Uncharted - A My Sweet Prince Novel (2)

Down the Hall

My high heels click in the night as I walk along the lonely street. I don't see a soul and it makes the usually cheery street seem creepy. I walk a little faster, clutching my purse to myself tightly. What a night. I had met a guy for a date and it had flopped so hard.

He turned out to be a jerk. And now I'm walking home in the middle of the night with two drinks in me. The air is chilly, and I forgot my jacket back at the restaurant. The restaurant I had snuck out of when my date wasn't looking. I wasn't a complete ass. I had asked the server to give him the bad news. He was a total jerk- just plain rude.

So, yes, I left in the middle of the date. I reach into my purse, debating calling Asaka. She would be asleep by now, but maybe I could wake her to come get me. That was a better alternative to walking eight more miles in my pumps. Lightning streaks across the sky and that makes my mind up. I stop walking to root around in my purse for my cell phone.

That's when I feel hands grab me. I open my mouth to scream, but my mouth is covered tightly. My eyes widen and my pulse quickens. This can't be happening.

I kick and trash, trying to free myself. My attacker is much bigger and stronger than me, and he drags me back into an alley, slamming me against a brick wall. The brick scrapes across my face, and hot tears course down my cheeks. I try to kick backwards at him, but he twists the both of us and we fall to the cold cement together. His body is heavy on my back and it knocks the wind out of me. I continue to put up a fight, but it doesn't seem to deter my attacker any.

Is this the end? Is this really where I die, lying in a cold, dark alley?

The man flips me over, straddling my hips and pinning my arms down. It takes a moment for my fear addled brain to recognize the face in front of me. My date.

Holy fuck.

He looks pissed.

I am so done for.

"No one ditches me," he snarls.

I twist and trash, trying to scream against his hand. He releases my wrists and I lash out, clawing and scratching, trying to hurt him in any way I can. He moves so one knee is on my chest, pinning me down and making it hard to breathe, and grabs my hands again. With his now free hand, he reaches down and undoes his belt.

And reality sets in.

I wake up with a strangled scream on my lips, drenched in sweat and tears, tangled in the sheets. I lie there, panting, staring up at my ceiling. My eyes sting and I know I've been crying in my sleep for some time.

A sudden knock on my door startles me and I sit up rapidly, my head spinning. I scrub at my face with the back of my hand. "Y-yes?" I call out.

"Miss Lina? It is Ivan. I simply wished to inform you that breakfast is ready whenever you are, my lady."

I climb from bed and almost go to the door, but stop, thinking better. I'm in clothes from the night before with a tear-stained face. "I'll be down in a minute," I call. "I'm not quite ready."

There is a pause. "Alright, Miss Lina. Please try not to get lost." I wait until I think he would be gone and creep to the door, opening it slowly. No one stands in the hallway and I sigh, closing the door again. Now to make myself look presentable.

I run to the attached bathroom and get myself cleaned up, ignoring my reflection. I wash my face and brush my teeth before digging through my things to pick out an outfit. I choose a flowery dress and flats. I dress quickly and whisk my hair up into a high pony to keep it off my neck. I glance at myself in the mirror and decide I look good enough and leave my room, pushing my nightmare from my mind. I close my eyes and think about the castle. If I take the hallway in front of me and then a left, I'll be at the library. From there I take the next right and that should take me to the stairs. I start walking that way, but barely make it to the library when someone falls into step beside me.

"Good morning."

I glance over and see Lambert walking with his hands behind his back. I nod my head in his direction. "Good morning to you as well." I force a small smile.

"You got to your room quite late," he notes. I frown and he continues. "My room is just down the hall from you," he clarifies. "I heard you and Chezem."

"Oh," I say. "I'm sorry. I hope we didn't wake you."

"I was still up, reading a book," he tells me, sliding me a sidelong glance.

So, if his room is just down the hall, does that mean he heard me last night? I have to imagine I was making a lot of noise, thrashing around and possibly screaming in my sleep. But, I reason, if I had been screaming, and he heard me, wouldn't he have come to check on me?

"Oh," I repeat.

We reach the stairs, and he holds his arm out to me. I take it respectfully, and we walk down the stairs together. "A young, pretty girl who is afraid of unexpected touch and stays up late and, presumably has nightmares if the noise coming from your room last night is anything to go by." I peek up at him and he smiles kindly. "One can guess at what must have happened, but it would be rude to question you about it and even more ill-mannered to jump to conclusions."

Great. So Lambert is trying to figure me out, Melchiorre just flirts with anything in a skirt, and Chezem makes my heart beat a little faster. We come to the dining room and Lambert pulls my chair out for me beside Asaka. She grins at me and he dips his head slightly before taking his own seat. Across from me sits Chezem, and we meet eyes across the way.

I look away first, turning to Asaka. "How'd you sleep?" I ask.

She smiles shyly. "Great," she says. "What about you? I know it was a little weird sleeping in such a huge room and expensive bed my first few nights."

"I slept alright," I lie. I can practically feel Lambert skewering me with his eyes at the other end of the table, but I choose to ignore him. "I imagine it will get easier."

"I thought we could go into town today," Asaka says conversationally, pushing food around her plate. "I would love to show you around."

I smile. "That would be great," I say.

"Asaka," Jun says, frowning. "We can't today. We have to meet with Father, and you know that's always an ordeal." He looks at me apologetically. "Perhaps Lambert or Alvah would take you?"

"I can't," Alvah says with a shrug. "I'm busy all day."

"And I am working on a speech," Lambert says simply.

"I would," Melchiorre says lavishly. "But I have a date."

"I'll take you."

The words are spoken so softly, I almost miss them. I look up at Chezem and blink. "Okay," I say. "That would be nice."

"See?" Jun asks. "Chezem will show her around today. Perhaps you two can spend more time together tomorrow." He leans over and kisses her cheek and I grin, resting my chin on my palm. I blink innocently at him and he clears his throat, looking away.

"After breakfast?" Chezem asks.

"Yeah. Sounds great." I stab at the food on my plate, thinking. What kind of day will I spend out and about in town with Chezem?