Royal love

Chapter 30

I couldn't go back to sleep. Every time I closed my eyes I just imagined Sonya staring at me, with her black, soulless eyes. It freaked me out to my core, made my blood run cold.

I snuck out of the dorm, making sure none of my bodyguards saw me. I needed air.

The sun was gone, how long had I been asleep for? Five hours, maybe. Tonight was a full moon, the starts around it twinkled beautifully. Sonya loved the night sky. She loved full moons.

I took a walk around all the dorms. The down I was staying in now was not near any of the others. It was completely alone. My mother wanted me to be safe but she put me in an isolated area with a liar. She's real smart.

I find myself in front of the white tent. Where Jody and I were rushed into to give our statements and report Sonya missing. I walk to the, door like, flap and stood in front of it.

Inside I can hear useless chatter, laid back voices, laughter.

Laughter.

My blood boils. I have half a mind to throw the flap to the side and storm in before I think it through and realize that would be stupid.

Bargain in and acting like I own the place, like I'm so much better than them, like I'm in charge.

Then I think about it, for just one second.

I do own this place.

I am better than them.

I am in charge.

Without a second thought, I swing the flap out of my way and burst into the tent with heaving rage. They're all sitting in foldable chairs, or in the grass, eating brownies and drinking coffee.

I laugh.

I actually burst into laughter.

Agent Amos looks up from his little group of buddies, his smile dropping. "What in the world—"

"Shut up," I say to him. The whole room is silent. "You think it's okay to slack and not look for missing people? Not try to catch a serial killer?" I ask. "You'd rather let them all die and eat your treats and drink your overly sugared coffee, wouldn't you?" Nobody answers.

"ANSWER ME!" I demand.

"Y-ye-" a short fat officer begins to answer.

"Shut up, Burner." Amos orders. Burner does.

"Who do you think you are barging into here and showing us how to do our own job."

I laugh.

"This is how you do your job." I laugh again looking around the room, turning in a full 360 to do so. "And who do I think I am? I know who I am. I am your next queen. Who do you think you are, not looking as hard as you can for my friend? Would you all like to be fired?" I ask.

They all slowly shake their heads in unison. This is working.

I am powerful.

The thought delights me.

"Spin in a circle," I demand, looking at my nails, checking for nothing at all.

They all stand up and spin. I laugh at myself.

I am powerful.

"Now, get back to work on finding my friend. I want to be informed on all new leads, everything you find. I want to see evidence, I want to see everything you find. If I don't, consider yourself fired, permanently."

They all nod in unison.

Before I leave, I take the rest of the brownies they have.

_____

I bring the brownies back to my dorm. I sneak in through a window and land in a foreign bed. I feel around to try to find my way out of the bed and the room I'm in, to get to my own, and feel something hard, like skin. Instantly, my hand jolts back, along with the rest of my body. A groan comes from the skin and then he sits up, the moon reflects onto his features lighting up his face, Hayden.

"What are you doing!?" I yell with a gasp, relieved it's not whatever I thought it was.

"What am I doing? I'm sleeping. What are you doing?" He asks raising an eye brow. "Couldn't sleep so now your cuddling with me? I'm honored, would you like more room, your majesty? Or do you have plenty?" He says with a huge grin, scooting over.

"Shut up," I mumble under my breath as I roll my eyes and make my way out of the bed.

I feel my way out of his room, which is actually really clean, and find the door. When I'm finally out of the room I make my way down the hallway to my room.

I'm exhausted but I probably won't sleep. Sonya's image is still engraved into my mind, alongside my swinging brother.

Just the thought makes me feel sick to my stomach.

J close my bedroom door behind me and turn on my light. There's no use in trying to sleep, it won't work. I won't sleep.

I sit in the wheely chair in front of my desk and drag myself closer to the desk with my feet. I open my journal and write about anything and everything.

When I'm don't writing, my hand is sore and my eyes are wet with tears. I had written about my brother and Sonya. I had written about what the wanted to do with their lives and how they deserved so much more than death. I wrote that if I could have gone back and made myself the victim, I would.

But nothing made me feel better. Nothing filled the hole in my chest, in my heart. Nothing would ever fill the missing peace of me that was in both my brother and my best friend.

I will never be the same again.

Ever.

When I finish drying the tears from my eyes and putting away my journal I look around, the feeling of missing something fresh in my senses.

Then I realize.

My brownies.

I get up and slowly make my way down to Hayden's room.

I need these brownies.

Word count: 1007
7-3-23
Have a grey forth of July guys, maybe I'll post tomorrow in celebration 🤭🫣
Ps: didn't revise this chapter ❤️