Without The Grace

You don't own a bone in my body

Later that week after everything had been cleared up and the palace was thriving...once again, Ezekiel and I sat inside my room.

Kenneth's frozen body had been locked in a secret facility. I gave the task to my father who came immediately upon hearing what had happened.

He concluded that the island trusted me and that it had given me magic for a little while to do what I had to do to save the island. Which meant freezing Hans' spirit inside of Kenneth.

It had been hard for me to allow them to take him away because though Hans was probably in there somewhere plotting his revenge, it was Kenneth who would never see the light of day again.

On a lighter note, the most miraculous thing that had happened was, my mother wasn't dead.

The knife hadn't gone deep enough when Kenneth cut her neck. When my father came, he immediately took her to be treated and was slowly nursing her back to health.

"Your mother still does not approve of me." Ezekiel said. "And neither does Alex...or the rest of the island."

I laid down on his chest. "So what? I approve of you and that's all that matters." I told him.

He sighed. "You have to sneak me in here. As far as your mother knows, I'm still in prison." He pointed out dejectedly.

I didn't say anything. He wasn't wrong, but I didn't want to admit it.

"Aaliyah?" He spoke. Something in his voice sounded disconsolate as if he wanted to give up. I wasn't going to let him give up on us.

I looked up at him. "Don't even think about it." I warned.

"If I get caught...it'll be worse for the both of us, especially you Aaliyah! I can't be responsible for that!" He exclaimed.

I sat up. "You won't get caught if you keep your voice down!" I whisper-shouted.

I touched his face. "You're not going anywhere. I don't care what you did before. I'm living for right now. Stop thinking so much and just love me."

I leaned in and pressed my lips to his, savoring in his warmth. "I love you." I murmured against his lips.

It took him a few seconds, but he eventually responded. "I love you too." He said before claiming my lips again.

He pulled me into a passionate embrace, holding me tight.

We laid there the rest of the night talking and kissing for hours.

I fell asleep at some point in his arms, my head leaning on his strong chest wondering how in the world I fell in love with my ex boyfriends killer.

{}

The next morning I woke up with dawn. I felt colder than when I fell asleep. And I was too afraid to figure out why.

I stared at the ceiling for a while not wanting to believe it. Just hoping and praying that I had simply fell out if his arms and he was laying with his back to me, fast asleep.

Slowly, very slowly, I turned my head.

What I saw made my heart drop.

I clutched at the empty sheets then scrambled to my feet.

I padded across the room. "Ezekiel!" I said in a harsh whisper.

He wasn't in any of my rooms or my bathroom. Holding back my tears I threw on a robe and slippers then ran down the hall to Alex's room.

I barged in not bothering to knock.

"Alex!" I exclaimed as I entered no longer caring enough to stay quiet.