A Scarlet Crown (Scarlet #1)

30. "Code Red"

Pia Mia - No Good

Sleepless nights are becoming a regular thing for me, with my mind constantly drifting back to the dance in the living room, I officially hate this, and what I hate the most is that the closer we get, the more we're dragged apart, and I'm exhausted of resisting the current; I just want to let go, to get lost in him, to drown in him, but he won't let me; he keeps lifting me up and pushing me to the shore.

I'm not going anywhere, and the harder he pushes, the harder I'll pull, until there's nothing left to pull.

"Hey, Luna," I look around for the source of the voice when I notice Zuko standing a few feet away from me "Hey, Zuko, how are you?"

"I'm good, thanks, how are you?" he asks.

"I'm great, I don't think I've seen you so happy before"

He replies, his cheeks redden, "Yea, I made a friend, she's really nice"

"What's your friend's name?"

"Mila," I furrow my brows "Five-year-old Mila?" I wonder, and he nods and runs away. That's so cute, I'm glad the both of them are making friends. Now, on to the business at hand: determining whether Caelum likes me. I wait for Mila to arrive on the training field; she'll assist me because I told her everything or almost everything; I told her about the one step forward and three steps back between Caelum and me, and about him sending me mixed signals.

Mila arrives "Good morning Fare" she chirps, "Morning Mila, what's the plan?" I ask and she laughs mischievously "Oh, you're going to love it"

What Mila had planned, I did not love; she wanted me to flirt with someone else in front of him, which I despised. I was worried not just for my own life, but also for the life of that person; after all, what would he think of the King's mate flirting with him? Rumors will spread throughout the Kingdom, the people already dislike me; what would they think of me if I do something like that?

I study myself in the long mirror against my wall, my black hair is curled and secured into a high ponytail, my face has too much makeup, and the dress Mila chose for me is way too short, exposing a lot of cleavage and leaving my entire back uncovered. Uncomfortable is the word I'd use to describe myself right now, I look stunning, but not in the way I want to, Through the mirror, I catch a glimpse of Mila, who has a bright smile on her face "You. Look. Stunning!" she proclaims, and I nervously laugh, "I don't feel stunning, I feel uncomfortable" I nag.

"It's only for a little while," she sighs, "and then you can take it off. Now, here's what's going to happen: I've spoken with a friend who will help you, and you'll flirt with him. We'll be on the training field because he's one of the warriors, and Caelum is training them today, You and he will meet before Caelum enters the field he will tell you what to do, and you will do it when Caelum gets the field, Caelum will be angry that you're talking with an unmated male, so he'll use his hearing to listen in, which means that you can't make any mistakes or the plan will fail, you got it?" she explains, breathlessly and all I do is nod my head. I groan inwardly, knowing that this isn't going to work or that something will go horribly wrong.

We walk through the mazes of hallways and staircases to get downstairs. I walk past the castle staff as they all observe me with huge eyes and agape mouths, I feel like throwing myself into a room and never coming out, and that's only the castle staff, I still have to get past the guards and the pack members "I can't do it," I mutter frantically as I pass the castle gates, I turn around swiftly, about to go back, but Mila pulls my arm "Come on Farren, you can't back out now," she complains. As she tries to drag me to the field, I dig my heels into the ground and shake my head quickly, trying to get my arm free of her grip "Farren, he'll be there any minute now," she whines, and I sigh giving up, let's just get this over with.