The Mortal Queen | The Cruel Prince / Wicked King Fanfic

Five

Jude

I glance at the clock on my night stand. It's nearly two in the morning. Tuesday. It's almost the exact time Vivi said she was going to meet up with her mysterious friend again, and this time I'm ready. I have dark running pants and a hoodie on, my hair is tied back in a ponytail, and my shoes are already on.

I peek through the curtains covering my window, but don't see anything out of place. There's more fog than usual due to the storms lately, but I can still see just fine. Come on, where are you? I turn my head to the side to get a better view of the houses down the street. Nothing. I turn the other way. Nothing.

I look at the clock again. It's the right time, but nothing is happening. Maybe they decided not to meet? I listen carefully for any sound, and I'm greeted with complete silence.

Just to make sure, I tiptoe out of my room and press my ear to Vivi's bedroom door down the hall. All I can hear is Heather's faint snoring, but nothing else.

I very carefully open the door, and can clearly see Vivi and Heather tangled up in each other and both of them sound asleep. I ease the door shut and make my way back to my room.

I go to the window again, just in case, but don't see any indication that a secret meet-up is happening without me.
Giving up, I decide to put my nightgown back on and climb into bed. I stare up at the ceiling and let my thoughts drift as I try to go back to sleep.

——————

"Jude, kiss me." Cardan says as he holds my gaze. When I don't move he slowly takes a step closer to me, and then another step. He's testing his boundaries now.

He comes to stand in front of me and I stare up at him. His face is inches from mine, and he's grinning slightly. I can't think. I don't even know if I'm breathing.

He looks into my eyes for a long moment and tucks a lock of hair behind my ear, his fingers trailing down my neck and across my collar bone. He gently holds my face in his hands.

"Do you miss me?" He asks as his thumbs lightly brush over my cheek bones.

"What—why would I miss you?"

"Do you hate me for what I've done?" He asks me softly.

I stare into his eyes. "What have you done?" I ask, genuinely confused.

He smiles at me and pulls my body against his. I loop my arms around him and rest my head against his chest.

I can feel his steady breathing and take in my surroundings. We're in his bedroom, and it feels like the middle of the night. I feel my ruby ring on my finger, and I start to realize how wrong it feels to be in his room, and to be in Faerie. I pull away from him to look into his eyes.

"Please don't send me away." I say, and my eyes start to burn. "Balekin, he attacked me, and I just—" I'm speaking way too fast now, but I have to explain. I have to make him see my intentions weren't cold-blooded murder.

He looks down at me and kisses my forehead, his warm mouth lingering longer than necessary, then he pulls me back into him and whispers into my ear, "Shhh. I know."

"Don't send me away." I plead again.

"But my dearest Jude, I already have."

——————

My eyes open and my heart is thumping hard and fast in my chest. I have a hard time catching my breath, so I roll over and notice the clock. It's five-thirty. Well, I guess there's no point in waiting for the alarm to go off. I make sure to turn it off and roll out of bed, trying to leave the bad dreams behind me.