Starlight's Heir - ✔️

Chapter 34 - Gamble

Squinting my eyes against the sun perched at its highest peak in the sky, I made my way from Chelsea's apartment back to Central Park. Reluctance and anxiety kept my pace slow. As fierce as my desire to continue to get to know my mother was, my cowardice had almost kept me from leaving.

Yes, it seemed great. A life with a loving mother. A life as a princess with a staff to wait on me, a life of luxury and comfort. All I had ever dreamed of and more, but it was all a gamble. That happiness hinged on the one thing I never gave easily: trust. If I gave my trust, only to have it spit back in my face, I'd lose that dream, and there would be nothing left for me.

My friendship with Chelsea, however, was a constant. There was no gamble, nothing to be given up, no reason to be afraid. Her loyalty had long since proven her trustworthy, but losing that friendship would be the cost of a life with my mother. That risk had been what I weighed that morning when I had woken up, a risk weighed too heavy.

And yet, here I was, walking away from my only friend despite my inner strife because Chelsea had weighed my happiness over her own. Her words had motivated me beyond my fear.

"Hey, Evie, are you okay?"

Shaking my head, I wrenched my stare away from the ever-interesting yellow wall to look at Chelsea. "I'm fine. What made you ask?"

Stepping over to where I sat cross-legged on the sofa, Chelsea continued to pat her damp hair dry with a fluffy, white towel. "I thought you had a plane to catch, and well..." She gestured to my disheveled pajamas and furrowed eyebrows. "You're kinda sittin' there all crazy-like staring at the wall. Not that I'm trying to get rid of you, babe, but I gotta get to the Shit Shack."

Laughing at Chelsea's nickname for our place of work -- well, no longer mine since I had been fired -- a grin lit up my face, but quickly faded as my mind drifted back to my earlier thoughts. "I don't think I want to leave, Chelsea. I know how much I've always wanted this, but I don't want to lose you... You know, maybe we should run away and elope -- no more Shit Shack, no more problems, no more nothing."

"As appealing as that sounds," Chelsea laughed, "I think I might miss Connor."

With an indignant gasp, I slapped my hand over my heart in false hurt. "Now dare I say, what does Connor have that I don't?"

Tapping her index finger on her pursed lips, Chelsea appeared to think that over for a moment. "Ah, let's see now... Well for starters, a penis."

I burst out laughing at the unexpected comment that was just so... Chelsea. Several minutes later we were both rolling around on the ground gasping for breath.

"Really, though, Evelyn. You won't lose me just because you're going to live with your mother for a while. I know you said she lives in Oregon, and yeah, sure, that's across an entire country so we won't get to see each other, but you're always going to be my best friend. Nothing in the world can change that fact. Even when you decide you're sick of me and want to get rid of me, sorry hun, no refunds or exchanges, you're stuck with me."

"You know I'd never want to get rid of you."

"I know, hun. Now go and get dressed or you're gonna be late for your plane, and I'm gonna be late for work."

I sighed as I reached the Glade Arch where Elelas was supposed to meet me. Of all the things I loved about Chelsea, her humor and ability to make me laugh no matter my mood would be the thing I missed the most.

Elelas stepped out of the shadows beneath the arch, startling me from my reverie. "Ready to return, Princess?"

Nodding, I took his proffered hand and we stepped out of the human realm to the front door of my mother's estate.

Elelas was silent as he escorted me to my room, only speaking as we reached my door. "Her Grace, Aurora, is busy in a meeting but wishes to see you afterward. Should you require anything between now and then, call for Nydea and she will ensure your needs are met." With a pleasant smile, he dipped his head and turned to leave.

As I opened my door, I remembered Zev and how I still had yet to apologize for snapping at him. "Elelas?"

"Yes, Princess?" He turned back, fixing his unsettling topaz eyes on me.

"Do you know where Zev is? I need to talk with him."

Elelas nodded once. "He's with the other Demon Hunters. There's been talk of a possible attack, so they've been on constant patrol to keep our realm safe."

"Oh. Well, do you know when he'll be back?"

"I'm sorry, Princess, I don't. As is the nature of being a Demon Hunter, he's often gone for long periods of time. In fact, I've scarcely seen him three times in the last five years. If, however, I do happen upon the chance of seeing him, is there a message you would like me to deliver?"

Five years. How long would it be until I saw him again? It had been stupid of me to have been so angry and unforgiving, and now, for the first time in my life, I was ready to apologize -- fully, sincerely, and honestly -- and I had lost my chance.

"No." I plastered a smile onto my leaden face. "I just wanted to talk."

Evelyn is finally learning to trust and forgive, but is it too late? Have you ever been in a situation where you realized too late that you should apologize or forgive someone? How did you handle it?

Thanks again for reading! Have a great weekend!