After spending a measurable amount of time by myself in my chambers, Darian came to take me to the meeting that he so graciously invited me to. Our walk to the meeting room was silent and... awkward. 

Of course, my inquisition had ruined my blissful oblivion yet again. 

We now sit in the meeting room full of faces plagued with age and some blessed with youth. Nonetheless, all faces that I have never seen before in my life but seem to have enough importance that they are invited to this conference.

"We are here today because Manin has revealed some vital information that could aid us in taking down the Fortuna coven. But, in order to use this information we are going to need everyone's help in this room. However, all things said in this room must stay in this room," Darian says at the very top of the table. 

I am seated at his side, playing with my thumbs in my hands out of nervous habit. I don't understand why I am invited to this blasted meeting when Darian could have just told me what was discussed. 

Manin stands from his seat. "I recently found out that a ritual takes place in the Fortuna coven every fifty years. It is a ritual during the full moon where the witches are at their weakest - at almost mortal strength. We could take this opportunity to attack and take them down."

With that Manin bows his head towards Darian and sits back down. Manin meets my eyes and I give him a small smile which surprisingly he returns.

"We will be striking in five days and we need everyone to be ready and joining. No excuses. Merthia is on the line and if we want this kingdom for ourselves we need to stop them from taking it."

Several murmurs erupt in the room but I continue staring down at my lap - lost in my own thoughts of running through the gardens as a child, stargazing in the watchtower with my father. I simply cannot wrap my head around the fact that they are just gone... nothing but eternally gone.

Darian's hand meets with my thigh, presenting his bloodied knuckles and my eyes snap towards him. "I'd like you to join us on the mission," his voice is low as the generals, earls and thanes continue their mindless conversation. 

"You're inviting me to join you on a mission to take down a whole coven of witches? Have you drank something you shouldn't have?" my eyebrows knit together in confusion. 

Why would Darian invite me on a mission when he sent me away to a whole other island because of one intrusion. It really makes no sense whatsoever. 

"I've realised that I've kept you cooped up for too long, that I trust you. But, Nova, my trust does not come easily so, please... do not break it," Darian says with the utmost sincerity and I have to suppress a scoff due to the number of people in this room. 

"Like you know what trust is," I say and turn to look back at the several men seated around the table. I notice the lack of women in the room. "If we are to marry, I'd like more women to be in this conference room... they are just as good as men. I'd even go as far to say that they're better," I shrug.

"You are here, are you not?" Darian snaps and I roll my eyes. 

"Yes because one lady outways a room of thirty men of high class," I state sarcastically and I hear Darian scoff under his breath. 

"You are not just a lady, Nova. You are a Queen, you are of royal blood," Darian says the obvious. "But, if it is something that you really want then... I'll give more women a position in this room and the future of our kingdom."

"Thank you," I nod my head in gratitude as the conversations in the room finally come to a close. All of the men stare intently at Darian, waiting for his next words. I'm sure they'd wait forever if they had to. 

"Your thoughts?" Darian asks and several hands shoot up in the room. What in the heavens? These men really have to raise their hand for the right to speak. Darian is more messed up than I had previously thought. I take it back about wanting more women in this room, I don't want their right to speak freely to be taken from them too. 

"Glamis," Darian looks to an elder fellow. His hair is patched with more greys than brown, his face etched with various wrinkles, his back slightly hunched. Glamis seems nice enough but it is always the people that you do not expect that have the darkest minds. 

"I think it is a reasonable idea and could help us have the vantage point but we would need a solid plan for this to run smoothly," Glamis explains, his voice raspy with age.

"Manin?" Darian turns back to Manin and he stands. 

"I believe that if we strike at the very peak of the moon, after the very last word of the ritual. If we get perfect timing and cage them in all directions... we'll have them down in no time," Manin explains and Darian... smiles? He really has drunk something he shouldn't have.

"Then it is settled. We shall proceed no further with talking about this situation until the very day. If I find out that any of you have exposed our plans... I will rain down hellfire."

Everyone stands in unison and looks for Darian to dismiss them. With a wave of his hand, the room is dismissed - leaving Darian and me alone. 

"So this is how your very stressful meetings go?" I say and raise my eyebrows. I had thought that by him saying stressful, he would be having screaming matches with earls and end up throwing a chair at someone. But no, stressful is blissfully peaceful. 

"Trust me... Glamis only behaved because you were there. If you were not present I am sure he would have had a meltdown and refused every possible idea. He's a lovely gentleman but, gods, can he be a handful," Darian huffs and I stand from my chair. 

"I should get going," I say and begin to walk towards the doors but I am stopped by Darian's hand gently wrapping around my wrist. I stop in my tracks but do not turn to face him.

