She slammed the door shut and I sat on one of the beds and put my hands on my head to think of what I’ve just done. “So much for being perfect.”
“I think that’s the first time I’ve ever seen you two fight.” Darius said.
“Over something as stupid as this too.”
“Don’t worry. She’ll forgive you.” Zayden said. “Even if it is this stupid. Take it from a professional.”
“Yeah, well, we’ll see.”
“I sure hope Ruby is having a better time than us.” Darius said.
Chapter 51
Ruby
I did what Zayden silently asked of me and followed a safe distance behind Adele but she did not go back into the dining hall like I thought she would. Instead, I followed her up the stairs until she stopped at a door and knocked on it like she knew exactly where she was.
“I’m not in there but I’m impressed you remembered where my room was after all these years.”
Adele was jumped and turned to Sedrik coming from the other direction. “Some things you can never forget.”
“What do you need?”
“Can we talk?”
“Of course. Come in.” Sedrik opened the door and went in. “I was just about to go to bed but I can make time for you.”
Adele walked in and Sedrik closed the door behind her, giving me the chance to sneak up on it and listen to the conversation going on inside, only getting a tiny visual through the key hole.
“So, what’s up?” Sedrik asked.
“I’ve been hearing some things about you and I just want to know if they’re true or not.”
“All right. I’ll be happy to assist you in the truth. Do you mind if I get changed?”
“No.” Adele turned and sat on the bed. I had clear view of it.
Sedrik took his shirt off while Adele watched and continued the conversation. “What have they been saying?”
“They are telling me that you’re trying to get in between me and Zayden by winning me back.”
“What?! That’s crazy! I would never try and ruin what you have. I know that it’s special to you and I just want you to be happy.”
I knew he was lying right to her face but understood why she believed him every time; he sounded so sincere.
“I know you do but everyone else is convinced that I’m wrong.” Adele said. “And you know I don’t like to be wrong.”
Sedrik walked over and kneeled down in front of her. “Hey. Don’t let them get you down. You’re not wrong. I may still cherish what we shared but I would never ever try and get between you and Zayden. I just lost both my father and my sister in the matter of days and my mind has been on other things.” He started to act sad and now I knew it was just an act.
“I’m sorry, Sedrik.”
He stood up and turned out of my sight. “I know. I have a responsibility to my country and I’ve been trying to live up to my father’s image but it’s been hard.”
Adele stood up and put her hand up but I couldn’t see where, probably touching him somehow. “You’ll be a great King. I know it and I’m sure your people know it too.”
“Thanks, Adele. You always know just what to say.”
She stepped out of my line of sight too but I didn’t hear anything for a few seconds. “I’m sorry. I can’t.”
“I understand. You better go.”
“Thank you.”
She started walking to the door and I quickly made my way back downstairs to the other room so she wouldn’t see me. “She’s coming.”
I sat next to Darius that would be a normal sight for Adele to walk in to but she wasn’t the next to walk in. Jaylyn did with Brutus and something strange happened.
Troy looked at her but she immediately looked away and laid on an entirely separate bed with Brutus jumping up beside her.
“Did I miss something?”
It was quiet.
“They had a fight while you were gone.” Darius whispered.
“Oh.”
Adele finally walked in and everyone was quiet again while looking at her. She didn’t say anything. She just went over to a bed and laid down. Brutus got up from laying with Jaylyn and jumped on her bed and nudged her arm. Adele put her arm up and he laid under it, putting his head on her pillow.
Zayden walked over and was about to put his hand on her but Brutus lifted his head and growled.
“No, Brutus.” Adele said quietly. “Go to sleep.” Brutus put his head back down and closed his eyes.
“Love?”
“Please don’t. Just let me go to sleep.”
Zayden backed away and looked at me.
I got up and walked out the outside door, waving my hand for them to come out with me. One by one, they slowly made their way outside and the door was closed so Adele couldn’t hear.
“What happened?” Zayden asked.
“He lied right to her face and she believed him. You won’t believe how good he is at it either. I almost started to believe him.”
“I’m not surprised that he did that at all.”
“Then he decided to play the sympathetic card and she—” I paused and looked at the others.
“She what?”
“Well, I’m not really sure what exactly. I only heard what she said. I couldn’t see.”
“Well, what did she say?”
“I’m sorry. I can’t.”
“What did she say, Ruby?!”
“I told you. She said, I’m sorry. I can’t.”
Zayden stood still and I was ready to see his eyes change but they didn’t. “So, he tried to make a move on her and she refused? Good. Maybe we can make her see for herself who he really is.”
“How?”
“He’s running out of time, knowing we’re about to leave and soon he won’t except no for an answer.”
“Are you suggesting that you’ll actually let him get close to her?” Troy asked.
“I trust her. She won’t take it too far but he is not the type to back down from something he wants and when he realizes that she won’t give it to him, he’ll take it from her.”
“And you’re willing to let that happen?” Darius asked. “Is that really such a good idea? What if she ends up giving in to him?”
