Page 49 of Kingdom of Betrayal and Unknown (Kingdom of Bellhollow #1)

T wo days have passed since I last saw Kieran and since Prince Archie’s visit, and it’s put me on edge. I can’t help but wonder if he has someone watching me now. I need to be even more careful when walking into the forest for anything, not just meeting up with Kieran.

“I’m going to get more ice from the stream,” I inform Mother. “I won’t be long. Unless the prince stops me on the way.”

And everything inside of me wishes that he isn’t out in town today.

He’s not the one I want to see. I don’t like going this long without seeing Kieran, which is wild to think about.

A couple of months ago I was seeing him maybe once a month and the past week I’ve been seeing him almost every single day.

I want more of that.

I want to talk freely to Kieran. To be able to hug him whenever I want and behave like true mates.

But I can’t until the curse is broken and the prince, king, and witch are dead. I have no clue when that will be but I can’t wait for the day.

“You should marry him,” Mother says as I touch the door handle.

“Sorry?” I ask, turning around to look at her.

“You should marry him. You never know when another guy will come and ask for your hand.” She briefly looks at me.

“I would rather die alone than marry the prince,” I state and walk out of the house, without giving her time to reply to me.

Mother knows I want nothing to do with the prince, yet she just said I should marry him. Is she all right? Did the prince come by and say something to her the other day when he was looking for me?

I quickly grab the bucket by the front door and make my way through the town, looking at my surroundings as I get closer to the forest. Skylar is standing outside her workplace, talking to a customer, not paying me any mind. My shoulders relax as I step into the forest, feeling home once again.

It’s funny how the house I grew up in doesn’t feel like a home. But the forest does with the trees surrounding me and the birds singing. Maybe it’s because the universe always knew I was going to end up with Kieran and the forest is his home.

Heading toward Kieran’s and my spot, I look around at the branches bent with the weight of the snow. I can’t wait for spring. To see the different colors blooming on the flora and fauna and the animals running and grazing.

“Soon,” I mutter to myself.

Soon it is going to be spring and before I know it summer will come and then we’ll be right back to winter.

A vicious cycle and I wish there was some way for the witch or Fae to make it one season all the time.

I wouldn’t mind it being winter with snow, but I would need better clothes which I’m not getting right now.

“What are you doing in the forest?” Skylar asks.

I whirl around, my eyes wide. I didn’t hear her follow me. She was working at her booth, talking to a customer, and didn’t even look my way.

“Well?” she asks, cocking her hip to the side.

“You know I like to go out to get some fresh air, and the forest is calm and quiet,” I explain. “I go to the forest almost every single day. You know that. The whole town knows it.”

She nods and takes a step closer.

“I’m also going to get ice so it can melt over the next couple of hours inside. We are washing more cloth,” I hold up the bucket. “You know I do this every winter. It’s not a surprise so why are you acting like it is?”

Skylar is acting so strangely, she has been the past couple of times I’ve seen her. Has something gone on that I don’t know about, or is she jealous that I’m who the prince wants? She can have him.

“I know, but you just seem to be going to the forest a lot more recently. Are you secretly meeting up with someone behind the prince’s back?” She raises an eyebrow.

I thought I’d been doing a good job at covering my tracks. I thought Kieran had the Fae keeping watch for anyone coming. Wouldn’t they have heard her following me?

“No.” I fake offense, my mouth dropping open. “There is no one else. Why would you think that?”

She shrugs. “I don’t know. Maybe because there is no other reason for why you want to go into the forest so much. Unless you are meeting with a Fae and getting some action.” She wiggles her eyebrows.

“Skylar!” I scold her. “I’m not. You know no one in the town has caught my eye. I’m better off by myself.”

“So why the forest?” She folds her arms over her chest.

“Are you really asking me this?” I look at her like she’s grown two heads. “We’ve known each other our whole lives, and you know I love being out in nature. You know every chance I get, I’m out here, walking and enjoying nature. What is going on with you?”

Skylar raises her hands in the air and takes a step back. “I just wanted to see if you were hiding anything. You’ve been really distant lately. I’m worried about you.”

“My father died a week ago. Of course I’m a little distant.

I have a lot going on,” I explain. “The prince said he was going to take care of food for us, but he hasn’t done anything.

I can’t rely on him. I have a lot of things to figure out.

