Midnight Shades

Chapter 52

Once I process what Cronan said, I grab him by the arm and bend down in front of him, feeling enraged and confused and hurt for what he said. He tries to move away from my grip—probably thinking that I'm playing—but I hold him tighter.

"What did you just say?" I say quietly, tone poisoned with so much anger.

"What?" He whines and moves again. "Let me go, I want to play."

"Why did you say that, Cronan?" I ask him firmly. "Why would you want to kill a human?"

"Because they are our enemies." He says, furrowing his eyebrows as he looks at me weirdly, as if this is the most obvious thing.

I take in a deep breath through my nose before exhaling it, trying to let the anger inside of me vanish. "That's not true. Who told you that?"

"My teacher," He answers quietly. "She said that humans are our enemies and that they are trying to destroy us and that's why we're building the wall."

"What wall?" I question, looking back and forth between his eyes. What is he talking about? And who is that stupid teacher?

"I don't know," He groans and moves away from my grip. "Let me go play."

I don't pay attention to the rest of his words, too caught up in my mind to actually care. What wall is he talking about? Is he just making things up? I mean, he is only a kid. But no, Cronan is smart for his age, he wouldn't make some crazy shit like that up.

Walking to my room, I catch my mother by the door of her room, talking to my father about something. I should ask her about this, she surely knows something about it. My father must have told her.

"Mother?" I speak out, gaining her attention as she turns her head around and sighs.

"Where have you been, Tallulah? We were worried." She asks, a frown taking over her features.

I remain calm as I glance at my father inside the room, who is waiting for my answer, too. They already know that I was with Louis, it's as clear as daylight, there is no more hiding shit away from them anymore.

"You know where I was," I tell her quietly and she only gives me a small smile as my father shakes his head in disapproval. "I wanted to ask you both about something."

I gain back their attention with these words as my mother says, "Sure, go on."

"Are we building a wall?" I ask carefully, watching as the smile vanishes from my mother's face and my father stands up.

"Tallulah..." My father begins but trails off.

My heart beats loudly. "Is it true then?"

Mother's hands fold together as she brings them to her lips, and I watch as her eyes glister with tears. My father walks over to us and slowly nods. "Yes, who told you?"

"Who told me? Were you going to keep it a secret?" I spit, chest moving up and down rapidly in anger.

"Was it Cronan's teacher? It's probably her because she's one of the royals, too."

"I don't give a shit, what is this?" I yell.

"Tallulah, we just do not want any problems in or out of the village." He explains, acting all fucking chill about this.

"Like hell you are," I snort. "Who made this stupid decision?"

"Watch your attitude, Tallulah," Father warns, but I cannot care less. "Ragnar suggested it, and we stand by his opinion."