Impeccable (Zayn Malik AU)

xxv. Vows

♡ Odette's POV ♡

Zayn had been acting strange lately.

Like last night, when Zayn had been on the computer looking at something and I had asked him what he was looking at, he got defensive and immediately turned it off after closing out of the window.

That same night, when I had offered to take some of his dirty clothes to the wash, he had practically had a heart attack as I was about to pull the handle to open his closet.

And now this morning, he seemed particularly fidgety as I asked him if we could spend time together, to which he answered a swift no. Apparently, like always, he had something he had to attend to in town. I had practically begged him to just let a servant go run errands so we could spend time together, but he insisted this errand was of the utmost importance.

I understood he had some important things to attend to, but still. This was getting a bit ridiculous.

I fumbled with my fingers as I waited outside his study door, the muffled sound of voices barking back and forth to each other inside echoing outside. Zayn was talking to someone important, though he always was. It was always someone: a general, a soldier, an Elite, a family member, anyone but me.

But this was it. Now I was putting my foot down and talking to him, even if it disregarded royal protocol or whatever.

I let out a choked laugh at the thought. Here I was, telling myself that I was going to be brash and storm into the king's study and demand to speak to him...at least when he was finished speaking with the important person. No matter what pep talk I gave myself, my hand would shake and move away from the door handle, my cursed manners telling myself that I should just wait until he was finished.

My hands couldn't stop moving, now fiddling and twisting the anchor ring on my finger. When I would try to stop, my fingers would move to my sweater sleeves, pulling and bunching up the knitted fabric. I was a hopeless case.

I would wait until he was finished talking to the important person, I decided. The person surely had to be important, Zayn had been talking to them for a long time. I had probably waited her for twenty minutes already, refusing to move.

I could only wait so long, but I would wait an eternity if I had to.

Sighing in exasperation, I bit my lip and turned to make sure no servants were wandering the halls before pressing my ear against the wooden door. I didn't mean to be nosy, but if Zayn and the person were truly having an important lengthy conversation, I could always come back.

I couldn't hear much, but I could make out some words. I could definitely hear Zayn's voice, but the other one was harder to make out. It was a girl's voice.

"You're sure she won't find out, your Majesty?" the girl spoke. Who find out about what?

"Positive. I've hidden all the evidence perfectly. She won't suspect a thing." I could hear Zayn speak confidently. My curiosity was peaked, who wasn't supposed to suspect a thing?

"I dunno...I don't want to lie to her about this whole thing. What if Ms. Carlton asks about what we're up to? What am I supposed to say?" The girl spoke again, and I swear I was leaning into the door so much I thought it was about to break off its hinges.

"Say what you think she would want to hear. Just say you're cleaning or something, then come meet me in my quarters. Odette won't think anything of it."

What? What was going on? Why would this girl meet Zayn in his room? She most definitely didn't sound like Ivy, the only logical person who would be in his room with him other than me.