Page 94 of Unmasked

“The kingdom in disguise.”

I nodded. Looking around and taking in their pride.

I wasn’t naïve to politics. Katia’s insight told me exactly what I was walking into. The Council was already spinning their web. They looked at me and King Lawrence like a game. They were about to find out that it didn’t matter how many pieces were on the board… I didn’t lose.

Mine and Penelope’s blood had been spilled one too many times. I wasn’t letting it happen again.

Not for them.

Not for anyone.

CHAPTER 29

Penelope

What did you say to the person you loved the most concerning loss?

Was there anything to be said?

The only thing that kept wanting to come were apologies.

Blame.

We both had so much of that.

I cried.

He cried.

We laid across from each other for hours, just staring into each other’s eyes. Clutching to each other’s hands as we lost ourselves in our excuses—our reasons—in the silence that held things that hurt too badly to say out loud.

So many tears.

Too many regrets.

It was safer and easier to not say anything at all.

Hours passed.

A day.

Calls came in for both of us, but we didn’t answer them. The entire Order was grieving for those we lost, and the doors stayed locked, barring the Masters entrance until we were ready. It was necessary. Vaughn wasn’t sure about my suggestion at first, but he didn’t argue. For the first time, The Order was off-limits.

We had to grieve and show our devotion to the lives lost.

I wouldn’t bend.

I wouldn’t disrespect loyalty, love, or honor.

And The Order seemed to grow closer because of it.

We ate together. Guards told stories of The Reeve and Mark, bonding and making each other laugh. For the first time, Vaughn and I didn’t hide our love. He held me closer, burying his face in my hair. Putting me on his lap. Always keeping me at his side.

When we weren’t in our room or with The Order, we were with Theodore. He was healing, but he still wasn’t ready to be walking around for too long. He held a paleness like me. A haunting new look in his eyes, despite he still showed bouts of humor.

Nothing was the same.

Innocence had died with the loss of those we loved. Although I couldn’t remember much about the time during my poisoning, there were moments whispers would come through, or King Lawrence’s lips would brush over mine like a ghost. I wasn’t sure what was real or what I’d dreamed up while I was sick. Maybe none of it. Maybe all…