IMPRESS.
Chapter Forty-One: Is That You, Harrison?
[This chapter is shorter than the previous, only because I am going to try either uploading the next chapter mid-week or uploading two chapters next Friday!! + sorry for any errors if any]
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My grin grew wider, "Harrison!" I run towards him, my arms open to easily attack him with a loving hug... "I can't believe you are still here, in the castle."
I could feel the harsh gaze of Zac's angered, narrowed eyes burning into the back of my head as I embraced my best friend.
Harrison held me for a long time, his head buried in my neck as he exhaled in relief, "I can't believe you woke up!" He released my frame for the shortest while to inspect my face before hugging me again.
I giggled, "I can't believe you didn't leave and ride back to Icilia-"
My best friend furiously shook his head, "dead or alive I would never leave your body with a deranged fuck," Harrison cupped my cheeks as his irritated eyes wandered over my shoulder at Zac and then softened once back on me.
Oh, wow. The tension is growing.
"I let him stay- and I hope he knows if he crosses me at all, he'll never see you again," Zac lowly warned and I rolled my eyes, I'm so done with his shit.
Harrison blinked at me, patting my arms up and down to make sure he wasn't hallucinating me, "how did you- When did you- I thought you were- "
"-Dead?" I finished for him, "yes, well, I thought so too. But, I guess the God of life favours me."
"You've always been a survivor, my survivor. I had a feeling you wouldn't let death steal you away just yet," my best friend's lips touched my forehead and left the skin feeling warm and tender.
Smiling genuinely, I pleaded, "stay with me, for a little longer."
Zac strode over and swooped in through the small space between myself and Harrison, separating us from each other. What's he doing?
"Why don't you stay for the Regional Masquerade Ball? Enjoy yourself, relax, any friend of Natalya's is a friend of my own," Zac suspiciously said in a strangely friendly manner.
I can't help but doubt Zac and think that he has a mastermind plot to eliminate my best friend by the way his mood switches and speech flows out politely.
The masquerade ball was for me to apparently try to get Preston who baring in mind had already chosen to side with the witches because of me also, to side with the vampires. So right now I was playing double agent.
"I don't see why not, but let me get this right with you, we most certainly aren't pals," Harrison corrected with a serious and stoic expression.
Zac hummed in amusement, "you are whatever I call you. Bow your head and formally address me," he demanded with deadpan eyes.
"I'd rather rot in hell," Harrison sneered as the words rolled off his tongue and the presence of his hand planting on my lower back pacified me.
Zac noticed the small action and I witnessed his eyes flash with fury, "I see why you two get along so well, very stubborn individuals, aren't you?"
"No, not as stubborn as you," I fakely chortled, "you are the most difficult person to reason with."
"Wait until you meet Preston," Zac muttered brushing through me and Harrison and breaking us apart once again, "then you'll see that I'm not the worst of the worst."
"I highly doubt that," I replied in a high matter-of-a-factly pitch, twirling around and crossing my arms in a challenging stance.
Zac laughed out before he clicked his fingers at me, spinning around to face us in his new position. An idea had entered his head and the growing smirk on his face as he eyed me, made my thoughts messy as I tried to think what was possibly making him smirk like that.
I straightened myself up, not wanting to show him how anxious he was making me feel and my peripheral vision allowed me to see Harrison worryingly eying me.
Zac skipped closer until he was less than a metre away- his eyes glowing with want, "how about you come to dinner with me?" He ignored the fact he had completely bumped Harrison out the way, breaking any interaction between us.
Zac slipped my hands into his and instantly set off a spark that had my body yearning for even more of his touch. No no! I don't want his hands touching me anywhere what am I thinking. I hate him, I don't want any of those violent kisses of his planted on my skin, I don't want his skin grazing against mine as we- Never mind what I don't want, I just need to remind myself of all the evil he has done.
His eyes lustfully sparked as he raked over my body head to toe, "let me take you somewhere and you have the power to ask me whatever you wish, and so do I, you."
"Is that an invitation because I would love to happily decline," I struggled to free my hands from Zac's but he kept them closed and secured in his, "besides why would you even want to ask me anything? I'm a human and you have said it many of times, you don't want anything to do with me."
I felt forceful hands pull me back by the waist and it didn't take me a second to realise Harrison was tearing me from Zac's insistent grip on my hands back into his protection.
Harrison steadied me when I almost fell back, "why would she want to do or go anywhere with you, after what you did?"
I smiled at him relieved and grateful that he had stepped in and torn me away from practical abuse. After composing myself, my heart leapt as I watched Harrison harshly question Zac, his hand gradually clenching into a fist.
I placed my fingers on the knuckles of his fist to prevent him from any mad idea of attacking Zac our future King, someone too important to be involved in a fight with.
