Underground Royals

12

I peel the warm blanket from my face, exposing myself to the streaks of winter sunlight that penetrate the glass of the unshielded window, temporarily rendering me blind. I feel a persistent warmth that encircles me and the events of the previous night flood into my mind, carving a smile onto my face. Slowly, almost imperceptibly, I turn so that I am facing the ceiling, giving me the slightest view of Daemon's sleeping figure.

I had never seen the boy look so peaceful; as if he didn't have a reputation to live up to, a name to uphold. But the minute I look down to his neck, where a silver pendant emblazoned with a W is hooked onto a glimmering chain, I'm reminded that he does - we all do.

Shifting away from his body as softly as I can, I manage to get my feet to the floor without so much as a sound. As I stand up, I make sure to cover Daemon back up so that I don't wake him; after all it's quite early.

The bed in the farthest corner of the room is still as empty as it had been last night, and I know immediately what - or rather who - I will find the minute I open the door to the common room.

The scene in the room is slightly different this time, because Hugo is not sleeping but rather pouring over a piece of paper on the coffee table, next to a creased red envelope with a suspiciously official looking wax seal. The responsible thing to do in this situation, would have been to turn away, avoid confrontation and leave him to enjoy the sliver of privacy that he is entitled to. But, for a reason I can only attribute to revenge, I end up creeping towards the couch and snatching the letter from the table.

Hugo startles, his bony arms flinching as his face goes rigid and his eyes stretch as wide as his eyelids would let them. Almost delayed, he jumps off the couch like a cat, a small sigh escaping his trembling lips at the sight of me.

I don't pay much attention to him, instead skimming the contents of the letter that I am clutching in my hands.

"Hugo,

I understand that the Sterling girl has arrived at Rubion. This is your time to show us what you can do - if anything. Prove your worth, and I will consider reinstating your place in our ranks. Fail to do so, and I will not only have to disinherit and disown you, but I will be forced to make you disappear; whatever means necessary.

You understand the strain that this family - this operation - is under, and your failure to comply with previous orders has only exacerbated this. You cannot afford to fail and I cannot afford to bail you out. So, do your job and remember: deadly and discreetly. You know your allies, I hope you know your enemies.

Don't contact me until something is done, L."

If I wasn't so shocked I might have laughed. It was ridiculous to be scared of a boy as pathetic and small as Hugo, and yet here I was with clammy hands and wide eyes that were currently fixated on Hugo. Allies, enemies? It's clear which category I fit into but who are Hugo's allies? Mehui and Heathcote? Perhaps though it doesn't seem likely given I've never seen them within 5 feet of each other. Then again, nothing in our lives conforms to reason.

I revert my attention back to the cowering boy in front of me. The boy who is supposed to be my enemy. The boy who is supposed to hurt me. The boy, who can't even bring himself to hold his head high in front of me.

"What is this Hugo?" I growl out, waving the letter. "And don't you dare say nothing."

He doesn't say "nothing" but he doesn't say anything either, instead moving his arms to hug himself as his eyes watered lightly.

"You better start talking or I promise I will make you." I mutter menacingly, remorse prickling at my heart as he quickly wipes his teary eyes with his sleeve.

"I don't know what you're talking about." He sniffles, taking advantage of my shocked state and snatching the letter from my hands, before promptly leaving the common room for the early morning wilderness outside.

Confusion settles over my mind like a cloudy haze over a winter morning, blurring anything I thought I knew about what is happening around me. What is Hugo's job? Of course the most sensible assumption is that he has to kill me. After all, "deadly and discreetly". But I doubt even someone as screwy as his grandfather would kill me in broad daylight at a highschool. There is something happening here and I intend to find out before it kills me and everyone I care about.

***

Hey everyone part 12 is finally up and I'll be releasing another chapter very soon (maybe today!!!) I changed Isolabella's age and everyone else's to 16 because it fits in better with the story line! Hope your enjoying it so far!

How do we feel about a potential love triangle between Daemon Hugo and Isolabella?

Let me know in the comments and please don't forget to vote! <3