Royal On The Run (unedited)

Chapter Six

Naomi

Having someone who you thought was your friend but turns out they're your enemy, hurts. It hurts like shattered glass cutting you from within. That part in you that was capable of trust was slowly crumbling to ash. It really hurt.

Curtis was staring at me like I had been a desert delivered to him on a silver platter. Perhaps I was, I'd fallen right where he could snatch me. I was easy picking. Deacon was in much the same position, though he did try placing me behind his back, protecting me as a brother should. Or like a Prince would protect their Queen.

Curtis cast a glance to Deacon as if in apology. "Sorry for this, your highness. You'll be dead just after her, so don't worry you won't have to live without your sister for long."

I saw Deacon's lip curl in response. That didn't make me feel better. Curtis wanted me dead but he also wanted Deac dead. Deacon was innocent. He should be King instead of my being Queen. The world would be much better off in that case. They deserved someone who knew how to be a leader and not one who insisted on rebelling against her parents.

Remembering hearing Sebastian's voice, I closed her eyes and began to pray that his voice hadn't just been a figment of her imagination, tried willing it into existence. It had to have been real, but if it had, would Curtis still want to kill us? Wouldn't he have run off hearing the voice of his fellow guard? Or did he think his fellow guard was in on his horrible secret? His damned betrayal of the crown.

Sebastian couldn't be on Curtis' side, wouldn't be on his side. He had to be on ours. He swore to protect me in any case, he promised, he promised it on more than one occasion! He wouldn't break a promise, not to me and not a promise he made to the King and Queen.

"Sebastian." I whimpered into Deacon's back. His muscles flexed under my face, he was gearing up for a potential fight. "I hope he's here. I heard him."

Deacon didn't spare a glance over his shoulder at me, refused to take his eyes off of Curtis who now pulled out a medieval sword, aiming it at their hearts. Normally I was all about the swords the guards used, but having it turned on me and Deacon wasn't a great feeling.

"Did you hear him?" I pressed. Putting a gentle yet shaking hand on his shoulder, he tended as if wanting to throw it off but didn't want to make any sudden movements to stir up Curtis's frenzy. "Please tell me you heard him too."

"I did." He whispered back followed by a shush. Deacon was doing everything he could to remain calm, though I felt him shake slightly, even swaying a bit on his feet. I pushed back slightly to keep him steady.

The message he radiated was clear. No more talking, he was thinking of how to get us out of the trouble we'd found ourselves in.

For a second time during one of my rebellious activities, I wished I'd had just stayed in my room with my books, actually doing the work my parents believed I was doing from the start. Before, it had caused the injury of Sebastian's head concussion. Now, it was about to cause the death of me and her brother. There was nothing I could do for my parents, the spark that told me they still lived was dimming. It was barely an ember now. Seeing Curtis now made it feel real, until I saw him, it hadn't really registered. My body was still in shock, not fully realizing what had happened, had actually happened. It seemed like a hazy dream after taking a hit off one of the weirdos pot shit.

Deacon had never been one to fight, not that Naomi had seen anyways. Perhaps he'd fought more than I knew, maybe he had taken up their fathers offer to join the royal military. It wouldn't surprise me if he had , Deacon was loyal to the crown and to the rules, it'd make sense. If he had joined, I'd be so damn proud of him, more than I already was.