The Crown Girl

2

Amias looked at the girl. Even in her sleep she seems very alert, like she was expecting an attack at any moment.

He stared at her for a while before sighing again. He slowly neared her, not wanting her to wake up. He has to be very careful or she might lose the little bit of trust she has in him.

He carefully dropped down on the floor next to her and slowly took one hair off her head and put it in a ziplock bag.

He contemplated going to the lab now but that would mean leaving her alone and he didn't want that. What if she woke up and didn't find him and got in trouble? He couldn't afford that.

He took his phone out and told his guard to meet him outside his room and stood outside his bedroom door so the guard won't wake the girl up by knocking on the door.

His guard, Jim, walked up to him. "Sir."

"Here," Amias forwarded the ziplock bag to him. "Take it to the lab and tell them I want the results as soon as possible."

"Results of what sir?"

Amias narrowed his eyes. "You don't need to know that. I'll tell them what to do. You just deliver it and you will not tell anyone about this. Not even Augustus. And you will deliver the result to me, no one else. Alright?"

"Yes sir."

Amias went back in his room and dropped himself on the couch. Today's been a long day.

†††

Amias jerked awake at someone banging on the door. His first thought upon waking was the girl.

He looked over at his bed and saw her sitting at a corner with her legs against her chest, looking very scared.

He slowly went to her and whispered, "hey, it's okay. It's just my brother. He's a little noisy. You have nothing to be afraid of."

After he made sure she understood him he went to open his door. "What do you want?"

"What took you so long," Arlo scoffed.

Amias rolled his eyes. "What do you want?"

"Augustus is calling you," he answered. "And, why are my clothes on the floor."

"You need to wash them," Amias replied going back in and locking the door again.

Amias turned to the little girl in his bed. "It's okay. You have nothing to be afraid of. No one is going to hurt you while I'm here."

She just started at him with her wide doe eyes making him sigh. "You stay here. I have to go do something but I'll be back soon. You can watch tv or sleep some more. Alright?"

She gave a stiff nod at that and that made him happy. At least she's communicating even if it's without talking.

Amias sighed and left the room.

He walked to his brother's office doors and knocked. He had an idea why his brother wants to meet him and he had no answer.

"Come in," his brother's monotone voice floated through the door and Amias stepped in, locking the door behind him.

"What went wrong?" Augustus was not one to beat around the bush.

"Went wrong with what? Arlo? Not sure but I think I dropped him on his head a few times." Amias shrugged.

Augustus did not look amused. "Why didn't you get the money back?"

"He wasn't home."

"So you decided to let him go?"

Amias gave him a sinister smirk. "Oh no brother. He'll pay. I'll make him pay." For what he did to her, he thought but didn't say aloud.

Augustus frowned. This is very unlike Amias. Amias didn't bid his time, he leapt into action without thinking of the consequences. He always sent Amias to get money back because he always did it, no matter how. And he always did it in one day, always in less than 24 hours. So not having the money was surprising.

"If that's all," Amias said getting up. "I have stuff to do."