Of Shadows & Light

ⅩⅤ. Meredith 🗡

Night came fast. And I wanted to see if the king stood to his promise to let Philip out.

But part of me worried that Roderick was still waiting for me outside. The feeling of his lips still lingered on mine.

Why had he done that?

I got up from the ground and felt my cheeks. The tears were dry now. I looked at the door, I was scared. Why was I scared? Maybe because I'm scared Roderick's waiting for me out there.

I took a breath and walked over to the door. When I put my hand on the handle, I could hear distant chatter in the hallway. But it wasn't Roderick's voice. It was Alaraxon's and Clalia's. I sighed then opened the door. But the sigh was followed by a quick gasp that not only escaped from me, but from Roderick who fell to his back.

He must've been sitting against my door for hours. "Meredith." he got up, but I pushed past him in a second, making my way towards the stairs. "Meredith wait, please." his voice was softer than from what it was when we were yelling at each other.

"Leave me alone." I quickly began going down the stairs.

"My lady, you can't go to the weapons room–"

"I'm not going there." I continued down, past it. It was like he almost stopped behind me, but in reality, unfortunately, he was right by me, his hand on my lower back again.

"My lady–"

"Stop calling me that."

"I'm showing respect. Something you don't show me."

"You don't deserve my respect," I spat.

He sighs, then stops. He grabs a hold of my waist and pushes me against the wall of the staircase.

But he doesn't do anything. He just stares at me.

"Meredith," he says more sternly. "We need to talk about what you said earlier."

"We need to talk about what you did earlier." I snap back at him.

He looked confused. "What did I do–"

"You kissed me."

His face lit up red. "I–"

"Don't deny it. You kissed me."

His confusion turned to a small smile. "Well was it at least good?" he tried to tease.

I groaned, pushing him off me and continuing my way down.

"Don't try to uplift yourself, Your Highness." I say. The word 'highness' feels rough on my tongue.

"Excuse me." he chuckles, catching up to me. "Wait–did you just call me 'highness'?" he laughed.

"What, you don't think I'm not using it as an insult?" I turned him down.

"So using my actual name is a compliment?"

I look up at him. "Don't twist my words."

"I'm not, I'm just saying—"

"You are."

I make it to the dungeon, when the guards let us pass I go straight to the cell Philip was left in. He was no longer there.

Thank the stars.

I sigh.

"Was he really fifteen?" Roderick asked.

"Yes. And he has an older sister named Asella."

He was waiting for me. The second we leave the dungeon, he would take me to his room to talk. But that terrified me. All because I said something absent minded.