I step in front of Darien and shoot the guard a glare.
"Darien is my friend, he is under my protection."
A bead of sweat rolls down the man's sunburnt skin.
I cock my head to the side.
Something about him seems so out of place.
I shake off the odd feeling.
"Have you gotten the siege under control since I left? There don't seem to be any pirates here."
The guard swallows as his eyes flit to everywhere but me.
"Yes, we definitely got rid of the pirates, no pirates here."
I nod and brush past him. Darien flanks me as we walk down the stone pathway to the castle. Even as we reach the iron doors, the hairs on my neck won't stand down.
Darien steps in front of me and pushes them open.
"That's odd, there should be at least four guards stationed here, and the doors should be locked," I remark.
Darien draws his sword and gingerly steps into the front hall of the castle. I grip the small sword at my hip and step in after him.
My eyes grow wide. Shouts and clashes ring through the hallway, the sound of metal hitting metal sends chills running down my spine.
"What's going on?"
Suddenly, the truth hits me as I gulp.
Darien turns to me. "What?"
"That man wasn't a guard, was he?"
My heart threatens to pound its way out of my chest. Darien rushes back out the doors to check for the man. He comes back a few moments later, out of breath and panting.
"He's gone."
Something in me snaps. I draw my sword and charge towards the doors to the ballroom, where all the sounds are coming from.
With a burst of adrenaline, I slam the doors open.
My mouth drops open at the sight before me.
YOU ARE READING
RULE (Completed)
Adventure"You are queen now, start acting like it." Ariana has waited her entire life to become queen and rule her country. But things prove to be much more difficult than she ever thought they would be. After the death of her beloved father, her mother sudd...
