ALL US VILLAINS

Chapter Nine

Liam has never traveled through the woods on the western side of the palace before. It's a dense forest made from dark, twisted oak trees that just barely lets any sunlight in. The prince knows little of what creatures dwell within the woods' darkness and he does not particularly care. It's doubtful that these woods contain anything that he has not seen in the other forest.

Birds fly overhead, singing their incessant songs. Normally, he is able to tune the sound out with ease. He appreciates the sounds and smells of nature most days, seeking solitude in its welcoming arms.

Everything annoys him today, so it isn't quite the birds' fault. The real culprit for his foul mood is Diana, who somehow always appears in the same location as him. He has been trying to escape her all day, hiding in the palace library, the east woods, and the ballroom. He's not even safe from her in his own bedroom, since she will barge in to bother him about being brought her meals or finding some source of entertainment.

Since he is currently in a new spot, there's a good chance that she will not find him. He'll finally be able to find at least a little bit of peace.

The brush rustles near him from the wind. He ignores the sounds around him while retreating further into the forest. Eventually, he happens upon a single oak tree in the center of a beautiful clearing.

As he walks through the overgrown grass toward the tree, Liam can feel a sense of peace wash over him. Without even taking a seat at the tree, he already knows that he could rest in this field forever.

Diana rounds the thick tree's trunk when he is several feet away from the tree. Her black black, armored outfit is held together by thick, leather straps. Silver rings adorn her fingers, standing out against her skin— which has gotten a shade or two darker within the last few weeks. At the sight of her, Liam releases a frustrated groan. "What are you doing out here?"

Taken aback by his question, Diana furrows her brows. The unbound half of her white hair blows away in the wind. "You summoned me here," she claims.

Irritation creates a glare on his face. He is in no mood for her childish games today. "No, I did not."

Reaching into the pocket of her leather pants, Diana produces a parchment with writing on it. She stretches it out for him to grab. "Yes, you did. You even requested for me to leave Rosalie back at the palace."

Liam snatches the paper from her hands. He stares at the writing, scrutinizing all of the loops and swirls of the individual's writing. The contents of the letter are just as she claims, with Liam allegedly telling Diana to meet him in the west woods and to leave behind her guard. "This isn't my handwriting."

"And for what reason am I supposed to know that?" Diana glances around the area. Her gaze is full of cruel scrutiny. "You're telling me I wasted thirty minutes of my time walking out to this tree and waiting for you to appear?"

Someone must have wanted to play a joke on the sorceress. Or perhaps she made it all up. He does not know any motivation for Diana to lie nor can he think of one for someone trying to lure her out here. No one is capable of taking Diana down by themselves. Even if they took her by surprise, Diana could use her powers to incapacitate them within seconds.

He curls the paper into a ball with one hand before shoving it into his pocket. "Did you write this just so you could annoy me further?" Liam demands.

"Excuse me?" There's a small warning in the sorceress's tone and her eyes spark with anger. "Why would I do that?"

The man childishly crosses his arms. "You have been appearing everywhere I am all day. Now that you're here, I know that you've been doing it on purpose."