Crown of Faeries

26 | Deify

Freya held Emma tightly against her as she led Weston and I down a series of short and abrupt turns throughout the many great halls that made up the Crown's castle. Her lavender eyes never leaving what was in front of her as if she expected us all to follow her.

I stole a glance over at Weston to see his brow furrowed as if he was worried about something. Did he know that Max wouldn't be alive when we found him? Or was there something else, something that could mean whether or not we live?

But some part of me knew it was about Max.

The healer was a pretty athletic person, but after barely escaping from the Pits, I wouldn't be surprised if he'd had enough for once and his challenge got the best of him.

Don't think like that Caelia! I shouted at myself as I switched my focus to look farther down the hallways. The marble flooring was shifting into a subtle wood based ground as we stepped further into the castle.

"Freya, where are we going?" My voice seemed too loud and overbearing as it echoed along the empty surfaces that took up the hallway.

Freya swiveled her head so she could view me from over her shoulder. "We have to meet with Reighton. Before the thing showed up, he told me to meet him in the servants hall."

"The servants hall?" Weston's eyebrow rose in question and Freya huffed out a breath.

"Don't ask me why," she sassed. "All I know is what he told me to do before he wondered off in the crowd and I lost him."

"So he was no where to be seen when the figure showed up?" I asked anxiously. Maybe my theory about Reighton was coming true. Maybe he could be my guardian. But why won't he tell me?

Freya looked at me with wide eyes. "If that's what you're calling it, then sure." She was afraid of the figure, that much I could see written on her face before she shifted Emma in her arms and started walking faster. "We must hurry though. The guards will get the Hunters quickly and we want to be long gone before someone starts to realize we're all missing."

Weston and I nodded our heads in agreement. The two of us sharing a glance before following after the quick steps of Freya as she guided us further down the maze she was creating. I just hoped that Weston knew where we were headed so if and when we needed to escape, he could be the one to lead us back to safety.

But when did I start relying on the Faeries to help me with anything? Weren't they the ones trying to destroy me for reasons that are unknown to me? And Weston was apart of the Crown--or so he was. But does that really mean that he's given up everything he's been taught?

Right then, I realized I knew nothing about him. Only that he was Prince of the Crown and heir to a messed up kingdom where I was target number one.

But why was I target number one? What am I that makes me so special? It honestly couldn't be my father could it?

I stumbled to a stop as Weston grabbed my elbow firmly. Freya cursed under her breath as we all heard voices shouting back at one another just across the bend in the hallway.

Emma buried her head deeper into Freya's neck and Freya looked at me from over the little girl's head. "What are we going to do?" Panic seemed to swim deep in her eyes.

"Nothing." Weston's deep tenor shook the walls at his sudden urgency in the word.

"We can't just do nothing!" I hissed as I looked between the two of them.

Freya pulled Emma away from her and handed her to Weston. I almost broke out in a fit of giggles at the expression Weston made as he took Emma slowly against his chest. Her little legs could barely wrap around his large frame, but he still held her all the same.