Forbidden

1| New

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New

┗━━━✦❘༻༺❘✦━━━┛

Chapter 1: New (Grace's POV)

"Is that what you call it?" I laughed, glancing at Finn. "I call that betrayal, Finn!" 

"I call that protecting you, Grace," he laughed with me, both of us talking about how he had snitched to my parents that I had snuck out of the palace at midnight three nights ago to go meet Nina. 

"I didn't actually sneak out, come on." 

"You did," he argued. 

I stared at him in disbelief. "You went with me!" 

"So?" 

I scoffed, giving him a push. 

He laughed again, both of us strolling around the backyard. "Have a seat." He gestured toward the white bench that was near the gazebo. 

I sent him a small smile and began walking toward the bench. I sat down and then tilted my head up, staring at the stars. He stationed himself a few feet ahead of me, keeping an eye out, even within our palace. "Don't you ever crave a break, Finn?" 

"Without this job, my life would be quite boring, Ms. Grace," he sighed, glancing at all the glimmering stars. "I'm a thirty-one-year-old bachelor with no family or girlfriend or even friends, for that matter," he scoffed before turning around to look at me. "What's one to do?" He shrugged. His eyes flickered over to the vast space behind me. 

"What?" I mumbled in confusion. "What are you looking at?" 

"Don't turn around," he said sternly. 

I froze up immediately. "W-why?" I laughed nervously. "Don't be silly, we're in the palace, nothing could possibly happen—" I let out a loud gasp when he placed a hand on my head, forcing me to duck as a gunshot echoed. My eyes shot open, staring at him while he crouched down on the ground, kneeling in front of me. 

"Go inside," he ordered. He was trying to sound calm, but even his voice shook. 

"Can you see them?" I asked, out of breath from my pounding heart. 

He shook his head. "The lights are out back there and the yard is too huge. Go, Grace." 

"I can't leave you here." 

He huffed and stood up, grabbing my hand and pulling me up, turning us around so his body completely covered mine. "Go!" he yelled. "And call for help, now! Grace, go!" 

I glanced over his shoulder, spotting a shadowed figure before I gathered my dress and ran as fast as I could. I caught a glimpse at the gun Finn pulled out and the moment I reached the doors, I froze, hearing several gunshots. I was panting. I wanted to turn around. 

Why did I stop? Why the fuck did I stop? 

"Oh, my God," I mumbled to myself, turning around and closing the doors, locking them shut before running further out to the front and calling for several guards. 

Everything from there on was a blur. The guards running out and scanning the area, Ms. Bella trying to keep me inside. 

I had lost my slippers somewhere during my run and when I realized the yard was empty and safe, I ran past the guards and right to Finn, falling to my knees as I shook him. "Finn! Finn, wake up! Finn!"