Mera! Get your act together. You are NOT falling for him.
Yet, I am.
With a hint of a smile I slowly sit up, letting his arm slide off me. I place a mini kiss on his hand and make my way to the bathroom. My eyes are furious with me for yet again sleeping with my contact in.
After a quick - very hot - shower and lots of eye drops I start to feel a little better. My muscles are less tense and my eyes feel calmer. I walk back into my room and look around. I was only gone for about fifteen minutes, in which Will has left my room. It does not really come as a surprise. It will not exactly look good if the two of us leave my bedroom together and he probably has a million things to do. So I grab my tablet and put on my darn heels. I really want to hear if there is any more news, but my stomach protests. I’ll go down for breakfast before searching for the Queen.
Voices fill the large corridor at the end of the staircase. The voices are hurried, and some are muffled. When the people speaking come in sight I find myself at a loss for air. In front of me stands a family in warm embrace. A father, a mother, a brother and two beautiful girls. For a second I forget the father is evil, the mother is my boss and the brother.. well he is something else entirely. I am about to turn, not wanting to spoil their special moment when I hear the Queen call for me.
“Mera!” she starts and then moving her eyes to her daughters, “Prana, Heleny, this is my assistant that helped find you, Miss Mera.”
I know there is no way of hiding now so I make my way down and curtsy in front of the beautiful girls. Well, women actually. Even though it is clear they have been through a rough few days they are still quite stunning. Both have thick brown hair that curls around their faces. Their eyebrows hang a little lower, which makes their bright red eyes pop even brighter. They both have glares that could pierce my very soul. All four eyes make their way from the tip of my head to the tip of my toes and I shiver under their gaze.
“No title then, Miss Mera?” says one of the girls with a downgrading nod.
I remember Amber telling me they were very used to having whatever they wanted, she even called them spoiled brats. And now I understand exactly what she was saying. These women want nothing to do with me, and I am completely fine with that. They are not the type of people I want to spend time with anyways. The comment does put some extra insecurity in me though. Titles and ranks are not something I have ever been bothered with. But I do care about what people think of me.
Even though I really want to cower in a corner right now, I do not let them win this easily. So I stand as straight as I can, still not being as tall as both of them and look into their eyes.
“I am glad to have been of assistance, even though I am titleless. It must be wonderful to be back with your loved ones. Now if you do not mind, there is much work to catch up on. Finding you was my very top priority.” My voice is firm and steady, I nod at the family standing in front of me and disappear around the corner as elegantly as possible. I notice Will’s eyes on me as I walk away. He seems impressed. If only he knew I was even less than he thought. I was not even a ‘titleless’ Elite.
Once out of sight, I let out a very large breath. Ugh, those girls are just horrible. How did Will turn out so normal?
After a quick breakfast I walk up to the office as I keep checking over my shoulder. Something tells me the palace is too calm. Something tells me the King is too calm. He must hate humans more than ever. At first I was sure he was going to get rid of me straight away, but now I am getting second thoughts. He might hate humans, but I did actually help save his daughters, that should give me some credits in his book. Or is he planning something else? I have heard so many horrible stories about this man. I have the unnerving feeling that he is holding something back.
“Mera,” Will’s head pops into the office, “anyone else around?”
“Hey, nope, I wanted to get a head start on our work, since everything has been pushed back,” I reply with fake calmness. The truth is, sitting around in my room, waiting for my doom, was just not an option. Truth is I am terrified and I buried myself in work.
“I just,” he quickly closes the distance between the office door and my desk, “wanted to thank you again.”
I let out a little breath I was not aware of keeping. “Oh come on Will, it really was my pleasure, I am glad my assistance helped.”
“And, I am truly sorry for my sisters. The way they spoke to you was totally uncalled for.”
Yes, Yes it was.
His hand grabs mine, placing a small kiss on the back.
Then, sitting down on my desk he places another kiss on my palm. Then my wrist.
Shivers run down my spine. My heart races. He is just so handsome, so wonderful. But most of all, he is thoughtful, and kind, so kind.
My heart feels heavy, knowing this is only going to last so long.
But when he leans in, all my worries seem to disappear. He swallows me whole. I am all his. His lips press mine and I can’t help but fall further.
It is such a sweet moment. Just the two of us after such stress and worry. I want to stay. Not just for the Queen and the job, but for him. I want to be here. With him. For a second I pretend we have no secrets, and that he loves me. For a moment I pretend that we are married and that I will never have to walk away from him. The kiss deepens. His hands softly caress my arms, my neck and my face. I reach out, pulling him closer, feeling his strong arms round me.
I think I really am falling in lov…..
The thought and kiss end abruptly.
The door flies open. An assistant pushes the glass door open and jumps aside to make room for the tornado that enters next. The King storms in with a rage on his face I have never seen on a person before. His eyes are filled with fire and fury as he takes me in. My heart stops.
“I knew it, “ he screams at me, “I knew it!”
