The King's Prey (Unedited Edition)

Chapter 30 : Poison

Ilunga • [ill-lung-ga]
A person who will forgive anything the first time, tolerate it the second time, but never a third time.

🖤

~+~

I don't know how much time passes until I wake up to a loud bang—and the sound of Sterling's voice outside of my room. "I know you're awake, Anastasia. Open the damn door," she says against the wood. Startled and confused, I pull the covers off of me and walk over to the door to unlock it, swinging it open to reveal Sterling with her arms crossed. I exchange a questioning look. "You're alive," she grins at the sight of me.

I rub the sleep—and dry tears—from my eyes. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Killian called and said he was struggling to get you to come out of your room," she exhales, flipping her red hair over her shoulder. "Besides, there are better things you can be doing than moping alone."

I grimace as I remember why I was so upset to begin with. "Yeah, no thanks," I mumble, shutting the door in her face.

But Sterling grabs it with a firm grip and stops it in its tracks. "I didn't say it was an option."

Groaning and rolling my eyes all at once, she grabs my arm and drags me out of my room, pulling me downstairs to join Killian in the living room who's been watching TV. When Sterling plops me down on the opposite end of the L-shaped sofa he's on is when she asks, "Why are you so upset anyway?"

"I really don't want to talk about it," I exhale, letting my face fall into my hands.

"She and Samuel are on bad terms apparently," Killian mumbles from where he sits. I lift my head and give him a fatal glare, watching as he ruffles his dark locks with his hand.

"And I don't want to talk about it," I repeat with a snarl directed at him. He only returns an apologizing side glance for revealing the truth.

A part of me hates the fact that he was present to hear the end of our arguing before Samuel left. And another part of me hates that it even happened at all. But everything about our relationship is so utterly frustrating and it's begun to compile an explosion of emotions within me lately.

"Well, I'm sure it'll work itself out," Sterling brushes it off. But when I look at her, her face is nearly white in color and I quirk an eyebrow at the sight.

"Why do you look like you're about to faint?" I ask.

She and Killian exchange a look—I don't know what kind, but it's a look for sure. "What's happening at the southern border right now isn't exactly...thrilling..." Killian responds for her.

I glance between the two of them. "Wait, you both know what's going on?" When they nod slowly, I stand up in a heartbeat, nearly toppling over at the sudden change in gravity. "Can you please tell me?" I beg. They look between each other again before I say, "Oh, c'mon. Samuel's been hiding everything from me for weeks and I'm so sick of all of the bullshit about my safety."

"It's not really bullshit," Sterling says calmly, her face turning into ice.

My thoughts slow down as I look between the two of them as if they know something I don't. And the excitement on my face begins to fade. "Wait, what...?"

The room stills and no one can seem to speak or explain why the air is suddenly so tight. "It would really be better if Samuel told you," Killian says softly.

I stare at him for a moment. "He keeps saying he'll 'explain everything to me' and then never does. So honestly, I'd much prefer it if one of you two would tell me instead." The venom in my tone is strong, but I don't pull back from unleashing my irritation on them. I need to know what's so goddamn important that I'm not allowed to be involved in--especially if it supposedly involves my safety.