The Reluctant Queen

Chapter 25

A/N: Hello everyone! 

I hope you are all safe and taking care of yourselves!

Shout out to nobodyexpectsspanish and sadajohnson20023! Your messages really made my day :) 

Enjoy the chapter, everyone! 

Sophia's POV: 

The guard, for only a moment, looked like the beautiful boy that I had found in the dungeon. The curly blond hair and goofy smile replaced the stranger's and my heart skipped a beat. But the illusion was gone as soon as I blinked my eyes. His eyes flashed from the familiar chocolate brown to a foreign gray color. But it was Louis, I knew it was. I could sense it. Without even thinking my arms reached out to hug him but he stepped back, shaking his head. 

"Not here, Sophia. Someone could see us." I looked around and nodded. Of course. I had almost forgotten where we were. 

"You're right," I said as I gingerly wiped a few stray tears from my eyes. "I'm just so relieved. I was going to go back to you, but-but..." 

He clenched his jaw. "It's okay. I'm free, and now..." He looked confused.Conflicted. Everything that I felt. He got away, how on Earth did he get away? He grabbed my hand and this time I didn't pull away. "Do you still trust me?" 

I didn't hesitate in the slightest. "Of course." 

The corner of his mouth turned up, though he looked more sad than happy. "I'm going to get us out of here, for good. But it will only work if you go with what I say. Without question." 

I nodded in agreement but I felt nauseous. Scared. I didn't expect this opportunity to just land in my lap, and I couldn't understand why he would stay behind for me. If he had the chance to free himself from his cell, why would he put himself in danger and come upstairs to where Adrian and almost all of the palace guards were?

 And then, as he turned to walk down the hallway I practically dug my heals into the ground. "Wait, there is something we might need. Ellen gave me something to give to you. A jade bracelet."  

He spun around to look at me. If I didn't know any better,  I had just  dropped a bomb in his lap. "She gave you what?!" He ran his hand through his hair. "What the hell is wrong with her? What is she even playing at?" His eyes locked on mine again, clearly stressed out. "The bracelet, where is it?" 

I bit my lip, unsure if the help Ellen had given me was in fact helpful. "I hid it in Adrian's room. It's on the other side of the castle." 

He nodded sharply, his brow furrowed. "Alright. We get the bracelet and then we leave." 

Adrian's POV: 

The Lord droned on and on, and it took everything in Adrian not to walk away. The wedding would go down in history, her highness was as beautiful as the rumors said, no, make that even more so. Adrain didn't have much patience for him, or anyone else for that matter. They were all liars in his opinion. Just waiting until an opportunity opened up. He did not throw the party to listen to old, power hungry men and have them kiss at his feet. He threw the party to spend time with Sophia and celebrate with her. 

Just thinking about it, Adrian was frustrated. 

Her cold hatred for him was melting, he could see it in her eyes when they kissed the night before. She didn't really need much convincing now, in fact she seemed to accept  him. She may not have forgiven him for the blood bond, but she gave herself to him last night. He was the one to pull away, not her.

Except for tonight. Just as things were getting interesting, her nerves get the best of her and she runs off to the bathroom. 

He looked at the grand clock in the ballroom. It had been a bit since she left for the restroom, now that he was thinking about it. Perhaps she was powdering her nose? Or whatever women did in the bathroom that took so long. But then five minuets turned into half an hour, and Adrian's patience was turning into concern.