Supernova

Chapter Eighty Two - This is an Ambush

A/N: Sorry. 

Katsuki and I weren't exactly on the best of terms when Friday night rolled around, but he hung around my room while I got dressed and we sat together on my bed, his head on my shoulder, until time came to leave. He was nervous. I was just looking forward to getting this bullshit over with so I could come back, fall into him and tell him, See? No big deal, just like I said!

"Everything's going to be alright," he said softly, and it was not a heart warming type of soft, but a shamefully doubtful one. "Right?"

"Of course." I smiled at him and gave him a playful punch in the arm. It did not make him smile back, so I kissed him instead. "I'll be back before you know it."

I felt confident as we left my room. We went out the fire escape. He went back to his room and I left that way, because I figured, what would be the point in worrying everyone else for no reason too? I was still feeling confident as my boots clomped down the path, and it stayed a bright burning flame until I caught sight of the gate. Then, a chill ran down my spine for a reason I couldn't place.

"Elias," I whispered harshly, just in case. "If you're out there, you better show yourself now, and I'll do you the favor of killing you quickly."

Nothing happened. There was no sound but the wind. So I trekked on.

But there was something wrong as I passed the gate. No, not wrong. But different. The car waiting for me was not a rented one, but one much larger and fancier. Instead of some nameless driver, it was Jojo waiting for me. I laughed a little when I saw him.

"What are you doing here?" I asked.

He didn't even as much as smile back. "I'm so sorry, Cassie."

The emotion that phrase evoked in me was not worry, but rage. Jojo moved to pull the back door of the car open for me, and the first thing I saw inside was a black and grey wrapped box. My father didn't have a habit of pulling stupid shit on me, but if he wished to start now, fine, I could move my timeline up and show him exactly what a poor choice that was.

"Don't worry about it," I told Jojo with a sudden coldness as I climbed into the car. "You'll get a good show tonight."

He closed the door behind me and went around to the front. As the car started moving, my hands moved for the box. I pulled the bow, and the way it slid open to give way was delicious. That was something I did enjoy about royal gifts. There was such a vicious elegance to them. There was no ripping or tearing. As the bow became undone, the box unfolded itself. I flipped the top part open, and the metal taste started boiling at the back of my gasp, but I did not let the blood come. I forced it back down with my rage.

Inside lay the diamond and sapphire diadem from Elias.

So, there were two opponents I was going up against tonight. So be it. No matter to me.

Solely because it was blasphemous and would be seen as disrespectful, I discarded the box and placed the diadem onto my head. That was where it sat when Jojo parked and came around to retrieve me. He looked nervous, but he didn't say anything. He may not have been around to see it when this had happened to my sisters, but I'm sure he understood enough. Either way, I would not run. I was to become the ruler of an entire country tonight.

Jojo was leading me to the dining hall, but instead of waiting for him to open the door, I shoved the French doors open with my dense palms with enough density to have them slam against their stoppers with a bang. Inside, as I expected, my father was sitting at the head of the table, and beside him, was a gloveless, smiling Elias. In front of both of them were thick contracts and fountain pens that sat along the sides of them, itching to be used and shackle me to a future I had spent the past few years actively denying.