X V I I


THE CAB ride was no better the second time around. Andorra tried her best not to scream, especially since Aihfie was there, but her stomach was certainly feeling just as queasy as it had the first time around.

The city center was bustling with people, but this time, Andorra was feeling a whole lot of fear, and not a lot of excitement. Last time she had been there, a man tried to kill her. A shopkeeper tried to trick her. And Noah had been there, with his cold eyes and his cold voice.

She tried to shake it off, but the insidious nature of their last visit put a damper on the entire second trip. She felt moments away from an oncoming panic attack, but she forced herself to clear her head. This was her kingdom, and she couldn't be afraid. She wouldn't be afraid.

Especially not with Aihfie watching her so closely.

Coralia linked her arm with Andorra's, grinning. "Okay, here is the game plan. Let's hit up a few clothing stores, and then let's get lunch. I'm thinking of a cute little number I can wear to the Fates Ball."

Andorra's eyes widened a bit. She turned towards Coralia. "Fates Ball?"

Coralia smacked her forehead. "Oh! How could I forget? I can't believe we haven't even talked about the Fates Ball. It's like... hmmm. I don't know a lot of human customs. But it's a big dance with lots of food. It can be boring, but it's a chance to dress up! We're always in those stuffy uniforms."

It was the dance all over again. Andorra felt her stomach pitch as she remembered Kyle and his plot to kidnap her. She remembered the way Noah told her not to trust him. The way she danced with Kyle all night long, thinking it was the best night of her life.

Coralia didn't need to know about the horrors of that night. About how she lived in that dress for days until Noah found her. About how Kyle was going to force her to bring him over to Anlithamy. About how her own aunt had drugged her.

Coralia didn't notice the shift in Andorra's behavior. She kept prattling on. "Most of the girls look absolutely radiant in their gowns, but you'd be surprised how the guys clean up too. They actually look good for once."

"And that is where I take my leave. Come on, Bort. We don't need Coralia trashing us while she shops for boring dresses." Hans turned towards the row of other shops, eyeing them with an eagerness of a boy in a toy store. "Let's go to the comic store."

Bort shot Coralia a smile as she whacked Hans on the arm. "I am not trashing you."

As Coralia steered Andorra towards a boutique, she made eye contact with Aihfie, who was following them in. Catching the Princess's glance, she sneered. "What? I need a dress too."

The door to the boutique chimed overhead. The inside was stuffed with dresses of all kinds, and the shop smelled of sweet flowers. Soft music swelled from the speakers as Coralia moved down a few aisles, stopping in front of the ball gowns.

Immediately, Andorra was intimidated by the gowns. They were large, and they were long. Like when she had shopped for that dress in the human realm, she immediately felt overwhelmed. Out of her element. But this... she wanted this. She'd gotten a taste of wearing a beautiful dress, with beautiful makeup, and she liked it. She liked feeling normal.

Coralia was already shifting through dresses, pulling some out of the throng to hold up to herself. Before Andorra could join, a shorter woman appeared in front of them. "Can I offer to help hang anything in the fitting rooms for you?" Her eyes landed on Coralia before flitting towards Andorra. When they did, the atmosphere shifted, and the woman knelt before Andorra.

"Princess! Forgive me, I did not realize you would be here today. Welcome to my shop! Is there anything I can do for you? Would you like me to close the shop for a private experience?"

Andorra pushed her hair behind her ears, momentarily shocked. "No! It's fine to have the shop stay open! I am good for right now, but thank you. It is nice to meet you!" And then, remembering the manners her parents had taught her, she gave a smile. "What is your name?"

The shopkeeper stood on shaky legs. "I am Janire."

"Well Janire, thank you for having me. Your shop is beautiful." And it was true; the boutique was stunning.

Janire's cheeks reddened. "I will set up fitting rooms for the both of you right away! I will have someone come right over to hang anything in the rooms for you to try on!"

Coralia already had an armful of dresses by the time the worker came around, quickly hurrying her over to one of the rooms. Andorra hesitated, wondering if she too should follow her friend, but instead she stayed to look at the dresses herself. A ball could be fun. More fun than a high school dance in the human realm. This time, there would be no Kyle or Noah. And hopefully, the night would end a little bit better.

She looked at the different dresses, moving some aside, pulling some out, but none of them were really making her feel any sort of pull. She moved down another aisle, her fingers brushing through the fabric. To her left, Aihfie was looking through dresses as well. "You know, the royal seamstress could just make you a dress for the ball." The words were snooty almost in the way they were presented. But, that did give Andorra an idea.

She moved towards the fitting rooms, trying to decipher which one Coralia was in, when the redhead emerged from the one at the very end. She did a little twirl for Andorra. "Hey! What do you think about this one?"

Andorra liked the pink dress, but it washed Coralia out. Andorra said as much, and the redhead looked at the mirror again to confirm. "Yeah, you're right."