Harrison let his fingers stretch out at my tender touch and instead, his face contorted to one of anger when Zac mused, "because she values her friend's life and would hate to see anything bad happen to him."
I widened my eyes registering his words which referred to him killing Harrison if I didn't agree to go to dinner with him, "bastard," I cursed shaking my head at him and eventually sighing out, "fine. I'll do it, I'll have dinner with you."
"Tomorrow night. I expect you to wear something pretty. I will pick you up from your room at curfew..." by curfew he meant my original rule declared by my brother to not leave my bedchambers after 8 at night. Whilst I sent him an appalled look at his demands, he reached for my hand and purposely kissed the back of my palm, knowing the excitement the action made my body feel. "Don't reveal to anyone else that you are back, I plan for it to be a special surprise for everyone at breakfast."
His compelling brown eyes were looking up and burning into mine as he slowly brought my hand down. The way they didn't avert from mine left me hypnotised, my eyes unblinking.
When his hand left mine, I, myself was left feeling disorientated. I had to search my memory in order to remember how I functioned without his dominant touch, and as I recalled how to function my disorientation was replaced with confusion.
What is going on with me?
I think I need some sleep.
"Okay," I nod moving back to Harrison's side as a sudden wind blows every strand of my hair out of place and Zac vanishes. Okay then, what a great way to dismiss yourself, cause a storm in your departure why don't you.
"If he tries anything, I will kill him, royalty or not- no one touches you, whilst I am here anyway," Harrison squeezes my hand and I automatically go to hug him again, "I have honestly missed you," I muffled in his shoulder, "can we catch up before I..." I yawned "go to bed."
"How about you get some rest first, you may have just come back from the dead but it is obvious you are exhausted. I am staying until after the regional masquerade ball, so we can talk tomorrow before your date with the devil," my best friend humoured.
"Okay tomorrow but I'll tell you now, it most definitely is not a date, Harrison. Yes I will be having the worst dinner of my life with the devil tomorrow and no I cannot predict how it will end, but I promise you, there won't be any romance," I assured him.
***
[Morning]
Not one person had tried to enter my bedroom and I was super thankful. I don't know but I have a horrible feeling in my stomach about how I will make my grand entrance at breakfast.
Only Harrison, Greg and Zac knew I was back and all had kept mute because Zac had insisted on shocking everyone. I know people will question how I woke up after witnessing me drowning and I know they will be perplexed when the answer isn't that I am a vampire. They will think I am some kind of super human, which in some respect I kind of am.
A huge part of me is still bitter at the mass population that watched me drown and didn't even think of saving me, and then a small bit of me is ready to make the best entrance of my life and confidently stroll into the dining room like nothing is new.
When it comes to facing everyone, the won't see village girl Natalya. They will see newborn Natalya. I will a mask of superiority and boldness, I don't want people to still see me as some weak rag-doll. I want people to envy me and I most definitely want to see those scared eyes of Ella looking back at mine in disbelief.
The best part of 'dying' was that I was no longer a mandatory competitor to IMPRESS, I mean those were the rules: once you die, you are out of the running. The witches had helped me find a loop-hole to the great century game and I was grateful.
Since no one can know I am here, my ladies wherever they are cannot help me pick what to wear and powder my face to perfection for me, so I guess it is down to my own skills.
I stepped over the wreck my room was still in and no, I did not sleep with dead bodies in the room. Harrison kindly removed them all when he sped me back here last night. I don't know where he dumped them but, at least the lingering smell of dead corpses was fading.
Humming that same tuneless song I had been humming since a young age, I finished brushing my teeth after having showered previously. I went to reach for my small flask of Nixon, only to find myself clawing at the air.
I furrowed my eyebrows, where is the Nixon? Panic arose inside of me as I ducked and searched underneath the sink to see no sign of the small flask. Jumping back up I tried to retrace my steps of before the deadly stage three but nothing of Nixon came to mind.
Oh shit.
If the witches find out that I have lost the Nixon, they are going to freak and if I don't drink it, I am going to end up experiencing the side-effects Kace and Aeliana had had continuously warned me about.
Think positive. I stared at my reflection in the mirror. I will look for the Nixon later, for now, let me focus on my appearance. Exhaling, I watched as the reflective version of me shivered at the sight of my faded scars from the royal punishment.
I looked over my shoulder, lifting my hair and craned my neck to reveal the printed words 'property of royalty' at the back of my neck. This print was a constant reminder of the pain I had endured by Zac and it vexed me. To this day, I still didn't know what satisfaction he got from seeing me suffer.
Exiting the bathroom I forwarded to my wooden closet. I swung each door open keeping my hand gripped at the touching corners of my white towel. I blew out a breath as it was taken by the wide choice I had for what I was going to wear.
Black?
No.
Too predictable and that will give everyone the wrong idea that since I am wearing my designated colour for IMPRESS, I am still in the competition when I clearly am not.
