20 Chapter 20 (1/2)
Garret listened carefully to everything I said. ”Okay, first we need a distraction that will have all the guards out of the room. What would do that the quickest?” Garret thought for a second. ”If one of the princes went missing most if not all the guards would go looking. That would-” Garret stopped taking and smiled, waving at someone guest who had passed to close to us. It was one of the important people from some city about fifty miles from here.
The person looked at me and came up to me. ”You are a pink, correct?” I nodded. ”Where are the bathrooms here?” I smiled tightly. ”Go out the doors, turn to the left, go up the staircase, fourth door on the left, then second door to the right of that.” The woman nodded and walked off. When I looked back at Garret, his jaw had dropped. ”What?” I asked. ”You remembered all that?” I nodded. ”The closest bathroom is actually right across the room through that door beside that huge flower vase. But she asked for a bathroom, not the closest one.” Garret laughed slightly.
Garret was quiet for a second then jumped back into the conversation we where having. ”If a prince went missing, we wouldn't have to worry about so many guards.” I nod. ”Okay, you keep an eye out for the next prince to leave, when they do, can you make sure they…take a nice long break?” He nods. ”Okay, when you get back, signal to me, and we will take out Xalem.” He nods and I open my mouth to say something else, but a hand grabs around my wrist and jerks me back. I wince slightly.
”Hey, you are going to hurt her.” Garret said as I collided into to Azeel. ”Your time is up.” Azeel said. Garret tried to pull his hand of my wrist but failed. Azeel pulled me away from Garret. ”As of thirty minutes ago, she is property of me, the Crown Prince of Navolin. You are not to interact with her anymore.” The words ring through me and I feel anger rise in me. ”I am not anyone's property.” I say quietly but strongly.
Azeel looked at me quickly, ”Be quiet. I will speak to you in a second.” Then he looked back up at Garret. ”As for you, we won't be speaking with you again.” Azeel walked off with me, and there was literately nothing I could do against him without blowing my cover, so I let him pull me away from Garret. When we got to a table, I sat down, and he sat in the chair in front of me. My first words where nothing short of a growl. ”I am not your property.” He stared at me for a second. ”Technically all servants that work under me are my property.” ”Technically? Really. I couldn't care less about that. I am not going to Navolin and I am not your property.” He gave a tight smile. ”You are wrong there. I have already bought you and you are coming with me.”
He must have seen the rage in my eyes because he said, ”But don't worry. Titles like servant and property don't mean anything.” I raised an eyebrow. ”Really, because I just heard you making it quite clear to Avi that you were Prince Azeel.” I made sure to heavily enunciate the prince part. ”That is because the title Prince actually means something.” My jaw dropped. Then is turned into a grim expression. ”Well I am sorry if you don't like my title, if it doesn't hold enough importance for you. Not all of us can by snobby, rude, dim, royal, princes like you.” I stood up and stormed towards the bathroom. I needed a second before I completely messed things up, if I hadn't already.
I heard his chair scrape across the ground as he said, ”Kiya, get back here right now.” I did so much as turn to look over my shoulder. I just stormed to the bathroom and slammed the door shut, then locked it. It took me two seconds to hear impatient knocks on the door. ”Kiya, open this door, now.” He yelled through it. I nearly yelled something back, but instead I punched the tile wall. I instantly regretted it. I heard my hand pop in at least seven different places and crack in two. I nearly let out a small scream, but instead I just quickly placed my other hand over my fist and healed it.
I looked in the mirror, took a deep breath to calm my anger and unlocked the door. As soon as I opened the door, Azeel grabbed me, and yanked me out of the bathroom. He looked more scared than angry. ”What was that? Is there someone else in there? Did they hit you?” He looked my over quickly, then rushed into the bathroom. I was shocked. I thought he was going to yell at me. I stood in the doorway as he looked around, his eyes landing on the wall where I had punched. Some of the tiles had shattered, and there was a dent in the wall. He walked up to me and said, ”Please tell me that wasn't you. Tell me you didn't punch the wall.”
I was so shocked by his gentleness that I nodded, meaning I did punch the wall. He wrapped his arms around me, pulling me in for a hug. ”I am truly sorry that I pushed you to punching the wall.” I just nodded. He held me a little away from him, looking into my eyes, his voice getting serious for a second, ”But if you ever speak to me the way you just did, you will never have to worry about speaking again. Got it?” I nod to him. ”Yes Prince.” He nods and says, ”Good, now let's go dance.” I give him a tight smile while thinking, ”I swear he is about one wrong breath from getting on my kill list. First, he is yelling, then he is all hugging and caring, then he is scolding me? I seriously don't think I can hold my cover long enough to outlast him.”
I force myself to dance. First one dance, then a second. Then a third. Finally, Xalem stands up. ”Hello, to all my great guests. Today I have the honor of having the Princes of Navolin here. And tonight, at midnight, I would like to invite the princes to come up to the observation deck, and we can show you what our small town truly is special for.” I save the information. I now know we have to get our plan into motion by eleven thirty.
All the guests are cheering, and the princes are nodding. I noticed one of the guests come over to Azeel. ”You should be honored. This place has the best view of the stars that I have ever seen.” Azeel nods, ”I can't wait.” I look around the room, but I don't see Garret. ”Shoot.” I say under my breath. I look around again. He is not there; I spin but he is not behind me either. ”Kiya, are you okay?” Azeel asks walking up to me. ”I am fine.” I spin again only to hit into someone. I immediately step back, looking down. ”I am sorry. My bad.”
I feel frantic. This is not good. I have lost sights on Garret, and I have to get this plan in gear. I feel a hand on my arm, ”Oh, it is quite alright.” The voice sends fear spiking through my like a dagger down my back. I actually cringe. I see Cloton staring down at me. ”Prince Azeel, will you grant me the honor of dancing with this fine woman?” Azeel smiled at him. ”Sure, I am a tad tired right now.” Cloton smiled and walked me to the dance floor. He slide his hand down to my hand and held it up, while placing his other hand on my waist. At first I didn't do anything, then he said under his breath, ”Unless you want Avi to die, you will make it look like you are enjoying yourself.”
I immediately put my hand on his shoulder and a fake smile on my face. He pulls my to his chest to were all he has to do is whisper for me to hear him. ”At eleven thirty, you will leave this room. Claim you are tired and head to your room. Stay there all night. I don't care what you do, just don't leave your room. Understood.” I growl slightly. ”You don't scare me, I will not listen to you.” I feel his hand slip further down waist until I can feel his hand on my dagger. ”All it would take is for me to drop this dagger, and they would kill you.” I froze. ”You wouldn't dare.”
As if he had timed it, he dipped me in time to the last notes of the music and said, ”Try me.” When he stood me back up, he still held me close as the second song started. I thought for a second, then smiled sweetly. ”What is that for?” He asked. As we started going a circle in time to the music, I started digging my nails into his shoulder. I saw him wince slightly. ”You know, you really should have left me alone.” I say. ”Why?” He asks tightening his grip on my waist, where his hand now rested again. ”Because. When you mess with me, you mess with my temper. When you mess with my temper, you end up dead.” ”What?” He all but yelled. I let go of his shoulder and back handed him, making sure my nails scratched into his skin.