Chapter 1
Ruby
Well—this has been quite the adventure. Compared to all the complications to get back here, accomplishing peace was easier than I thought it would be but there was still a problem and there she was, attached to Zayden’s arm in a hideous pompous yellow dress.
Zayden was clearly agitated by this whole thing while trying to be as polite as possible about refusing her but he failed miserably. Izin completely ignored any interruption he made about this ordeal and then just left to prepare for their engagement banquet tonight with much excitement for the event. That’s why he wanted Zayden back so badly but it wasn’t good news for any of us.
I looked at Adele. I didn’t mean to as I’m sure no one needed to point out what was happening but she was very still and never looked back. She kept her distance from anyone and started to back away. I was sad for her but she turned before she let her sadness show and headed straight for the stairs. I could have guessed what she was feeling. Zayden didn’t try hard enough or barely at all and we needed to follow her with some words of comfort which meant, I needed Jaylyn.
I looked over at Darius and he nodded to me. He must of saw how she reacted or didn’t react and I pulled Jaylyn with me so she could start with the talking. She was more the sympathetic type.
I wouldn’t have guessed that Adele went to Zayden’s room and Jaylyn confirmed it. She picked the room she was given when we first came here and we walked into it carefully.
Adele was on the other side of the bed, getting out of her armor—rather aggressively.
“Hey, Adele.” Jaylyn said.
“Hey.”
“So—this is exciting, right?” I didn’t know what else to say and tried just acting like nothing were wrong.
“Peace? Yeah, that’s the only exciting part.”
Her voice was as expected but I remained to listen to everyone this time like I planned. I knew I wasn’t the one to comfort her about the issue at hand and looked Jaylyn to say something.
“You can still stop this you know.”
Adele huffed like it was a joke. “Why should I? He didn’t seem too committed to do it himself.”
“Izin wouldn’t let him speak. Every time he tried, he cut him off. He’ll get around to it. I know he will.”
Adele took off her breast plate last and tossed it into the pile next to the bed. “We’ll all grow old waiting for him to do it.”
“You plan to kill her, don’t you?” Adele just looked up and we knew the answer but Jaylyn didn’t seem happy about it. “I knew it. Adele, this isn’t her fault.”
“Even if it wasn’t, it’s better to just get her out of the way.”
“All right.” I smiled. “I love this new Adele that breaks all the rules.”
Jaylyn rolled her eyes. “Of course you’re encouraging this.”
“Look, I don’t feel like I have a choice.” Adele said. “How else could we get Izin to call it off? He seemed to have his heart set on Zayden marrying Bianca. It’s the only way.”
“Fine.” Jaylyn said as she started to leave. “But I want no part in it. I’m tired of killing innocent people.”
She left and I yelled, hoping she would hear me. “More for me!”
Adele laughed. “Thanks for being with me on this.”
“I’m always with you. You know that and I’ll do what you ask of me.”
“We’ll discuss it later. I’d like to be alone for a while.”
“That’s okay. Just remember there’s a way around this.”
“I will. You can go. Darius is probably looking for you.”
“Okay. I’ll see you later.”
I left her alone so she could come up with a plan. She was better at thinking in the quiet and I would probably get bored while waiting so I did what she suggested and went to find Darius.
Chapter 2
Darius
“How does it feel to be back?” Ruby walked into my room while I was undressing and it was the first thing she said to me. I expected her to be longer with Adele but she was probably being stubborn about it as usual.
“It doesn’t feel like anything even happened but that still doesn’t mean it hasn’t.”
“Did you really believe, deep down, that Izin would cast you out just for helping us?”
I thought about it like I actually needed to. “I guess not. I mean, he kind of knew it was going to happen but I still don’t regret leaving. I couldn’t even imagine what it would be like for me if I never saw you again.”
“I know what you mean. I love you too. How long ago did you leave Zayden alone with Bianca?”
I gave a light chuckle to the sudden change in subject. “Not that long. They’re in his room right now.” Ruby got a worried look on her face as she looked towards the thick stone wall that divided our rooms. “Don’t worry. Nothing will happen. He has to get Izin still enough to listen.”
“You think he will listen?”
“I guess we’ll find out tonight.”
“I hope so. I know how much they both want this.”
“It’ll work out. They always work things out.”
Ruby smiled with a nod and kissed me.
“I’m just going to pop in and see how he’s doing.” I said. “Zayden’s probably stressed beyond belief right about now. We wouldn’t want him biting anyone.”
Ruby laughed. “Okay. I’ll just let you do that alone. I’ll be in here, getting out of all of this.”
I leaned into her and we kissed again. “Great. I’ll be right back.”
“Don’t rush. He’s going to need a friend.”
I left the room and went right to Zayden’s door and walked in as I usually do without knocking. The room was filled with fancy suitcases and Bianca was sitting at a vanity with her hands up by her hair. “Oh, hello. Darius, right?”