Red?
Mm.
Yeah... something daring will definitely scream FIERCE.
I pulled out the most daring red dress in my closet, quickly scanning it I clocked that it was heart-shaped at the chest but ultimately, was a plain, mermaid-shaped dress with a trailing flared end that was filled with a puffy, bloodier red-coloured lace.
Not wasting any more time, I threw my towel to the side and slipped the dress on. Automatically, the dress fits tightly around my waist and hips, hugging my skin to accentuate the curves of my body.
The following step was the worst challenge I had ever faced, zipping my dress all the way up from behind. There was a lot of twisting and turning and moments where I could have sworn to have broken the zip. But, finally I succeeded and the dress was on.
I brushed the material of the dress down whilst walking towards my full-length mirror, most of which was smashed due to the rage of the prince. However, the smashed glass that still remained intact despite the cracks was good enough for me to smile brightly at the mind-blowing sight of me.
Wow.
The dress really helped enhance every aspect of my body especially my tan skin.
Not spending too long admiring my appearance, I tore my eyes away from my full-length mirror and placed my butt onto the chair of my dressing table. I shook my head wildly and looked back up to have some loose hairs that had been caught by my eyelashes falling from my face, what an unruly mess.
I swiftly grabbed the brush on the table top and pulled the brush through my hair, developing waves after every sweep. Placing the brush back down, I separated my hair into two parts, some of it I left hanging down my back and the rest I pulled up into a top-knot bun, using many pins and hair bands.
After shaking my hands, I went to grab a bit of powder, bronzer and blush, not knowing exactly how it worked I brushed a bit onto my face and finished off the look with clear gloss and mascara. Surprisingly, I had done a good job- for a beginner must I add.
I brushed my hands against each other and dusted off any excess powder that had fallen onto my dress or shoulder.
Okay, perfect.
I look pretty good.
As if it was scripted, a knock on my door made me jump and I rested my hand on my heart, startled by the unexpected sound of thudding.
I stood up.
Please don't be Zac. Please please PLEASE. Do not be Zac.
I poised myself, breathing in and then out when opening the door.
"Lord Hilbert," I gasped.
Long time no see.
"Lady Ascelyn, welcome back," Lord Hilbert greeted with a sincere smile on his humbled face, "death is a very good look for you," he joked.
How did he know I was alive? I never did ask... but was Lord Hilbert working with the witches or was he just an old friend of my mother's.
"Thank you, my lord..." I chuckled, "and if you don't mind me asking... How'd you know I was alive?"
Lord Hilbert tapped his nose, "that is to remain secret, but I'm very observant. I know everything."
Oh does he now.
"I don't know whether to be freaked out or worried about that statement," I truthfully spoke and Lord Hilbert waved his hand, "neither, I'm a harmless man, don't worry about me."
Uh huh. "Anyway, now that you are here, would you mind escorting me to breakfast. I'm pretty sure I am already late."
"A grand entrance?" Lord Hilbert inquired.
I smiled amusedly, "somewhat."
He hummed extending his arm out for me to loop my arm through and hook onto him, "you know the drill my lady, close your eyes."
Momentarily I made sure I was mentally prepared for my entrance and when I was certain I was, I shut my eyes.
The world flew past and came to a halt as we stopped in a corridor clustered with castle guards, all in which hadn't noticed me yet.
"Thank you, Lord Hilbert. I will make sure to visit your study again soon, to talk about the information I've gathered so far about the village fir-"
"Natalya, there you are..." Zac's voice called from the end of the corridor he was currently pacing down towards me, "who were you talking to?"
I raised my eyebrow, why would he ask that when Lord Hilbert is stood right-
Here?
He disappeared.
That was abnormal of him.
"Lord Hilbert, who takes care of the third floor's castle study," I replied and Zac pouted in confusion, scrunching his face in thought.
"Doesn't ring a bell," he shrugged and I blinked in surprise, how does he not remember a person who has served the King since my mother was still a lady of the castle.
I dramatically placed my hand over my mouth, "you don't know the names of the Lords that serve you and your family?"
"I know most, but that one. That one certainly does not ring a bell..." He stroked his chin but waved the thought off before lowering his hands to my hips and squeezing them, "you look exceptional by the way."
His compliment made my stomach flip and my heart accelerate in response but I didn't let my cheeks flush under his gaze, "thanks," I said bluntly.
Zac's lips cracked into a smirk at my unsuccessful attempt at hiding my emotions toward him. Frustratedly, I pushed his hands off me, "still mad at me I see? Hopefully, I'll change that tonight. But for now, I need you to make a hell of an entrance for me."
The longer we waited to go in, the more guards that were starting to peer over at us, trying to identify my identity over Zac's shoulder.
"I'm ready," which I was. I was prepared to blow minds and shock the upper-class individuals behind the rule of Asten.
