The Prince or the Crown

chapter twenty

“Ms. Adere? What are you doing sprawled out on the couch?” Marko asked. “And why are you still wearing your clothes from yesterday?”

My head snapped up, panic jolting down my spine as I glanced at the clock on the wall. 

6:25 in the morning.

I whipped my head around to the alarm clock sitting near my bedside. The once bright white numbers had been replaced with a blank screen. The batteries must have died. 

“No,” I whispered, walking over and picking up the alarm clock. “No, no, no, no, no…” 

“Ms. Adere, you only overslept half an hour. Calm down. I will ask the maids to bring back a few new batteries later today. Do you know if it is double or triple A?”

I must have fallen asleep. And without the alarm I had set to wake me up at midnight, I’d completely ditched Kavek. 

I closed my eyes, trying to control my breathing. It’s okay. I can just escape with him tonight. What’s another day going to do?

“Today, there is yet another ball, except this time, it is with a great number of Thorne family residents. Which means lots of old people. It will start at eight and be held in the old palace ballroom, since-”

There was a knock. 

“That must be the maids,” Marko said, opening the door.

For a second, I saw the blonde curls and thought it was Kavek. But then my eyes landed on his cat-like grin and eyes glittering with malice. 

Azmir.

“Oh, hello, your grace, what an honor it is to meet you,” Marko said with a bow. 

“Hey, there! It is nice to meet you, too. Now, if you don’t mind, could you let me have a few moments alone with my possible princess?” Azmir asked. 

“Of course,” Marko said, smiling. “You can ask the prince what you’re doing today, Ms. Adere. I’ll come by later to dress you.”

“Okay, bye now,” Azmir said, leading him out of the room and shutting the door behind him. 

“Azmir,” I said cheerfully. “What are you doing here so early?”

“I wanted to talk to you,” Azmir said, turning around. His charming grin vanished, the storms rising to the surface as he stalked closer to me. 

“Alright. What’s up?” I asked with a forced grin.

“I wanted to talk about my brother,” he said. 

I laughed. “Right. He totally ruined our moment yesterday.”

“I don’t take kindly to others touching what’s mine.”

My expression faltered. “W-what?”

“Whatever lies Prince Kavek is feeding you, don’t believe them” Azmir said, his face inches from mine. The prince charming act was gone. All that was left was cool, calculated control. “He is a dangerous man.”

“I- I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Don’t play coy with me, Bella. Someone heard you through the door.” His eyes drifted to the bag sitting near my vanity. “Planning on going somewhere? With Prince Kavek?”

I opened my mouth to speak but no words came out. I quickly closed it.

“I can tell you’re afraid of me, but I am not your enemy. I only wish to protect you. The White Roses is a terrorist organization bent on taking revenge for something I said and they misunderstood,” Azmir explained. “Joining or discussing joining a group like that could be classified as treason. Which could result in death or life imprisonment.”