Eve never gave me a timeline on that horrendous favor of hers. Regardless I don't think I'm doing a good job.

It's been a month since I was blackmailed by a sly witch. Nothing has changed at all around here, nothing interesting has happened, at most I've gone on a few restaurant trips with Adria. To my dismay there was no development after Kace got me a whole engagement ring. Why am I sad about it?

I'm not really crushing on him. I think about him a lot and he's cute and... It just isn't anything romantic. He's just a really nice guy who is being really nice to me because he feels bad. If I fall for him he'll probably actually marry me out of pity.

"Nice playing, songbird."

My hands slam against random notes creating a horrible sound, my shoulders raise like a spooked cat. It's no friendly, calming voice I hear. Cue a dooming sound, it's Prince Rowan Quentin.

So just to recall, Eve wants me to make the prince fall in love with me too. Booooo. At most I've been attempting to be civil with him, and I can say he's been doing the same. We've exchanged nods, awkward glances, and Adria made us shake hands.

"Songbird? I don't sing."

"I've heard you sing though." He leans against the doorframe.

"It isn't my forte."

"Just accept the compliment." Rowan groans, and groans again. He groans like Adria was at his tail making him do this, but I see no sign of her. "I wanted to show you something."

I open my mouth and give him a gaping frown, pulling my face inward. He groans again.

"Just follow me and behave."

How about no? Against my will I do as he says. I'd rather not see that brat of a witch show up later. I follow Rowan until we are somewhere beneath the castle, riddled with webs and lit by candles. A large door sits behind a stone built, star shaped center that is hollow on the inside, and he brings me beyond the door.

The ceiling is high enough I can't see the intricate carvings around this circle shaped room. There are ledges where pots sit beside wilted flowers, statuettes, and photo frames. Rowan points to one not too high up, enough that I can see the face of a dark haired lady.

"This is where every single member of my family rests. And that is my mother."

I take a closer look, remembering what Kace had said about me sharing similar features. I can't really see it. She was very stern looking in her picture, like she wanted to chew off the head of the artist who painted her. "She is very beautiful. I'm sorry you lost her so young."

Rowan looks at me for a really long time, and with a grim expression dawning upon his countenance, looks away. "Do you know why she died?"

I nodded. "Kace told me."

"Then you know he must suffer for the sins his mother left him with."

I want to say more, I want to say it's not Kace's fault. But if I do, it might cause more harm than good. I stay silent, pursing my lips. I still don't understand the prince one bit however. He wants to punish Kace, and forces an engagement upon us? Am I the punishment? Someone who allegedly looks like his mom?

"Hewas also angry at his mother for leaving him."

"It's a funny thing, really." The prince continues to speak. He walks up to his mother's frame and plucks a tiny mushroom that was growing beside it. It shimmered and throbbed like it had the autonomy to escape his hand. "Silvershrooms grow beside what's left of her. Do you want to taste one Riselle? Just one won't kill you."

I inch backward. I am beginning to not enjoy this situation I'm in. This is what I get for internally complaining about a month of nothing interesting. "N...no thanks, your majesty."

"Fine, then I'll have it."

"I don't think you should-"

Rowan tosses the silvershroom to the ground, crushing it between his feat. "You never do as your told, songbird." The grim expression washes away, and so does the tight pull of my muscles that were about to decide whether I was going to fight, flight, or freeze. "Sorry if I scared you."

I shook my head, thought about it, and then nodded. "I was horrified."

He chuckles.

He. Chuckled!?

"Let's go, songbird. I have other things to do."

I want to ask why he brought me here to begin with but I'll just bury my curiosity. I fear I know way more than I should about the royal family already. Believe it or not I'm not trying to get myself killed.

We return to the main floor, it seems busier than normal. I hear a grating familiar voice screaming "Where is my prince!"

There is only one individual who behaves this way.

"My prince!" She screams, running towards Rowan. "Riselle Astor!? What are you doing with my prince!? Were you two alone together just now!? How dare you, snake!"

Rowan looks appalled, and for the first time ever we share the same look. "Hi Lucia." I sigh. It didn't matter how many times Rowan rejected her or how much he'd try to pretend she didn't exist, this lady had one goal.

"Move away!" She pushes me aside. And I move further away willingly.

Whatever shenanigans those two are about to get up to is no longer my concern. My eyes fall onto Dante, Lucia's brother, who is very obviously flirting with Adria, and she's reciprocating. I guess she swings both ways?

"We got some visitors from house Echium."

Kace appears from behind me, I was so caught up minding other people that I forgot I was also just standing there and staring like an idiot. "Yeah, I know them." I say that like knowing them is a curse.

"Dante has been courting Adria for quite a while now."

"Oooh courtship, how fancy."

"Is that something you look for in considering a partner?" The chestnut-eyed man asks. I giggle thinking it was a joke, but he continues to look at me, awaiting an answer. He stares so intently, and despite the warmth of his voice his eyes always held some kind of coldness.

"I'm not sure, I never really thought much on how I would like to be pursued. But I do like romantic men, when I actually like them. Now if it was a guy I wasn't interested in at all, constantly bringing me flowers and writing me letters I'd feel more concerned than giddy."

"So what do you define as romantic?"

"This is not a conversation to have in the presence of guests, Kace." Rowan interrupts, glaring straight at his half brother. His eyes dart to our engagement rings. "Why haven't I noticed sooner. You two are really playing the part." He begins to laugh.

"I put you two into a real engagement, but who said you two can act like proper lovers? Kace don't lead the poor girl on, I know you're just doing this all out of pity."

I feel pain shoot through my chest. Right. We aren't real, all of this is Rowan trying to mess with us. I see even the infamous Lucia herself grow small and uncomfortable being in between all this. Adria takes the siblings elsewhere and leaves the three of us.

"I am not doing this out of pity."

"Sure." Sharp blue eyes dart to my direction. "Don't listen to him songbird, he's a liar."

Unable to keep myself standing I run off to my room. I think I need to cry.