Flowers and Darkness

Chapter 25

I popped the last grape into my mouth and chewed silently.

I was sat alone in the dining room. Two guards stood at each entrance. Did they pity me? Five days had passed since the incident with Alyanna and since then I had barely seen Dean. I had been escorted to the dining room for all my meals, which wouldn't have been awful if I at least had someone to eat with. If I had to eat alone I'd much rather be under my duvet with a cheesy romcom keeping me company.

I heard footsteps approach and my ears perked up. Was it Dean? He was always busy with meetings throughout the day so this would be off routine.

I caught sight of a familiar grin. Henry.

I stood up quickly to face him. "What are you doing here?"

He looked down at my empty plate and nodded his head towards the gardens. "Wanna take a walk?"

"Yes!" I said a little too eagerly.

I followed after him towards the gardens when he suddenly stopped and irritably looked behind him to the guards now following us.

"I've got this."

They immediately sheepishly retreated. I bit my tongue, wanting to scream in glee. This was the first time in days that they had left me alone outside my room.

I inhaled the fresh air deeply, getting whiffs of roses and hydrangea as we passed by bushes and flower beds.

He walked further into the massive garden, until the castle was just about in eyeshot before turning to face me.

"I thought you could use some help getting away from them."

"I did, I-"

"And I also have a message."

I immediate stepped back, in anticipation for the smack across the head from his staff. It really hurt the last time he did that.

A slow smile crept back onto his face at my reaction. "Not that type of message. Don't worry."

Before I could speak a pair of black stilettos gracefully walked over to us.

"Alyanna."

Her face was flawless. It was either from quick healing or some really heavy duty foundation that I was curious to find out the name of.

She pursed her red lips and nodded in greeting.

My palms dampened and I awkwardly tried to open and close them repeatedly to dry them out. Her eyes dropped down to my look at my hands so I quickly crossed them across my chest.

Should I be apologetic? Should I be angry?

She's just looking at me. What am I meant to say?

"I'm sorry."

I exhaled at her words.

"You're still soon to be Queen here and I overstepped my boundaries."

She paused and stepped closer so she was facing me directly.

"That is what you want isn't it?" She cocked her head to the side slightly. "To be Queen? To be married to Hades? To be here? That is what you want isn't it?"

I parted my lips preparing to speak, but no words came out. I couldn't respond. Is that really what I want? I knew the answer. But saying it aloud would just make the reality all the more depressing. I can't leave.

She straightened her neck and took a step back. A smirk creeping onto her face as if she could hear my thoughts.

"I can get you out of here." She paused and crossed her arms, mimicking me. "If that's what you really want."