I haven't looked this beautiful in a while since after the ball Reik took me to.

Looking at the mirror now, I can see the reflections and the true image of my mother staring back at me.

It was like she was looking at me through my eyes.

A somewhat overwhelming experience.

I rolled my locket back inside my bosom. It was the only evidence that proved my real birth family.

I was a Ruttherford and not a Kennedy.

What if life has a pause and rewind button?  I would gladly use it. Go back to that night before my life changed.

“Let's not get sentimental now.” Reik's figure appears in the mirror.

“My emotions should be the least of your worries.” I state, spinning around to be greeted by his own tidied figure.

“Oh, trust me, they aren't but for the sake of my mission, I'm going to ask that you put a restraint on yourself.”

The candle light in the tavern room sways a bit, casting shadows on the wall.

It is time.

Reik meets my gaze and it's impossible to tell if he's nervous too. He has this blankness enveloping his eyes.

Before I can read further into what emotion might be hiding behind Reik's mask, he casts his gaze elsewhere.

“We should leave now. The crowd will lead us in.”

♘♘♘

Entering the castle was the easiest part of the plan since I had a wig on, and a heavy layer of make-up on.

No one, not even my mother would recognise me.

Reik on the other hand, had not much to disguise. With a fake moustache and a top hat, he played  the role of a loving husband.

We moved in with the crowd to the ballroom where an orchestra played sweet tones.

In a dramatic moment, the spotlight fell on the food tables. My  mouth waters immediately but Reik jabs me in the side.

“Ow! Is that any way to treat your wife?” I complain, poking my  index finger at his face. He swats it away.

“Focus.”

I  sigh dreamily, allowing him to lead me to a part of the room where I wouldn't be seeing the tables.

TIME SKIP: AN HOUR, THIRTY MINUTES LATER.

Hope is a risky thing, I've learnt.

I just took the risk and I fell hard. So hard that I might not see again.

Through the blindfold, I witnessed shadows dancing around me with voices that taunted me. Tortured me for the greatest mistake I committed. Trust. Hope.

"What did you think? That I'd welcome you back with open arms and watch you try to steal my kingdom away?"

"It's not technically your kingdom yet, but keep talking.”

Another kick to my ribs, knocked out what little breath I was conserving.

“You've never learnt to shut up.”

Oh, I did learn something. That the boy I fell in love with was a monster.

“Keep watch over her. I'm sure that the others are close.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

And he left me there with a guard whose face or name I didn't know.

Finnegan.

He showed me all those parts of himself that I wanted to see.

He was  a beautiful disaster.

It was him all along. Sending me those notes. It was him. His father was the leader of the Black Scorpions.

How could I have missed the signals?

I missed them because they cleverly concealed all clues leading to their participation in a gruesome experiment.

Certainly, I was fooled once but if I get fooled twice, that's on me.

A deep sigh sounded from my left. Where I assume  the guard was.

Footsteps, and then my blindfold is taken off. I gaze upwards, stunned to see  the last person I ever thought of.

Alek.

There he is, those vivid green eyes and pale skin, blameless as ever.

“For the first  time, I manage to leave you speechless.”

Let's go back to how I got into this mess.

There's no need. I had a plan. My plan failed. Reik left me. And so did Reya and Judy. Now, it was only a matter of time before I met my end.

“I've never seen you so dispirited, Alanna.”

I let out a fake laugh. “Oh, hurray! I'm going to die and I'm so excited.” My sarcasm hangs heavy but it doesn't bother Alek.

He seems amused, instead.

“What's funny?”

He shrugs. Moving closer,  a knife is drawn out from his ‘uniform’ and with that, he cuts off the ropes binding me to the chair I'm on and I stretch my limbs.

“We've got to move now if you want to defeat my father.”

Hold on, wait, pause that right there.

“We've got to move now if you want to defeat my father.”

“How-”

“I owe you a detailed explanation of everything. But, there's no time for that now. Let's go.”

The Prince is already at the door and after putting on his mask again, urges me to follow.

And I do.

A really short chapter  but I didn't want to leave an update pending for too long.

So, Alek is back in the picture again and this will greatly affect the plot.

I'm not actually sure how the story will end but each chapter takes us slowly to the close.

what do you say about Reik's POV?

thanks for reading !

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