Yes, I enjoyed writing this one. Have fun

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Senna Aldorban

Nothing in the world could compare to the waves of emotions hitting me at once. An hour ago Kace was spewing revelations, now Adonia Wu was here and looked extremely displeased.

For five minutes I had been pretending to look through documents. She was sitting in front of me staring.

I didn't know exactly what I wanted to say, but I knew I needed to say something. "It's good to see you."

She was silent.

Biting the inside of my lips, I peered back up at her. She was clean and neatly styled in the latest Entorrean fashion, though she moved like a lost dog. I supposed Kace should be thanked for this.

Wherever he was.

"Thank you," she whispered finally. The words startled me enough to make me drop the documents. "Thank you for helping me."

"Do not thank me for doing my role."

"But you've endangered your life, your highness. You and Thresan... I don't want to think where I'd be without both of you. Everything—"

"Stop talking," I stated, rounding the table next to her. Darkness took up her features and clouded her complexion. With my gloved hand, I turned her chin and made her glance up at me. "Those men are in chains now."

Her eyes glossed as she turned her head away and moved toward the desk. She shuffled through the papers, and I didn't bother stopping her. She helped me find Lord Idrice Astley. She was the strongest of people for everything that she had been through because of him.

And now... Zian Austruc.

Adonia deserved to know what Mallor told me. What happened many night ago because of—

A knock on the door made Adonia jump and spin around. Glancing at the guard, I gave him a curt nod and he opened the door.

In came in the very people responsible for the chaos. A man dressed in all black, metallic armor, a matte matching sword hanging at his hips. The second—more chaotic one—came walking in with a smug grin plastered across his face as if he won a championship.

"I hope you're not arguing to take the dress off," Mallor joked to Adonia. "The color suits you."

"I hate the color blue." She grasped at the ruffles of the gown and smoothed them.

Mallor widened his eyes and took his post next to the door. Adonia smiled toward him, and suddenly I could tell she was too tired to joke back. "Prince Kace, you have quarters set up for Adonia, right?"

He nodded and jerked his chin toward the door. "Mallor, show her the way."

"No, you should show her," I blurted, causing Mallor and Adonia to stop. "I mean," I began correcting, trying to control my frantic breathing, "it's not appropriate for me to be unattended by myself with a man—"

"Let's not act like we haven't spent time alone," Kace smoothly said, gesturing for Mallor and Adonia to leave without glancing back.

When the door clicked shut, my heart pounded.

I couldn't be alone in a room with him.

Not after today.

I took a seat at my desk and stared down at the documents. Picking one up, I prayed he wouldn't start talking, because I was on the brink of losing it.

Losing what, exactly? I needed to control myself. My emotions have ran rampant ever since the gaze we shared in the hall. The way his eyes met mine, and I swore he would die.

His hand waved over the documents. "I didn't know you were interested in the deposits of commoners. Do you plan to break into a bank?"

His ringed fingers touched the corner of the document I was holding. My breath hitched deep in my lungs, and my entire body was going to explode in star fire.

"I highly doubt that document is more interesting than me."

"You view yourself highly, Kace," I muttered, refusing to look at his freshly-shaven face and neatly-cut hair.

"What would you call that in Kandose?"

"I believe they call it being egotistical."

"Interesting." The document was pulled right from my grasp, and instinctively, I glared up at him. "So was I being egotistical when you were watching me like a hawk earlier?"

"Of course I was watching you."

"Did you think I would just throw you in prison?"

"I thought," I breathed, touching my fingers to my temples, "that your father would kill you."

He blinked. He was the one to break our eye contact. "I see."

I returned my attention to the documents and tried my best to not think too much about today. I had become so overridden with emotions I nearly bursted into a puddle of tears in front of everyone. Worst of all, it was for him—the man who wouldn't hesitate to kill me.

This man could be the one to kill me.

"Stop pretending to read those documents."

"I'm not pretending," I said pointedly. "And you should leave and resume whatever plan you have concocted. Don't worry—I won't interfere this time."

"That's sounds splendid."

"It quite is."

A book slammed down on the stack of documents I was attempting to distract myself with. I was about to begin spewing words at him before he went to the door and bolted it shut.

"I have not forgotten about our disagreement," Kace pried, turning and leaning back against the door with a sort of pertinence. "You are clearly still thinking about something, and I am determined to get it out of you."

"We have graver matters to deal with right now. Besides"—I stood up and grasped a bottle of wine—"you need to deal with those... imbeciles."

"They're dealt with for now," he said rather quickly. "If you want to see their hands, I'll have them readied for you."

My mouth flew open as I nearly dropped the bottle. "You actually—"

"I do not lie." Such a simple statement from Kace. The simplicity of his declarations were enough to twist my stomach yet again. "Let's not discuss this further, yes? The next important thing is you."

"Not quite." I wiped a hand over my face and refused to look back at him. Even then it didn't matter. The side of my face was on fire, and I could assume he was watching me. "Because I know someone else involved with this."

