I go completely silent, not wanting to draw more attention to myself than I already have.

I listen for more sounds of something alive near me but hear nothing.

I count to one hundred and wait.

Nothing.

I count to one hundred again.

Still nothing.

Taking deep, measured breaths, I slowly snake my arms forward and lean on my knees.

I move my head to where the sound initially came from, my hair starts to fall into my face and I tuck it behind my ears.

I peek my body around the tree that's to the right of me and scan the ground. My brow furrowed, seeing nothing, I lean back, carefully making sure no leaves crunch beneath my legs.

I sigh, hoping I'd just imagined it, and swipe a hand over my face, wincing when the burn from my elbow returns.

I start to assemble my twig-filled hair into a ponytail and wipe the dirt off of my face when the snap of a twig makes me cease my movements. And when I hear loud footsteps heading in my direction, I press my back against the harsh bark of a tree, tucking my dress under my legs, concealing myself from view. 

Scooting backward, around the tree, I almost scream when something alive grabs my wrist.

I whip my head around, and can't conceal my gasp of shock when I see my own eyes staring back at mine.

- 

I wrench my hand away, push myself off the ground, and without thinking or looking ahead of me, I run in the direction I came from, in the exact path of the footsteps that are getting closer.

I don't get very far, because a body that wasn't there two seconds ago blocks my path barely three feet ahead of me. 

I collide with the stiff form and knock us both to the ground. 

"Fuck!" I hiss, scrambling away from the figure when they start to reach towards me.

They continue to advance as I shove myself backward, closer to where I was just grabbed my a hand and a face with the same eyes as mine.

"Stop! Please stop! What do you want from me?!" I scream, panting.

Then, the figure speaks, face covered in shadow, "Avalon, stop! It's me!"

I stop moving away, "Atlas?"

He leans down, and I can now see his face, "What are you doing out here?" he asks.

Still panting, I tell him the truth, "I had to get away. I just... I had to be alone."

His lips purse, "In the woods? It isn't safe out here."

I hold my injured arm because it's starting to hurt again, "Why isn't it safe?"

"Because you could get lost."

Suddenly confused, I ask him, "How did you know I was out here?"

"Your mother told me. They saw you run through the garden out Blair's window."

"Oh." I don't hold back when I get the urge to apologize, "I'm sorry."

"What for? Running away?"

"Yes. And for how I acted at the table when you brought out food. I thought you'd get the hint as to why I was acting that way."

"Oh, don't worry. I did."

"You did? You didn't seem all that happy."

"Exactly my point."

"Oh." I slump my shoulders, "I feel really stupid right now."

"No, don't feel stupid, please. You didn't do anything wrong. If there's anyone at fault here, it's me. I shouldn't have even been at your palace."

"It's okay. Oh, not sure if this helps in any way, but my mother knows about last night."

"She what?"

"Yeah. Mothers are scary."

"I can't relate."

"I'm sorry."

"Stop apologizing."

"Sor- I mean, I'm-"

"Don't waste your breath. We can figure that out later, okay?"

"Okay."

A memory pops into my head, "Will I get the book?"

"It's hidden in the kitchen," he grins.

I smile. "Good. Thank you."

"You're welcome." He leans closer, "Are you hurt? Are you ready to go back?"

I still feel the burn of the scrape, "I hurt my elbow, but we can clean it up when we go back."

"Let me see it."

I bring the injured limb to his face and he visibly cringes.

I smirk, "That bad, huh?"

He pauses, "No. It's not that bad."

"You hesitated."

"I did not."

"Fine."

"Fine?"

"Yes. 'Fine'. It's a very dangerous word used by a woman."

He scoffs, looking around, "How so?"

I grin, happy to explain to him how women are far superior to men, "It's a word women use to end an argument when they are right and you need to shut up."

"Were we arguing?"

"Maybe."

He laughs quietly, "Should we be getting back to your palace now?"

"Okay. But I want to avoid my family right now. I told my mother I hate her."

"Why would you do that?"

"It just came out. I couldn't stop it. And I regret it. I really, really regret it."

"Fair. You had to be angry with her and Blair."

"Oh, don't you even get me started on stupid Blair!"

"Believe me, I'll make sure I won't."

He helps me to stand and that's the exact moment when I remember there's someone with us.

I grab onto Atlases arm and whisper, "Don't freak out anything, but... we're not alone"

He makes an annoyed face, "Then why would you tell me not to freak out?"

I don't respond. Instead, I point my finger in the direction I was grabbed.

"Over there?" he whispers.

I nod.

"Human, or creature?"

"Human. It had the same eyes as me."

He looks at me as if I've completely lost my mind and slowly advances toward the tree I was pointing at.

He makes his way around it and even in the dark, I can see his face pale, and his expression changes from careful concentration to shock.

"What is it?" I whisper.

"Come see for yourself," he says at a normal speaking volume, still staring at whatever is behind the tree.

I huff, and stalk over there.

"What could it be that you can't just tell me what it is?" I demand from him, but he only grabs my chin and forces it down so my eyes fully take in the human in front of our feet.

His eyes are closed, but his hair is the exact color I see every day in my mirror. 

-

Atlas has not moved since his recent discovery, declaring, "He was unconscious when I found him."

The second I saw the face of my father, I made my way back to the palace faster than I had run out here to rally my mother and sister to see our long-lost king Corbin.

The eyes I know so well are my father's. I have his eyes. And his hair color. My father, king Corbin has been found. 

TO BE CONTINUED