Page 138 of Kingdom of Betrayal and Unknown

“You normally visit us once a month, but you didn’t last month. You weren’t even there for Father’s funeral, so why should you be here now? You have never taken an interest in the baby before, so you don’t have that excuse,” I continue, trying to take a little metaphorical punch at her.

I know Mother would hate for me to physically punch her, so saying these things is the next best thing. And they aren’t lies.

“Adeline!” she scolds me again.

“It’s okay, Mother.” Avira takes her hand off her stomach. “I understand you are upset with me because I have a job at the palace and am actually busy, but I did try to make it to Father’s funeral. I got the days mixed up when one of the guards told me. And as for the baby, I could be the mother, and it weirds me out, but that doesn’t mean I don’t want Mother to have it.”

Mother looks at her adoringly, placing her hand on her arm. “It’s okay that you couldn’t come. Your father would have understood. It’s so easy to mix up dates, and we didn’t give a lot of people time to plan anything.”

I clench my jaw, almost cracking a tooth, as I listen to Mother talk to Avira. It’s not okay that she didn’t come, especially after telling us why. It was like she didn’t care at all, which is unacceptable.

“Thank you, Mother,” Avira gently replies. “It means a lot that you understand. I meant to come and explain things, but I just threw myself into work when I realized I had missed it. I didn’t know what else to do.”

Rolling my eyes, I cross my arms over my chest. I don’t buy this act for a minute.

“What do you want to talk to us about?” I interrupt, not able to take any more of it.

Avira glares at me. “Can you at least try to like me?”

I shake my head. “No. Answer my question.”

“I don’t understand where this has come from,” Mother mutters.

“It’s always been there. There are things that don’t add up, but we are not here to talk about how Avira and I don’t really have a sister relationship... We are here because Avira demanded to come into the house and talk to us,” I explain.

My heart is beating faster as I wait for Avira to answer.

“Fine, you caught me.” She raises her hands in the air. “I have questions.”

“We already knew that,” I dryly reply. “You demanded to talk to us, remember?”

Avira glares at me again, fury circulating in her eyes. I know I should stop, but I can’t help myself when it comes to her. She thinks she stands on a high pedestal, and I want her to remember that she really doesn’t.

Mother clutches her stomach, pain spreading across her face.

“Moth—” but she raises her hand before I can say anything else.

“I’m fine.” I can hear the pain in her voice. She has had two other babies before this and knows her body better than anyone else.

I eye her for several moments, trying to see if I need to get the midwife or not, but soon after she relaxes and looks between Avira and me. Tears glisten in her eyes, and I want to kneel in front of her and tell her it’s all going to be okay.

“Why did you tell the prince you didn’t want to marry him?” she asks.

“Because I don’t want to marry him,” I tell her. “I don’t want to marry him, and I asked if I could be honest.”

I move my right arm to rest on top of my left as I gently touch my scarf-covered neck. The bruise is still there, a constant reminder of me telling the prince no and not getting out of there without some type of harm.

But I would do it again… I think.

“You should have just said yes!” She raises her voice. “You don’t say no to the prince!”

“I did. I know I shouldn’t have, but I thought he would rather me be honest about it than blindly go along,” I explain.

“No, you are wrong. He would rather you go blindly along with this marriage than back talk to him!” She throws her hands up in the air.

I chuckle and shake my head.

“No, you don’t get to laugh and brush this off like it’s nothing. He is livid.” Avira points a finger at me. “Livid you told him no.”