Page 19 of The Lies of Lena (The Otacian Chronicles #1)

Chapter Eighteen

H is eyes widened at the sight of me, as did mine.

What the hell is Quill doing next to the Queen? Who was he? A spy? A servant?

No, he wasn’t a servant. Quill wore an all-black suit with golden decals. It was even more fine than the clothes he usually wore. His normally tousled black hair was styled back neatly, save for a curl against his forehead. I glanced atop his head and noticed something I couldn’t believe didn’t catch my attention immediately.

A…crown.

I felt faint. Utterly confused. The Queen’s eyes widened, and she glanced at Quill, who clenched his jaw.

“This girl was caught sneaking along the western side of the castle—” Torrin began .

“Torrin, please take the rest of the guard and leave us with the girl.”

A guard to our left frowned. “But Your Majesty—”

“I am not afraid of this little girl. Do not question me. Go,” she ordered with an icy coldness.

Torrin just lightly squeezed my arm before he stepped away. The sound of footsteps retreating was the only noise until the door loudly clicked shut. Then, it was just the Queen, Quill, and me. I couldn’t control my trembling. I still couldn’t fathom my punishment, let alone what I was witnessing in front of me.

“Well, Lena, how wonderful to see you again,” the Queen said with a smile and in a tone that seemed genuine. “Silas has told me much about you.”

I froze, my eyes shooting to Quill. His eyes remained widened, and his breathing staggered. The Queen looked at him and noticed his reaction, her smile fading. “Have…have you not told her yet?”

His eyes darted to hers for a moment, a face of guilt overtaking him before his eyes met mine again.

“I…I don’t understand…” I breathed.

But I did. I couldn’t understand why, not in the slightest. But I understood the simple fact.

It was not Quill Callon I had fallen in love with. It was Silas La’Rune, the Prince of Otacia.

The room began to spin, and I felt faint. I considered one day telling Quill about who I was— what I was. Gods, the mistake I could have made …

The Queen’s lips pressed into a thin line. “Take her to your room. Then, after you two talk, sneak her back out the way she came. I’ll make sure the guards aren’t over there.”

He nodded, then went to walk to me. I stepped back, and he halted in place.

“Lena, I—”

“No!” I yelled, tears burning in my eyes. “I’m not going anywhere with you.”

His lip trembled, color staining his cheeks. “Please, just let me explain—” he pleaded.

It broke my heart to see him like this. But I was too angry, too shocked to react any other way.

“You had your time to explain.” I shot my glare to the Queen. “Your Majesty, if there are no charges, I wish to be escorted out of the palace to my home.”

“Lena…” Silas begged, walking closer. I stepped back again and gazed into those golden eyes. I knew he was hurt, and I knew he didn’t wish to hurt me.

Or did I? I had known nothing about him. He didn’t want me to know he was the Prince—who he really was. But why? Even Queen Ryia seemed surprised he hadn’t told me.

I didn’t want him to explain or to hear him out. Quill wasn’t real. The fact that I was so close to telling him the secret about myself made me sick—that secret, to the son of the leader who hated my people more than most—nearly damning my mother and myself.

I’m such a stupid fool.

The Queen looked at me with what appeared like disappointment. The Prince was kept from the kingdom; anyone lucky enough to be in his presence, I’m sure, would be kissing his feet. And then there was me, once again being impolite.

I didn’t care. I needed to be anywhere but here.

“Very well.” The Queen stood up, and I stiffened. She sauntered over to me, her deep blue, long-sleeved gown gliding against the marble floor. “I will walk you to one of the guards. Silas, you can go get ready for your training.”

I glanced over at him.

Training. No wonder he was so skilled. The Prince’s regimen was said to be rigorous. It hadn’t made sense that a normal teenager training to be a guard would be as polished as he was.

He looked at me sorrowfully and mouthed, “I’m sorry.”

My lip trembled as I looked away.

I will not cry.

I followed the Queen out of the large double doors before it slammed shut behind us.

“He’s in love with you, I hope you know,” the Queen said quietly as we descended the stairs. I looked over at her momentarily before staring at my feet.

“I’m in love with him, too,” I whispered. “Which is why I can’t see him anymore.”

“Why ever not?”

“Why? He is the Prince. And I am…me.” My tears fell, and I quickly wiped them. I was surprised at how comfortable I felt speaking with her. But Ryia always put out an energy that felt…genuine. “It could never work, and you know that too.”

We walked a step further, and guards appeared .

“You would be surprised how people will make things work for the one they love…despite it all,” she said solemnly. I glanced at her again, and the look in her eyes made me wonder if she somehow related to our situation. I opened my mouth to respond, but the Queen walked forward, getting the attention of a nearby guard.

Torrin.

“Please, escort this citizen back to the Outer Ring.”

Torrin led me out of the front gates down to the steps that went from the Center to the Outer Ring. It wasn’t past curfew yet, but he escorted me anyway. Most of the walk home was a blur, so many thoughts bouncing around my head that I felt like I was in a fever dream of some sort. Nothing made sense, yet everything did.

“I consider Silas my friend,” Torrin said quietly as we arrived outside my cottage. My eyes shot to him.

“He told you about me?”

He shook his head. “No, but I caught him sneaking out of the castle once. I was shocked no one else seemed to see him.” He ran a hand through his white-blond hair, laying messily across his forehead, the rest of the length just below his jaw. “I decided to follow him, and that’s when I saw—”

My eyes bulged. “You didn’t see us—”

“Nothing inappropriate!” He blushed and shook his head. “I saw you two in that park of yours. Laying together, eating treats. Then it made sense why the last few months he’s seemed so…happy.” Torrin crossed his arms. “I never mentioned it to him or anyone. But I recognized you right away. It appears he has told the Queen of you, though.”

I didn’t know what to say, so I just nodded.

“It’s dangerous for him to sneak out like this.”

“For him or me?”

“The Queen may be on your side, but the King is another story.” He leaned close, gripped my arm, and whispered into my ear, “I know what you are, Lena Daelyra.”

My whole body went numb, and his grip on my arm tightened. “Keep your curtains drawn when you are practicing magic. You never know who is peering through.” He pulled away, staring intently into my eyes. “I am like you.”

I couldn’t respond. I couldn’t breathe.

He knows. An Otacian guard knows I am a Mage.

“I will be in touch,” Torrin said before he departed, and when I opened the door to my home, Mother ran to me crying.

“Lena! Dear Gods, where have you been? I thought something had happened to you! That note—” she cried, pulling me close. That’s all it took for me to break down and weep into her arms. She pulled away, concerned.

“What happened to you?” she demanded, holding my face.

And so, I told her everything.