Just Call Her Syndre

Chapter 14 | A Princely Duel

The next morning, I sat across from Sasha eating a light breakfast - trying my best to keep it together. Neatly folded, the note from the night before gave me a sharp prick in the side when I turned. Sasha's hawk eyes were watching me, trying to get sense for the foggy mood I was obviously sinking into.

"Are you sure your alright?" Her voice broke through my revere. 

I smiled, "yes. Perfectly well. Why wouldn't I be?"

Her lips pitched together. "Just last night you were blathering on about how Madame isn't going to let you marry the Crowned Prince. And this morning? Nothing! Not even a peep! And you've barely touched your strawberry fruiteen."

A sigh left me. I couldn't argue with her. The strawberry pie infused with blueberries, blackberries and honey, topped with a large helping of heavy whipped cream and cinnamon was my favorite. And the Elliot's chef, Trini, had made it specially for me. 

"I can't eat, Sasha." I complained, trying to divert the conversation to a lighter topic. "Then I wouldn't fit in my dress for tonight!" 

Siobhan's tinkering laugh broke through the room. Orion joined her, grabbing her hand in his to place a kiss on her palm. I watched the interaction with a sick heart. If all went well at the end of the week, I may never see them again. 

Escaping to a far land without permission was not only frowned upon, but punishable by many years in prison and then transportation back to your home country where you stood the chance of execution. I only hoped that all the work I dedicated myself to the last few weeks would pay off and I could finally be free. I sipped the warm coffee and leaned back into my chair. 

"Miss Marcelus?" I turned towards a soft voice to my right.

"Yes?"

Abbie, a maid, was standing next to me with a folded piece of paper in her hand. I frowned at her, but took it graciously and thanked her. She scurried back to the kitchen, disappearing behind one of the swinging doors. 

"What's that?" Sasha's green gaze greedily stared at the note clasped between my fingers.

Immediately, I recognized it, but before I could sputter a response, she ripped the note from between my fingers and eagerly unfolded it. The secretive smile that crossed her lips and blushed her cheekbones in red froze, then slowly sunk into an angry scowl. Emerald chips of fury glanced back up to meet my own and she slammed the note down on the dining table.

"As if!" She snarled, "he can't stop the Crowned Prince from dancing with you and he sure as hell isn't going to stand in the way!"

A nervous chuckle seeped between my lips as she stared at me. I pushed my hands together under the table lip and tried to meet her gaze. Her eyes narrowed and she tipped her blonde head to the side, making the curls bouncing against her cheeks.

"When did you get this?"

"Uhhh..."

"Get what, Sash?" Siobhan questioned, her pale hand stretched across the table to grasp the note from Sasha's outstretched palm.

I waited, half afraid and half ashamed, while she read the note. Her eyebrows pulled downward as her eyes skimmed the words scrawled across the page. She extended the note to Orion, whose eyes lit ablaze in anger. My body tensed, waiting for the words he was struggling to vocalize.

Ambling over to the side table, Orion poured himself a tumbler full of dark liquor. It clung to the sides of the glass as he gently swung it back and forth. 'Airing' it, was what he once called it when I asked before. His lips thinned as he thought, deliberately not making eye contact with any one of us.