Andorra took a seat in one of the lounge chairs. "Hey, why are we shopping for a dress when your mom can just make us one?"

Coralia looked at Andorra over her shoulder. She was still facing the mirror in the fitting room. "Hmm. I hadn't considered it, honestly. Momma would absolutely love to make your dress for you. In fact, she would be so excited, she would talk about nothing more for like, months."

Coralia shut the fitting room door. "You're totally right about this one washing me out." Andorra heard the rustling of fabric and hangers for a beat of time, and then Coralia opened the door wearing a new dress. This one was black, and feathered out at the waist. "Want me to text momma now? We could go just for the weekend. Could be fun... momma will make me work for sure but we could have fun! A weekend long sleep over!"

Andorra wasn't against going to the Autumn for the weekend. She actually would enjoy that. Not bringing Callum and Aihfie along, but she would enjoy getting away from some of the hostility at school.

"And, we could bring Hans and Bort along then ditch them for our sleepover. Could be fun!" She sang the last word, turning towards Andorra with a hopeful grin. And Andorra didn't want to say no. It had been so long since she'd had friends, and now she had them. Or, at least she was starting some friendships.

"Okay, sure. Twist my arm." There was still so much Andorra had to do and deal with, but at least she could talk to Princess Carling. Maybe even get some insight.

Coralia pumped her fist in excitement. "Yes!" She crowed, then grabbed Andorra's hands to yank her to a standing positon. Coralia hugged Andorra. "You and I will have so much fun! OMG I'm going to text momma right now. One sec!"

Coralia didn't ask Andorra's opinion on the black dress. She just shut the door on the fitting room.

As she did, she felt two hands fall on her shoulder, and the grip was tight. So tight, Andorra felt fear wash through her system, ice dousing her good mood. She turned in the chair, ready to fight off her attacker, but then she saw a set of angry eyes.

"What are you doing outside of Hornwell?"

"Callum, geez! Warn me first before you come up like that!" Andorra put a hand on her thundering heart. "You're going to give me a heart attack."

"Answer the question, and I won't have to give you a second one." He seemed more angry than usual, so Andorra obliged.

"I'm shopping with Coralia. And, before you get mad, your sister is here with me. So how about we just relax with the whole you didn't ask for permission thing you have going on."

That didn't seem to make Callum any less angry. "My sister couldn't care less about your wellbeing. She would gladly let you be killed."

Andorra squinted at him. "And... you do care about my wellbeing?"

Callum, upset at being caught, let out a dark growl. "I don't think it's a good idea for you to leave Hornwell."

Andorra didn't particularly care what Callum thought. Before she could voice that, he continued on. "And I heard Coralia. I don't think it's a good idea to go back to the Autumn Court, either."

"You're just mad you have to accompany me. What, sad you can't hang out with your beloved Prince?"

Callum let out a snort. "No, you're just very safe here at Hornwell. Keeps danger at bay. Do you need to remind me what happened last time you were here in the city?"

"I don't care if you come along. Stay. I'd rather you and Aihfie left me alone anyway." It was the truth, and Andorra countered to herself that it would be safe in the Autumn Court. How could it not, when Coralia had her own guards, as well as Princess Carling? It would be as safe as Hornwell. Even safer, because she'd be away from scheming Anders.

"What, so you can die and then, in turn, kill both me and my sister? I don't think so, Princess."

Andorra narrowed her eyes. "I'll be plenty safe at the Autumn Court. Princess Carling has actual, real guards. They'll do a way better job keeping me safe than two high schoolers."

"You're going to get yourself killed because you are such an idiot. Are all humans this way? I don't even have to ask, I'd put money on it."

Andorra bristled. Her parents came to mind, the two brilliant humans who raised her. They were certainly not idiots. "It's not my fault, okay?" She spun to face Callum. "It's not my fault that I was born a princess, then exiled to the human realm, raised amongst them. It's not my fault I was hidden from this life, from my own people, from the world I am supposed to rule. I'm just a kid."

Callum got in her face, shoving her back. "You think any of us wanted this? You think I wanted to be born the son of a Court Leader? You think I wanted this responsibility, to be raised to act like this, to be on constant alert? No. None of us wanted this. But we rose to the occasion and we do what has to be done. I have sympathy that you've been misled your entire life, but you need to stop acting like a child and you need to step up."

He was right; of course he was. But Andorra didn't want to hear it. "You don't know anything about me, Callum."

"Oh, but I do, Princess. I know too much." Was that a threat in his voice? Andorra couldn't tell. She had a retort on her tongue at the exact moment the fitting room door opened again, Coralia flouncing through without a care in the world. "It's all set! Momma has made the arrangements!"

Andorra looked back to Callum. "I don't want you accompanying me. Aihfie will come with."

Callum stiffened, but Andorra had no clue why. She looked at Coralia with a firm look. "You changed back into your clothes. Are you not getting a dress?"

