Crown Of Chaos

Chapter 17

"I can't believe it." Skye says as he jumps to his feet and faces me.
"I can't believe she has been alive after all these years. And he's only telling you this now?"
I force a smile. "Crazy right?"
Skye forces a laugh. "I don't think crazy is even a word to describe it."
"What Edward is forcing you to do is outrageous."
I sigh.
It has been 2 days since I last visited Edward and confirmed that I would carry out his ridiculous mission.
He hasn't said anything since. So here I was.
Enjoying my free time underneath a big oak tree at the back of the palace gardens, waiting for his next orders, which I pray don't come.
I turn my gaze to Skye, who was struggling to tie his straight shoulder-length hair into a ponytail.
"Get down here," I sigh.
Skye flashes me a smile before sitting in front of me and leaning his lower back against my crossed legs.
"Seriously, it's not that hard to put your hair into a ponytail." I grumbled as I combed my fingers through his hair, preparing it to be pulled into a lower ponytail.
"I guess I'm still learning." Skye replies.
I roll my eyes. "There," I finish.
Skye mumbles a small thanks as he shuffles backwards to lean his back against the old tree beside me.
"How are you feeling?" He asks softly as he turns his head toward me. His hazel eyes traced my features, trying to catch a glimpse of a facial expression.
I close my eyes and listen to the birds chirp for a moment. Trying to sort out my emotions.
"Troubled. Confused and agitated." I say.
Skye nods his head and purses his lips.
"Troubled. Confused and agitated." He repeats.
He then suddenly gets up. His hands skimming on his brown trousers.
"I know what you need." He grins as he extends his hand towards me.
"Get up, we're going out."
I cross my arms in front of my chest. "No way, I am not in the "let's go out and about mood." Right now."
Skye laughs and pulls me up anyway.
"Oh, come on. I know the perfect place to make you feel better."
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"The place that would make me feel better" Skye was ranting about was a run-down bar in the middle of town.
"This is the place?" I question as I raise an eyebrow at him.
Skye laughs nervously before grabbing my shoulders and guiding me in.
"It's better inside. Trust." He rambles as kicks open the door with his foot.
As soon as I step inside, the smell of alcohol hits me in the face like a baseball.
The place reeks of it.
Skye steps in front of me and grabs my hand.
"This way." He yells as he leads me to who knows where. After weaving and accidentally tripping over people's feet, we finally manage to make it over to the drinking bench.
Skye sits on a stool and gestures for me to sit next to him.
After waiting for 5 whole minutes. A waitress finally sashays over to us with a pen and small notepad in her hand.
"What can I get for ya?" She slurs as she bats her big eyelashes at Skye.
I roll my eyes.
"Two beers for me and the lady." Skye answers as he pulls out four silvers from his pockets and tosses them onto the bench.
"Coming right up, honey." The waitress says as she bites her lip and scribbles down the order.
I scoff and decide to look around the room to occupy myself rather than watch this lady's flirting skills.
Honestly, she sucked.
The bar was quite big. They were drunk people everywhere. On a small stage towards the back was a live band who were filling our ears with rock music. The band was run by Satyrs and goblins, and to be honest, their music was trash. People carried on dancing to it anyways, despite how terrible it sounded.
I turned my gaze from the band and observed the people instead. Some people were gambling their lives away; some were making out in the middle of the floor. I quickly tore my eyes away from them, disgusted.
Geez. How could you enjoy a place like this?
"Here's your order." The waitress said seductively as she placed the beers on the bench before us.
"Thanks." I say I take it into my hand and give it a sniff.
I almost gag at the smell of it.
Skye bursts into laughter. "Have you never drank before?" He asks as he pulls the cup to his lips and takes a swig.
I shake my head. "Nope, this is my first time." I replied; I literally had to yell my response because it was so loud in here.
"Try it." Skye insisted.
I look at the drink and grimace. It smelled horrible.
As if reading my thoughts, Skye shook his head.
"Ignore the smell and just drink it, trust me."
I sigh and raise the drink to my lips.
"Yolo." I say through gritted teeth before gulping down the entire thing.
"Yo, yo, yo, slow down, man." Skye chuckled as she grabbed the drink from my hands and patted my back.
I coughed as I tried to compose myself.
That tasted... better than I thought it would have?
"Get me another one of those." I croaked as I rubbed my burning chest.
Skye grinned. "It's good, aye?"
I simply ignored him. I refuse to give him the satisfaction of "I told you so."
"Oh, come on, you know I was right about the drink!" Skye taunted as he gently pushed my arm, making me sway a little on the stool.
"Oh, piss off." I grumble before muttering a small thanks to the waitress who served me another drink.
Skye only grinned at me before he watched me down another drink.
And then I gulped down another.
And before I knew it, I had gulped 4 drinks before I was asking for more.
"Ok, El, seriously, I think that's enough now." Skye pleads as he snatches my fifth drink out of my hand.
Unbothered to argue with him. I plaster a foolish grin on my face and hop off the stool.
I liked this drink.
It made me feel happy. Relaxed.
"Let's go dance." I slur as I stagger to the dance floor, bumping into people who cursed rudely at me.
"El wait!" I hear Skye yell, but his voice drowns out as I get closer to the stage.
After finding a spot, I close my eyes and sway my hips to the rhythm of the music. My hands finding their way to my hair tie and pulling out my ponytail, causing my red hair to fall against my back freely.
I sigh and smile stupidly as I run my fingers through my tangles.
I have never felt so free. So unbothered with life.
Suddenly, I feel a hand press against my lower back. It curves around my waist, and it's not long before the man has me pulled roughly against his body.
"Hello dear, you look lovely tonight." The man whispered, his mouth so close to my ear that he sent shivers down my spine.
"Would you like to accompany me upstairs tonight?"
I may be drunk. But I am not that drunk to misunderstand what this man is trying to say.
With one swift movement, I have the man's arm gripped right in my hands, twisting it off me in a painful and awkward way.
"No thanks." I replied as I pushed the man backwards. Causing him to fall slightly against a table behind him.
"Why you little-"
I guess fighting while being drunk isn't what I am specifically good at because when his fist comes flying at my face, I fail to dodge it.
I fall to the ground at the impact, shocked that the man dared to lay a finger on me.
The man all but grins wickedly as I raise my hand to my nose, which was pouring out blood.
I laugh bitterly and stagger to my feet. "Is that all you got?" I taunt. Daring him to hit me again.
"It's not all." The man says as he steps closer to me. So close that I could smell the breath of alcohol on his breath.
"But it's enough."
I then do the most classiest thing I could think of.
I spit at his face.
The man's eyes widen in anger, and just as I prepare to defend myself from another blow, the man is yanked back and punched to the ground by...
I squint my eyes. Skye?
"El!" He yells as he pulls me towards him and trails his eyes over my face and body.
"Shoot your bleeding!" He gasps as he cups my face in his hands and inspects my nose.
I stare into his eyes as he does so.
Brown. Green and gold.
They looked so pretty. Warm like.
"I like your eyes." I blurt out.
Skye raises his eyebrows in surprise but quickly drops them.
"We need to get out of here." He says as he grabs my hands and leads me out the front door.