Lunar Rising

Ch.6 Crimes

Chapter 6

The soles of Meera's feet burned as she hurried after Henry through the corridors. He took wide strides with his long legs in anger and in a hurry to find a private place to interrogate Meera. During their ride back to the palace, Henry had been as silent as the sky before a storm. Meera tried to speak to him, to explain Eryx was out of his mind, but Henry would not hear her out.

"Henry," she tried again. "Please, listen to me. He's making it all up. Nothing is going on between me and Eryx."

Meera's words only angered the prince even more. He paused and abruptly turned to face Meera.

"How does he know about the marks?" Henry asked, his nostrils flaring as he glared down at Meera with flames in his usual gentle kind eyes. "How does he know what's on your body?"

"I don't know!" Meera said defensively. "He's playing games with us. Please believe me. I had no idea he would be in that house."

"You're right," Henry said. "It makes no sense for him to be in that house."

Meera didn't like the way Henry's eyes darkened.

"Unless," he spoke again. "That's what you've been doing all along."

"What are you talking about?" Meera's feet took a step back.

"All the visits to the temple," Henry snared. "Always going down to the city to help the people."

Meera shook her head. Her throat began to tighten as she peered up at the prince with disbelief in her eyes.

"How long have you been sneaking around everyone's back to go see him?" Henry toward over her, invading her space to try and intimidate her.

"Is that the type of person you really think I am?" Meera questioned. "How can you have such disgusting thoughts about me?"

"Maybe because I watched him carry your unconscious body back to the palace in the middle of the night," Henry took a step forward. His anger radiated off of him until he backed Meera up against the wall in the corridor. "He had his hands on you. Did you like that, Meera? Did you like running off to go meet him in that house today? I can only imagine what sorts of volunteer work you did with him."

Meera's hand flew up towards Henry's face. Her eyes burned as she swallowed down the anger, fighting against herself to keep cool. But before her hand could reach his face, Henry grabbed her wrist and pushed it down.

"Have you no shame? I can smell him on you." Henry's hand twisted Meera's wrist. "Did you think of your family before you so willingly ran off to be his whore?"

"That's enough, Henry!" Meera used all her might to push Henry back as far as she could. Henry's grip on her wrist tightened. He yanked her forward just as Meera tried to move away from him. Amid the struggle, Henry yanked and twisted her wrist until Meera screamed and the unmistakable sound of something snapping could be heard.

The tears in Meera's eyes spilled from the unbearable pain that shot through her like lightning. Meera gasped breathlessly as she cradled her broken wrist to her chest and leaned back against the wall to brace herself.

Henry stumbled back in disbelief. His face paled as he stared at Meera sobbing before him. Her good hand trembled as she shielded her injured wrist and gasped to catch her breath through the pain. When she looked up, her round eyes were red and full of hurt.

"Meera-" Henry tried to take a step forward.

"No!" Meera held up her good hand. "Don't you dare come near me."