Sounds of Silence

Chapter 4

    A million halls later, we stopped in front of a door. She used her thumbprint to open it and ushered me inside.

    "Your room. Your sister has the room across the hall. Clothes are in the closet. Bathroom items are in the bathroom. Lunch is in thirty. You're expected to be there, but if you do decide to opt out, just call down to the kitchen and your meal will be brought up instead. Any questions, just call straight to my office. It's the top number on the sheet near the phone." She smiled again and briskly left the room to me.

    After I'd showered and detangled the mangled mess atop my head, I decided to check on Malia.

    I exited the room and went to the door across from me, knocking loudly.

    No answer.

    Maybe she was walking around. She always had been the explorer.

    So I turned around, thinking I'd just stay in the room for the remainder of the evening and have my food brought up instead of joining everyone for lunch. There was so much to think over.

    Putting my thumb on the scanner, I was disappointed when it flashed red and wouldn't open.

    I was locked out.

    Lunch sounded amazing and I could smell it even from where I stood, but I wasn't willing to face anyone right now.

    With no choice though, I chose to go in search of the kitchen. I'd get my food and get someone to help me back into my room.

    With a fuller stomach, I'd plan our escape. I had to return to my lands. I mean, with my parents dead, I had to take my place as ruler over those lands. Without being there, anybody could take over.

    And I knew a good lot of people who were ready and waiting for an opportunity such as this one.

    "You look absolutely lost."

    I halted and turned. A young man with blonde hair and blue eyes watched me, seemingly bored, from his door.

    Closing it, he approached me.

    "Well this isn't exactly my home so what do you expect?" I spat, annoyed.

    "Where are you even going?" He ignored my statement. "It's lunchtime so I'll assume you're looking for the dining area."

    "I was actually looking for the kitchen, but since you're here, you can let me back into my room."

    He scrunched his nose. "Sounds like a drag. Just come to lunch." He walked passed me, but I didn't move to follow. "Or stand there like an idiot. Everyone's at lunch so you'll be in this hall for a while."

    Sighing angrily, I followed him.

    "There she is."

    "Look."

    "She looks scary."

    "There's no way her and her sister are actually related."

    "Why is she here?"

    "Why didn't they kill her?"

    I tried not to pay attention to all of the voices around me as I ate, but they were hard to ignore. They were all talking about me and watching me. It was unnerving to say the least. I'd never been so uncomfortable.

    As long as I'd been alive, being the center of attention was something I'd been used to. As the daughter of the King and Queen, I was constantly watched and waited on. The only difference from here was that the attention was usually always positive. Except for the assassination attempts and hatred from people who wished my parents would've never gained control.

    Here, they whispered about me and I heard them. They hated me here. They wanted me dead. They didn't want me here. And I didn't want to be here. I wanted to go home.

    "Hey."

    I looked up, confused.

    A young girl, looking to be about my age, smiled and sat next to me. Her eyes were radiant green orbs.

    I looked around and sure enough, conversations had stopped. Eyes were on us. Her more specifically. Worried eyes. Shocked eyes. They were afraid for her.

    As they should be. I could kill her right now. But I didn't want to.

    "What do you want?" I'd tucked myself into a corner of the dining area in hopes that things like this wouldn't happen. I wasn't in anyone's way. I didn't even get a lot of food because I didn't want anyone to think that I was trying to take food away from anyone.

    "Just making conversation. If you're gonna be here, then I'd rather know who you are, y'know?" It seemed like a logical explanation. "Plus you're pretty hot." And there goes that.

    "Whatever. I'm not here to make friends nor am I here to destroy your stupid pack or whatever the hell this is. I just want to go home, but as you can see I am not being allowed. So I'm stuck here. I have no secrets. I have nothing to hide." It was true. I had nothing to hide. If anyone were to ask a question, I'd answer it truthfully as long as I thought it was a fair and justified question that I indeed wanted to answer. My only issue was I had no loyalty to anyone here except my sister and they needed to know nothing about me.

    "Then I'm sure we'll get along." She smiled. "Contrary to what you might assume, you're most likely here for a reason. The Queen does nothing without reason. She would have no qualms about letting you return home."

    Then why the hell were we still here?

    And Queen? I'd assumed I'd met their leader. The male from the forest must not have been who I assumed he was.

    Maybe I could use this girl as an advantage then since it seemed I really had no clue what was really going on here.

    "So what's your name?" I asked.

    "Zaiia." Although unusual, the name fit her. "My father is part of the Queen's guard."

    "As well as the King?" I was curious but did not dare directly ask the questions I wanted to. I had time. Just a little bit. "Or do they use different guards?"

    She chuckled. "There is no King at the current moment. The Queen rules alone."

    Oh did she? That was interesting. The way she said it was even interesting. As if there was a secret behind her words.

    "I'm surprised I have not yet met your Queen. I'd assume she'd want to meet me and question me herself." Maybe we were just different. I would want to meet her if the situation was reversed.

    "You'll meet her soon enough. She is currently away on business, but she'll be back before next wane. I give it four days." She took a sip of her drink and watched me.

    I opened my mouth to say something, but was interrupted as a man leaned down to Zaiia's ear, whispering something that I wasn't able to catch.

    Whatever it was though made her eyes darken and her lips tilt up into a smirk. I liked that look in her eye. It was dangerous.

    "We have a small problem at our west side. You'll obviously be here for a while. Do you want to come with me?"

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