Lost

Fourteen.

Waking up without a barrage of forgotten memories was strange, but also a relief. I finally remember everything and I can focus on getting back home now. Well, that and the letter from the library. I just have a feeling about it, but I'm sure once I figure out what happened on that date, it'll be cleared up. Then I can go home.

Max sent breakfast to my room with a note that promised he would catch up with me later, so I figured there was no better time to investigate than now. I made my way to the library and started looking through the history section. No matter how much I dug, I realized the latest year was 2010, which means the records from April of 2019 have to be somewhere else, but where? This library is massive so if the records aren't here, I don't have the slightest idea where they would be.

I sighed and sat in the middle of the bookshelves, my dress surrounding me, and tried to think of all the places the records could be. This castle is massive and I've maybe only seen a quarter of it. Probably less. They could be anywhere. I haven't even seen Max's room. Or Arya's. I've done my very best to avoid the Queen at all costs. I've seen the ballroom, the kitchen, the foyer, the stables, the gardens, his father's study–wait. His father, the King. That's got to be where the recent years are. He's the one that's made all the decisions these last few years.

I started picking everything up, and put the books back where they were. I was almost done when I heard the doors open. I would've thought it was Max, but it was sounding a lot like heels against the hardwood. Please god, do not let it be Faye.

My small prayer was answered, but I wasn't sure if seeing Karina was really all that better. I thought maybe when she gave me a small smile and sat on the floor beside me, but I'm never quite sure what to expect from her. And what if Max talked to her already? She's definitely not gonna be all rainbows and sunshine after that.

"I thought I might find you here," she started and helped me pick some of the books up.

"You were looking for me?"

She nodded, her dark eyes hard to read. "I had a talk with Grant."

"You did."

"I'm not blind, so I knew it was coming."

I honestly didn't know what to say, so I was relieved when she continued.

"I knew from the first moment I saw you together that he was in love with you, but I wasn't ready to give up on him. After all, I had known him longer. My jealously made me feel like I had some sort of claim over him, clearly I didn't, and I'm okay with that I think."

"Really?"

"Its probably a little shocking to hear that coming from me," she laughed.

"A little," I admitted. "Thank you for being so forgiving. I didn't know about any of this when I met him. I didn't know about you. I'm sorry that things happened this way."

"There's no need to apologize. I would have stepped back sooner, but his mother convinced me to pursue him. Well, to continue to. That is actually the reason I'm here."

"His mom? She wanted you to talk to me and apologize?"

"Oh god no. I wanted to warn you about her."

I'll admit, I was suddenly very uneasy. "Warn me?"

"Forgive my bluntness, but she does not like you nor trust you. You need to be careful. She's elegant and regal, but do not underestimate the things she would do for herself. She can be very mean and resilient. Please, be careful."

"I don't understand..."

"There's a reason she pushed so hard for Grant to be married. He would've been king soon after, which is exactly what the Kingdom of Matin wants. There's a lot of pressure from them for her to step down."