Coralia was looking at Callum. "Nobody invited you to hang out with us, Callum. How about you leave us alone and take your brooding personality elsewhere. We already have your sister with us. See? She's over there, picking through dresses."

Callum didn't turn to look at his sister. "Coralia, even you know this is a bad idea to take the Princess out of Hornwell."

"Why? Because you can't spy on her anymore?"

Callum's face darkened. "Are you trying to get her killed? I'm convinced you are. Bringing her around without a full set of guards is dangerous. It's asking for the Princess to be attacked. You know this is a bad idea."

Coralia set her shoulders back. "My mother's house is very protected, just like your father's home is protected. Don't tell me Prince Puck doesn't have his shit on lockdown? Or, is it because you find your father to be more of a prince than my mother? Just because we came from less doesn't make us any more less than you are."

There was a clear animosity between the two that Andorra didn't realize until right then. It was like puzzle pieces clicking into place. Had the other children of the Royal Court looked down on Coralia because Carling had just become a princess? Had they looked down on Coralia for coming from a mother who owned a seamstress business, and had continued to own it even once she became Princess?

Callum's mouth puckered and the shadows around him intensified in that moment. "Don't pull me into your court politics. I am not my sister."

"No, you're worse. You know why? Because you hold just as much power, and you do nothing to stop them. You're just as evil as the company you keep, and we both know who was behind the last assassination attempt made on Andy's life."

The two continued to glare at each other, a darkness growing between the two. Andorra knew she had to stop it before it became worse. "Okay, okay. We're in a public store. The both of you need to stop. Callum, go back to school. I have your sister with me, and despite the fact that she wants me dead, she doesn't want to die. That's enough for me. You don't get to control me, or where I go."

Callum looked at her, still angry, but he knew Andorra was right. "You're making a mistake, Princess."

It felt like dread sliding down her back. "What aren't you telling me?"

"He has eyes on you. You made it out alive last time because Sir Nohx was here. He doesn't care about me or my sister, and he knows you are here right now."

He, meaning Anders. Andorra's chest felt tight with panic. There was helplessness and despair in her eyes and in her throat, and she felt tears.

"Don't you dare cry. If you cry, it's over. You are a Princess and you need to start acting like it." The words were harsh enough to bring her out of it, not completely, but enough. She took in a deep breath and nodded.

"You can do what you want, Andorra. But you're making a mistake." His mouth twisted into something grim. "Take me with you. Leave Aihfie, please. She will get us all killed."

He was pleading with her now, and Andorra didn't know how to take it. If he was that concerned, then something had to be wrong. If he was begging her to leave his sister behind, if he was begging her not to leave, then something was very, very wrong.

Coralia was smart enough to not say a single thing, but the twist of her mouth proclaimed her thoughts on the matter.

But, despite Coralia hating Callum, Andorra trusted him enough on this. She knew his life was on the line, and because of that, he wouldn't do anything foolish. She knew that his death would keep him from getting her killed.

"Fine."

"I'm going to send Aihife home. Gather your things, and don't leave without me."

When Callum was out of earshot, Coralia turned towards Andorra with a long sigh. "I hate him, but I guess he has a point. I swear though, momma's guards are safe. And they will protect you. We can keep him around, but please don't be too worried. The Autumn Court is safe for you."

Andorra nodded. She was already trying not to think about Anders trying to kill her off. And if this was the rest of her life in Anlithamy, then no wonder Prince Puck had been so harsh about her getting her own guard.

When Callum returned, his face was grim. "We are not traveling back by cab. Princess, you need to bring us through the gates."

Andorra was more than willing to do so. She turned towards Coralia. "Where are Bort and Hans?"

"I've sent them a text to update them on the new plans. Let's meet back at school so we can pack. I'm sure Hans and Bort will be safe to take a cab back alone."

Andorra nodded and then pulled the three of them in the in-between. It took very little effort to focus on her room back at Hornwell, and then the three of them were stepping out and into the bedroom.

Coralia was marveling. "I still can't believe you can gate hop like that! It's insane to me."

Andorra wasn't feeling like it was a superpower at the moment. Instead, the possible attempts on her life were still heavy on her chest. She tried to smile through it as she moved towards her dresser. "Yeah, it's cool."

She didn't want to talk about it. She didn't want to talk about anything, honestly. All she wanted to do was curl up in her bed and cry for her old life. But, that wasn't productive. Instead, she began to pack her backpack with clothes for the weekend.

Coralia put a hand on her back. "Andy, it'll be okay soon. We'll get you your guards. We'll get rid of Anders. And you'll become the best Queen ever. And in the meantime, Momma will make you a great Fates Ball dress, and maybe we'll find a cute boy who will ask you to dance!"

If only it was that easy, Andorra thought. If only I cared about finding a cute boy.

No, she cared too much about a cute boy out of her grasp. She cared too much about the knowledge that Anders was watching her every move. And, last but not least, she cared too much about that fact that despite her being Princess, she was the most unfit princess to ever exist.

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