Crossed Hearts | h.s

Fourteen

Harry kissed his mother and sister goodbye, hugging them tightly before leaving. He didn't want to go back to the palace, but if he wanted his family to live, then he had to go.

"Find yourself a pretty lady in waiting, and then we'll be settled for life," Ivey joked, nudging his upper arm with her elbow.

He rolled his eyes with a chuckle. "Stay out of trouble. I don't want to come back to find you in the stocks."

"You wish I'd suffer such humiliation," she retorted, "Now, go before Mother refuses to let you leave."

Harry gave his mother one last kiss on the cheek. "G'bye, Ma. I'll be back again before you know it."

"Your father would be so proud of you." She smiled wearily and blinked away a stinging tear. Harry began to frown, so she waved her hand to shoo him off before they were both in tears. "Make haste. The sun will set soon."

Harry nodded and began to walk down the dirt path, waving to his family as they grew smaller in the distance.

❁ ❁ ❁

Geneva was dressed in only her nightgown when she left the bathroom. The fabric was light and flowy to keep her cool during the warm, summer nights, but the palace wasn't nearly as hot as usual. She almost shivered as she padded across the marble floor in the lofty corridor. Turning a corner, she stopped in her tracks as she spotted the glowing flicker of a candle in the distance followed by the pitter patter of footsteps. The only person she suspected it to be was Eirene, and it was her chance to see if the rumor was true.

With quiet but quick steps, Geneva snuck down the corridor and trailed behind the darkened figure like a shadow. She pressed her body to the wall when they stopped and looked over their shoulder. Frozen with fear, she prayed they couldn't see her. Then, they moved on and turned a corner. She exhaled with relief and pressed on. When she rounded the corner, she peered down the hallway to find it empty. Puzzled, she furrowed her brows and placed a hand on her hip.

She had decided to give up, and turned around when a hand clasped over her mouth and pulled her back. Squirming against their rough grasp, she noticed the hands didn't belong to the Lady Eirene, but a man. She elbowed him in the gut and his hand fell from her mouth.

"Unhand me at once!" she demanded in a forced whisper. At the sound of her voice, the man released the princess. She stumbled forward and composed herself with a few unsteady breaths. "Christ," she muttered.

"Ginny?"

She spun around and felt her lips part with shock. "Harry?" She narrowed her eyes to make out his face in the dark. He stood awkwardly, his hands dangling by his sides and shifting the weight of his body from one foot to the other. She looked him up and down, almost shocked by his attire. His clothes were dirty and far too small for his toned body. She shook her head to focus on the issue at hand. "What are you doing?"

"I could ask you the same thing," he challenged, "Why are you sneaking around the palace?"

"Lower your voice," she warned.

Heavy boots of a guard echoed from the opposite end of the corridor, the owner of the sound unafraid of being seen. Harry swiftly grabbed Geneva's hand and whisked her around the corner, pressing her back against the wall and shielding her with his body. He placed his palms against the wall, pinning her under him. Her breathing was shallow as she looked up at him through the fading light of the candles on the walls. His skin was moist with perspiration, increasing the intensity of his pheromones. She struggled to maintain composure as her heart rattled in her chest.