His worry had to be from experiencing it but I’m glad Zayden didn’t see it that way. It just proved that we were all over it.
“It will be fine.” He said. “It’s for a good cause.”
“But do you realize what you’re risking?”
“Okay, Darius.” Troy said. “That’s enough. If he says it will be fine then it will be fine.”
“I know what I’m risking.” Zayden said. “But it’s the only way she’ll see the truth. The sooner it happens the sooner we’ll be out of here and I’ll be right there when it does. So, let’s get some sleep for now and wait to see what tomorrow brings.”
It truly was an awful plan but I didn’t know what else could really be done if Adele wasn’t going to listen to any of us. It just had to work.
Chapter 52
Troy
Darius pulled me back outside just as I had stepped in and turn me so I could see Jaylyn still out there with her back turned. “Go talk to her.”
“No. She wants it this way.”
“No she doesn’t. Now apologize or this will never be over.” He pushed me toward her and went inside.
I turned back to do the same but Darius grabbed the handle and wouldn’t let me in. He pointed out the window back to Jaylyn like he thought it were his responsibility to fix it and I sighed. Now I didn’t have a choice if he wouldn’t let me back in so I turned around and thought about what I would say, approaching cautiously.
“Jaylyn. I’m sorry about before. I didn’t mean to yell.” She stayed quiet with her back still turned. I walked up behind her and tried to get her to say something by touching her arms. “Jaylyn?”
She pulled away and kept her eyes off me. “How could you even think that?”
“I was wrong to sa
y any of that. I know you’re not like that.”
Jaylyn finally turned and I hated seeing her solemn eyes directed at me. “Is this about what I’ve let Zayden do to me? You don’t trust me?”
“No. It has nothing to do with that and I don’t think you’re like everyone else either.”
“If you know that then you should know that I love you enough to never do any of those things with Zayden or Sedrik or anyone else for that matter. It’s just you. Always.”
“I know. I over reacted and I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have.”
“What am I supposed to think now? How can I look at you and trust what you say?”
“Jaylyn, I just—”
“No. You don’t. Just go inside.” She turned from me and sat down on the ground a few feet away.
I was just getting frustrated. She wouldn’t listen. I just wanted to leave her out here so I turned back to the door but Darius was standing there with his arms crossed. He shook his head and I raised both my eyebrows and pointed behind me to show him it wasn’t just me. Darius just shook his head again and waved me to continue.
I sighed again and turned back to Jaylyn, hoping to make some progress but I did it more caring this time. I sat down next to her and started off slowly. “Jaylyn, please. I don’t want us to fight.” She just continued to sit quietly. “I love you and I’m sorry about everything I said. I just saw how Sedrik changed and I was worried for you.”
“Just because other people notice I’m pretty, doesn’t mean I’m going to let them do what they want with me. Are you really mad because of what I did at the market?”
“No but it also doesn’t mean that you could always stop them.”
“I’m not helpless. I’m a killer, remember?”
“But you could still be overpowered.”
She finally turned her head and looked at me. “You never have to be worried for me, especially when I always have you around to protect me. You’re the one that I want. We risked a lot to be together and I would never allow anything to change that.”
“Well, I am sorry.”
“Maybe I’m the one that’s sorry. I shouldn’t have tried to use Brutus against you.”
I laughed. “It’s fine. I understand why you would have. I was being unreasonable.”
She smiled and kissed me. “Come on.” She got up and started pulling me to my feet. “We better get to bed.”
“So, we’re good?”
“Yeah. I didn’t really want to be mad tonight. I had something planned.”
“Really but we’re sharing the room.”
“We can be quiet.”
I laughed. “You?”
“Hey!” She playfully hit my chest. “I resent that!”
“I’m sorry. I never encouraged silence. Noise makes me feel good.”
“That’s because you are good but just for that, I’m calling it off.”
“It’d probably be best this one time.”
“Come on. It’s late.”
I nodded and we went towards the door. Darius opened it and moved aside.
“Oh, letting me in now?” I asked with a little humor.
He smiled. “You fixed it. That’s what I was waiting for.”
“Thank you.” Jaylyn replied.
“Sorry you had to find out how stubborn he is.” Darius joked.
I rolled my eyes.
“It’s okay.” Jaylyn smiled, keeping me close to her. “We just really want to get some sleep now.”
“Yes please.” Ruby sighed. “Darius, I need you.”
He smiled and joined Ruby in their bed. Jaylyn and I got into one of our own while Zayden ended up sleeping away from Adele with Rift because Brutus was still with her. He wouldn’t allow him to get close yet he still kept his eyes in that direction. I hoped he would at least get some sleep tonight. None of us knew what it would be like here tomorrow.
Chapter 53
Zayden
I was nudged awake this morning and instinctively felt something was wrong. “What?”
“Adele is gone.” Troy said.