Behind him I see the Queen run in, tears running down her face and eyes in horror. Will looks at his father in great fear and then at me. He does not have a clue what is going on. But he knows his father, and he knows his wrath. I know that this is the moment I have been so horrible afraid of over the past months. This is the moment that will ruin me. Will moves in front of me, trying to protect me from his father's wrath.
“She is a fraud, a fake!” the King yells.
The Queen tries to calm him, but he pushes her away. She stumbles back. the panic in her eyes rise. She has seen this anger before. I would not even be surprised finding out he has manhandled here. He takes another step towards me and I feel myself get smaller. Will tries to shield me from his father, but the man pushes him away like he is a bug. The room is filled with anger, fear and confusion.
He grabs my arm and drags me from my chair. Then he pushes me to his side, his one hand still on my arm and the other grabs my face. Both hands are firm and steady.
“She… is.. a… HUMAN” He screams, his grip crushing my bones and, with that, my soul.
Both Will and the Queen look at me in shock. I lock eyes with Will and quietly beg him to be ok with this. He holds my gaze for a moment but breaks it to look back at his father. His hesitation is clear. His mind is racing and he is on the edge of the unknown.
“She is a spy! She is here only for her own cause! She supports the rebels!” the King keeps screaming, keeps putting pressure on my body and all I can do is let him humiliate me in front of these two amazing people.
The Queen has question marks on her face and Will looks at his feet. His soul seems crushed. Please look at me Will. Please.
The King continues his lies, “she made sure the search for our precious daughters was slowed down by mixing fake evidence in with the real. She has made it her personal mission to sweeten up MY SON, to blind him, to pretend to care for him. And for what!? YOU disgust me!”
My knees buckle and the King allows me to fall at his feet. I look up at Will one last time, pleading with him to see the truth in my eyes. He has to understand that not everything the King is saying is
true. I need him to trust me.
But all he shows is confusion and pain. I see the conflict in his eyes as he looks me over. When he opens his mouth a spark of hope fills me. He is going to defend me. He knows me, I would never do anything the King has just accused me off.
Instead his voice is cold, sending a shiver down my spine, “show me, take out your contacts.”
I look at him, then at the Queen and she gives me the smallest nod. She does not seem angry, just heartbroken. That might even be worse.
One by one my contacts fall to the floor, leaving me naked without them. I look up at Will, and when his eyes lock with mine all his confusion seems to disappear. He takes a step away from me. His red eyes become darker than I have ever seen them. Seconds tick by as he stares into my eyes. He then turns without a word.
All the trust he had in me only a few moments ago is gone. Why can’t he see that I am still me? Why is he so angry, I never did any of this on purpose. I was forced to pretend, to lie.
My heart crumbles as I see his silhouette turn around the corner and I can’t hold my mask any longer. Tears find a path on my cheek, down to my chin and into my lap.
“Ha, of course you humans cry when you are caught,” the King speaks as he looks down on me. “I will give you something to cry about.” he says.
Silence lingers.
I try to swallow. He is building this up on purpose, the tyrant.
“You will have a trial, but I am kind enough to tell you the outcome.”
I look up at him, my heart stops. He pulls me up, closing the distance of our faces.
“You will spend some time rotting in a cell, then I shall have you hanged.”
The words linger.
He laughs.
The Queen gasps.
I fall.
The next minutes pass in a blur. The Queen stands taller than ever. She screams, yells and waves her hands. It is slow motion, I hardly understand what is going on. The King looks stunned. He must not be used to this kind of passion from his wife. Still I can’t really comprehend anything. My thoughts are completely blank. I stare at the wall, waiting for arms to pull me up and take me to a cell. But the arms don’t come. Instead the Queen sinks to her knees in front of me.
“Mera?” she whispers.
I look up, hesitant, confused.
She speaks in a rushed tone. “You have fifteen minutes to pack your belongings and leave the grounds. I have convinced the King to let you go.”
What?
I can’t focus. But there is no time to ask what is going on. Two guards pull me up. I am too numb to protest. They usher me out of the office.
I look back one last time.
The King is gone. I didn't even notice him leave. The Queen stands strongly in her office. She gives me a small nod before turning away.
The Queen came to my rescue, against her evil husband. She did what Will could not. She still sees some good in me. It is unbearable to think of the punishment she will probably have to endure because of me. She saved me. Even though I am a lying human. I am going to miss her terribly.
“You have ten minutes to pack miss,” one guard says when we reach my room.
I quickly find Amber busy cleaning the bathtub. “Amber, you need to fetch Shanna, quickly. I am to leave the palace in less than ten minutes.” No idea how my voice sounds so matter-of-factly. No idea how I can even think clear again. But I am grateful for my fight response.
Her eyes grow and she is about to object, but my expression, and the lack of color in my eyes make her move. She knows I have been made.
I quickly pack my personal belongings. For the first time I am glad they are only a few. It will give me more time to hug and say goodbye to Shanna and Amber.
When she returns, Amber tries to hide her tears. Shanna just looks at me in pure unbelief. She didn't know I am human and I pray she doesn't mind me lying to her. Losing the trust of yet another person I care for would crush me. My worry is brought to a quick stop as she opens her arms for a hug and holds me in a strong grip. Amber joins in and we just stand there, crying together.
