Vicious | ongoing

chapter seven

C H A P T E R
S E V E N

The following morning, I found myself eating breakfast with the others. I'd tried to convince the maids to just bring it to me in my room, so I could avoid Demetrius— not that I told them that was the reason— but they followed Josiah's orders first and foremost. And Josiah's orders were to have everyone at breakfast.

"What've you got planned today?" I asked Josiah as I forked some tomato into my mouth. He put his own cutlery down, half finished, and gave me his full attention.

"Today, I've got to organise arrangements for the King," he seemed to struggle getting the word out, like his own pride was crushing him. What arrangements? As if reading my mind, he said, "He would like to see the city."

"Cecilia'll do it, surely?" I said, gesturing to her as she picked at her food. Her face turned to us at her name.

"What'll I do?" she asked, eyebrows furrowed.

"Take the King round," I said, nodding in his direction but attempting not to look at him as he read the morning newspaper, hearing him turn the page every now and again. "Show him the villages."

"Oh," she said, scrunching her nose as her gaze flicked over to the window where, below, the villages could be seen, stretching for miles. "I don't think I want to go down there."

I noticed her disdain. My eyes wandered to Demetrius and I watched as his jaw ticked, but he kept his eyes down on what he was reading.

As someone who had hardly stepped a foot outside of these palace walls, I couldn't believe her not wanting to go to the villages, seeing the people and the country who prided over her so much. All I had to picture the endless stalls and bustling streets and joyful people was what I'd learnt from books.

"Why not?" I asked.

"It's—"

"She's got things to do today," Josiah cut off swiftly, sending her a look. I looked between them, wondering what was going on.

"Right," she said, through gritted teeth. "If I can't, why don't you Everly?" She, again, sent a look to Josiah. They continued to argue with just their eyes.

Josiah tore his gaze from her's and looked further down the table to where Demetrius sat. "I doubt Everly would want to either."

"I would!" it came out too quickly and too loudly, but I didn't care if I seemed over eager or even desperate. I craved seeing the streets, seeing the country from the round rather than from a window in the palace.

He looked conflicted as he thought what to say. "The King would probably rather someone with experience."

"I have no objections to Everly being my guide."

I tried to keep myself from jumping in shock or excitement at the possibility of going outside, instead just letting my leg bounce beneath the cover of the table.

"I don't know how good of a guide I'll be," I admitted, turning to him to see he'd now set down the newspaper. "I haven't been out all that much." Or ever, I was tempted to add.

He bypassed what I'd said, and stood. The rest of us stood, too. "I'll meet you by the grand staircase in half an hour."

"Your Majesty—" Josiah called. But Demetrius was already walking out of the door, Maxon in tow.