Killing Softly ✞ (gxg)

6 | resist

Holden's grip on her arm was becoming more and more unbearable by the second.

"I wish you'd fucking let go of me," Lily grumbled as the curly-haired guard who was a head taller than her led her up the spiral staircase of gold on a journey back to her bedroom.

"I wish you wouldn't have caused me such second-hand embarrassment up there," he spoke back, keeping his eyes focused ahead.

She looked up at him with wide eyes. "How?" She nearly tripped on a stair because of her failure to pay attention to her steps, but of course Holden's grip balanced her. She returned to her offended speaking, "I defied the Queen in such a way that she sent me away. I'm quite proud of myself, actually."

"I don't mean embarrassment for you—for the Queen." Lily scrunched her eyebrows and waited for him to explain. He cast his first glance to her since they'd left the dining hall but quickly looked away as if what he was about to say was not allowed. He lowered his tone to a whisper as he continued, "The Queen's power of persuasion has never failed on a human before." He quickly looked behind them to make sure no one was around to hear him whisper about the Majesty.

"So?" Lily mumbled as they reached the top floor and began walking towards her designated room. She wondered if Jasmine or Peter's rooms were on her floor, as well.

Holden simply laughed, showing his slightly crooked fangs. "You're simply digging your grave, is all."

Lily looked at him for a moment, wishing to counter back at him, but she felt cornered by the truth in his words. She had acted so foolishly at the dinner table, completely disregarding her need to stay quiet to increase her chances of escaping with Jasmine. She swallowed the anxiety that had begun crawling up her throat and instead replied, "You talk a lot for a guard, y'know."

Holden chuckled again, keeping his eyes straight ahead, a few of his black curls bouncing across his brow. "You somehow pull words out of me. I've never met a human like you."

The blonde could feel her cheeks tint at his words. She glanced down to his hand that was still on her arm, and suddenly she began to feel very uncomfortable. Holden had been unusually talkative to her and not as ruthless as she expected the Queen's personal guard to be, besides his spunky sarcasm that was a little rough sometimes. She quickly looked away and became silent, hoping that if he was feeling something for her that he would keep it to himself and leave her alone.

"Don't flatter yourself," he suddenly spoke, his instincts picking up on her discomfort. "I prefer male company solely." He finally glanced over to her with a knowing smile. "I am simply being friendly."

Lily looked at him for a moment before she registered his words and broke into a small smile of relief. "Good, I thought you were being pervy for a moment there." She chuckled along with him, feeling a sense of comfort in laughing with someone after being solitary for so many days. She watched their feet click against the wood floor as they walked. "So that means the Queen's personal guard is my friend?"

Holden chewed his lip as they arrived to the double doors of her room. "I cannot be your friend," he said while letting go of her arm and turning to stand in front of her. "Because when it came down to it, I would be the one ordered to kill you if something went wrong, either by the Queen's command or my own self-defense."

Her smile faded and was replaced with a serious expression. She nodded slowly, genuinely understanding what he meant.

"I sense a sort of ingenuity in you that I don't find in most humans," he began, then casting a slightly dismayed glance at her clothes that were beginning to stink. "Although your obstinacy, especially when it comes to your choice of clothing, is quite revolting."