ALL US VILLAINS

Chapter Twenty

Liam has been trying to summon Diana for the better part of an hour. Since neither Rosalie nor Diana has reported leaving the palace, he can only assume that she is hiding somewhere. The sorceress hasn't been seen all day by any servants or guards.

He walks through the hallway like a storm, grumbling quietly to himself about insubordination. Servants and guards alike cast him wary glances as he passes. Liam pays them no mind, focused on finding his sorceress.

After experiencing a day off, Diana has seemingly forgotten that she has a duty to fulfill. The concern he had felt over her leaving the palace had more to do with the sorceress's safety. Had he known she would grow rebellious, he would have kept her in the castle.

Rosalie stands outside of Diana's bedroom, staring sightlessly out the window in front of her. At the sound of Liam's footsteps, the guard's back straightens. Her eyes widen at the sight of him, a mixture of shock and fear. "Your Highness!" She greets.

"Is she here?" Liam states. There are no pleasantries in his tone. All of his patience has been worn away by Diana.

Hesitantly nodding her head, Rosalie stares at the door. "She hasn't left her room all day," she states.

His hand wraps around the door handle. He is immediately greeted by darkness when he opens the door. The curtains in the far corner are drawn and all of the candles are unlit. On the bed, a ball the size of a cat lays. Polaris lifts his head and squints at the light, releasing a frustrated huff.

There's another, much larger, lump hidden under the covers. It does not move, save for its light breathing movements.

Liam saunters toward the window to draw back the curtain. Light illuminates the room, allowing him to see much better. Polaris whines in protest to the lighting, but he still does not move from his spot on Diana's bed.

"I have been trying to summon you for an hour," Liam tells the lump.

No response leaves the lump on the bed, forcing the prince to draw closer. Were it not for the breathing, Liam would be certain that the lump is nothing more than pillows and blankets.

He is not in the mood for games at the moment. There are urgent matters that they need to attend to since Stetis is currently on the move. "Diana," he urges. His hand grabs the thick blanket and pulls it so that he can get it off of her head.

The dark skin of the woman's biceps are discolored, purpled with someone's fingerprints. His eyes study the marks, certain that she acquired them the day before. Since his focus is on her arm, it takes him longer to notice the bruising around her throat than it should.

A slow and lethal sort of anger hollows out his body. It carves him into a new shape, turning him into some sort of dangerous weapon. He can feel it possessing him. "Who did this to you?" His voice is almost a breathless whisper.

Diana stares straight ahead of the prince with unseeing eyes. Her throat bobs while she swallows. "It doesn't matter," she responds. "I deserve it."

The statement only furthers his anger. His fists begin to shake at his side, a small outlet of the rage that is currently building. "Like hell it doesn't," he responds. "Tell me who did this to you!"

Rolling to face the opposite direction, Diana disturbs Polaris. The white braids at the back of her head are tinted pink from her blood. She keeps quiet, refusing to give up the name of her attacker.

He stalks across the room, slamming the door shut behind him when he leaves. When his eyes fall onto Rosalie, she is already trembling. "Why was I not notified that she was attacked!?" He demands.