Darian lets out a slow exhale. "Do not push me away," I am sure it was supposed to be spoken in a comforting way but it comes out as more of a demand. I close my eyes, trying to clear my thoughts. 

"I'm not. I am simply leaving the room," I explain and he scoffs, tugging my wrist so that I am facing him. Those bloodied knuckles brush against the skin of my cheek and I shiver. 

"I hope that one day you realise that everything I do that you dislike... is what I do to keep you safe," Darian whispers and I stare into those crimson eyes that I always find myself getting lost in. I have to suppress every emotion floating to the surface and avert my eyes. 

"What is your obsession with trying to keep me safe?" I whisper and he brings his forehead to meet mine. I notice him close his eyes and I can't help but do the same as that familiar surge of warmth rushes through me.

Whenever I am away from him, I always feel a layer of coldness freeze over me and the only time it melts is when his skin is on mine. I'm not sure what it means but it confuses me more than I would ever care to admit.

"You know why," his voice is just below a whisper and I remember his confession. I still don't know what to say about it because... I'm not sure I even know what love is anymore.

I was so certain that I loved Easton and that he loved me but... I saw how quickly all of that love disappeared. Sometimes, I think that I was only in love with him for the excitement, the forbidden love of the Princess and the guard. That excitement of sneaking around made me believe that I truly loved him.

I wasn't wrong, I did love him. But... I just wasn't in love with him.

What he felt for me I will never know. It's one of those questions that stick with you throughout your whole life. It is inevitable that I will never see him again... Darian will make sure of it. But, all I know is that for a small part of my life, he made me happy.

"I need to go," I pull away from him and I have never seen so much hurt fill his eyes before, I have never seen him show his emotions so willingly. I was so sure that I saw tears forming in his eyes but his face becomes void of any feeling before I can confirm my thoughts.

Darian beats me to the door, storming his way out and slamming the door behind him - leaving me standing alone in the conference room. 

I seem to have been granted some sense of freedom now so I decide on going down to the gardens with a good book. There is nothing that a book cannot fix or make you forget about. 

Trailing my fingertips along with the small leaves of the bush as I walk, I find a perfect spot to sit and read. All I want is a distraction. 

Perching on the small bench, I breathe in the fresh air. I must say that no matter where you are in the Acheron court, the view will never fail to amaze you. Being surrounded by so many flowers creates the most delicious smell. I wish I could bottle it up and smell it every second of every day.

Opening the book, as soon as my eyes land on the first word, I am immersed in a different world. A world that I wish was my own and characters that I wish I knew. It's all empty wishes that I know I will never be granted. It's sad really. 

My eyes scan every word, my fingers running along with the smoothness of the paper, flicking to the next page as soon as I can. Yes, this world is not real but it is real in my heart, real in the fact that I get attached to characters far too easily as if they were my family. 

"What are you reading?" a voice speaks next to me and I snap the book closed out of pure fright. 

I hold my hand over my chest and look to who it is. Killian, of course. "Thank you for that, now I have lost my page," I say with the least amount of spite that I can. 

"You like reading?" Killian questions and I stand from the bench. We cannot be seen speaking, Darian will ask too many questions that I cannot answer for everyone's sake. Especially after the revelation of Killian being Darian's best friend.

"I think it would be better if we stayed away from each other and only spoke when necessary," I say and give him a small smile to soften the blow of me telling him to basically 'go away'. 

"What, are you scared of Darian finding out about what went on between us?" he questions and I roll my eyes. This guy really has no care in the world, does he? If anyone sees us and reports us, it will be the end of my life - especially after what happened in the conference room.

"And you're not?" I say, completely surprised as to how nonchalant he is about the situation. Killian stands and shakes his head like the fool he is.

"You shouldn't be scared of him... he's all talk and no action. Besides, he'd never lay a finger on you in means of hurting you," he speaks with a surprising amount of comfort. "Anyways, you didn't answer my question."

"I know he wouldn't but I would rather not be on his bad side right now. And it's nothing," I brush away his question about my book. I'd rather not talk about it because then I will ramble and get that familiar look of concern everyone gives me when they ask about my books.

"Lovers quarrel... I can relate," Killian jokes and I nudge his shoulder. "No touching," he points an accusing finger and I raise my hands in surrender before he bursts out laughing. I don't know why but I feel... free in a way with Killian.

"I really have to get back to my chambers otherwise Serene is going to go haywire," I say and Killian nods his head in understanding. "Stay away," I add before walking away through the hedges of roses. 

"Your wish is my command, m'lady," I hear him shout and I roll my eyes.