Planet Eden: The Garden

Chapter 28. The Winning Side

Chapter 28.

The day of the ball had my head spinning in a thousand directions I wondered if I would soon end up in a whole other dimension with the way I was feeling. The lessons I had been forced to endure with the prince had made my feet sore and my arms tired. Of course, with Camille pressing the king, her father, to allow me to attend as a guest, I was forced to go through the many fittings of the dress.

Camille had wanted something special since she had said that while they were a wonderful palace, they didn't host many balls to celebrate things. It was mostly for the children of the king for their birthdays, but eventually, they stopped celebrating all together. There was too much work to be done for everyone, and no one seemed to mind.

The palace was buzzing with people hoarding around Camille and the women who would be getting ready with her. I, being a servant and not one of her so-called ladies, would be getting ready alone in my room. I didn't mind all that much. The things they talked about were boring.

All the Cursed workers moved around carefully from corridor to corridor, making sure to use different pathways that the royal family wouldn't be walking through as they carried the heavy belongings and food. Being Camille's celebration, the princess had done her best in trying to prepare for. However, it was only early in the morning, and somehow there was so much to do.

As I passed through the hallway in my guards' uniform, I looked at the large chandelier covered in crystals dangling down three stories of the palace. I traced my arm on the golden guardrail, feeling the textured embroidery underneath my skin. While I had been given reduced dosages, my Curse was taking forever to reemerge. I was able to send small little sparks whenever I wanted, but my balls of fire would most likely take days to return.

I walked by the two princes as I made my way to wake up Camille on this early and brisk morning. Prince Ryder had a book in front of his hand, discussing with the other prince something, however, he didn't seem to be paying attention. Prince Angel had his eyes perfectly trained on something that clearly had taken his attention away.

Our eyes locked, and I could have sworn I saw my own orange and burning eyes staring back at him through the reflection of them. As quickly as they locked our eyes moved away to face both of our tasks at hand. I was meant to wake the princess up and he had his princely duties. It was surprising seeing him up so early, yet I suppose being the first-born son he had duties that he needed to handle more often than his sisters, who were both from what I heard still sleeping soundly.

I opened the door to Camille's bejeweled door once I came upon it, and was surprised at the sight before me. The bed of Camille's room had already been made up, and the princess I had been sent to find was nowhere in sight. I felt my heart begin to accelerate.

"Camille?" I asked, squeezing my hands tightly in hope that I could bring my curse closer if there was any danger present.

I moved around to the wardrobe and heard cluttering in the closet to my left. In a quick pace, I made my way over to it, hands clenched and ready to beat the living daylights out of them. My footsteps quieted as I walked slowly and with stealth towards the entrance of her closet.

I figure walked out, and I instantly reached over to grab them in a chokehold.

"Flara! It's me!" the person shouted and I released them instantly.

"Didn't you hear me come in?" I demanded, relaxing my shoulders and letting out a frustrated sigh.

"No!" Camille's cried, her eyes wild with worry. "I keep overthinking everything! I'm filled with so much fear and terror. I've been going through my closet trying to figure out what to wear."