Hidden Away

Thirty-Nine: Unexpected

This chapter is 5k words. Enjoy. Things are about to go to shit.

Thirty-Nine: Unexpected

When I first arrived at the palace, the place felt like a maze from the inside. Even now I am still discovering new wings and rooms, but it still feels like there's more to discover. Even though it feels huge on the inside, the outside is absolutely massive.

"You look nice." I turn to find my brother casually standing in front of me once again. He wears similar clothing to mine. Leather garments that are meant to protect him from smaller attacks. His hands are shoved into his pant pockets. I haven't seen him since this morning, but it looks like the pressure of what's to come has taken a toll on him. He looks exhausted from his preparation, his eyes heavy-looking, which is never good for a fight. And I know he knows that.

"As nice as you can get before going off to battle," I say, motioning to my outfit and the two braids in my head, which are already starting to fall a part. Fly-aways are visible throughout every section of my hair, and no matter how much I try and smooth them out with my hand, they won't stay.

My eyes drift to the crowd of soldiers behind Rowan, scanning it in search of Evan. I still haven't been able to find him since I started looking for him this morning.

Rowan notices a shift in my attention. "Everything okay?" He asks, turning to look in the same direction as me.

"Have you seen Evan?" I ask. "I haven't been able to find him all day and I need to talk to him before we go."

My brother shakes his head, turning back to me and catching my attention once again. "No, sorry," he says. I nod in acknowledgement to his words as I step past him, but before I have the chance to get away, his voice stops me. "Wait," he says urgently. I turn around once again, meeting his eyes — our father's eyes, whose image causes tears to well up in my own.

This morning, I had some time to myself after an endless looking for Evan. I used it to cry. I cried. I cried for my old life, which was so much simpler than it is now. I cried for the way it was ripped from me, having to watch the man who raised me, the man who I knew as my father, the man who I loved, be killed in front of me. And even though he means nothing now, he meant something then. He meant something to the girl he was taken from. I cried for my family, who was forced to miss me and search for me for seventeen years. I cried for my family that was finally complete, but then torn apart in such little time. But most of all, I cried for the girl who came from nothing, finally had everything she dreamed of, and had it violently taken from her. I cried for her, because although I may deserve it now, she didn't deserve the pain she had to endure. And she has to avenge all she lost, not just for herself, but for her brother, who deserves this the very least.

Rowan looks at me with uncertainty, as if he can't decide what my reaction will be once he tells me what he wants to say. "Bennett told me about his suspicions and what you thought of them," he starts. "I know you don't like the idea of keeping things from our friends, but I think— I really do think it's for the best. We don't know who we can trust, and if we can't trust someone one hundred percent, we shouldn't be trusting them with such important information."

I sigh, my mind drifting back to the conversation I had with the king. "I know, Rowan," I say. "I told him not to worry about me. I don't like the idea of keeping things from the people who are helping us fight this war, but I'm not anyone to him to disrespect his wishes."

"I agree," he says, then shakes his head, rewording his answer. "I agree with the fact you told him not to worry, but I don't think you're understanding just how much you mean to him. You're everything to him. You are one of the few people who would be able to defy him without repercussions." My gaze drifts down to the boots on his feet. They're black, matching the rest of his outfit. It is now that I notice we are dressed identically.