Page 2 of Kingdom of Betrayal and Unknown (Kingdom of Bellhollow #1)

I hate how he simply states things and walks away like no one can object. Because we can’t, even though I have tried.

Clutching my hands against my chest, I take several deep breaths to calm myself. The way his face drained of any emotions, his eyes turning cold, is not something I want to experience again.

My shoulders relax as Prince Archie leaves my view. How am I going to get away from him? How am I ever going to get him to stop being interested in me?

Those are the questions that will keep me up at night as I try to figure them out. But I need to, or else my life is going to be hell.

The hairs on the back of my neck and arms stand on end as I feel someone else’s eyes on me.

But this isn’t just anyone’s eyes, it’s nothing like I’ve ever felt before.

This is different, and I can’t place why.

My skin heats up as the person looks on me, tingles shooting up and down my body. It is a visceral feeling.

Holding my breath, I look around, trying to find out who is staring… but there’s no on e obvious that I can see. Everyone has now moved on with their business, going on like the prince was never on the cobblestone road.

I walk down the street, looking inside the various shops for clothes, shoes, pots, fruit, and more as I try to keep my mind off the lunch that is now happening later.

What could he possibly want? I should have just stayed in the house and helped my mom.

But the prince could quite easily have come to my house and asked for me to come to lunch with him.

No. I couldn’t do that to my mother or father. The stress it would cause them wouldn’t be good. I don’t want them to worry about me or what’s going on outside of the house.

“Would you like to buy anything?” an older lady asks.

I shake my head. “I’m just looking. I love the colorful shoes you have,” I say, gushing over them.

They are absolutely stunning. The store owner has a wide range, from soft and light colors to deep and vibrant colors.

Some are heels with shiny gemstones and others are flats that are matte.

But as I look over to the left, I see some flats that have a couple gemstones sewn onto them, bringing more life to them.

“Would you like to try on a pair?” She holds up the soft blue flats in her hands.

Putting my hands up, I take a step back. “Maybe one day, but I don’t have any money to buy them today.”

Everything in me wants to race home and grab the money I have been saving up from selling clothes and spices at the market with my mother, but I can’t. That is emergency money.

Mother told me I could use it for whatever I want, but deep down I know I can’t. Not when we are barely surviving right now. I need to think about my family, not just me.

“If you would like, I can put them aside.” The lady smiles.

My stomach sinks, and I shake my head. “I don’t know when I will be able to buy them. I don’t want you to lose money if I can’t. But thank you for the offer.”

“Bless your heart,” she says as I walk away.

It takes everything in me not to turn around and look at them one last time. While my shoes were starting to fall apart, I have things at home that I could use to repair them and make them last longer.

I don’t need new shoes, but I want them.

As I walk closer to the grand mansion the Fae are building, the same feeling washes over me like someone is watching.

The hairs on my arms stand up as I turn my head left and right, trying to figure out who is focusing so much attention on me.

All the Fae are working, and the humans have their backs turned to me as they walk in the opposite direction.

Am I just paranoid after the meeting with the prince?

I shake the feeling off as I round the corner, making my way home.

It must just be me dreading the lunch with the prince.

But I can’t help but feel the pair of eyes on me again, and as I look around, I see no one looking in my direction.

A small tug pulls in my gut, almost like someone is pulling an invisible string, and an uneasy feeling settles inside of me.

“I have to go out again for lunch,” I gently say, turning to my mother.

Her eyebrows knit together. “You just came back. I need help getting things prepared for the market.”

I sigh. “The prince wants to have lunch with me.”

She drops the spoon she was holding in her hand, it clanks on the ground in front of her. “The pr-prince?”

Nodding, I bend down and pick up the spoon, putting it in the sink. “The prince wants to have lunch with me at one. I don’t know why he wants to. I’m a commoner.”

Her eyes dart to the small clock on the wall, and I know I need to leave soon. “He might want to court you or ask you to marry him. This isn’t the first time he has talked to you.”

My nose wrinkles. “I don’t want anything to do with him. I would rather live alone for the rest of my life.”

I want to throw up just thinking about marrying the prince. I don’t know any sane person who would want to marry Prince Archie.Everyone thinks he is a good person, but I can see just how vile he is. How entitled he is in everything he does.

“Shhh! You don’t say those things out loud. Anyone could be walking by, listening to what you said and report back to the prince.”

I close my mouth, my eyes going wide as I stare at my mother. I have completely forgotten that there are some people madly in love with the prince and who would do anything for him and his father.

How could I be so foolish?

“I’m sorry,” I whisper, looking toward the window, but no one is there.

I let out a breath and turn back to my mom. She is staring at me and shakes her head.

“I don’t want to have lunch with him, let alone marry him,” I quietly explain. “We won’t be good together. We are like oil and water, no way to mix and stay together. You and I both know that.”

My mother chuckles and shakes her head again. “Go now, or else you will be late. You don’t want that.”

A shiver races down my spine as I think of what he might do if I am late. He got serious and angry when I declined his offer for lunch, being late might be worse. I kiss my mother on the cheek before heading out, promising that I’ll be home soon to help prepare for market.

As I make my way toward the building the Fae are constructing, the hairs on my neck stand up again. My eyes scan the terrain around me, trying to find the person watching me but to no avail.

Everyone is staring at me as I walk toward the prince, but it isn’t their eyes. It is someone specific, it’s like they can see into my soul, my mind, and know what I am thinking.

Forcing a smile, I approach the prince.

“Prince Archie.” I bow in front of him.

“Rise,” is all he says again.

I can’t shake the feeling as I stand in front of Prince Archie.

It’s not his eyes that I feel on me. Once again, his gaze rakes up and down my body, stopping several times on my breasts.

My whole body feels dirty as he finally finishes and takes in my face, a wide smile plastered on his as we make eye contact.

“We’re going to a little spot in the forest where there is a clearing to have a picnic.” Prince Archie speaks as he starts to walk.

I nod, not really paying attention to him speaking, but eyeing the surroundings around us, trying to find the person watching me. I should be nervous, scared, but part of me isn’t. I feel comforted, like I’ve known them my whole life.

“The guards have already set up everything, so when we get there, we can sit and talk,” the prince continues as we made our way to the forest.

“Sounds delightful,” I lie, my voice void of any emotion, but the prince doesn’t seem to notice. It is anything but delightful. As my eyes scan to the right, I halt and let out a gasp.

Dark cobalt blue eyes are fixed on me.