Red Princess

44. Another Knight

Alexander

My palms were clammy with the sweat, and my eyes sticky with the tears building up at the corners. I was in a dark place, my hands covering my ears. I want to scream and run, but my body seemed to have lost all strength.

I noticed something glitter, something silver. Then I noticed a finger that gestured me to stay silent. I don't remember the person's face. All I saw was my mother getting dragged out of the car, followed by the deafening sound of a gunshot.

I jolted awake with a gasp. The air conditioner inside the cabin didn't stop my body from perspiring. The air hostess gave me a cheerful smile, asking me if she could help me in any manner but I turned my face away to look at the white smokey clouds outside and stuffed the earplugs into my earholes.

I honestly wasn't intending to be rude to her, but I hated that kind of attention, especially from women. One annoying girl was more than enough to be my headache.

It was the same nightmare. I had watched it over and over again for the last thirteen years. I didn't remember at all what happened that night, but I knew one thing for a fact, it wasn't an accident. Mom was murdered.

Alice.

I wish I had been a little more respectful towards her. I wish I had let her have that last piece of pizza. I wish I had... I had told her how much I loved her. I wanted to see her again, especially after such nightmares. I never told her this, but she was the source of strength for me. I always looked up to her. She was my guide after mom.

I...

I tapped my phone to check for the time, and Dad's and Alice's smiling selfie decorated my lock screen. Much to my dismay, Rihanna forced me to set it up as my wallpaper.

I readjusted my bag on my right shoulder as I stepped outside the airport. The humidity in the air immediately hit my cheeks as my eyes searched around for the familiar face. There she stood waving at me, the one annoying woman I was talking about, Rihanna Cross. My Rin.

She hopped towards me and threw her arms around my neck. I rolled my eyes at the affection, but honestly, it felt good to have someone to come back home to.

She rose on her toes and gently placed a kiss on my cheeks, and I cringed.

"Seriously, Rin?" I wiped my cheek.

"You can't blame me! I missed you! We were supposed to be on a date! But you ran off to another mission!" she complained, snuggling her head into my chest.

"Blame your grandfather for having stupid-ass HR policies." I unwrapped her arms from around my neck and then ushered her outside.

"Well, who asked you to graduate at the top of the academy? You are the team's favourite!"

"Like you'd know, you aren't part-" My words trailed off when my eyes met with those gloomy ones. I never talked to him since that day. He never came to the funeral either. Seydon said he had refused to believe it.

I didn't know what I could say to him. I indeed lost my sister, my most trusted companion. Maybe if it were the old me, if I had met him then, I would have punched him and done everything in my power to kill him. But in the last few years, after attending that Academy, after experiencing his world, I have had time to think.