Heartless | A Powerless Fanfiction Novella

Chapter 13: Kitt

I had to get away from them. From everything that crumpled around me, from everyone shouting my name and barking requests - I thought I got to give the orders. After a quick meeting with my father and my brother I'm finally free enough to slip away from them if only for a few moments and that might just have to be enough for now. The last place I should be is out in the open, but the princely care is long gone and I allow my heart to still its pace as I walk within the depths of the gardens.

The air is crisp, the world eerie silent and the moonlight is pale against the beautiful design of the land before me. It truly is a sanctuary for those whose crowns weigh too heavily on their brows. I've known my father to visit every so often and Kai himself spends more time out here than everyone: the willow tree rooting tall on the far side of the palace keeping him company as if it is a living lost soul - and that it is. As the gravel switches to grass beneath my feet and I veer off the path to avoid the Imperials lurking everywhere so I don't take notice of where I am heading. That is until I realise where I end up, and who exactly is standing only a few feet away from me.

Corrine has her back to me and with my body in the shadows of the trees I can't see her clearly except for her white dress painted in red undertones. My breath hitches in my throat - her dress was white. The memory of my eyes first landing on her figure only mere hours ago shadows my mind when I remember the pureness of the fabric so at odds with the paleness of her skin and ebony hair. White never did compliment her, but she somehow willed the colour itself to bow before her beauty. And now she has once again been forced to down yet another colour - this particular one however flames something inside of me akin to a worry bathed in anger and I don't welcome the feeling.

My steps are quick towards her and Corrine's stare fixated on the trees in front of her breaks to turn and face me with wide eyes, "Lowes, are you alright? What happened?"

She looks over her shoulder before answering, "I'm fine. I got caught up with the fight I-" Her eyes slip over me and find the place on my shirt I knew was stained in red from the cut I received in the explosion, "Kitt are you hurt?" Her tone is urgent, that mask I knew too well slipping for a moment.

Was I worthy enough to budge that cold steel of emotion from her and peer behind to the girl I wish to know?

"Corrine you're the one covered in blood and you worry about me? How much of that is yours?"

She ignores my question, and the next thing I know her hand is on my chest above the stain tracing it carefully but quickly. She is checking for the depth of the injury. But there is none to find. I raise my hand to hers and still it over my chest.

"Hey, hey, I'm fine now. The Healers got to me, I only lost a perfectly good shirt." I say with a smirk, but when I realise she still doesn't seem to accept the fact, I pull the fabric to the side.

Corrine's eyes fixate on the smooth skin I reveal, and her hand slowly drops from my chest taking its heat along with it. I didn't think I'd miss a touch, even if that was already proved wrong the moment her hand left mine as I cursed the dance rules we obeyed to.

She visibly relaxes before me, "Good. That's good."

"My blood is not dipped in gold, you know."

She attempts a scoff, but something in her seems to stop the sarcasm from surfacing this time, "It may as well be."

"Answer my question now, Lowes. That's what we're doing now aren't we? An answer for an answer?"

The first time she gave me her name, now she will lower her shield just enough for me to peek through.

"Kai healed me, I only have a couple of bruises." She looks to her leg where I spot a darker colour blooming when she lifts the bottom of her skirt, "Nothing I can't manage though." Her expression changes to a more serious one taking a step back, "You shouldn't have been there prince, why didn't you leave sooner? You might have even avoided that." She gives a pointed look to my shirt, and before I can respond she continues, "Loyalty to your people, your highness, is knowing when to stand down. Plagues even I know that and if a crown were to fall on my head it would dismantle itself before me in shame of who was bearing it."

"Your little trick was not appreciated," That Volt ability of hers seeping along my skin at the ball reminded me of our sparring incident.

"It was needed. I'm sure the Resistance could have done a lot more damage."

I don't miss her mouth clamping shut. 

The Resistance. Ordinaries. She knew?

My tone is calculated, "Lowes, what do you know of our intruders?"

The knowledge has been kept tight under lock and I can count the number of people who knew of this ploy against the crown. Better yet, I knew them. 

"They weren't using powers. Their moves were weak, the-"

"I want a full report."

I witness that barrier slamming shut before my eyes, "The Enforcer tasked me to debrief him first."

"And I'm the crown prince. What is the full report, Lowes? What do you know?"

"You will receive one from him. I have to go."

"Lowes!" I say after her, the warning in my voice following the disappearing figure heading back towards the palace without a glance back.

The scrap of trust I may have gained from her looks like it's just been used to believe that I will not remove her from the royal guard in seconds, or worse have her before the king to confess without a second thought. 

Corrine is hiding something, and for someone trained to lie for the crown she sure found away right through to stand against it without even voicing words. 

But what secrets can she hold onto so tightly as to risk her life?