The Realm Of The Abyss

Chapter 26: Ceremony

Quinn’s POV.

I hurried into my room as soon as I returned to the palace. I changed my clothes and waited for one of their rooms’ doors to open. They had just left their rooms when I decided to leave as well. King Alfredo summoned us to the table for breakfast.

Alvaro and I took the same chair. Electricity started to run through my veins when our skin touched. I retained my breath, realizing we were holding each other’s hands. We were in close proximity, and I’d never felt more awkward in his presence. Prince Alvaro makes me nervous for some reason whenever he is around.

I averted my gaze and stepped back, as did he. I rubbed my neck while pretending to cough.

“Sit here, Princess Emerald,” the princes said as they motioned for the empty seat next to them. 

Alfaro was there as well. He woke up early today, which was surprising for me. I looked back and forth between the two. They were staring at each other, their eyes piercing to the bone. I bit my lower lip when I noticed they were starting again. Before the tension grew between them, I was the one who decided to break it.

Instead of sitting with any of them, I took the other chair. There were many empty seats because the table in front of us was quite long. The seats of King Alfredo and Queen Adelana were at either end of the table, and the seats of the two princes were across from mine, though they were three seats apart.

The maids brought each dish to the table before we started eating. We all kept our mouths shut. I wanted to say something to break the uncomfortable silence, but I was at a loss for words, so I just kept mum.

I sneaked a peek at Alvaro while I was eating.The thought of what would happen later wouldn’t leave my mind. How am I supposed to watch it? I turned my head away as soon as his intense gaze locked on me.

“Philip’s side has so far been quiet. I’m not certain if his silence means he’s given up… or that he’s planning something even worse,” the king said, drawing our attention to him. “However, I have secured Araya and Borza’s safety, so we don’t need to worry.”

I glanced over at the queen, who had been quiet at the table and had barely touched the food on her plate. Nothing was as sharp as her glare at Alvaro, as if she was mentally cursing the prince.

I don’t want to get involved in any disputes between him and his mother, but I’m curious as to why the queen despises him so much.

Why is she so opposed to Alvaro being their family’s heir to the throne?

After lunch, each of us decided to rest to prepare for the ceremony. I took a stroll throughout the entire palace because I was bored in my room. My pupils constricted when I spotted Alvaro outside.

I was about to run away when he noticed me. He came over to me, as if he had been waiting for me there all along. My embarrassing confession to him flashed through my mind.

“Would you mind lending me a second? I’d like to give you something,” he said, bringing himself to a halt in front of me and taking something out of his pocket.

“What are you–”

My words were cut short when he pulled out a tiny box and inched closer to me. I was stopped in my tracks. I became immobile, and I couldn’t open my mouth to say anything. My heart began to beat. The throbbing was strange.

He took a gleaming gold bracelet from the box. I was taken aback, especially when he reached for my hand and placed the expensive jewelry around my wrist. 

“W-Wait,” I paused, followed by a series of sighs. “What is this for, Prince Alvaro? Why are you giving this to me?”

I was perplexed as to why I had received such a costly gift from him. It wasn’t my birthday. There wasn’t an occasion, so I wondered why.