Adeline
The next few days Adeline spent in near solitude. Kai didn’t press her again, but each time their paths crossed he gave her the same lingering stare, the one that seemed to plead silently with her to meet his eyes. Whatever it was he wanted to say, she was not ready to hear it.
Was not ready to field questions about the Merrow King, not from anyone, but especially not from her mother. Not with the little seed of shame unfurling in the pit of her stomach at how she’d lashed out like a child, forced her mother to reveal parts of herself she clearly hadn’t had the nerve to face yet.
She wasn’t ready to talk to her mother about any of it.
Wasn’t ready for Ger’s well-meaning jokes, or Imogen’s blunt words meant as comfort.
Wasn’t ready to discuss her campaign for the crown with her father.
So, between Council meetings, court, and mealtimes, Adeline tucked herself away in her favourite corner of the library, at the end of the aisle lined with tales of adventure and romance. Perhaps not the most ingenious hiding spot, but she’d normally escape to her apartments when tensions at the palace rose high, and that was no longer an option with Ceri now firmly settled there. Besides which, the smidgen of pride she’d clung onto wouldn’t allow her toactuallyhide away, frightened and heartbroken and just a little bit pathetic. Though honestly, at the occasional sound of passing footsteps she’d often considered leaping into the dark little gap behind her armchair, where the shelves stopped just a few feet shy of the wall and she could slip out through the opposite aisle if anyone came looking.
In any case, when Ger came across her on her third day of hiding, she didn’t have it in her to take her escape route. He strolled up the aisle looking mildly peeved, then stopped when he got close enough to see her face under the dim and flickering lantern at her side. He frowned at her, his lips turning down in an exaggerated pout.
“What’s up, buttercup?”
Ger perched on the arm of her chair, then slid down into the seat, jostling her until they were both wedged tightly in the too-small frame.
“Ow, Ger! Get off!”
He ignored her, struggling to turn his head against one awkwardly raised shoulder to glare down at her.
“You know, I’d be offended if I hadn’t heard you were giving the silent treatment to just abouteveryone.Do you know that your mother actually wrote to me at the barracks?”
At that, Adeline ceased shoving at him and glanced up.
“What?”
“She’s not stupid Adeline. I like to think I’m not, either.”
“Debatable. We may actually need someone to come and carve us out of this bloody chair.”
“Something’s happened withHis Majesty, hasn’t it?”
She shoved at him again, but he didn’t budge.
“He’s been asking about you too, you know.”
“Don’ttell him where I am!”
Ger rolled his eyes. “He knows where you are, you fool. Everyone knows where you are, we’ve just been giving you the space you so clearly desire.”
“Thisis giving me space?”
“No, you’ve had enough space now.Thisis me fulfilling my duties as your dearest friend, breaching your space to tell you to stop wallowing andtalkto somebody.”
“Imogen is my dearest friend.”
Ger reeled back a bit, cocked an eyebrow.
“What a hurtful lie.”
Itwasa lie, but he was being even more irritating than usual and she’d yet to recover her patience after her outburst at her mother the other night.
“Ger, please.”
“Alright, look.” With an almighty yank and a bit of grunting, Ger freed himself from the armchair and stood to look at her. “I’ll leave you in peace, but – at least get in touch with your mother, alright? If she’s looking tomefor reassurance, she must be really worried.”
