"Sylvia," a hand waved in front of my face, "it's your turn."
Asher's cheeks filled with a blush as he shyly talked to me and tried to get my attention. I shook my head and blinked to make sure my eyes weren't blurry.
"Sorry..." I didn't know what to say around this shy boy.
Even though we had talked some before, he was still the shy eighteen year old I knew. At least I think he's eighteen. I never really thought to ask, I just assumed that he was my age.
I moved my chess piece and bit down on my lip, trying to figure out my next move. I'm not really sure how I got to playing chess, but I didn't mind. It was better than being cooped up in my room. I wasn't sure how much longer either of us were going to last though.
I leaned against my hand and inwardly sighed. He wasn't the fastest player, but I guess he liked to think about what he was doing first. He hesitantly pushed his piece forward and smiled to himself.
"So, uh, how have you been?" He rubbed the back of his neck.
I shrugged and tried to look deep in thought. Truth was I haven't been that great. But he didn't have to know that. "You know, same old thing."
He frowned, but didn't comment on it. I randomly moved one of my pieces and became bored again. Chess wasn't something I liked doing that often. I haven't played in a long time, so my moves were a little rusty.
"How come I don't believe that?" He flinched back at his own voice and started rambling.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry. I just know that you are dealing with a lot and-" I stopped him.
"It all right, Asher. I'm fine, really."
He grimaced but nodded. We continued our game until I was just done and told him we better stop. I tucked a piece of my blond hair behind my ear, curling my body and slouching.
"I, um, better go. See ya!" He was out of his seat in no time and out the door.
I chuckled lowly at him, finding his awkwardness funny. When I was younger I was quite shy, but never that awkward. I felt for him though. I started putting the game away, just leaving it on the table because I really had no idea of where we got it.
I was in library for what seemed like the millionth time. I really loved to just sit in here and read. Or just to simply think. Phoenix was back to treating me like the way he was before. Any time I would pass him, he would make a snide comment.
I gave up on everything though. I think that Thorin noticed my attitude change. I more than anything wanted to leave far away from here. My destiny was death. But if the prophecy was wrong about Phoenix and I, then what if it was wrong about everything else? I smacked my forehead and felt stupid for not thinking about it before. Phoenix and I weren't together, and never would be. We weren't destined to be together.
"Hey, where have you been all this time?" I groaned at the sound of my bodyguard's voice.
"I've been playing chess with Asher, that's all."
I haven't told Thorin I knew about the prophecy yet; even if it may or may not be true. I was nervous about talking about it, and the fact that I would have another person on my back. Even more than he already was.
"Thorin, I know what you're hiding."
I don't think I've ever seen such a toned man so frightened. His whole body froze and he became very tense.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
I scoffed, laughing bitterly. "I'm going to die, and we both know it. Want to know why I've been acting weirdly lately? I found part of the Piercingwings."
His mouth opened and closed. I would have laughed at him if it weren't for the situation. I felt no remorse for him in any shape or form. He had it coming.
"This is why I didn't want you to know..."
"Oh, so you were going to just let me die without warning me? Thanks for being the best bodyguard in the world," I sarcastically shot back at him.
He rolled his eyes and pressed his lips in a firm line. "You're overreacting."
I placed my hands on my hips, feeling nothing but anger in my body. "I sure am, Thorin. Just keep digging yourself deeper, will you."
"So what was the dragon for?" I moved my head back and forth in a sassy manner.
Then it dawned on me. I needed the dragon so I could save them, otherwise I would fail. I couldn't hold back the tears any longer. I let myself fall to the floor and placed my head in my hands. As soon as Thorin even tried to touch me, I flipped.
"Get out." I spoke as calmly as I could.
"No, I'm-" I cut him off.
"Get out, Thorin! I'm done, just done."
I heard him leave and breathed a sigh of relief when he was gone. Even though I hated every second of that, I was glad to get it off my chest. My trust for anyone here was gone.
"The king would like to speak with you."
I jumped at his voice and looked up at him with puffy and red eyes. Phoenix had his expressionless mask on once again, just standing there and watching me.
"All right." I unsteadily stood and brushed past his shoulder.
All I could hope for was the best, and that I wasn't in trouble. I was glad that Phoenix wasn't following me though, that would make it worse. He always seemed to be lurking around when I was walking about the palace. I tried to ignore him most of the time, unless he made a rude comment. Which was half of the time. I usually didn't respond to them, but I did give him a well-deserved glare.
