Surely Forest didn’t force her to suppress her magic at the palace? No one did that unless they were held in the prisons below.
Forest and my parents didn’t even suppressmymagic. I supposed they knew they had me the way they wanted, so they didn’t see the need.
I almost turned around and fled the scene. She was having a private moment. No need for me to intrude. I understood the feeling more than anyone. I risked a lot for the both of us by just standing here.
Taking two steps back, my boot scuffed on the pristine marble floor. The offending loud squeak jolted Gray to snap her focus on me. Her eyes reminded me of a frightened animal just before she narrowed them into slits as she scrutinized me.
I cleared my throat, pulling my arms behind my back and twisting my fingers together. “Hi.”
A combination of emotions flitted across her face, each more distinct than the next, even deep in the shadows of this abandoned hallway. Recognition rolled into fear after she squinted her eyes, followed by shock, then replaced by awe and then confusion. Finally, I glimpsed a storm brewing within her eyes that reminded me of dangerous skies. More than anything,I felt my emotions become mixed with hers, but I noted hers clearly.
Resentment and anger throttled me as her emotions grew stronger. Hope lifted me in its fragile arms at the prospect of her recognizing me as the boy from the playground. But I swiftly free fell when I realized that she might’ve been pissed I hadn’t spoken to her since then. Despite my anxiety, I felt compelled to find out for myself.
The princess flattened her legs on the floor, pressing her hands to the glistening marble as if to push herself up to retreat. “I was just leaving,” she clipped.
“Don’t,” I said, holding my hand out placatingly. Licking my lips, I stuttered, “St-stay with me?” I wanted to throw up from the nerves, fully expecting her to decline my plea. Judging by her reaction to me, she most likely would.
Gray’s eyes widened and darted around the dead end as if she expected me to be talking to someone else. Once she realized I spoke to only her, she settled her stare on me. Her glare pierced through my defenses, making me feel stripped and exposed as if all my secrets were written on my body.
Her mouth opened and closed, but no sound left her lips.
I didn’t think my heart could handle the suspense much longer, but I remained stoic, waiting for the impending rejection.
At last, she nodded and scooted over an inch as if that would give me more room. “Sure.”
I eased out the breath I’d been holding as I closed the distance between us and lowered myself on the floor beside her, my back against the locked door.
A veil of silence slid over us like a cloak in the darkened corridor. “So,” I started, “it’s nice to finally meet you,” I lied, knowing we’d met before. She wasn’t supposed to know that, and I didn’t think she recognized me from that day onthe playground through my glamour. The era before my rise to notoriety. She wouldn’t have had a reason to recognize me, especially since our parents were determined to keep us separated since birth.
But I’d known of her.
“You’re Chrome.”
I angled my head. “The one and only,” I remarked, sarcasm heavy in my tone. “And you’re Princess Gray.”
“Yeah.” She shrugged, picking at a loose fabric on the pleated skirt of her school uniform.
My breath caught in my throat as a glamoured ice-blonde strand of hair fell over her eye. I fought the urge to brush it aside, holding my wrist that draped over my knees to restrain myself. “Well, it’s an honor to meet you, Princess.” I offered her a soft smile.
“Really?” she questioned, her nose scrunching up before she dropped her gaze to the notebook in her lap. Before she could slam it shut, I glimpsed a sketch of a dude oddly resembling Forest. The headshot was quite gruesome as the man’s eyes rolled back in his head, blood dribbled from his lips, and a dagger skewered his skull, going from temple to temple.
I couldn’t hide the dark smile that formed. Clearly, she had a darkness brewing within her, too.
With a frantic slam of the notebook, the air whooshed from the pages, coating my skin in goosebumps.
I wiped the grin and nodded. “Absolutely. You’re…”the girl I’ve been pining over from afar for the past six years.“…a little bit of a savage.” Chuckling, I tipped my chin downward at the notebook, recognizing that fire inside her eyes for what it was. She was like me, living with a beast within us that was ready to unleash hell upon those who deserved it.
Taken aback, she jerked her head. “What?” A rosy flush began to coat her cheeks as she realized that I had seen her drawing.
My grin widened. “Trust me, you just are…”
“You’rethe savage one,” she muttered, caught off-guard, tucking that stray lock of hair behind her ear.
I shrugged. “Yeah, I am when I need to be,” I said unapologetically. “But you? If that drawing is any indication…” I paused, not wanting to say too much and scare her off. “You have no idea what kind of beast lies dormant inside you.”
“How…would you know?” Gray asked, nervousness creeping into her voice.
I inhaled a deep breath. “I see things.” My tone dropped, wanting nothing more than to pull her into my arms and hold her to my chest. Something told me it would soothe some part of me that had always craved comfort. The only touch that I truly wanted.
