Cloaked Beauty

Chapter Thirty Four

So in this chapter there is some good and some bad. I don't know which part will overrule the other.

I really love the cliffhanger at the end of this, and I want you to tell me what you think about it. Two to three chapters left!

One weeks of school left!

325 votes for an upload by Tuesday!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Chapter Thirty Four – Celeste

---------------------------------------

Usually, the castle gossip the next couple of days would have been about how I had rejected Drake's proposal, but today was not the usual day.

The press and the castle were in an uproar. Something had happened last night, something fatal that had castle residents not leaving their rooms without at least three guards. Something that had the wedding guest threatening to leave the country if something wasn't done about the situation.

This something was the murder of Penelope Field North, the Princess of Toren.

People barely noticed as I walked through the hallways, heading towards Derek's room. But he wasn't there.

Police hovered around and inside the room, jotting down notes and scanning the area.

“Ma’am,” someone said from behind me. I whipped around to face an officer, “This part of the castle is off limits,” the officer said, pointing to a length of tape that said, “Crime Scene Do Not Enter”.

“Oh, I'm sorry,” I said, backing up. 'Where did Prince Derek go since he can't stay here?'

“Who wants to know?” the officer asked. I narrowed my eyes.

“Prince Derek's guardian knight perhaps,” I snarled. “If the Radeskian traitor has already murdered someone, I don't think it would do us any good to leave the prince unprotected.” The officer gulped.

“Ah, I'm sorry, I didn't know. Last I saw him, he was headed toward the stables. Sorry again.”

Nodding a thanks and a goodbye, I started down the hallway and the next flight of stairs.

For some reason, I felt no remorse about Penelope's death, yet I felt terrible about the fact that I didn't. I know she had died, but I hadn't known her too well, and what I did know of her did not help at all. I could only imagine the grief that her parents must be going through. A knot formed in my stomach. I felt horrible all over again.

The horse stables were oddly silent, since many of the knights were searching for the killer.

I found Derek sitting in the stall beside Shadow.

“Derek?” He didn't answer.

When I walked closer, I realized he was sleeping. His eyes were shut, his chest rising up and down softly. Reaching out a hand, I shook his shoulder.

“Derek?” His eyes sprang open.

“Celeste?” he asked. I nodded, and took a seat beside him.

“Are you okay?” Derek nodded and ran a hand through his hair.

“Yeah, guess I fell asleep here by accident. I stayed up the whole night. I was afraid I'd have nightmares about-”

Derek stopped, slightly choking on his words.