The Reluctant Queen

Chapter 23

A/N: Happy New Year guys!!

And wow! 3,000 reads? You all are amazing!

Enjoy!

Sophia's POV:

Adrian left in a huff, and I felt a little bit of relief. Space was better than having a full on argument with him about how little I want to marry him.

I looked at my hand again, the one that the old woman had cut in the blood bond. There was no scar, nothing to show what happened. In fact, from what I could tell I was basically the same. I half expected to feel power or, I don't know, something. However there was nothing. No magic, no advantage given to me from the blood bond. And that alone freaked me out, because if I wasn't human anymore, what was I?

The only difference that I noticed was how healthy I felt. Besides the body aches that Adrian assured me would go away, I looked and felt pretty amazing. My skin was softer, my hair longer and shiny. But a nice hair day wasn't going to help me get away from Adrian before the wedding.

I sighed, putting my face in my hands. But feeling well wasn't all that had changed. I felt him, too. I could feel his annoyance, his concern. It brushed over me with every blink of his eye. Everything that I lacked in power I felt in connection to him. And it terrified me.

What on earth did that blood bond do to me?

I wasn't sure why I was still trying to figure this out. It was over, wasn't it? Well maybe not. I couldn't change what Adrian did to me, but I could still try to leave. I still had Ellen's "plan".

............

"I want you to seduce him. Make Adrian think that you are going along with the wedding."

I scoffed at her. "That is a ridiculous idea, and you know it."

She rolled her eyes. "All he wants is your love, you idiot. If you make him trust you, everything will be set into place. You won't be watched like a hawk and he will give you the freedom you need to release Louis and escape. I'm surprised I even have to say all of this to you, it should have been obvious."

I scowled. She was so condescending I almost wanted to laugh. "I didn't want to give up myself to be free. It's not worth it."

She smirked. "Do you hate him? Despise him beyond belief?" I shook my head. No, I didn't hate him, in fact I couldn't even say that I disliked him anymore. It was more of a fear than anything else. A fear that I would lose myself to him completely. This entire relationship was clouded in lies and I simply wanted to be free."Then what is the issue? I'm not saying you have to give your body and soul to him, all you have to do is be agreeable. Let him shower you with gifts, greet him with a smile. Make him believe you are falling in love with him."

She didn't understand why that was in fact what was so frightening. Adrian wasn't easy to read. And my heart was swaying, no matter how much I denied it. At this point it was taking everything in me not to just give into him and accept my fate. And here she was, telling me to tease his feelings.

I clenched my jaw. This wasn't a plan, not in the slightest. It was just reckless advice that I didn't really need. "Okay, so say that I release Louis, what then? How do I escape? Where is the plan in all of this?"

She gave a smile. "That's where this comes in." She reached under sleeve and showed me a bangle, thin and beautiful and made of jade. However beautiful it was, I didn't see the connection to what we were talking about.

"Jewelry will help me?"

She shook her head. "Humans really are foolish and dense when it comes to magic, aren't they? This bangle is enchanted and more valuable than half this castle. It's a family heirloom, but if you find Louis it will be the ticket to getting you free."