Glass Slippers

Chapter 8

Sang's POV:

As I follow Mr. Toma down the hall, with Owen and Sean in tow, I can't help but feel a nagging sense of familiarity towards the serious man and his companion. And then it hits me. He's Owen Blackbourne, another member of the royal court, and a man I had the pleasure of having lunch with just the other week, along with Dr. Sean Green, another prestigious member of the royal staff. I blush as I think of what they must think of me now after chasing me through this maze of a building while I'm wearing someone else's clothes, looking absolutely atrocious after falling from that tree. Oh, how the tables have turned! They once looked at me with respect, and now I'm nothing more than dirt on their shoes, at least on Mr. Blackbourne's.

I guess Mr. Blackbourne doesn't like criminals much, if that's what you would even call me. Part of me hopes they haven't linked the sang they saw now with the version they met last week. Mr. Blackbourne's cold stare pops into my head as I feel his gaze piercing my back. I sense Dr. Green looking at me curiously as well. I continue to walk up the hall, hyper-aware of their presence behind me. It's like the other man has completely disappeared, and all that matters are them.

I turn to face them, unable to take the tension anymore. Mr. Blackbourne manages to stop himself just in time before he runs into me, but Dr. Green isn't as lucky and collides with Mr. Blackbourne.

"Ow, why did you...?" he starts to say, but I cut him off.

"I know you," I state, looking at Mr. Blackbourne.

"Of course you do, everyone knows who we are," Mr. Blackbourne replies nonchalantly.

"No," I say, trying to put strength into my tone, which isn't much as my voice comes out as more than a whisper. "We had lunch the other day..."

"At the Taylors Inn," Dr. Green finishes my sentence, his eyes widening.

"So, you're Sang Sorenson?" Mr. Blackbourne says sceptically. "How do we know you aren't lying?"

"My gosh, Owen! Just look at her. She's clearly the same Sang we met. How could that cute little face ever lie?" Dr. Green exclaims.

Mr. Blackbourne's face remains stone cold as he contemplates the situation. I expect him to turn around and banish me to the dungeons, but to my surprise, he does quite the opposite.

"Well, in that case, I'm quite sorry for my rude behaviour, Ms. Sorenson. I promise it shan't happen again," he says, his expression showing some remorse. However, his apology doesn't sit right with me, and something tells me he won't take kindly to me questioning his motives.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, but what just happened?" Mr Toma asks, as I was about to accept Mr. Blackbourne's apology. His face shows no emotion as he questions our interaction.

"Well, it would appear that the adorable criminal the boys captured is the same pumpkin we had lunch with last week," Dr. Green clarifies.

"The one whose basket was stolen?" Mr Toma questions.

"Yep," Dr. Green replies, popping the 'P'.

I'm surprised that they had heard of our encounter. I thought court men went out for lunches often, but I didn't think it would be something they would bother sharing with anyone.

As Mr. Blackbourne walks past me and starts walking up the hall again, I feel the air shift. He has an aura of annoyance and impatience cloaking him.

His strides are long and purposeful, pure perfection, just like the rest of him. The other two men notice his departure as well and start following him. Dr. Green pokes me in the arm when he sees that I'm not moving.