Burntout

I Danced with the Devil

I danced with the devil.

That was the only thought that ran through my mind as I felt my blood run cold. He was trying to kill me. Or was he. Were his clues about the assassin a clue as to what was about to happen?

But, he looked surprised when the attack happened like he didn't know what was going on. And when he had manipulated the arrow, it seemed like he did it in a moment of panic.

"You danced with a handsome devil at least," the voice in my mind said and I immediately shushed it. I didn't need to think of him in that way, especially when he was being an arrogant, narcissistic, killer.

I ran my hands through my hair, my thoughts spiraling violently downwards. Cassie gripped my hand and uttered softly, "The king requested to see you as soon as you woke up." Theodore wanted to see me but I didn't want to see him, not in the state I was in. A migraine was already developing and for some reason, I could barely feel my hands.

Rubbing my hands together, then cupping them to blow hot air in, I looked at Cassie, "Could he wait?"

She shook her head, "No, he wants to discuss with you the kingdom's political issues. He says you should have a say in it since... you're going to be his queen."

I noticed her pause and sympathetic tone. Sighing, I slipped off the bed, noting I was only wearing a shift when I looked down. Cassie noticed the look I gave her because she quickly ran off in search of more suitable clothing, leaving me in my thoughts.

*

*

*

Rubbing my neck as the itchy, starched fabric reacted against my sweat, I sat down at the desk Theodore had in his quarters. Cassie had left us alone, and the only one currently in the room beside us was a guard beside the door. Theodore sat in front of me, looking just as nervous as I felt.

Keeping his gaze, I quietly said, "I know about Regulus."

"Cassie told you?" I nodded my head but kept to myself that I had danced with him. She wouldn't have known that I had done that and been able to tell Theodore before this meeting as she had only found out a meer 20 minutes or so ago. Plus, I had made her swear that she wouldn't tell anyone about it because I had a feeling Theodore wouldn't react well. After all, Cassie had told me on the way here that he had tried to kill Regulus. Yet, it didn't make sense for him to want to attack the castle, much less kill the king unless there was also another motive behind it.

Theodore reached behind him, pulling a book off of the shelf. Its stained and yellowed pages looked brittle, ready to crumble into dust if touched. Still, and quite carelessly, he flipped open the book. Just as I was about to ask why it would help in a situation like this or why it would even come to use, Theodore gripped the page he had landed on and yanked it clean out of the book.

"Why did you do that?" I gasped at the torn page.

He gave me an annoyed look, "The page will remend itself later- one of the protection spells that was placed on it by my ancestor keeps it from being destroyed." As he spoke, I watched the page, a blank piece of parchment, start to have lines form, like ink being drawn carefully.

Slowly the black lines seemed to change colors, some lines turning blue, others red, a couple being a line of purple, while one line was split- half blue and half red. Then, as if an invisible hand was writing, names began to be filled in.

The name "Laurier" was finely printed at the top along with the royal family's names. Except it was only be deemed the current royal family, only Callahan, Aria, and Theodore's names were listed. Callahan and Aria's names were a duller shade of gold than Theodore's. His name was connected under theirs, a lustrous, pigmented shade.

A purple line connected the family surname to "Holloway." My mother's name was the same, dull shade as that of Callahan and Aria's while my father's name was a slightly brighter shade. My own was the same shade as Theodore's. Two thinner, purple lines attached my mother to the former queen while the other of the two lines trailed to Theodore.

I looked back up at the "Laurier" name and noticed a faint blue line trailing between Callahan's and another name. Following the line with my eyes, I saw that it came down to a very familiar name marked under "Rowe." Regulus Pierce Rowe. His name was a silvery color, his father's the dull gold and his mother, Queen Lenora, was the beaming gold. The half blue, half red line trailed the "Rowe" name to "Laurier."

Just as I was about to look back, I noticed the faintest almost gone, a purple line connecting from Regulus' name to a name on the "Holloway" side. My interest peaked, I followed the line back with my pointer finger. I felt a sudden drop in my stomach when I saw who's name it connected to.

Andromeda Claire Holloway.

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A/N:

Hey! I have wifi and a computer so here I am, working my butt off in Florida when I literally just arrived. But, I had to get this chapter out because I wrote it down in my journal and HAD to type it out!

I've been thinking of coming up with a nickname for my readers and came up with this- Ravens. I know it's kinda cringy and dorky but that's the embodiment of me. 

See y'all, I want to go enjoy the beach! Bye, my Ravens! <333

-Rae