Melting Mercury

Chapter 25

Harlow

"Is he still ignoring you?"

I twirled my spaghetti around my fork aimlessly "He's not ignoring me...I'm ignoring him!" I said defensively "It's a," I cleared my throat "Mutual ignoring."

Ivory nodded "Sure it is...and when was the last time you got a good nights rest?"

"Last night why?"

"You look like a panda Harley" Ale piped up. His honesty once again knowing to hit me where it hurts.

"An angel as always Alejandro," I remarked sarcastically in a mutter. But of course his budding animal senses caught it.

"I try"

"What he's trying to say is you need to sleep, like desperately"

I rolled my eyes. They acted as if I didn't see my own reflection in the mirror every day. Guilt ate me up as I had constant nightmares of my childhood orphanage bursting into flames before my eyes, Willow trapped in one of the rooms with me outside, unable to save her.

 In my latest one, the image of Willow was replaced with a small Alejandro who didn't call for me desperately as she did. Instead, he stared at me through a glass window, his usually cheerfully eyes unusually dull. And just when the flames are about to engulf him he whispers.

Why did you do it, Harlow?

Then I'd wake up covered in a pool of my own sweat. So now I avoided sleep like it was a curse, it didn't make any matters better that I was currently not on speaking terms with Malakai. But I'd die before I admitted that out loud.

"I've barely seen Leo in the last five days but I've at least tried to shut my eyes" Ivory admitted "You look like you haven't seen a pillow in years".

I put my hands up defensively. "Okay okay! It's not bully Harlow day guys, cut me some slack" I huffed.

Ever since that day Malakai, Leo and Priscilla have been practically locked in their office trying to predict the rebellions next move. Of course, it would've been much smarter to ask me, the leader and creator of said organization for ideas.

But I'd probably be useless.

This was Willow we were talking about. She is spontaneous and ruthless and she'd blow up everything in her way of getting what she wanted. I never expected her to go as far as to threaten an orphanage full of helpless kids though.

WBB stood for helping the helpless, fighting for those who didn't know how to.

Not fighting against them.

I put my head in my hands. How did it come to this?

"Excuse me your highness" A guard walked into the room with a sloppily decorated box.

Ivory and I shared a look of confusion. "Is someone expecting a present?" I asked.

Ivory shook her head "All shopping is usually done by me and I haven't ordered anything in a while."

The guard cleared his throat "Actually, this is addressed to the Alpha King."

I stood up, my chair sliding back at the abrupt movement "Okay I'll give it to him!" I said, a tad too desperate. Ivory and Alejandro snickered at my eagerness and I shot them both a look.

The box was placed in my hands and I immediately noticed how light it was. I shook it a little but there was no sound that told me what was in the box. I shrugged "Must be something small."

"It smells horrible" Alejandro stated, crinkling his nose in disgust. I sniffed the air around it but no immediate scent hit my nose.

"Ale, don't say that it's a gift" I scolded him lightly. But the look on his face didn't change, in fact, it got worse, his eyes began to water and soon enough he gagged. It happened all too fast, his little hand went over his face and he bolted to the nearest restroom.

Ivory hot on his heels.

Soon the sound of throwing up reached my ears followed by Ivory saying soothing things. I looked back at the guard to see him also looking at the box distastefully. "I-I'll go give this to the king now" He nodded and left me alone with the box, wondering if there was something I was missing.

I began to walk to Malakai's office, thinking of ways to start up a conversation when I got there. What I knew for sure was I wasn't going to apologise but I doubt my apology was the most of his worries at the moment.

As I was deep in thought I failed to see the bump in the carpet ahead and soon I was headed for the ground, the box flying out of my hand. I cursed myself as I slowly picked myself off from the floor and dusted myself off.

You better pray whatever was in that box wasn't fragile Harlow I muttered to myself.

The lid of the box had found itself a few metres away whilst the body was turned over. I went to grab the top of the box and the bad smell of it slightly took me back. But nothing prepared me for when I flipped over the box.

The lid slipped from my fingers and hit the floor, the sound not reaching my eyes. I felt myself crumbling to my knees as my mouth opened in an unspoken sob. I reached out to turn over the familiar green hair and right there was the face of my best friend, her body nowhere to be found. The world shatter around me as I stared into her empty eyes.

I screamed.

Malakai

I was comfortably sitting in my office, about to fall asleep on my hand when an ear-shattering shriek hit my ears. Leo and I jumped to out feet and flung out of the door, Priscilla not far behind and we bolted down the hallway.

My footsteps slowed when I saw Harlow sitting on the floor at the end of the corridor, her back facing me. She was cradling something as she rocked back and forth whimpering with choked sobs.

Leo put his hand on my should as if telling me to stop but I pushed it away. The closer I got the louder her cries get which made my heart twist painfully. I noticed a box laying on the floor with spots of blood in it which made me freeze.

'You wouldn't want to receive another head in a box would you Alpha'

I swallowed. "Harlow?" She didn't answer me but continued to cry. I circled her and right there was a severed head in her arms, dyed green hair framing its face. Harlow kept her eyes on it, ignoring how her hands were now coated in blood.

She caressed the head with her bloody fingertips as she continued to rock it back and forth whispering in pained breaths. "Flo, oh Flo."