"Scarlett, what you're doing isn't right and it's against the prophecy. Don't you see the way they both are acting? Ever since you ordered Phoenix, both of them have been miserable."
"Don't you see it wasn't meant to be? The girl is supposed to die anyways. What is the point of them being together if she isn't going to be around much longer?"
I clenched my jaw and felt nothing but annoyance and hatred for the woman in the room in front of me. I didn't care that I was ease dropping and that they both probably knew that.
"Can you let her have happiness for just a bit, Scarlett? I know that she knows something is up and she already figured out about the clone."
I was about to open the door but then he said the last sentence. He knows that I know about the stupid clone. But why does that matter anymore? It doesn't. I turned the knob and sheepishly entered the room.
"Finally decided to grace us with your presence?" Scarlett sneered, her lip curling.
"Scarlett I have no choice but to force you to take off the mind control on Phoenix. Now," he demanded to his wife.
I was getting more confused by the second. Mind control? The queen's hand clenched and unclenched. Her face went from pale to bright red.
"You have no right to tell me what to do, Jeremy! You can't force me."
Jeremy scoffed and kept his head held high. "Oh yes I can. I order you to take the mind control away and to never do that to your son again."
She blinked once and had left the room in a spilt second. I stared at Jeremy with my mouth parted and my eyebrows furrowed. He waved me forward with his hand and patted a seat on a couch. My whole body was stiff as a log as I walked closer. I sat on the couch and kept my body tense and alert.
"I'm guessing that you understand that you are going to die, huh?" I hated the way that he treated it like a joke.
I glared. "Yeah, I sure do."
He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I know that you probably absolutely hate it here, and I'm sorry for all that we've put you through and are about to."
"Phoenix was put under a spell so that he would agree to marry that woman that you saw at the dinner. I'm making sure that it gets called off. My wife is strongly against the idea of you two together for some reason."
"I kind of figured," I harshly spat.
"This must be a load of stuff you are dealing with. Story of my life. Being king isn't exactly easy, but I wouldn't change it for the world."
I kept my lips sealed and just stared. I did feel a little relieved that it was Scarlett the entire time, and not Phoenix. It had been one of my guesses, but I guess after he treated me like he had, I gave up that idea.
"I just wanted to make sure you understood everything. I know that you and Phoenix had bonded over your little dates. All I can do is wish you good luck, Sylvia."
There was nothing else I could say. I wanted nothing more than to see Phoenix, but at the same time I didn't. What if Jeremy was lying just for his entertainment? I had a feeling he wouldn't do that though. What I needed was to think and have some alone time.
"I do give you my deepest regrets. Scarlett can be very hard headed some times."
I kept my lips sealed shut and made sure to get out of that room as quickly as I could. The tense was too thick for me to handle. One less thing I had to worry about was the clone. She wasn't my problem anymore.
I heard her before I saw her. The clicks of her heels echoed through the hallow area. I flinched back when I saw the fuming expression on her face. She looked like she wanted to kill.
"This is my last and final warning to you, my dear. Stay away from my son. Just because he is no longer engaged doesn't mean that you get what you want."
I wordlessly nodded, anything but agreeing with her. But in the end, there was no point. I was going to die; it was what my end was. Her lips curled upwards and she gave me a curt nod, passing me slowly. I didn't miss the glare in her eyes.
I watched her leave, not moving an inch. After she left, I sighed in relief and was glad that was over. I knew I couldn't see Phoenix, because his mother would know. But what was I to do? I couldn't see Thorin, because of our fight earlier. And I sure as heck wasn't forgiving him easily. He made me really upset and it wasn't something I was going to forget.
Like most days when I was upset, I went to search for the one thing that made my day. My dragon. Even though he was such a pain in the butt at times. I had been training with him also. I knew the war was coming soon, I could feel it. My death was near, and I was still having a hard time accepting that.
I started to get worried when Whitewind wouldn't come when I called. He did not waste a second when I needed him. My heart sunk and I was feeling even worse. Everything was crashing down on me like a huge wave. I wanted to get away, and I knew exactly what I was going to do. I honestly don't know why I didn't think of it earlier.
One last time, I called my dragon but he had yet to come. Sighing heavily, I gave up. If he wasn't coming, there was no point in trying anymore. At least for now.
