Crossed Hearts | h.s

Fifteen

She walked down the long corridor, her steps heavy as if there were weights shackled to her ankles, yet she felt light; hollow and empty as if she were only a shell. Her mind was clouded with thoughts, gnawing away at her conscience like rats chiseling away at rope, wearing it down until the string was so thin that it would snap. It was all too much. The arranged marriage, her feelings for Harry, the pressure of saving Velora, and now a precognition of war.

"Geneva?"

She stopped, looking up at the owner of the voice that pulled her away from her thoughts. Through her blurry vision, she connected eyes with Emilia. A sob creeped up her throat and spilled out of her mouth. She was unable to control herself as tears multiplied and she fell into Emilia's arms, her shoulders shaking as she let out the tears that she had been holding in.

"What has happened?"

Geneva sniffled and tightened her embrace. "I'm frightened, Em," she whispered through her quivering lips.

"Of what, my dear?"

"The future."

❁ ❁ ❁

Harry knocked gently on the wooden door, waiting for a response. When moments passed in silence, he cleared his throat. "Your highness?"

The clicking of heels against the floor caused Harry to look over his shoulder. Queen Anna waved him off and pounded her fist on the door. "Geneva Victoria, you've been in there for three hours."

"I don't care," she called back from the comfort of her bed. She had locked herself in her chambers after her meltdown with Emilia and had fallen asleep, but her family was insistent on her showing her face in the palace.

"Unlock this door at once."

"Who are you to tell me what to do?" Geneva countered.

"Your mother."

Geneva laughed sarcastically. "Now you want to act like one," she mumbled.

"Queen Zabrina would like to see you."

"Tell her I'm distraught over my fiancé's health and wish to be left alone."

"They are leaving."

Geneva sat upright in her bed with furrowed brows. Without another word, she padded across the floor and unhooked the latch, opening the door to reveal her mother wearing a rather unpleasant look upon her face. "Leaving?"

"If you had been with the living, you would know this by now," she said, walking into Geneva's room without caring whether or not she wanted her to.

"Very funny, Mother." She peered into the hallway before closing the door to catch a glimpse of Harry, who leaned against the wall with his arms folded over his chest. At the sight of her, he straightened his posture and nodded curtly. The corners of her lips perked up only slightly and not for long before she closed the door, and turned around to face her mother. "Why are they leaving?"

"With Zander awake, Zabrina wants to take this opportunity to go back to Audrix. She says she doesn't want him to die here, if it should come to that."

"When are they to depart?"

"Tomorrow morning before the sun rises." Anna looked Geneva up and down, frowning at her gown. "Please do change, you look like an invalid."