The Female Bodyguard

29 ‖ Make A Wish

"This is just wrong," Alaistair mutters, and looks at me sympathetically.

Dominic glances at me, giving me an apologetic look, "I'll try talking to him, duckling."

I remain silent.

He lets out a sigh of defeat, before wrapping an arm around my shoulders, pulling me gently into a side hug.

"You'll be alright, duckling," he mumbles under his breath.

With that said, he eyes the rest of the group, trying to signal for them to say something.

"Dom's right, everything will be fine, Rissa. We'll see you again in Acreria and everything will be the same," Ezra tries offering reassurance but doubt is undeniably evident in his voice and his seemingly fragile smile.

"I won't let him do this to you, Rissa. Trust me. We'll find a way to convince him," Reece joins in, as she chokes between her sobs.

Silas remains quiet as always, as he tries to brush the tears off her face.

This is also when it dawns on me.

It didn't only hurt because of Casimir's betrayal.

It hurts because of the friends I have made whom I am now about to lose.

It hurts because I grew to enjoy everyone's company.

It hurts because I wasn't alone anymore.

And it hurts because unknowingly, every glance at him has gradually become a second too long.

"We'll go talk to him and when we're back, everything will be alright," Dominic says quietly, giving one last squeeze before letting go.

"Please watch after her while we look for Casimir," Dominic addresses Alaistair and he nods in agreement.

With that, Dominic leaves the room, and everyone else follows, leaving me and Alaistair behind.

It does not take long for the silence to engulf us.

Surprisingly, Alvaro was not around for the dismissal. He is probably with Chad right now. If he had heard about my banishment from visiting Arcton, I wonder what he'd think. After all, to him, I am a mere sacrifice for Rosalia's life.

"Here, follow me," Alaistair says as he offers his hand, waiting for me to grab it.

Hesitation must have crossed my face, seeing how he did not waste a single second and grasped my hand before pulling me out of the throne room.

However, even now, my mind refuses to let me speak.

I merely follow behind him as he leads us along the hallways and out of the palace through the back, into the massive courtyard.

He does not stop at the courtyard but instead, continues by turning left, bringing us to a magnificent greenhouse that has been hidden in plain sight by the palace's massive structure.

Leading me into the greenhouse, he finally stops at a far corner by a pond within the building, resembling a serene oasis. The water shimmers with crystalline clarity under the dappled sunlight filtering through the glass roof.

If not for earlier on, I probably would feel dreamy right now.

Yet, all I can feel is a void within me that has been carved repetitively over the years by betrayal.

"What are we doing here?" I ask as I take a seat by the edge of the pond, staring deeply beyond the water's surface.

"Look, you finally spoke," Alaistair says as the ends of his lips tug upwards into an enigmatic smile.