stormy weather (dreamnotfound)

chapter 17 - misgiving

I dropped the spoon just as fast as my jaw did. As soon as Clay gasped, the entire kitchen went silent; the only sound was the distant dripping of the sink.

Clay had released his grip on my hips and stepped back in shock, his eyes wide as saucers. Fiona held the exact same expression, stopping dead in her tracks the moment she entered the room.

I felt the instant anger radiate off of him the moment he let go of me. My heart rate increased the longer we stood in silence, making my palms sweaty.

Nick and Karl had waved politely but now they stood staring at our silent exchange. Alex scratched the back of his head, his faced screwed up in utter confusion.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Fiona gasped, completely ignoring the others and staring at Clay.

"I could ask you the same thing," Clay replied, marching over to her and glaring down at her with his eyes squinted.

Alex held his hand over his mouth at the sudden tension in the room. Karl backed up to give them space, and Nick held his arm around Karl's waist, his eyebrows raised.

"How long have you been dating him? Why didn't you tell me?" he grumbled, his eyes flicking to Alex and back to Fiona.

"Hey, what's that supposed to mean?" Alex stepped forward to try to get between them, but Nick silently grabbed his arm and pulled him back.

Fiona ignored him and looked her brother up and down. "You didn't tell me about you and George," she replied, placing a hand on her hip. "I don't see the big problem."

"That's different," he spat back.

I felt anger and irritation start to grow in my stomach, and I stepped forward and pulled his arm back, pushing myself into the argument. "How is that different?"

"Why are you so protective? Let me live a little," Fiona said quickly, keeping her disappointed gaze on her brother.

"I don't want you getting hurt again," he replied bitterly, shoving his shoulder forward to remove my hand from his arm.

"Wait a minute," Nick butted in, making us all look over at him. "How do you know each other?"

Clay gave Fiona an unsure glance, and she nodded and raised her eyebrows.

"We're siblings," he replied. Karl shot Nick an astonished glance, Nick returning it with his mouth hanging open. Alex had the biggest reaction of them all, his hand slapping over his mouth quickly.

"You're what?!" Alex shouted, reaching for Fiona's arm. "Clay. You're the prince?!"

"Wait. You know Fiona is the princess? What the hell!" I gasped before Clay could respond, but he ignored my interruption and kept staring at Alex.

"Don't make this about me," he replied, his voice abruptly losing its anger.

"And- and- you're with George?" Karl gaped, holding his hand out towards me.

Alex shook his head in surprise, trying to sort it out in his head. "George- what kingdom are you the prince of again?"

I cleared my throat and swallowed, suddenly regretting coming here in the first place. "Brindleton?" I replied, almost like I didn't know the answer myself.

"Oh my God," Nick said quietly, running a hand down his face. "The news the other day," he said as he looked at Karl.

Karl nodded and turned back to us, his eyes wide. "The princess of- Windenburg, was to marry.."

I bit my lip, realizing this wasn't the way they should've found out.

"How did we not know? Why didn't we recognize you?" Nick replied, his eyes meeting Clay's.