Chapter 44 - Selfish (1/2)

I tried distancing myself from Al after that. I needed time to think.

For the next several days we played a game of cat and mouse where he would try and track me down and I would do my best to hide. I was doing a fairly good job but it was incredibly difficult because he knew the castle better than I did.

I couldn't hide in the library, my quarters, or the stables because he would look for me there.

Mariela wasn't much help either because when she wasn't having tea with the queen and Rosenia, she was holed up in Franz's office taking on some of his workload. I hid out in there a couple of times before Al came looking for me.

It was incredibly awkward. When he knocked on the door and poked his head in, I dove underneath the desk and scrunched myself into as tight a ball as I could considering my cage and corset.

”Alpheus, what brings you here?” Mariela asked serenely, as if her friend had not scurried beneath her abandoning any semblance of dignity.

”I am looking for Katie, have you seen her?” he asked in a gloomy tone. I could very easily imagine the accompanying sadness in his eyes.

Guilt threatened to break through the cracks of my resolve but I still hadn't figured out what to do yet so I couldn't bear to see him.

At meal times we didn't talk much anyway because the rest of the royal family was present and I always somehow managed to slip away afterwards.

”I'm afraid not,” she lied smoothly. ”I do believe she mentioned she was tired out from her lessons this morning. She may be resting in her chambers.”

”I already checked there,” he sighed dejectedly. ”Thank you anyway. Good day, Mariela.”

”Good day, Alpheus.”

My heart took several minutes to return to its regular pace after he left. That was nerve-wracking! I crawled out once I was sure the coast was clear and Mariela scrutinized me.

”Why on earth are you hiding from your fiancé? I thought you got on quite well.”

I couldn't tell her about how we were in a novel that was meant to go a certain way but she did know more about me than anyone else here so she might understand if I explained it partially.

”You know how different my world is from this one. I have no desire to be a princess. Once I have helped Franz achieve his goal, I do not intend to stay in the palace. It would be better if Alpheus stopped relying on me so much.”

Mariela was so taken aback that she dropped her fountain pen in shock.

”I can understand why you wish to leave but…are you mad?! How exactly do you intend to defy a royal decree? You would have to leave the country!”

Awareness dawned in her eyes.

”Is that why you have been so curious about my homeland? You plan to go there? What about the wedding? It is only two weeks away! You are not a member of the royal family as of yet but once you are, running away is—”

”Treason, I know.”

She reached for my hands and clasped them tightly, looking more serious than I had ever seen her.

”You cannot do this. I know better than anyone how frustrating it can be in this place but if you get caught you will be killed! I could not bear to lose you that way and neither could Alpheus.