A Princess and A Zombie (A Z-O-M-B-I-E-S and Descendants AU)

Ch. 31

Once the live steam had ended, Zed raced out of his house.

He had to find Eliza.

People greeted him left and right as he ran through Zombie Town. His eyes scanned zombie after zombie. Zed's breath was ragged as he continued his sprint through the streets of Zombie Town, his eyes darting left and right in search of Eliza.

The usual lively chatter and hustle of the community surrounded him, but Zed was oblivious to it all. His mind was focused on finding Eliza, on sharing with her the revelation that had just unfolded before his eyes.

"Eliza! Eliza!" he shouted, his voice echoing through the narrow alleyways. The urgency in his tone caught the attention of several zombies, who paused in their activities to watch him pass.

Finally, after several more turns and a few hurried inquiries to passersby, Zed spotted Eliza with Bonzo. They were leaving a cafe, conversing in zombie. He skidded to a halt before them, panting heavily.

"Eliza!" he gasped out, trying to catch his breath.

Eliza looked up, her eyebrows knitting together in concern as she took in Zed's disheveled appearance. "Zed? What's wrong? Why are you running like a madman?"

Zed shook his head, trying to form coherent words. "Ari... she... livestream..." he panted out, his breath still uneven.

Eliza's concern deepened, and she set her work aside, standing to face Zed fully. "Zed, calm down. Take a deep breath and start from the beginning. What happened?"

Zed took her advice, inhaling deeply before exhaling slowly. "Ari," he began again, his voice steadier now, "She's the princess!"

If it was possible for Eliza's skin to pale, it did.

"Psh," She waved a hand at him, "My best friend? A princess? Come on Zed." The nervousness was evident in her voice.

"You knew!" The accusation in his voice was evident.

"I-" She looked down, "I'm sorry Zed. I couldn't tell you, I couldn't tell anyone."

Zed felt a mix of emotions washing over him - betrayal, confusion, but most of all, a deep sense of hurt. "Why, Eliza? Why couldn't you tell me? I thought we told each other everything."

Eliza looked up, her eyes filled with remorse. "I wanted to, Zed, I really did. But it wasn't my secret to tell and I couldn't risk Ari's safety."

"What do you mean?"

"Don't you remember the news reports? She was abducted three times before she came to Seabrook."

Zed's eyes widened as he recalled the news stories that had been all over the media after the royal wedding.

The princess had indeed been kidnapped multiple times, and each incident had caused a nationwide uproar. It had been a dark time, filled with fear and uncertainty.

"I remember," Zed murmured, the realization hitting him. "But I never made the connection."

"No one was supposed to make the connection," Eliza admitted. "I only found out because it was taking a toll on her."

"What do you mean?"

"Do you think it was easy for her to lie to us?" Eliza asked softly, her voice laden with empathy. "She was terrified that her past would catch up to her, that he would come after her again. She didn't want to put any of us in danger, especially not you, Zed."

Zed felt a lump forming in his throat as he processed Eliza's words. The thought of Ari being in such distress and not being able to share it with him hurt deeply. "She was protecting us," he realized aloud.