When we went to stand in front of the large dining room doors, the guards that surrounded the area paused and stared at us, mostly me- awestruck.
I guess they caught on.
"Your honour, she's alive?" I heard one of the guards who was about to open the doors for us blubber, "how?"
Zac arrogantly ignored the guard and I lightly smiled, not knowing what to say. When the guard would not stop gawking at me, Zac angrily stepped towards the guard and glared into his eyes with his penetrating orbs that flashed silver as he lowly grumbled, "open the doors."
What I had just witnessed was Zac using his ability. He had taken control over the vampire guard using his hypnotising eyes in order to enter his mind and compel him.
The guard reacted ever so quickly and Zac cruelly side-smiled stepping back to my side before allowing his hand to blindly search for mine and when found, intertwining his fingers with mine.
His large hands could've easily crushed mine within a second and as I briefly glanced at our interlinked hands, I noticed just how perfect our hands moulded together.
The coldness of his touch turned into a warming ignition of excitement throughout my bloodstream, "kiss me," he ordered and I furiously shook my head.
He had snapped me back to reality with his insane demand which I protested against.
The doors were opening, if we kissed now, everyone would see! Not that I wanted to kiss him or anything but the last thing I wanted people thinking was that I was a dumb human girl falling for her murderer.
That didn't stop Zac, though.
Just as the grand doors opened, catching the attention of all who seated at the long and wide dining table, Zac impatiently caught my chin and pressed his rough lips to mine, tugging on my bottom lip cravingly whilst pulling away.
I was caught off guard and was certain the shock I felt inside of me was showing on the outside through my surprised eyes and parted lips.
Zac smirked, pushing my chin back up in order to close my mouth, "breathe and let them look at you," his cool voice released the tension that had been growing in my body and brought me to ease.
I audibly exhaled feeling Zac's lips brush my cheek before he encouragingly tugged at our intertwined fingers for me to follow behind him.
As soon as my eyes met the mass amount of mixed intense gazes towards me and Zac, nausea hit me like lightning and my heart thumped manically- to the point I could feel it right at the back of my throat.
SILENCE.
The dining room fell silent, creating an alienating atmosphere since the only sounds filling the air came from my uneasy breathing and mine and the devil's footsteps as we walked the marble.
Everyone stood to their feet and I swallowed nervously, watching the Ladies and Lords respectfully bow at us, remaining shocked with their mouths and eyes agape in awe.
The pair of eyes that stuck out to me from the rest were the familiar electric blue irises that belonged to my older brother, his eyes too were enveloped in amazement.
A triumph smile grew on my face at the shock radiating from every single shaken person in this dining room, everyone but Zac. The smile reached my eyes at the given moment of seeing my brother again.
I noticed a glint appear in each of his electrifying orbs.
"Sister?" He whispered, flabbergastingly blinking at me as if to say what he was seeing was an illusion. I pursed my lips and sheepishly shrugged at the look of relief overcoming his shock.
Beside him stood Derek, who for one, was displaying a different kind of awe- his eyes were transitioning into darkness as they tried to take in my bold appearance. The long and audible breath he released with a fist to his mouth, made it clear he was struggling to stay focused on the real issue here... A girl thought to be dead, alive?
The nerves were fading and I was growing used to the excess attention I was receiving from the eyes that wouldn't leave me. Strangely, I starting to enjoy being the centre of attention, all these people seeing me as some superior being that beat death.
We neared the never-ending table, and the prince led me to my usual seat beside a bewildered princess and an open-mouthed Rose Clarke, who's emerald eyes were just as wide.
Zac pulled my chair out for me, purposely performing this action romantically to achieve a speechless reaction of confusion from our audience.
As he thoughtfully waved for me to take a seat, I could feel someone's deathly glare focused on me and decided to ignore it, already knowing it to be my jealous cousin, Ella.
I sat down sending the prince a forced thankful smile... And the moment I glanced up at everyone standing there watching me, the same exact moment Queen Melisandre broke the ice and breathed out in disbelief, "impossible..."
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Qs: Is it weird that Zac can't recall a Lord Hilbert? What do you think about the missing Nixon? Are you excited for the Masquerade Ball & return of Preston? And of course, all that comes before... Are you excited for Natalya's date with the devil and the upcoming reactions of everyone else at the table or not at the table?
I will take in mind who you want Natalya to end up with at the end of this book. So every comment counts... #ZACTALYA, #NARRISON, #NEREK , #NALEX, #NESTON, #NAVIER, #NRIS, #NACE OR ANY OTHER LOVE INTERESTS. WHO YOU ROOTING FOR? OR ARE YOU TEAM INDEPENDENCE?
Hope you liked the chapter! & hope that you vote and comment to show ya support :)
Love ya and thank you!!!
- Natasha x