The Red Heart (The Krystal Knights 1)

Chapter Sixteen

Nailah

"Nai, I just don't understand why you won't just try a mushroom. They're delicious and we have tasters so we know that they aren't poisonous ones."

"Kel, I am sorry, but you are never going to convince me to put that disgusting thing that you try to call food in my mouth."

He rolls his eyes, "You're such a wuss, Nailah."

"Okay fine. I'll eat a mushroom if you go outside and smell some daisies, yeah?"

"You know I'm allergic to daisies, that's not a fair trade."

I shrug, "Sorry, it's either the daisies or nothing."

I laugh as he turns around in a huff and bumps into the corner of the table outside of the room Phoenix, Alistar and my brother are all sharing. They wanted to bunk together so that they could have a proper sleepover like they had when they were younger or something like that.

"Real stealthy there, princey." Kali chuckles as she appears behind us seemingly out of thin air.

She's really the stealthy one here, Gods above she scares me sometimes with how quietly she moves.

He rolls his eyes at her and steps into the boys room.

Kali smirks and gives me a quick hug before we both walk into the boys' massive bedroom with its wood decor which would seem out of place for this type of palace but surprisingly works really well here.

The first thing anyone can see when you look into the room are the two children bouncing on top of one of the beds having a pillow fight; oh wait it's just Phoenix and Lia.

Al looks over at us, "I've been trying to get them to sit down for 20 minutes now. It's like you give them one piece of chocolate cake and their sugar levels are through the roof."

"Not true, Lord Alistar Larmalart." Aaliyah says dramatically with a very clearly mock bow, making fun of him. "I can eat sugar all day and be fine, this is just to pass the time."

She throws a pillow at Kali who catches it and whispers to Al, "Just do it, it'll make her so happy to see you join in." She then hands him the pillow and he makes his way over to the bed while shaking his head.

Kali, ever the match-maker.

She and I sit on the couch in front of the fireplace beside Kel. He looks over at them, "Do you think they'll ever admit their feelings for each other?"

Kali scrunches her brows, "Who? Nix and the pillow? I don't think so sadly, I don't think he'll think the feelings are reciprocated."

Killian glares at her, "Yes, Kali, I mean Phoenix and the pillow." He rolls his eyes, "No, obviously, I mean Aaliyah and Al."

I laugh at them, "I really hope so. They'd be so cute together if they just got over their fear that the other person won't reciprocate the feelings, even though it's so blatantly obvious they both do."

"I keep on trying to hint at Lia that he feels the same way, without actually telling her but she does not seem to be getting the hint. Still, though, Operation Double A is still a go and I will be continuing to meddle in their lives until they admit their feelings." K nods her head at her oh so brilliant plan.

Killian chuckles, "Operation Double A, that's good. We should make an operation for Nai's sad love life."

I frown, "Shut up, Killian."

He still laughs, "No, seriously Nai, it is kind of funny. I mean we're nineteen this year and you've never had a boyfriend. I mean have you ever even had your first kiss?"

"Of course I've kissed someone."

"Really? Could've fooled me. How come I've never heard of this mystery man?"

"Because I never wanted you to meet the person."

"Why? Are you ashamed of him? Cause that's mean, Nai, if that's the case. You know you can kiss whatever men you want so long as they aren't planning on breaking your heart."

"Killian, seriously shut up."

"Sis I'm only joking. But you know if dear old dad finally stops dragging this out for so long and finally officially picks you, you'll have to find someone to be your king."

"Not if I don't want one."

"What? You don't want a king? Somebody to share the glory with? I'll have to alert the papers, every eligible man will be devastated."

"No you imbécile, I don't want a husband! I want a wife, and a quiet life in the woods or at a lake or something far far away. But I can't have that, because if I am chosen then I'll have to produce heirs and I can't bloody do that if I don't have a husband!"

The laughs coming from the back of the room come to a halt, Kali is staring at me and I can't bear to look at Killian. At my brother, my twin, my best friend whom I tell everything to, I cannot bear to look at him and see how hurt he must be from me keeping something like this hidden from him.

I curl up into myself as Kali moves closer to me and pulls me into a hug and I realise that I'm crying. Phoenix, Alistar and Aaliyah also sit down around us.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Killian's voice wobbles as he speaks, "I wouldn't have cared, Nai. I love you, this doesn't change anything."

I can feel my lips tremble as I speak, "I knew you'd be fine with it. But I just...it's okay for literally anyone else in the world to only like women, it's a very normal thing. But for someone like me, who is very likely to be put in a position where I basically have to like men and if I don't that could jeopardise my whole family...well, that's much more complicated."

"You still could've told me. Nai, you're my twin, we tell each other everything. I might have been able to help you through this so you wouldn't have had to be alone this whole time."

"I know we do, Kel, but I think I needed the time to figure things out by myself. I tried to deny how I felt for a very long time just because I knew the repercussions of what it would mean for me to be queen and not be able to have children."

Kali's eyes shine with the tears she is trying to hold back. "But Nai, couldn't the title of whoever is first in line for the throne just go to one of Killian, or Astra or Tomás' future children? Or even one of your cousins?"

Phoenix interjects, "Yeah, I mean take a look at Xelya. King Adrien and Queen Etana's only child was Princess Kaelyn, so when all of that happened King Adrien's niece was next in line, who I might add exclusively only likes women and look at where they are."

Kali shrinks into her chair but says "Yeah, look at where they are."

I know technically I am being irrational because everything that they are saying makes so much sense. But I just can't shake the feeling of...I don't even know what, because I know I would be an amazing queen to my people just as my brother would be a great king but I don't know, I just can't shake the feeling that something's off.

Like this isn't my destiny or something.

All I know is, I need to have a very uncomfortable conversation with my father when we get back home.