I made sure to steer clear of anyone in the palace. I didn't need any one else on my tail, I already had enough trouble as it was.
"Where do you think you're going?" I jumped and placed my hand on my heart.
One of the guards, Kade, stood there and stared with his lips quirked. He was the one who had slapped me and had something against me from day one. I was kind of surprised to see him, since he had managed to stay as far away from me as possible. What was he doing now?
"I'm just walking around, what does it look like I'm doing?" I snapped, brushing some hair out of my face.
He stalked closer. "I don't know. What are you doing?"
He was taunting me, and he knew it. I backed away from him slowly as he drew closer. I certainly didn't miss him.
I shrugged. "Nothing."
His eyes were turning darker. Guess he wasn't too happy with my answer. This was the one thing I wanted to avoid, and here I was. I gasped when I tumbled to the floor. I propped myself on my elbows and felt my heart accelerate. He leaned down and put his face a little bit too close to mine.
"Thorin is looking for you."
I wanted to slap him, but of course I held back. "Well tell him that he can back off."
He tsked me, shaking his head. "I'm afraid I can't do that."
He squeezed my arm hardly and jerked me off the ground. He walked quickly, and didn't care that I was having trouble. Panic and adrenaline filled my veins.
"You can't take me! What are you doing?"
He tightened his hold on my arm. "I can, and I will. Enough talking."
He led me to a room, one I had never been in before. The room was dimly lit and the walls were blank. He shoved me inside and closed the door behind him. I took deep breaths and waited for something to happen.
"Sylvia, I'm sorry."
I retracted back, bumping into a wall. Thorin was in here, not that I should be surprised. I just didn't understand how I didn't see him when I first came in.
"I should have told you everything. You had a right to know, and I really don't know why I didn't tell you. Maybe it was to protect you. And I shouldn't have told you that you were reacting, because you're not."
"I can't forgive you with the snap of fingers, Thorin. I doubt I'll be able to ever trust you again, not that I had much time." I added the last part quietly.
He came closer, a determined look in his eye. I wasn't going to be a coward anymore, so I stood up tall and looked him straight in the eye.
"No, you will make it through this. I promise you, I will do everything I possibly can."
I was touched by his words. As much as I didn't want to admit it, he was more than just a body guard to me. He was one of my only friends here.
"Thank you, but you still haven't earned my trust yet."
He nodded solemnly. "I know, and I don't expect you to. But I do want to show you something. There is a reason I chose this room."
I looked at him curiously. He felt around on the wall, obviously looking for something. My mouth dropped open when I saw what the room had morphed into. The room had completely changed. I was surrounded by a forest.
"Whoa, how is this possible?" I asked him in awe.
He smiled slightly. "Unfortunately, we aren't in an actual forest. The room is meant to make it seem real. With sounds, breezes, or any type of weather that is in that terrain. It's basically an illusion."
I hit him on the arm hardly. "Why did nobody tell me about this earlier?"
He rubbed his arm but I know I didn't hurt him, and if I did it was hardly at all. He laughed, slinging his arm over my shoulder.
"No one comes here anymore, because of the portals. Most people want to experience the real thing, not just an illusion."
I closed my eyes and listened to the sound of birds. The room had a chilly feeling to it, but I guessed that was just the effects of the shady trees.
"I'll have to remember this, if I have time."
He pulled me closer and sighed. "What did I tell you, Sylvia? You're going to get through this."
Maybe he lied, but he was someone who cared. I knew he did from the moment he saw me that day, the day I was caught. Sure, he teased me endlessly, but he was like my brother. And I'm glad I met him.
My ears perked up when I heard pants, and I knew that it wasn't coming from inside the room. Footsteps padded outside the door and were coming near. Thorin's muscles tensed around me; he had heard it too.
The door was opened and the effects were lost. The guard put his hands on his knees and was breathing heavily. His frightened eyes searched the room for us.
"What's wrong?" Thorin now stood beside the guy, looking at him intensely.
"The king," he breathed, barely getting the words out, "sent me here. Emergency."
I held my breath and waited for more information. My heart started to beat rapidly again and I had this strange feeling in the pit of my stomach.
"What kind of emergency? You need to calm down," Thorin tried to sooth him.
He took one last deep breath and stood completely. Thorin easily towered over him.
"It is happening. The war has begun."