Apollo

Chapter Eighteen - PART ONE

A/N Hooray for updates – two in a week! :) Chapter Eighteen is something of an origin story and will have to stretch over two chapters. I hope you guys enjoy this peek into the deepest darkest chambers of Prince Javier's heart! As usual, vote, share, and let me know what you think about this chapter (all feedback, positive and constructive, are welcome), and see you next week! :D

SHE SUCKED IN A BREATH BEFORE RAISING HER FIST TO KNOCK ON THE door that would lead to Javier St James's study. There was a long pause before she received any kind of response. It had been a week since she had had Emmett visit for luncheon and a week since she had spoken to the younger prince, and though she was tempted to be annoyed with his standoffishness she found herself somewhat grateful that he might answer at all.

    She had come to win her bet – but more than that, she had come to touch the heart of a broken soul. He was not a bad person, only injured...she knew it. No brother of Alexander's could be rotten from the inside out.

    His father, on the other hand...

    She shook this thought out of her head. Her focus must be on Javier now. Perhaps she would be able to redirect him to a better path – one on which he had a future of stability and happiness. She knew that – even though he was prince – he had not drawn a particularly desirable fortune in the birth lottery; but neither had she, and she had found a way to be content...

    "Who is it?" the beast within grunted, his disinterest clear.

    "It is me, Emmeline," she called back. "I'd like to speak with you, please."

    "Well, I have no desire to speak with you." His words might have been hurtful to someone more egotistical, but she took no offence, instead breezing onward with her enquiry as if he had not said anything of the sort.

    "May I come in?"

    No reply. She waited for ten counts before asking again, doing her best to keep her voice light and pleasant.

    Finally seeing her persistence, the voice on the other side of the door finally relented, sounding quite tired. "...Only if you promise to leave quickly."

    "All right." She pushed the door open to see him, surprisingly, hunched over a book. "What are you reading, Prince Javier?" she asked, in an attempt to be amicable; but she should have known that amicability was not appreciated in the least in this room.

    He snapped the book shut and tossed it aside. "It's none of your business, and please just call me Javier. I despise the title. Now what do you want?"

    "To talk," she replied. "I only have one simple question, really. Why do you dislike me so much?"

    He scoffed. "I have no interest in discussing this with you."

    "Well, I have all the interest in the world—"

    "How many times do I have to tell this to people?—I don't care." He sounded irritated, a clear sign to Emmeline that he did indeed care. She had known it all along. He was human...he was only hurt.

    "Are you angry that I married your brother?" She was gentler now.

    He, however, did not soften. "No. I don't care who Alexander marries."

    "You do," she urged him. "I know you do."

    "I. Do. Not," he replied, his eyes cold and hard as he stared right through hers. "You know nothing about me, sister, but here is what I know about you. You are an overprivileged woman who grew up safe and loved. Your brother showed you happiness and freedom. You enjoy a wonderful relationship with your father and brother today...I, on the other hand, I have never known any of this. Safety, love, happiness, liberty – these are all luxuries to the likes of me. I have known hardships you have never even dreamed of. You have no right to stand here and lecture me—"