I could hear Nicholas’s voice shouting from the hallway as I walked towards his study, the door slightly ajar. He didn’t
sound happy, and I contemplated leaving and asking him later what was the matter.
A thud and a loud bang sounded, drawing my curiosity back. I peeked through the gap in the door, surprised to see no
guards waiting in the hallway, they must have been dismissed.
“I cannot, Nicholas! If we do not act now then war will arrive by the end of the month! You either send for Nora to round
up our army, or King Sirius and his men may just burn this valley to the ground to get Princess Ornella back.”
My eyes widened at the sound of my father’s name, and I couldn’t help to listen more, to find out more.
“Then let them come! They will not be able to do anything now that I have married their dear, sweet princess. She is mine!
I will kill her first before they can get to her.”
I slapped my hand over my mouth as I gasped. Kill me? No, surely that wouldn’t be what he would do? Nicholas seemed to
care deeply for me, he’d shown me more this past week than ever before. Surely this was just a ruse, a lie.
“You can’t be serious? Have you gone mad?!” Percy shouted.
I was surprised by how freely he spoke to his king. Another crash sounded as Nicholas threw a glass across the room,
smashing it into a million pieces then slammed his fists on his table.
“I am deadly serious. Nora believes they will not be able to cross the border. Until I can find out why Ornella is able to
open the portal, they will not have her.”
Portal? My mind went blank for a moment before the pieces clicked into place. The portal hidden underneath the castle! I
hadn’t thought much of it after Nicholas practically carried me out of that room, demanding I never step foot in there again. I
wouldn’t even if he ordered me—after the mention of monsters and whatever else—I’d rather stay firmly away from that place.
“They will be here by the end of the week, surrounding our borders. Our spies have informed me they have a mage with
them, who may possibly be able to break the border. Please, see reason and think about what I’ve said. Ornella might be your
wife, but she is their princess and heir to the Crystal throne, they will fight to the very last Fae to get her back.”
Percy turned towards the door, and I rushed to hide, ducking behind a rather large plant pot. I held my breath tightly as he
thundered out the door. He stopped in the corridor, looking around before proceeding towards the main hall.
Silence entered the corridor and I waited to see if Nicholas would emerge. Surely he would have guessed I was already
here? He could hear my thoughts if he chose to. But there was something else. Something more. I’d felt it since our vow
ceremony and wondered if he too felt different. I felt warmer, lighter even and had this strange feeling deep inside, as if
something was waking up and pulling me towards him, making me more aware of him.
“Annwyl, I know you are there.”
His voice entered my head, and a feeling of dread flooded my body. I wondered if he knew for how long or what I’d heard.
