The Assassin Princess (Book One)

Chapter Twenty Three-Alexandria

I woke up to see Aaron hovering over me, and I then realized that my head was on his lap. "Are you alright?" He asked. "Uh...I think so" I said, sitting up. "Oh thank god, I was so worried about you!" Said Rowen. "Yeah, we know" Terrin mumbled. "Oh, I was so worried about you too, my love" said Laithen. He chuckled. "You just don't stop, don't you?" Leo yelled.

Laithen laughed. I stood up and ignored him as I looked at the castle. "It's much bigger than Talahan's" I said to no one in particular. "Doriella's too" Leo mumbled. "Yes, but I bet it's not as luxurious" said Laithen. Aaron stood next to me and groaned. "Does he ever shut up?" He asked, but only so I could hear him. "Yeah, at least you don't have to marry him" I mumbled. Aaron leaned close to me and said, "you aren't going to marry him".

I smiled kindly, even though I knew his words weren't true. I had to marry Laithen. It was my job. My duty as princess. "So...where exactly are we, again?" Terrin asked. "Well, we are obviously in Verrine" said Aaron. "Yeah, and I don't know about you guys, but I'm itching to get in this castle" I said. "Wait! You don't know how dangerous it is, please be careful" said Rowen.

"I'll be fine, now who's coming with me?" I asked. "Well, obviously all of us!" Said Terrin. "Alright, follow my lead" I said. We walked towards the castle. I opened the large doors and looked inside. The castle was beautiful, with its grand staircase and high ceilings, and it's black and grey colors. But oddly, their were no maids, guards or butlers. It was completely empty.

"Theirs no one there, we should go while we can" I said. "What do you mean theirs no one their? Theirs nothing there! It's a void of darkness!" Said Laithen. "No it's not! Your crazy" I said. "As much as I hate to say this, but he's right. It's an endless void of darkness" said Terrin. "Alexandria can see past the darkness. Only shadow we idlers can see the castle of Verrine" said Aaron.

"Great" I mumbled. I took a deep breath and said, "you guys wait out here, I'll find Ryia". "No! You can't go alone!" Said Rowen. I looked inside the castle again. "Fine. I'll take one person with me" I said. "Take Aaron, he's your personal guard" said Leo. "Ok but..." I said. "But what?!" Laithen said, sounding frustrated. "I....I want to take Leo too" I said.

"Me? Why?" Leo asked. "Well, you seem to care about Ryia, and I don't want her to think that you left her behind" I said. Leo smiled and said, "thank you Alexandria. It would be my honor to join you". "Alright, take my hands, both of you" I said. Leo took my right hand, and Aaron took the left. "Let's go" Aaron said. We walked in the castle. I walked towards the stairs and led the boys up them. When we reached the top, Leo tripped and fell on his face, dragging Aaron and I with him.

"Ow!" I said. "Ugh, sorry!" Leo said. "It's alright, we can't see" Aaron said. We got up and continued walking. "Do you think she'd be in a dungeon?" Asked Leo. "No. Obviously, King Simon wants something to do with her, so it's only logical that he'd give her a luxurious room in order for her to be persuaded" said Aaron. "Huh! Makes sense" Leo said.

I opened every door of every room on the second level. Nothing. "This is going to take longer than expected" I said. But finally, I opened one last door, and there she was. Ryia was laying on a bed with black sheets, looking as miserable as ever. She was in a black nightgown that wasn't hers. She must have heard me open the door, but she didn't look up at us.

"Look, if your going to try to persuade me again, it's not going to work" Ryia said. Leo smiled and said, "well actually, I was going to try and steal you away again". Ryia sat up and said, "Leo?!" "We're here, Ryia!" I said. "Alexandria? What are you doing here?" Ryia asked. "Well saving you of course!" I said. "I can't see you" Ryia said. "That's because you do not weird shadow magic. Those who wield it can see past the darkness" said Aaron.

"Your here too?" Asked Ryia. "Yeah, now hurry and get dressed!" I said. "No way! There are boys here!" Ryia said. "All I see is darkness" said Leo. "Yeah, all they see is darkness. I'm the only one that can see Ryia, and I'm looking away. Get dressed, cmon we have to go!" I said. "Alright, I'm doing it!" She said. After a few minuets, Ryia finally said, "I'm ready".

"Ok! Take my hand" I said, pulling my hand away from Leo. Ryia took my hand, then Leo took hers. "Let's get out of here" I said. But suddenly, I heard and evil laugh. "So, your trying to steal my queen, are you?" Said a voice. I turned around to see a man about 20 years old with black hair and pale skin. "Stay away from us!" Ryia yelled. The man laughed.

I took my hands out of Ryia's and Aaron's and readied my bow. "Who are you?!" I demanded. The man laughed. "I am king Simon, King of Verrine" he said. I aimed my bow at him and said, "don't come any closer!" He laughed. "I'll just kill you girl, that's what I've been trying to do for a long time now". I lightly gasped. "Your the one who's trying to kill Alexandria?" Ryia demanded. Simon laughed and said, "that's right, and today, I will succeed in ending her life".

I shot my bow at him, but he made it wither away with his magic. "You cannot defeat me, girl! I am the shadow King!" He yelled. Then, he charged at me.