𝐅𝐎𝐑𝐁𝐈𝐃𝐃𝐄𝐍 𝐃𝐄𝐒𝐈𝐑𝐄 | ✎

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟑𝟏

I have no idea what has been happening to me these last couple of days. Life feels blank—like I'm missing something important. I feel as if the only thing keeping me sane was snatched from my arms.

"Alex."

My mother's quiet voice rings in my head, and it's only a reminder that I lose the people I care about. I told myself so many times not to get attached, but what I feared has come true. I care about the princess more than I probably should. It's terrifying.

The sound of Elena's door opening breaks the silence, and I see the princess standing there and looking like the most angelic being in the world. And then there's Marco, who's just next to her. My blood boils when I see his cocky little grin.

"Elena!" King Victor's sharp and commanding voice echoes throughout the empty palace corridors. His presence is the kind that demands power and the utmost respect, but I'm confident that everyone who serves the king resents him. My own hatred for him grows stronger every day.

Beside him is Queen Cassandra, the soft-spoken royal. I've never noticed it until now, but she looks like an older, sadder version of her daughter. Her hair is darker in color, and she has eyes that are a dark, fathomless green in contrast to Elena's bright ocean-like eyes.

"Yes, father?" the princess asks bitterly, her eyes drifting toward me. I couldn't look away from her after that.

"Hurry up," he orders. "The limo is waiting for us. I trust that you're ready." The way the king talks to his own daughter is so condescending. He talks to her like a servant, even though she's the rightful heir to the throne.

Elena scoffs and gestures to herself and Marco. "Are you going blind?" she retorts, making me stifle a laugh. "We're obviously ready; let's just get this shit over with."

I follow behind her and the prince as they walk toward the king and the queen. I hear King Victor mumble something about disrespecting him again, but I drown his voice out. I'd rather listen to hers.

Everyone exits out the palace doors except for the king, who stops me before I can go outside with them. "West," he addresses me, using my last name only. "I trust you know that nothing will change in the Royal Academy when Marco becomes king. And nothing will change with your job, either."

Remembering how things worked at the Royal Academy is something I'd rather not think about at the moment. My anger keeps spiking up, but I can't say anything to the king. I will never open my mouth in front of him again.

After a pause, he continues. "So fail to keep my daughter safe, and you'll face the consequences like last time. Don't disappoint me, Alexander. You're the best we have, and I meant it that day when I said you had potential."

That day. He means the day he killed my mother.

₊˚ʚ ᗢ₊ ˚✧ ﾟ.