I got up and looked around. He was right. Worried for her, I got ready quickly and left it up to Jaylyn and Troy to wake the other two while I left the room with Rift to look for Adele. I tried as if not to walk like I was in a rush to be somewhere but the reality of it is that I was. If Adele wasn’t in the room with us than she had to be somewhere outside of it with him and I didn’t want her to be alone with him.
“How did you sleep?” I heard Sedrik’s voice inside the dining hall and I stopped near the door to listen. “I hope they didn’t give you any more trouble.”
“Oh, no. I slept fine, thanks. Brutus was with me.”
“That’s good to hear.”
There was a short pause before Adele possessed some kind of worry in her voice. “Sedrik?”
“Yes.”
“About last night.”
“Oh, Adele, no. I completely understand. You don’t have to, really.”
She sighed like she truly cared about how whatever happened affected him. “I am sorry, you know. Maybe if the circumstances were different but—”
“It’s okay, Adele. I would never—”
“I know. You’re a good friend.”
Her lone footsteps were getting closer to me and I was glad this short visit was over but it seemed he didn’t want it to be. “Adele?”
“Yes?”
“Would you like to walk the grounds with me? It’s a beautiful morning.”
I was thinking of a good response but the complete opposite came out. “I’d love to. The others are all still sleeping.”
“Good.”
Sedrik walked to her and they both began to walk toward me.
I stepped back with Rift, keeping him quiet and they didn’t even notice us by the door. They just continued on their way and I gave them some space but followed a distance behind.
It was an overall decent day; weather-wise. The sun was out and the palace gardens here were something of a sight. Everything was in bloom during the quarter and it was more apparent that Leccans felt like all plant life around here was superior to the world just like their grown foods. It was everywhere.
I didn’t want to spend my time looking around at it too much; I had something to do. Adele was ahead of me, walking a little too close to him.
“It’s so beautiful this time of year here. I’ve forgotten how much.”
“Yes, beautiful.” Sedrik muttered while looking at her.
Adele looked up with this smile and she pushed him away playfully. “Awe. You’re sweet.”
Sweet? More like desperate. I would have liked to but this was not my time to intervene. I had to keep reminding myself of that as I followed them because I knew it was going to get worse. It had to if she was ever going to see him for what he really was so that we may then finally get out of here and head home.
They reached a large blooming empress tree and sat on the bench that wrapped around it. I kept my position behind another tree so they couldn’t see me. Neither of them have yet and it was exactly what I wanted.
“Do you remember?” Sedrik asked, watching every move her eyes made when she looked around at the scenery.
“This is where we walked before. I remember this tree and the smell.” She closed her eyes and took in the smell of the blossoms while Sedrik moved a little closer to her. “It doesn’t seem like anything has changed over the years.”
“Some things can never change while others change so much you can’t recognize them anymore. It’s the course of the world.”
If she only knew the true meaning in what he just said. He was talking about himself. It was a very sly way to tell her that he changed.
Chapter 54
Troy
I walked to the window and looked at the view while we waited for word from Zayden. I played around with my vision through the gardens and unexpectedly saw Adele sitting with Sedrik on a bench with Zayden and Rift watching from behind another tree. “Yo
u should come and see this.”
“What are we supposed to be looking at?” Darius asked.
I laughed, a little amused that I forgot I was using my gift. It felt like I was right with them and anyone could see. “Oh, sorry. You must not be able to see it from here.”
“Show me.” Jaylyn anxiously took my hand, ready to see what I was but she didn’t react to it well when seeing it for herself. “Oh, no.”
“What is it?” Ruby asked.
“It’s Adele and Sedrik. They’re sitting together and Zayden is watching.”
So was I. I kept my eyes on Adele and studied her behavior. She seemed peaceful, maybe smelling the air around her with her eyes shut but she was definitely relaxed.
Then she opened her eyes and looked at Sedrik. They weren’t talking but I guess they just didn’t need to. Sedrik had picked up a fallen blossom and held it out in front of her. She smiled and took it in her hands, bringing it up to her nose and smelt it up close. When she opened her eyes again and looked over at Sedrik, he was sitting closer to her and she looked in his eyes. It wasn’t just a simple look either. I’ve seen this look before and it was almost like she had some kind of feelings for him. It only grew when he brought up his hand and brushed her hair behind her ear and put a blossom in with it.
It was like she was in a trance while looking at him. Then the worst part happened; he leaned into her just a little and let her have the opportunity to lean in the rest of the way. She did.
Jaylyn gasped.
“What?” Darius asked.
“They kissed.”
Ruby gasped too and it was worse that we knew Zayden was out there watching this first hand.
Chapter 55
Zayden
My eyes grew black. I couldn’t stop it but I couldn’t do anything about it either. She still needed to see who he really was and I knew her. She would stop it and she did.
“No. I can’t.”
She guided Sedrik back gently with her hand just like I had hoped but Sedrik was still in the moment and began to lean in again. “It’s okay. I won’t tell him.”
Forgotten Days (Fate's Intent Book 6) Page 23