. “You’re not allowing me to enter my own room?”
“It would be best for you if you didn’t.”
“Like I give a fuck about what you think. You definitely don’t control me in my own city. Step aside.”
I didn’t look back but I knew they were now in the room. I did this my own way despite who was watching. Maybe it would be enough to make him see I wasn’t going to give her up without a fight. I cared about her too much.
I set her down on the bed and sat myself by her side. She was so beautiful when she slept. It just made this whole decision all the more difficult.
“I sorry I didn’t come for you. I wish more than anything that I could make you forget about ever asking me to but we can at least take this moment away from you. You’ll never have to know we were ever here like the way it was intended.” I leaned down and kissed her forehead for the last time. “You’re lucky though. You always have been. I only wish someone could make me forget but you know better than most that you’re hard to let go of.”
I touched my hand on hers that laid across her stomach but I couldn’t stay here much longer without breaking down with everyone in the room. I gripped her fingers in mine as our final touch and I immediately got up. I couldn’t fully turn to look at everyone so I ducked my head and went for the balcony. This emotion was the worse and I needed to get away the quickest way.
Chapter 28
Zayden
I wasn’t quite sure what just happened when Ryon jumped off the balcony to leave. Kole didn’t appear worried so it couldn’t have been a suicide attempt but it was still clear Ryon had feelings for Adele. I know she said they weren’t together but it sure seemed like it.
“This has been fun.” Kole said after a long pause. “We should do it again.”
“No we shouldn’t!” Jaylyn snatched. “Now go after him before he does something stupid.”
“He’s not going to do anything stupid in such a public place. Don’t worry.”
“Just follow him, Kole. He needs you right now.”
“I know what he needs.”
“Whatever he’s about to do, talk him out of it.”
Jaylyn was showing this unusual sign of worry but Kole didn’t seem to see it as being anything of a problem. “That really won’t be as hard as you think. He won’t fight for her.”
“You can’t be sure.”
“Actually, I can be quite sure.”
“How?” Now I was getting interested in this.
Kole’s eyes met mine and his appeared to be nearly silver in color. “Because even hypothetically speaking, if Ryon chose to fight for her, you would die and that’s simply something we’re not ready for yet. We need you breathing.”
My eyes narrowed and I was only being pulled into this plan. Was this somehow part of the test he told us about? Was all of this planned?
“Just focus on doing whatever it is you intended to do and leave the details to us. Things will be better off.”
I still had so many questions and I think others started to notice and that’s why Ruby interrupted. “When will she wake?”
“Whenever you need her to.” Kole answered.
“And she really won’t remember about you being here?” I asked.
“It’s for the best isn’t it? She’ll just think she’s waking from a nap.”
“Why did she even go back downstairs?” Jaylyn asked. “I mean, she left pretty mad.”
“I have no idea.” Kole replied. “No harm done. Now, don’t you have somewhere to be?”
“That you’ll be staying here for.” Jaylyn reminded him.
“Sorry but no. We’ll be around, you just won’t see us.”
“That’s not necessary.” I said.
“We’re not doing it for you. Orders are orders and we always follow ours, no matter how painful.”
Kole went to the balcony and left the same way Ryon did by hopping over the railing and taking the long drop to the ground.
“What are they?” Darius asked.
“Show offs.” Jaylyn replied with a grumbling voice.
Things those two could do didn’t seem to surprise Jaylyn or Ruby and I wondered how long they planned to keep it from us. “You should have told us sooner.”
“Told you what?” Ruby asked.
I got a little frustrated and turned to her. “That there are more like you! You know, that can do things that no one else can!”
My voice echoed loudly but she didn’t seem startled. “And how would we have told you that? Oh, by the way, there are three other guys back home that could make the three of you look like complete amateurs if you ever tried fighting them because they have more powerful gifts than us.”
“They really have more powerful gifts than you?” Darius asked.
“Did you not see everything Kole did? That wasn’t even scratching the surface.”
I sighed and was done with this. A part of me didn’t care and I just wanted to leave on our outing so I wasn’t tempted to check in on my father with the terms being negotiated. “Come on. Let’s try to wake her up and Adele still doesn’t find out about this.”
I walked around the bed and slowly sat next to her where Ryon had previously sat. He was right in caring for her. She looked so beautiful asleep but I knew I had to wake her so we could spend some time away from the palace. “Hey, Love? Wake up.”
She started to with a groan when I touched her shoulder and rolled away. “Go away.”
Ruby almost laughed loudly but I held out my hand. I didn’t want her to be woken up that way. I had no idea how Kole’s gift worked but I had to trust that she didn’t know about them being here and went on with things she would remember.