“Ah, yeah. Sorry for barging in like this.”
“Oh, it’s no problem.”
“Is Zayden around?”
“He’s in the bathhouse talking with your blonde friend. Ah, Jaylyn, I think her name is.”
“Great. Thanks.” I walked through the room and went into Zayden’s private bathhouse on the other side. His little wolf pup was laying just inside the door like some little guard dog although he didn’t stop me from entering. I stepped right over him to a completely unexpected sight.
Jaylyn was sitting up on the sinks and Zayden was in front of her, standing close between her legs with one hand at her waist and the other holding her head. She had a tight grip around his back and the front of her shirt was open with visible signs of blood on her chest.
My eyes widened when I saw Zayden’s head tilted into the side of Jaylyn’s neck where all of the blood was coming from.
“What are you doing?!” I rushed over instinctively and took Zayden by the shoulders, pulling him away from her and sending him sliding across the floor while the little white wolf got up to growl at me. I didn’t care. I just wanted him away from her.
“Darius, don’t!” Jaylyn hopped down and stopped me from getting closer to him. “It’s okay.”
“What the fuck was that?! Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. You didn’t have to.”
“He was biting you!”
“I know!”
“Shit, Darius.” Zayden said, getting to his feet. “You can’t just stop it like that. I’m never going to control it that way.”
“What is going on?”
“I’m just helping him learn to gain control over his gift. I’m the only one he can bite without killing.”
“So you’re okay with this?”
“Look, it’s no big deal.” Zayden said. “She’s just helping me. O
nce I can shut it off on my own, I won’t need her anymore.”
“Does Adele know about this?”
“Yes.” Jaylyn said. “She does and she wants him to do it so he gets control.”
“And what about Troy?” There was a pause and Jaylyn and Zayden looked at each other. I knew what that look meant and I didn’t like it. “You haven’t told Troy?! He’s going to be pissed!”
“We just haven’t got around to it yet.” Zayden said. “But I needed this with everything that just happened in a short amount of time. Don’t tell him. I’m still going to talk to him myself.”
“I would have much rather walked in here to you two fucking than what I just saw. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to erase that image.”
“Bad?” Jaylyn asked innocently.
“It was horrifying. I like the color of blood and all but I would never do anything close to that to see it.”
“Just keep quiet about it until I can talk to Troy.” Zayden said.
“Why do you keep saying talk? Don’t you mean tell?” They paused and I figured it out on my own—again. “You’re not going to tell him you’ve already been doing it? You’re just going to see what he thinks? I can tell you what he’ll think.”
“We already know that. I just want to see where he is and possibly ease into it.”
“All right, fine. Just no more of that until you do. Do you know that Bianca is right out there right now?”
“Don’t remind me.”
“Well, I thought I might. You have a lot on your plate tonight. Now you have to talk to Troy and try and reason with father. Good luck with that.”
I turned from them and walked out passed the defensive pup without another word. I didn’t even exchange anything with Bianca either. I just left the room and went back to mine with that image of them still in my mind.
“Hey, I thought I said don’t rush.” Ruby said. “What’s wrong?”
I paused and really didn’t know where to begin. “Remember when I joked about getting to Zayden before he bit someone?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, it would seem that I’m a few days late for that.”
“What?” Ruby sounded shocked by it. “He bit someone?”
“Apparently, he’s been biting Jaylyn for the last couple of days every time he got angry or stressed.”
“And she’s not dead?”
“I guess he can’t kill her that way. He’s trying to get control over it so he can turn it off at will.”
“Did you see that?”
I sighed. “I walked in on it.”
“Really?”
“It was disgusting. He was quite literally latched to her neck.”
“Oh, ouch.” Ruby said, putting her hand on hers. “Does Adele know?”
“Supposedly, she wants it to happen so he can get the control but they haven’t told Troy yet.”
“He’s going to be pissed.”
“I know. I told them that exact same thing.”
“Like Zayden doesn’t have enough to do. Do you think it will effect when he’ll get around to talking to Izin?”
“I don’t know but I told him he has to talk to Troy before they do that again and with all the stress Zayden’s under, it’s going to be soon that he’ll want to.”
“Oh, the drama. Tonight is going to be fun.”
I let out a long breath and took her in my arms. “You have no idea.”
Chapter 3
Zayden
I knew he wouldn’t tell. I trusted him to keep this secret for now but he was right. I had too much to do today.
The ballroom was all done up for this arranged engagement with Bianca. Thousands of candles were lit and reflected off the crystal table settings, setting the mood for a dazzling night but I didn’t find any of it so dazzling. As I prepared in my room, I listened to the maids rushing around, trying to fulfill every demand Bianca requested. I was in the presence of a true Princess who’s always gotten her way and I wasn’t enjoying it. I missed Adele. She wasn’t like this. I knew she’d rather do everything herself and hoped I’d see her tonight so she could be there when I confronted my father. I needed to.
