The Key to the Oleander

Chapter Nine - Ace

The dagger is gone. My dagger is gone.

I've been looking for it for almost an hour, but still no trace of it. I don't care about to stupid dagger, it's that whoever found it would know my family isn't just royalty but also a gang.

I freeze when I realize who would want to hurt me the most right now. Athena.

FLASHBACK...

"If you don't tell me this marriage is over. I will choose Miles." She says quietly. My heart drops at her words. I can't lose her again. But...

"Why do you think I'd care?" I scoff and force a smile. She slowly takes a step back.

Her face begins to turn red. "Please don't cry." Is what I want to say, but I can't. She rushes out the door.

FLASHBACK ENDED...

I fucked up. I need to ask her where my dagger is.

I drive as fast as I can to her house and knock on the door frantically. My heart sinks down into my stomach once the door opens. Miles fucking Clarke.

"Ace." He greets, smiling and offers his hand out for a handshake. My arms remain at my sides. He drops his hand down awkwardly. How does he know that I'm Ace?

"I need to see Athena." I take a step forward, but he holds his hand out to stop me.

"I don't think she wants to see-" But he's interrupted.

"It's fine, Miles. Let him in." Athena. My heart feels as if it skipped a beat.

Hesitantly, Miles moves to the side to let me in.

"I need to talk to her... alone would be nice." Miles opens his mouth, narrowing his brows at me but once again, she stops him.

"Sure. We'll be back, Miles. I'm fine, I promise." She gives him a small smile before leading me upstairs and to her room.

"Where's my dagger?" I ask immediately when the door closes. She folds her arms.

"I hid it." She answers calmly. I blink, too shocked to say anything.

"You... hid it?" I repeat. She nods, her lips purse up. "Why?" I ask, dumbfounded. She sighs, moving her hands to her hips.

"I don't know, Ace. But what I do know is you're in the underworld. You should've told me." She smiles as she hands me a paper. I stare at her before looking down at it, reading the bold writing. No, no, no.

"No, Athena." I shake my head, giving it back to her.

"Why? I thought you didn't care?" She snaps, anger written across her face.

"I- I do. Please don't marry him." My heart is in my throat. I messed up worse than I thought I did. I try to walk toward the door.

"Don't forget the annulment paper!" I ignore her as I walk out.
I feel as if my heart has been ripped out of my chest. How is it possible to grieve over someone who is still alive?

Once I head down stairs, Miles pulls me by my arm, bringing his mouth to my ear. "I'll be her husband, I'll be the one who lays by her side in bed, I'll be the one she makes love to, I'll be the one who she'll raise children with, I'll be the one who grows old with her. Not you." He pushes me away, smirking.

As soon as I open my eyes, the first thing I notice is the pain in my head. My eyes widen when I realize I'm not in my bed but instead a chair on the center island in my kitchen. Four beer bottles pile up beside me. I groan, remembering what happened.

"Now what the fuck happened to you?" One of my best friend's, Roman, asks. I hear his footsteps as he walks into the kitchen.

"I fucked up, man." I drag my hand down my face. Theo, my other best friend, comes running down the hallway and straight into Roman. When did I get here?

"What the fuck!" Roman pushes him away, glaring at him. Theo mouths a quick apology before looking at me.

"What happened?" He asks, rubbing his shoulder that Roman that pushed. I sigh before I tell them everything, except the... whatever you call them, flower powers, of course.

"You fucked up, man." Roman says first. Theo begins to laugh.

"Wow! You guys are such great friends!" I exclaim sarcastically. "Yeah, yeah. I know." I mumble after a few seconds, turning serious again. Roman pats my shoulder twice before sighing loudly. Theo wipes his teary eyes after he finishes laughing.

"So you're not marrying her, I assume." Love, my childhood best friend, comes down the stairs. She's in a towel threading her hands through her dark brown curly hair. The sun hits her light brown skin through the blinds.

Excitement fuels through me when an idea suddenly comes to my head.

"What?" She asks.

"Um, I was hoping that you could maybe talk to her, woman to woman?" I smile sheepishly. She rolls her eyes, dropping her hands down to her sides.

"No. Not a chance. You need to stop avoiding your problems, Ace. Because one day you won't have that option." She gives me a motherly stern look. I only nod, knowing she's right. What am I going to do?