“Look. I know you hate this and I know nothing seems to be turning out like you want but maybe a little time away will help.”
“Nothing will. Not as long as I stay here.”
It was true. She really didn’t know what had happened in the dining hall and I carried on with what she had mentioned. “Well, nevertheless, we have to get out. My father wants us kept busy while he meets with the council members about what to do with you.”
Adele spun around. “What?!”
“Whoa. Relax. It’s not that big of a deal.”
“How can you say that?!”
I was careful not to mention who it was. “I think he just wants us to think it is but we’re not going to let him.”
Adele sighed and actually gave up sooner than I planned. I still had a few explanations lined up to use but I guess I didn’t need them. “Fine. What is it we plan to do then?”
“We’re going to The Grand.” Jaylyn a
nswered. “Like we planned earlier.”
Adele’s eyes rolled. “Dress code?”
“Yes.” I smiled, looking down at her still in her dress. “But you might want to fix your hair. We don’t want to be late.”
“You think you could do something about this first?” Ruby asked.
Adele smiled when she saw Ruby looking down at her dress, displeased. “All right. How do you want it?”
“Well, we’ll have to improvise since we can’t show off our hips, so give it a nice low back.” With a few simple hand movements, Adele reshaped Ruby’s dress to exactly how she requested. It was incredible just to watch. “Now, give me a slit up to my hip.”
“How’s that?”
“Almost perfect. Now make it dark red like the undertones of Muscles’s hair.” We all seemed to look at Darius. It was a little odd that she still called him that but he didn’t seem to mind and we put our looks back on her. “What? It’s a nice color. I’ve had a lot of time to look at it.”
“And I’m just thrilled that you had to share that with us.” Adele said, turning her dress that exact shade of red.
“Jealous.” Darius smiled.
“I don’t take things that aren’t mine. Don’t tempt me to.”
She walked passed him back towards the bed and I watched his eyes followed her, his smile even wider. “Perhaps I should then.”
I didn’t hesitate. I stepped towards Darius and dropped him back on the floor with a simple move of my leg and put my foot on his chest to keep him down. “Perhaps you should rethink that.”
“And perhaps you should—get off!” He grabbed my ankle quickly before I could do anything about it and pushed me aside. I tumbled to the floor hard and Darius rolled to me, pinning me down while I wrestled to get control. Just like old times it seems but he did have an advantage, he was stronger than me.
“Give up?”
“You know I never will.”
“All right. That’s enough.” Ruby reached for Darius and started pulling him away. It seemed easy for her until I looked up and I saw her red eyes fading away. Her strength helped and it was even enough to stop Darius. I had to remember that.
“Thank you.” I said. “Is Adele doing her hair?”
“Yeah. She just went back there for a mirror but you wouldn’t have noticed since you were busy.”
“He deserved it.”
“I know but no roughing each other up when we’re supposed to be going out and looking nice.”
“Yes, ma’am.” I joked. “Won’t happen again.”
“Good.”
I turned my eyes to Darius and the joking was over. “Keep your thoughts off that kiss. It meant nothing and you’ll never get it again.”
He laughed. “Zayden, relax. I wasn’t even going to mention it.”
“What kiss?” I turned my eyes again and realized that Ruby was still close enough to hear what I said. I forgot that she didn’t know. Well—until now.
“It was nothing.” I assured her. “Adele tested him the night before we got here.”
“Oh.” She turned but I didn’t really know if that was a good thing. She could have just done it to hide her red eyes.
“So, we ready?” Adele walked out of the bathhouse with her hair done up to perfection.
“I don’t know.” Ruby snatched before I could answer. “Have anything you forgot to tell me?”
Adele looked around at all of us a little strangely and she definitely didn’t know what she was talking about so I thought I’d enlighten her. “She found out about your test on Darius the other night.”
I figured Adele would have been nervous that she knew but she took it rather well by laughing. “Oh! Ruby, come on. Grow up. It was harmless and he clearly proved that he wanted you.”
“Then don’t ever do it again.”
“Never planned to. I have what I need for now.”
She looked at me and smiled and I was glad she was taking our relationship well.
“So, we ready?” She asked again. “Or do you want to bitch about something meaningless some more.”
“Hey!” Darius cut in.
“I didn’t mean you. The situation.”
“No. We’re fine.” Ruby said, stepping towards Darius and putting herself in his arms.
“Good. Then we’re ready.”
“Actually, I was thinking.” Jaylyn said.
“What is it?” I asked.
“Will your father actually want us to be going out if he said we were just to be kept busy? You know, because you’re supposed to be—getting married.”
