The Next Chapter: Twisted Series Next Generation

Chapter 35: Camilla Larsen

Darkness engulfs me, standing directly in front of Anastasia's door with a pound of guilt weighing down on my chest. There are a million different things I want to say to her.

"I am so sorry."

"I disregarded you in the worst possible way."

"I want things to be better between us."

My mind demands me to step into the room, stride towards her despite any protests she may carry and wrap my arms around her like a blanket. Use any means to ease her body into a state of relaxation and make all her problems go away.

However, I stay rooted in front of the door. Staring blankly ahead like a statue. The motion of my hand lifting towards the knob is hesitant and weak. Tremors shoot through my hands as I linger it over my entry.

Just do it. Open the door.

The tightening of my chest makes it more difficult to breathe as my hand ultimately wields within defeat and falls straight by my side.

Biting back a choked noise as my body unconsciously moves away from the door. Routing to the weak notion makes me feel more horrible than I already do. My chin trembles as a lump grows in my throat.

Distance grows between the door and I as the only noise that echoes in the empty castle walls is my footsteps.

The moment I caught a glimpse of Anastastias passed out body, feeble of any motion. I almost collapsed there myself.

I did that. It was all my fault. If I had just taken her with me and tried to resolve the fight none of this would have ever happened.

Failing her, like I've done every day for the past year.

Lifting my arms and hugging them around my torso as a weak duration of breaths fall from my lips. Everything hurts. My mind, my body.

As much as my body urged for sleep, that would never be achievable with all that lingers onto my consciousness.

Everyday as the coronation inches towards me, the more I begin to feel like a failure. I want to do everything in my power to fix every conflict and complication. Yet I can barely handle things like this.

A fine queen at that.

Guilt led my fists to ball into a trembling version of themselves at the thought of me letting Eldora down. Was I set to do this?

No, I had to do this. Get your act together Camilla, no time for moping.

Shaking my head as I stood up straighter, walking down the halls with more powerful and thought out steps as my bottom lip fell from my teeth. Nerves and anxiety in no way are welcomed in my mind.

Despite how badly I ached to fall into my bed and lay there for the rest of the year, letting myself sink into despair of how horrible I was doing. There was not a chance for that.

A low whistle caught my attention.

My body stilled immediately as a bead of sweat laced my hairline in frustration.

The devil came in all forms.

Including the boy leaning against the castle wall, contrasting the atmosphere astronomically that it almost seems comical.

Resisting the urge to roll my eyes at the sight of Nikos presumptuous smile and look in his eyes that reached levels beyond conceited.

Refusing to give into his satisfaction was a task noted for the impossible. It seemed whatever I did always fed into that triumph that ribboned his smug face. Even if I walked away, he would still find some way to snicker about it and make snide comments.