The King's Possession ✔️

TWENTY ONE

Word Count: 1998

I stare at my desk, laden with items.

First, I eye Tai's attempt at an apology. A blank book, with a variety of pencils, coloured and not, accompanied with a few other bits of stationary. All of this is vaguely familiar, but not something I've dabbled deeply into. He knows I have no skills, so I'm assuming this is his way of giving me the option to experiment.

I'm not going to pretend like it doesn't pique my interest. Later.

Next, I pick up a letter folded neatly for me, the morning sun casting a vivid light upon it. Warmth blooms within me. I know who this is from.

Akara

I'm glad you're safe and okay. Ms. Grier isn't the happiest you left in the night, but I'm just glad you're alive.

You and the Hunter left at the same time, did you know that?

Anyways, if your job is so good, and you're working for a King, then I want one! Write back to me, I want to get away from this cold place, I'm sick of blizzards.

Jessa.

Setting the note down, I consider how I'm going to approach Tai with this. I shouldn't be dragging Jessa into this terrible world, but as a staff member, she will likely fly under the radar. And having a friend here would a relief, until I can get out of here.

I flinch as the door suddenly bursts open behind me.

Twisting in my seat, I see Vaia saunter in, looking around my room with mild disgust. Her dark coffee coloured hair is twisted around her head today in a style she unlikely executed herself, the strands glimmering under the morning sun which drifts through my window. Today she is adorned in a cobalt velvet dress which traces her lithe figure neatly.

"I sent away the girl who came to tend you," she mutters flippantly, casting herself upon my bed comfortably, as if she owns it.

She likely does.

"Okay..."

"I wanted to talk to you," she says, examining her manicured nails as if they are more important than me. "Her message was simply that Taius wants to speak with you, but he can wait."

Of course he wants to speak to me; I'm almost glad Vaia sent the girl away, even if that means I have to deal with her and her unpredictable manner.

"I helped you with Marek, Vaia. What else do you want?"

"Well, I wanted to tell you that I did talk to him, and he's even more handsome up close," she gushes. She mustn't have any girl friends if she is confiding in me, who is the last person who wants to hear this, especially after last night. I haven't thought too much into what it meant, and why I felt that way.

I stay in my seat, afraid that if I get any closer she might balk. "Why are you telling me this?"

"I already know you're going to say no, but I was wondering if you could try get me a date with him," she wonders. The hopefulness in her verdant green eyes is sad, really. Marek didn't seem too interested in exploring a romantic relationship with Vaia, especially since him and I are planning to escape.

Does she know what Tai did to him?

"A date? He works for Tai, why don't you just ask him?" I want as little to do with this as possible.

"Tai would kill me if he thought I was trying to sleep with his staff, and I'm afraid Marek would say no. I feel like he would listen to you if you made me sound good," she replies. The stretches of logic she needs to achieve in order to feed her agenda is impressive.