I sighed to mentally thank her for mentioning it.
“Yeah!” Darius laughed. “People seeing you with another woman may bring up things.”
“Not if they thought it was Adele!” Ruby smiled to share in the laugh and change her mood back from her momentary jealousy.
Adele ended that quickly and hit her arm. “Shut up!”
“Who says they even know?” I asked.
“Oh, they know all right!” Ruby laughed, moving herself away from Adele to the other side of Darius so she wouldn’t be able to hit her again.
“What does that mean?” Darius asked.
“Have you not asked her how it is we got out of the base without being ravished by everyone in there?”
I was a little worried. “Should I have?”
“Oh, yes! It’s a frightfully good story.”
“Oh, please.” Adele cut in. “I did what I had to and it worked!”
“What did you say?”
Adele sighed like she had no choice but to tell me. I thought the same thing. “I may or may not have told them that—I was the one you’re marrying.”
“What?!” Darius laughed.
He shifted his eyes to me and I think I was paralyzed for a moment. I was lost in thought with my eyes becoming blurred towards Adele.
“But it was just to get us out of there. It’s the only way I knew they’d listen to me.”
I snapped out of it quickly and forced my voice out at her. “You actually said that when we weren’t even supposed to be friends?!”
“They’re the ones that believed it. Senians are so narrow-minded.”
Really? Is that what she thought? Maybe so but I thought to remind her of one very important thing. “Remember that you’re part of this.”
“I haven’t been in a long time. Those stereotypes don’t apply to me.”
I let her have that but dreaded what I had to do next because I already knew how she’d react. “Just so you know, you brought this on yourself.”
“What?”
I snapped my fingers and Troy turned around to the stand that held my crown and opened a small drawer, pulling out a box that just fit inside. He turned back to me and held it out to Adele, opening it at the same time.
“Now you have to wear this.”
Adele gasped when she saw the Senian Princess crown inside that was resemblance to mine but more feminine for the perfect match. She seemed instantly overwhelmed from seeing it that she backed away from it like it was a plague. Another insult?
“You’re serious? Just because I said that so we wouldn’t end up killing anyone, I have to pretend to be your Princess? No. That’s a little too much for me. I didn’t agree to anything of this extent when I said what I did.”
“They already think it’s you and you should just go with it. You’re not going to be here that much longer to deal with the rest of it.”
She was looking down at the box and was almost going to agree. I saw her hand move like she wanted to take it but something changed. “No. I can’t. You’ll have to find someone else.”
“But I can’t. That’s the whole point.”
Adele started to shake and her words flowed out in one continuous strain, not letting a breath in between. “Well, you’ll have to because I can’t. There’s no way. I mean, it’s crazy. What? How? No. I can’t. We’ll just stay here until he decides. I’m fine with that.”
“A
dele!” Ruby and Jaylyn groaned.
“It’s all right, Love.” I said, trying to get her to see my way yet again. “You know you don’t want to stay here. Just do this one thing for me and I’ll never ask you to do anything for me again.”
Her eyes moved back down to the box with her question. “Never?”
“Never. You have my word.”
She sighed and lifted her eyes to me only to narrow them. “You owe me big for this.”
“That’s okay. I have just the thing for such an occasion. Third times a charm!”
“Wasn’t the last time the third time?”
“That was the third total time. Last night doesn’t count. It’s a new day.”
Ruby laughed. “And you got angry about hearing of my activities.”
“We’re not talking about this.” Adele said, aggravated she had to even mention it.
“Well, since you’re going to be Zayden’s Princess now, I think a change in design is in order.” Jaylyn smiled.
Adele sighed and looked down at her dress. It was still purple. I didn’t think anything was wrong with it but she put her hands on the silk of the dress anyway and the threads began to change to a shining silver.
I could only stare at her as she moved her hands to her shoulders and turned the straps that crisscrossed over her back blue.
“Is that better?”
“Much more Senian.” Jaylyn smiled. “Don’t you think so, Zayden?” I was still staring at Adele without a blink. “Zayden?”
“Ah—yeah. We should go.” I led them to the door and held out my hand when I got there and looked out. “Wait.” I kept my eye on the corner and made sure no one was coming. “Okay. Come on. Carefully. No one here can see you wearing that.”
“Then remind me why I’m doing it again?”
“Remember, you brought it on yourself.” I took her hand and slowly led her through the halls of the palace, being cautious about any movement from any direction.
It only got worse when we reached the top of the stairs.
“Shit.” There was much more traffic than what was upstairs and I didn’t want to run into anyone, especially anyone Adele would recognize.
Deciding Skies (Fate's Intent Book 2) Page 15