Mother is going to have the baby any day now, and I’ll have to pick up the slack for her and my father. ”

“Adel—”

“No.” I hold my hand up, stopping her. “You don’t get to judge me right now. I’m going through a lot. Things aren’t going to look the same as they were. I won’t be able to tell you everything because my life is so busy and I forget things. I can’t promise things will go back to how they were.”

“I’m sorry,” she whispers.

I feel guilty, but I’m not going to apologize for it. Skylar has been different lately, and I don’t like it. She is skeptical of where I am and what is going on in my life. She hasn’t been this way before.

“Has the prince put you up to this?” I ask, placing the bucket on the ground. “Has he asked you to keep tabs on me?”

She looks at me sheepishly. “He did ask if I could just watch over you. I really wasn’t doing it, but then I saw you walking into the forest again. I just wanted to see if you were hiding anything.”

“Well, I’m not,” I reply. “I am just trying to survive right now, and it means that I’m busier.”

“I really am sorry, Adeline,” she says sincerely.

“Just don’t do it?” I suggest. “When did you start getting closer to the prince?”

I know she had met up with him several times, but I didn’t think they were that close. The last time all three of us were together, she kept back-talking and suggesting things.

“We aren’t close.” She looks away from me. “We have just hung out a couple of times. We’ve talked about the town and our mutual hatred for the Fae.”

I flinch. I don’t know what the Fae did to her or the prince.

“So you are getting closer to him and will be getting married to him instead of me?” Hope fills my body.

“No, he has his eyes set on you. There is nothing I can do about that, sorry.” She looks at me apologetically. “I have tried, but he really has his eyes set on you. I don’t know why. No offense, but you don’t want him, which shows. I do, and it’s like I’m invisible to him as an option.”

“Maybe it’s because you want it so much. I wonder if I change to wanting it badly, he’ll change his mind and go for someone else,” I mutter to myself at the end.

Skylar chuckles and shakes her head. “I don’t think that’s it, but whatever helps you sleep at night. I’ve got to head back to work, I’ll talk to you later.”

“Bye,” I shout after her and pick up my bucket.

I shake my head and carry on my journey. I was not expecting her to follow me and accuse me. She isn’t wrong with her theory, but she can’t know about Kieran.

“This is such a big mess,” I whisper to myself as I stop in front of the stream.

There aren’t any blocks of ice on the side of the bank this time. My eyebrows furrow as I search the area, trying to see if I missed them.

“He got called away for something and hasn’t been able to come here recently. I was just about to do it, thinking you would be coming in the next couple of days.” Elias walks from behind the tree.

“He isn’t here?” I ask.

No.

I need to see Kieran and let him know what is happening. How I won’t be able to see him as much since several people are becoming suspicious about my behavior.

“No, he isn’t. Why do you ask?” Elias takes several steps closer to me.

“I need to see him.” My words come out desperate, but I don’t care. “I need to see him now. I need to warn him.”

“Warn him about what?” Elias searches my face.

I shake my head. “I have to know he’s is okay.”

What if something has happened to him? What if Skylar and the prince knew about Kieran this whole time and were seeing if I was going to lie.

“I need to see him. Right. Now,” I demand.

Panic starts to form in my stomach as Elias stares at me. Frantically, I look around the forest, making sure no one is watching us. What if they are hiding behind the bushes right now?

“What’s going on?” Elias asks. “What has you all worked up?”

“They might be watching.” My voice is very high pitched. “I need to see him. Please.”

I grab the bucket and start walking in a random direction, hoping to find Kieran. He has to be somewhere in the forest, I can feel it in my bones.

“High Lady,” Elias calls after me.

“Shhh!” I forcefully say, turning to look at him.

My heart is racing as I search the forest, making sure no one is near.

What does Elias think he is doing? Does he want us to get caught?

“They could be anywhere. I’m not going crazy, I promise, but they are here somewhere.

They are listening. We need to be careful. ”

His eyebrows pinch together. “No one is in the forest. We have people stationed to make sure no one disturbs you with Kieran or anyone else. We make sure you are safe.”

I shake my head. That can’t be possible. Skylar knew I was meeting up with someone.

“I still need to talk with Kieran,” I tell Elias before I start to walk again.

“Sweets.” Kieran runs up to me and cups my face. “What’s wrong, Sweets? I felt your panic and got here as soon as I could.”

“They have been watching me,” I whisper, tears pooling in my eyes. “They are getting suspicious.”