"Tell me."

Another seemingly simple order from him.

"Your..." My body faced his. His hand clenched around his wrist. The hand... The hand that still had his wedding band and engagement ring.

He was still wearing it.

He... God, how could I possibly tell him Odaya was involved?

His hand moved away from his wrist and back down to his side. "I would appreciate it if you could articulate your thoughts."

"Odaya was involved. I know you hired her to threaten Princess Irene, but Odaya had always planned to kill her. It seems that she was also the person pulling strings between Kandose and Entorre when it came to the trafficking—"

"What are you saying?" The ferocity of his voice was jarring.

"I said who it was."

He swallowed, the bulge at his throat disappearing and reappearing. I turned my attention to the hem of my dress. The silence was deafening.

"You cannot throw these accusations in my face."

"This is not an accusation," I clarified, lifting my head back up. "She is involved—"

"Enough, Princess. I will not tolerate—"

"Listen to me—"

Kace's fell dropped. "No, I think you will listen to me."

"Oh, for God's sake. She has been seen in and out of Lord Idrice's establishment numerous times! I even had my spies investigate—"

"Enough."

"No, you listen here, Kace. She needs to be thrown in prison! She's deranged and a liar. Why should it matter if you're separated—"

The words that interrupted me were murderous.

Disastrous.

"It matters because she is the woman I love and you are nothing."

You are nothing.

Kace must've realized his words, but when he opened his mouth, nothing replaced the silence.

"Whoever you think you are," I spoke, making sure to enunciate every word that came out my mouth with poison, "is wrong. I do not need your love to deserve respect."

His hand slipped into his pocket with nonchalance.

And I continued to stab him with my words. Because if I didn't, I would burn this palace to the ground. "Ever since I've been here, you have degraded me, disrespected me, humiliated me, made me feel like I was some object. I don't care if you love me—but I demand respect. Even from someone as cruel and cold-hearted as you."

Without another word, I unlocked the door and stormed out.

*~⚜️~*
Kace Holland

What have I done.

My body was frozen. No matter where I instructed my limbs to move, they would not listen. That was not meant to be said. That was not true. I...

I...

My thoughts ceased to exist. Down the hall, Princess Senna was instructing guards to do something. She was speaking rather loudly.

My body could not register my environment. My senses were off, and all I wanted to do was breathe and leave the palace before I said something else impulsively.

The walls tilted, ceiling collapsed, floor rose, and I was a mere spider compared to the realities of what I said.

Odaya... I still loved her. The weight on my finger could've speared me through the ground and to the core of the planet.

My eyes scattered over the faraway entrance to the foyer. I needed to leave. Now. Leave before I said something else unintentional. Before I said more unknown truths. Before I made a bigger mistake. I could hardly make out the silhouette of guards.

I was drunk. Too drunk to function. I drank too much. My thoughts weren't right. I didn't love her. I couldn't possibly love her. I drank too much after the confrontation with my father.

Yes, that was it.

I was drunk.

I was so drunk that I had already grabbed a horse and sped off into the city. So drunk that every word from today was circling my mind like a vulture had found its prey.

My father's words. How meaningless it was for him to command me dead. What if Mallor's men weren't there?

I knew what would've happened.

I was so drunk I stumbled into a bar and threw myself onto a stool. So drunk I ordered myself and a woman next to me drinks. So drunk I downed mine in an instant and was talking to her like she was an old friend that I wanted into my bed.

Kill

Him.

I was so drunk that when I saw she had green eyes and black hair, my mind raced toward the image of Odaya in my head.

Yes, she would help me forget Odaya. I quickly suggested to have sex at her apartment. She quickly said yes and noted how I was Prince Kace. I smiled and walked after her.

Her arm laced around mine and we sped through the streets, eventually crossing it and into an apartment complex. I wanted to forget. She would help me forget. I charged up the staircases, and when she opened her apartment door, I crashed my lips on hers and raced us toward the bed.

It was easy to just forget.

Nothing. Ever. Happened.

Nothing.

Odaya was nothing. Please, let that be true tonight.

My hands untied her corset with ease as I laid her back on the bed, letting my mouth trail all over her jaw and neck. She was moaning as my fingers went between her legs and moved with precision.

Just forget, tonight.

Easy. I wouldn't remember her ever again.

I was talking to the woman like I was in love—because, truth be told, she felt wonderful. Her smooth skin glistened with sweat as I joined myself with her, keeping my mouth running with loving words.

"You're so beautiful."

She moaned and pulled at my hair.

Kill

Him.

"You like it like this?"

Her mouth crashed mine again, and I was starting to feel the buildup... my climax coming. I could hardly contain myself as her eyes turned into a burnt orange.

What.

Her hair shifting black.

I was so close to forgetting. So close.

I groaned and thrusted in one last time, finally breathing into her ear as my movement became sporadic.

"Oh, Senna."

Oh, Senna.

The woman bolted out of her apartment faster than I could compose what the hell I said.