How had this happened? How had I somehow missed this mountain sized piece of information!?
“That’s…This…it…it can’t be happening,” I muttered making Trice look down at me, as we still continued to stand in the side lines as if waiting for the King…someone my mind was screaming at me was my boyfriend…to be ready.
“Dinne worry, Lass, I will tell him I wish tae claim ye…” I heard these words and panic struck me so fast that I grabbed his arm, shook it and looked up at him with beseeching eyes before pleading with him,
“Oh Gods, please, Trice…please don’t do that! Don’t say a word…promise me…promise me quickly…don’t—” I was cut off when the sound of all of the guards that surrounded us all of sudden turned to face me as if a wave of flesh had been commanded. And they had, as one look back to the front of the raised throne and I could now see Lucius motioning with his gauntleted hand for his minions to act.
“Ame—” Trice started to say my name and even that I tried to prevent, not trusting what it could do.
“Ssshh…no, don’t even speak my name…just promise me, Trice, please,” I said as I knew now my time had come, I had no choice but to walk towards Lucius and all I could think of now was saving a friend’s life who had no clue who I was to his King. Which was precisely when all the questions started to hit me…why did no one know? Why, if Lucius was in Hell looking for me, did no one know who I was to him? Why hadn’t he just stormed his way down from the raised platform now to claim me? To take me in his arms and make it known to his people who I am to him?
Oh Gods…Had the witch done something to him?
This thought struck me paralyzed. The fear of what awaited me being almost too much to bear. Because this wasn’t my fairy tale ending where the Prince finds me at last and we run into each other’s arms as lovers reunited…this wasn’t one of those stories. No, this was the story of when the Princess discovers that her Prince wasn’t a Prince at all but instead a King in Hell who looked anything but happy to see her.
Which begged the question what was in store for me after I forced myself to walk the length of this vast throne room? After I had made it up those steps, towards someone who was clearly renowned to be a tyrant King.
It was just too hard to imagine. That formidable presence that I knew was getting ever more impatient as the seconds ticked by. I knew when the parallel line of guards all placed their hands upon their sword hilts that my time was running out…it was a warning I didn’t need but it rang loud and clear all the same. Especially when Carn’neau stepped forward and said,
“Now is not the time to be foolish human, as I do believe it is your death we are trying to prevent.” I frowned at this and couldn’t help but ask,
“We?” To this he shrugged his shoulders as if he cared little about the part I had focused on before saying a blasé,
“It seemed more interesting having you breathing.”
“Geez, thanks, that was so heartfelt, I am thinking you should have Hallmark cards made.” He smirked at this and nodded towards the throne where I had to admit, Lucius looked to be getting angrier by the second. But then, the moment I took my first steps, Trice reacted making me raise my hand a little towards him and shake my head slightly, before telling him,
“Please, Trice…don’t.” He frowned in confusion so I looked towards his King hoping he would get the hint. He followed my gaze and frowned, obviously now trying to piece together my panic. Because now I no longer had to fear my own death at the hands of a King but instead, I only feared for Trice’s and any part he played in trying to save me.
That was why I could never allow Lucius to discover how Trice felt about me. Not if I wanted my friend to survive. Because in all honesty, I really had no clue what Lucius would do, as I hadn’t yet really experienced his jealously. Perhaps I was being paranoid…but I thought that the smartest plan right now was to