RIPPLE

{Thirty} End Chapter

        The ballroom was a wreck.

      While thankfully nothing broke out in flame, everything looked like a complete disaster. Melody fell asleep on the stage with the bassist, a glass spilling over in her hand, her shirt flung high up on the chandelier. Glimmer was in a food coma, her face and dress covered in cake. Tate and Celeste were cuddling on top of the tables.

        Alexandra was the only one at breakfast that morning. Her eyes are red and heavy with tears. It's strange not seeing the table set up; absent of her husband, Waverly and the servants this early in the morning. Upon seeing me, however, she quickly dries her tears and mumbles something about allergies.

        "What are you allergic to?" I frown.

       She sniffles. She looks beautiful, even though she's a complete mess. "Life," Alexandra tries to smile but can't. "Mikhail is gone, Nerissa. He deserted his duty." She glares out the windows of the meal hall. "He stole money from our safe, and fled while everyone was still sleeping. I found a note on his bed this morning." A small piece of parchment is sitting beside her untouched breakfast place. "Lucien is still at large. Their world . . . it isn't safe."

        "I think Mikhail left to find his own bride," I say innocently, trying not to give away that I know too much. "Maybe the idea of marrying Margo freaked him out."

        "All he had to do was tell me," Alexandra says sadly. "We would have left him pick his bride if that meant staying here in the palace." She rises from her chair. "It's not safe out there for someone like him, and we have to find him before Lucien does."

       Everyone was devastated that Mikhail was gone, most of all his mother and Tate.

       Lachlan was numb. He sat on the edge of the bed, and stares angrily st the floor for a good ten minutes, his fists clenching and unclenching. I wanted to let him seethe in silence, knowing already what this meant for him and I.

        If Mikhail didn't return, Lachlan would have to become King, and that was the attention he didn't want.

        We didn't want to let the news get out of Mikhail running away, but most of the palace guards were made to leave to look for him. Everything felt like it was on pause. Everyone had problems eating, sleeping, talking . . . Fights always erupted at the dinner table, and most of the palace was up when the moon was at it's highest.

        Alexandra made training continue, now including Lachlan and I. She believed it made her stronger. But in reality, the yoga eased the pain in her mind and kept her from going completely mad. Alexandra wasn't doing well; she was mumbling to herself a lot about death, talking to invisible people as though they were her husband, Waverly and Mikhail.

       Lachlan must replace her soon.

       With every training session, I could feel my bones growing stronger with the need to fight. Despite my doubt's of Luke, he was true to his word and the story that he was near death when the Royals saved him. Everyone treats Luke with close caution ever since what happened with Waverly and Lucien; almost as though they're scared of him.

        But I'm not, and neither is Lachlan.

       Lachlan isn't scared of anything these days; except the possibility of becoming King, and losing me. Darcy has been around lately and that scares him. She glares at the ring on my finger.

      I stay in training far longer than Lachlan and Tate. Their mother has been put on bed rest, and given medication to help her sleep. I stay up to train long after Luke has retired to bed, when muscles are throbbing and my head hurts from the bright lights.