Royal Obligations

Chapter 44: Bone Shattering Relief

I sat alone in the dark for what felt like hours. All of a sudden the lights fill the hallways and storms of footsteps rain all over the palace.

Just when I thought I had answered most of my questions I only gained more. I couldn't think of any situation where that strange man could have protected me or someone who possibly cared about me that knew him. The Mercenaries had failed today. Well, not entirely.

I look over at Shannon's lifeless body and struggle to keep in a sob. All I wanted to do was cry right now. To wither away. The truth was, I was scared. For the first time in a long time, I felt true fear for my own life. I wanted to live. Before, when this selection started, I honestly didn't care if I survived or not.

Octavia had orders to kidnap Shannon and I'm assuming that that was the reason Shannon was even with her in the first place. Shannon never hung out with Octavia voluntarily, so Octavia must have made up some crap about being just as lost as Shannon was. That also makes sense to how they kidnapped King Everette so easily. An imposture guard must have led him to The Mercenaries.

"Miss!" A deep voice calls out and I switch my attention over toward the two guards running over to me. They quickly notice the bodies of Octavia and Shannon. One guard rushed over toward the two of them and called them in through his own communicator while the other helped me to my feet.

"What happened, Lady Cordelia?"

"Shannon was shot by Octavia," Then I remembered what the man had said about Octavia then being shot in the head. There was no proof that the man who strangled me had shot her so I had to go along with his lie. I had a feeling he planned it that way for a reason.

"She shot Shannon and I felt threatened.. And I, um, I shot her." I say in a shaky voice, this one not being fake.

"It's alright, Lady Cordelia. Come with me. I will bring you to your room."

I only nod as the guard helps to assist me. I wasn't sure what was happening to me but all I know is that this was exactly the reason I became Cordelia in the first place. I didn't want to care for any of these people because people will always die. The ones you care for will always end up dead in the end. It's just a race to see who dies first and the loser has to live with that feeling of pain and loss for the remainder of their lives. Old or not.

The last time I saw Elise, she was bleeding out on my bedroom floor.

"I don't want to go to my room." I suddenly say. "There is a girl in there-"

"Yes, we know." The guard says sadly and I feel my heart stop. "But we have removed her from your room and she is now at the hospital wing."

"You mean.. Elise is alive?" I ask hopefully.

The guard seems to be struggling with himself for a moment before he answers. I almost lose hope again when I realize this man probably knows Elise. He also probably didn't expect me to care. "Yes. Elise is alive." He finally says and I let out a long breath. Maybe I even laughed a little. I wasn't really paying attention.

****

The guard was told to bring me to another room with the rest of the selected and royals. Well, what was left of the selected.

I entered the room and I am caught by surprise when Hero wraps her arms around me. "I'm so glad you're alright, Cordelia. I heard what happened to the other girls..." She trails off.

"I need to talk to you. It's about The Mercenaries." I whisper in her ear and she instantly tenses.

Hero pulls back and flashes me a smile. "Later."