Chapter 39
Chapter 39
LUNA AQUAMARINE’S POV
How would I sneak out?
With Juliet and the guards still at the door. And to make it worse, Alexander would be here anytime soon.
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I paced up and down on the balcony, lost in thought. I was so caught up that I didn’t even notice the knock on the door until Juliet’s voice broke through.
“Luna Aquamarine, are you asleep?” She asked.
“Not yet,” I replied, still thinking of an escape plan.
“I have a message from Primus Alexander. He’ll be coming in late today,” she said.
Like a flip of the coin, my mood switched. An opportunity I had been hoping for. “Ohh, thank you,” I said, trying to
suppress the excitement that was threatening to spill out.
“Juliet, I’m a bit starved, could you prepare some food for me? Just leave it on the bed, I’ll eat after I shower,” I added.
Juliet’s response was immediate. “Of course, Luna. I’ll have it ready for you.” I heard her footsteps echo in the distance.
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As soon as she left, Isprang into action. I ran into the bathroom and left the shower running. I quickly changed into a less flashy outfit, one that wouldn’t draw attention to myself.
But it was still flashy.
I tied my hair with a scarf. Making sure that no white strands stood out. But I still had one thing to worry about.
My white eyes. My dead giveaway. But I had to try. I managed to find a big shawl that covered part of my face, hiding my eyes. I approached the door and then I stopped.
Dagger or Staff?
Small and sharp or big and sharp.
Going empty–handed to meet Gaia is like going to war without a weapon.
But is that really needed? She wouldn’t kill me, like Alexander said.
I stopped at my door and ordered the guards to deliver an urgent message to Katherine and wait for her response. After | was sure that they had left, I sneaked out of my room. I went down the stairs and finally outside the castle.
The sun was already setting and I knew I needed to double my steps. But each step I took only made my heart race faster. Now I was at the castle gate, I had no idea what to do or where to go to, Guards surrounded each corner and they all looked very intimidating.
I bent my back, cleared my throat and approached the first person I saw at the gates.
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“Excuse me, son. Can you tell me the way to the West Border?” I asked, changing my voice to fit that of an old lady.
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The guard bent to my level but didn’t bend well enough to meet my eye. “Visitor?” He asked, strangely his voice sounded familiar but as long as he can’t see my face, there shouldn’t be any issue.
I shook my head. “N–no, I just can’t find my way around anymore,” I lied, still in the same tone.
I heard the guard hum and then he escorted me outside the gate. We passed through crowds of people, and I wasn’t sure if we were in the marketplace or just a regular area.
The pack was quite different from what I witnessed the day I came here. Or was I just seeing things before?
The sky had changed colour from golden orange to grey. Dark clouds had gathered together and the wind picked up.
Everywhere smelled like fresh grass and dirt.
Too fresh.
I shivered, the hairs on the back of my neck standing on end. The guard then stopped and turned to face me. He said his goodbyes and left me.
The West Border even looked more scary up close than it did from afar. Up close, it looked like a dark line of trees swaying in the growing wind. I went in further to make sure nobody would see me at the edge.
It seemed like 30 minutes had passed. If I was correct, Juliet might have already dropped the food on my bed. The guards
would have been back from Katherine’s chambers.
Yet, there was no sign of Gaia. I was starting to think that this was another of her failed setups.
“Desperate, aren’t we all?” The question echoed, interrupting my thoughts.
I turned around to see Gaia, smiling slyly at me. Looking every inch beautiful, yet deadly as she always looked.
“Yes, can I have the pendant now?“I asked, my voice coming out like a tiny squeak.
I didn’t like the weather at all, and I didn’t have time to exchange words with her. My time here was limited. Only heaven
knows if Alexander is back by now.
“I have a proposal for you, blind girl,” she said, smirking and tracing the pendant, my pendant, with her fingers.
I released a tired sigh. First, it was Esmeralda and now Gaia. Don’t they ever get tired?
“Reject Alexander and I’ll give you anything you wish for.”
I knew it, I just had that feeling that that’s what she would ask for. Something I still had no answer to even when I asked myself hours ago. “What if I don’t?”
“Then you’re a fool.” she snapped, the glint in her eyes turning into something else.
Anger.
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“Don’t you want the power I can give? The influence? Do you want to be a breeder for the rest of your life?” she asked.
“I’m not going to be a breeder, Gaia. You don’t know-”
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Her laughter cut me off, making me feel like a lost pup that’s being bullied. “Do you think you’re special because of a silly pendant he gave?”
I opened my mouth to speak but I closed it back. There was a little truth in what she said, but still, I wanted to believe it meant something.
“What if it meant more than that? He said both of you are over,” but it sounded like I was trying to convince myself rather
than Gaia.
Gaia threw her head back and groaned in frustration. “Earth to you, Aquamarine. There were people before you and none
of them lasted here for 2 weeks.”
“That’s because you sent them away.” I countered, shaking like a leaf. Not because of her, but because of the wind.
“No, that’s because Alexander did. It’s his pattern!” she yelled. “Whenever he sees something unusual, it excites him, he gets it, toys with it and when it finally gives in, he trashes it.”
Immediately she said those words, lightning struck a tree with a zap. I jumped, startled by the noise but Gaia didn’t even seem affected.
How could she? She’s not me but I wanted this to be over more than anything before the storm starts.
“And you’re not going to be any different. You’re not the first to wear that crown or touch the staff. You’re not the first and neither will you be the last.” she said, after I regained myself.
For some reason, I found myself believing her.
His secret obsession with my hair, the way I feel him stare at it and sniff it when I pretend to sleep. The way he stares at my eyes like he’s lost in them and trying to figure me out, The way he’s soo invested in the scroll that he mentioned was from
my pack.
Asking weird questions and to make it worse, his latest obsession. My birthmark.
I know he doesn’t like me but, would he really get tired of me and discard me like the rest? Even before I give him a child like I promised?
“You really don’t know anything about Alex, Aquamarine. He’s worse than the devil itself. I’ve been with him for years to know that. Been with him for years to be able to reason with him.” she sighed, her voice was soo low that it sounded like
she was hurt.
I just stared at her as she looked up at the and continued speaking. The wind was still blowing like the storm was about to start any second now. My lungs were burning and I couldn’t help but hide my trembling hands behind my back.
“I’ve seen the signs already and I know what will happen next. So do yourself a favour.” she said and moved closer to me. “Reject Alexander, come to me. That way you won’t lose both home and away after he dumps you. I heard about the ways your old pack treated you.”
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I looked away from her, my heart and my head were already getting heavier by the second. “Gaia, I can’t. It’s more complicated than you think. If I reject him, he’ll kill me. If he doesn’t, I would be cast away. I don’t have anywhere to go.”
Gaia placed a hand on my chin and raised my face up. I stared at her, her eyes were glowing the softest shade of green I had ever seen. She looked soo sincere as she smiled a little.
“In my kingdom, you will be treated with respect. Even those hairy old boys, Marcus and Thaddeus won’t be able to talk shit about you. Trust me, no one will harm you,” she assured me
I felt a little peaceful, but I didn’t know how to explain it. But those are the words that made me feel safe. “Okay.”