I am so grateful for them. They really have made my time at the palace so much more pleasant.
“Mera, I could have never thought you were a human. You have proven me that humans are just as capable, or maybe even more capable,” Shanna says when we pull away from each other. It is such a sweet thing for her to say, even though I do not feel capable right now.
“Listen, the King has known all along and he has been trying to frame me for some time now.” I have to make sure they know the truth before leaving the palace forever. “All of the things that he is saying are wrong. He will tell people I came as a spy, but he forced me to be here. He will tell people I helped with the twins kidnapping, but you know better than anyone that I was trying to help. He will tell people I seduced….” I stop, close my eyes, take a deep breath and try again, “He will tell people I tried to seduce the Crown Prince, for my own liking.” My heart breaks saying it out loud. Saying it out loud makes me want to puke. It makes it real. It is not until now that I realize just how deep my feelings for Will go. Now that he is gone my heart feels broken, shattered and burned. I may have loved him. Loved. Him.
I break into tears.
“But I really am falling in love with him, it was never a lie.” I say as a whisper.
Four arms find their way around me again and I allow them to comfort me.
“What can we do?” Amber whispers.
“Nothing, I guess,” but then say, “maybe tell Will the truth?
“We will try,” Shanna replies.
A knock on the door startles us. The guard reaches out his hand towards me. “Time to go, we have a car waiting,” he says.
I look back to the wonderful ladies one last time and give them a small smile, then I let the guards lead, no longer knowing how to get outside.
The flight home passes in a blur. Shock has set in and I shiver uncontrollably. If the Queen had not gotten in the King´s way, I would have been hung. What did she say to him? Is he going to punish her? I try to push all my feelings away. But there is just so many of them I have a hard time keeping track. Even though my time at the palace had been short and a lie, I still had great experiences. I feel sadness for knowing I will never see Amber or Shanna again. There is anger towards the King and for all the lies he told. I am shocked at the turn of events that led me to remaining alive. The Queen really impressed me. I feel embarrassment for all the lies the King spread about me. But the biggest emotion of them all, heartbreak. Letting go of Aran had been hard, but this is easily a hundred times worse. For months I pretended the feelings were only superficial. I had not realized just how deep my feelings for the Prince had rooted. Not until those roots had been ripped out of the ground by his father.
By the time we land I am a giant mess. This time there are no cameras waiting for me, thank goodness. I make my way out of the plane, heels in my hand, tears in my eyes. My bare feet take me down the stairs, straight into my father’s arm. His arm closes around me and I let him hold me upright. Two more arms fold around my shoulders and the smell of my mother reaches my nose.
Home.
They don’t say anything. They don’t ask me anything. They just surround me with love and I have never been more grateful. My shaking body steadies. My heart feels a little less crushed. At least they are safe. At least we are together again.
Dad takes my bag. Mom takes an arm. They lead me towards a car I recognize straight away.
Oh no.
The whole way home I have not thought about the inevitable. I have not thought about this moment. Coming home also meant facing Aran. But how? It feels like we haven’t spoken in years, but in reality it is much shorter. My feelings for him were still blossoming when I left. He had been so kind to me. But I had never expected to replace those budding feelings for something so much stronger for the Prince. Who knows how Aran feels about me now. And, how do I feel about him?
Seei
ng his car used to let butterflies flutter within me. It used to make me daydream of a life together. But now, those daydreams are gone. The butterflies have not survived. My feelings for him feel insignificant compared to my feelings for Will.
Still I care for him very deeply. Could we pick things up again?
No, that would not be right. I care deeply for him, but it would not be fair to him. My heart is elsewhere, and he deserves someone’s full attention.
Sadness for yet another loss almost breaks me, making me walk a little slower. He deserves better than me. Hopefully he can understand. I don’t want to break his heart. Hopefully he will want to be my friend. Hopefully he can move past this also. Because truth be told, I missed him. First in a romantic way, but now, now I just miss my friend.
He steps out of the car, eyes narrow and set on me. As he walks around the car he tries to find out how to greet me.
My mind races. His behavior, his vibe, he feels distant. His eyes are stormy and dark. I spot determination in him. What has brought that out in him. And determination for what, exactly? I watch him as he takes a step forward, arms slightly open. It is a small and hesitant invitation.
Good enough for me.
I open my arms.
He seems unsure.
I cannot blame him.
He closes his arms around me. For a second I feel the safety of a friendly hug. But then he stiffens and lets go of me quickly. Taking a step back I watch him grab my bag, standing next to my parents. His movements seem hasty, angry even. We have not even talked. Is he mad at me? Can I really blame him? I left him behind. He has not heard from me in a few months. But then again, none of that is my fault. He does not know about the Prince. So why is he so angry?
The ride home is silent and awkward. Dad sits in the front with Aran and Mom holds my hand. A little piece of the teddy bear she had held when we said our goodbyes sticks out of her bag. It makes me smile. I love her and she loves me, even though I am only a human.
I Am Elite (A Colors novel Book 1) Page 11