I tried to keep that in mind while I prepared too. Darius liked to check in on me every few minutes. I think he was more concerned I was going to need Jaylyn again before the night even started but I was trying to keep myself calm. It was good to see that in him actually. I understand he was only trying to protect her earlier and it was almost good that he was keeping that trait even now. He took his roll very seriously when it came to the six of us and I guess this situation just started to get me to notice.
“I’ll see you down there, I guess.” He said, heading for the door for the last time. “Ruby is probably giving them grief about having to wear a dress.”
It made me laugh to think about and helped relax me. “I bet.”
“Shh! Lose the smile so you don’t charm her. Bianca is coming back.”
He left the door open and she came back in with a few maids and another list of demands. I looked down at Rift next to me with a sigh and he whined at me. “Yeah. I hear you but just for a little while longer.” I was just ready to get this night over with.
I sat at one of the main tables in the ballroom for a while without a word with Bianca by my side and Rift hiding under the table at my feet just so he could be near me but I kept my eyes in almost a constant stare towards the door as often as I could, waiting for Adele.
“You don’t honestly believe she’d show up for this, do you?” Bianca asked.
I averted my eyes. “I can hope.”
We shared in the first dance and others started to join in until the ballroom floor was filled with dancing couples.
“May I?”
I wasn’t even focused on the dance until someone tapped my shoulder.
“Trever, of course.”
I thankfully handed Bianca off to him and started walking back to the table.
“I hope you allowed that.” Jaylyn said.
“Why wouldn’t I? He can have her if he wants.”
Ruby laughed. “Trever’s not the settling type.”
“I don’t know.” Troy said. “He looks pretty comfortable right now. How is it they know each other?”
“Well, he is—”
“We’re not talking about that!” Jaylyn snatched at Ruby before she could finish in saying who Trever really was.
I didn’t care much about this conversation and even Rift knew it. He poked his head up and laid it on my leg with another whine like he could feel what I was feeling. I pet his head for the nice gesture and found myself looking up at the door again. “She’s not coming is she?”
“I don’t know. Why should she?” Ruby replied rather brutally truthful.
I let out a light breath and just couldn’t get her off my mind. I didn’t want to be here without her. I needed her. This should be our night but it wasn’t and I was only constantly reminded.
Chapter 4
Adele
I hoped everyone was having a nice time. I sat in my room, sprawled across the bed, loathing that I ever came back here.
“Adele?”
I sat right up in a hurry when I heard a voice. “Kathryn. I mean, your majesty.”
Kathryn smiled and sat down on the edge of the bed. “Not from you.”
“I can’t believe it. All this time. I don’t know why I haven’t seen it before.”
“Probably because Zayden looks just like Izin but that’s not why I came to see you. You’re not going to attend the banquet?”
I sighed and turned away. “I don’t belong there.”
“But to everyone in there, the banquet should be yours.”
“But not Izin and he’s the one who makes the decisions. It’s not about who is more popular.”
“Then you must get him to see what Zayden does.”
I closed my eyes and turned away. I already knew how Izin saw me, just like all of Zayden’s other whores as he once sai
d but I didn’t want to mention it around her. I felt bad enough. “He sees Bianca.”
Kathryn turned my head towards her. “I know exactly how you feel and I know what being with Zayden would mean to you. I knew your mother, Adele. You have to remember that I was there too.”
“Has he talked to Izin at all?”
“No. He’s too down that he hasn’t seen you but I think if you make an appearance, things will change quickly.”
I looked down at myself. “An appearance? Yeah. Because I look so great right now.”
“You will and I’ve got just the dress.” She uncovered a beautiful blue satin dress with the front of the bodice covered in an icy mosaic of glass like it were a fancy breastplate. It had a strapless plunge neckline and a beautiful ruffle design with blue roses going down the back and onto the train.
I took one look at it and my mouth dropped. “Oh, Kathryn. It’s beautiful but I can’t. It’s too much.”
“Yes, you can and it’s perfect. Everyone will look at you in this.”
“Yeah, I don’t think that’s what I want actually.”
“This is your life now. It’s time you get used to it.”
I was still staring at the beautiful dress in front of me and lightly nodded like I had no control. “Okay.”
“Good. Let’s hurry.”
I got up and just like she had before, Kathryn helped me dress for the occasion and like before, the dress fit perfectly. Kathryn did my hair as well by simply pulling the top half of it back, pinning it with beautiful blue crystals and let the rest flow wherever it landed.
“You’re ready.”
I looked at myself in the mirror and shook my head. “I don’t know if I can do this.”
“Come on.” Kathryn took my arm and started leading me to the door. “You’ll be fine.”
We walked down the hall and stopped just at the curtain that separated the upstairs and the stairs leading down into the ballroom. I could hear all the people inside and was getting more nervous. “Now I know I can’t do this.”
“I said you’ll be fine. You look beautiful.”
Forgotten Days (Fate's Intent Book 6) Page 1
