135 Chapter 135: I'm late

The room was huge and spacious with a huge window facing the door. She could see the lightning flash vividly across the dark grey eyes. Right in front of the huge window, was her brother's broad table, with papers messily laid across the table. On her left was a huge library that had various books for her when she comes in here to accompany her brother. And, on her right was a huge fireplace.

The entire room gave off a cozy feel which was her brother looking for. Hazel sighed when she looked at the table that had papers scattered around. She started gathering the papers when one paper intrigued her. She took a look at it and found a strange name, Black shadow printed. 

Hazel tilted her head as she pursed her lips and readied herself to go through it. As she scanned the paper, her eyes widened in horror at the distraught activities taken under the guild. Before she could turn to the next place, she heard soft knocks echoing inside the room.

A smile made way to her face as she threw the papers aside and went towards the fireplace. Her hands slid through the sides of the fireplace and a loud thud was heard making her heart leap in excitement.

Hazel moved back from the fireplace as it opened up, with her hands behind her back. She stood there fidgeting nervously until she saw a figure step out from the darkness. Hazel laughed as she threw her arms around Audrey and said, "Audrey, you are here"

But soon, Hazel knitted her brows when she felt Audrey's body stiffen and when she didn't wrap her arms around her like usual. Hazel leaned back, with her hands still gripping her shoulders.

Then she knitted her brows when she felt Audrey's body stiffen.

Hazel leaned back holding her shoulders and looked into her eyes worriedly, "What's wrong, Audrey?"

Audrey glanced at her with knitted brows and her lips trembling slightly. She closed her eyes and turned her head away from her as she rubbed her arm.

"Sorry, Freya."

Hazel frowned, "Huh?" 

'Why was she apologizing?'

But soon she got her answers as she heard loud footsteps hurrying down the secret pathway. 

One, two.... four? Was it four? 

Her eyes widened as she looked at Audrey who was biting her lips. Hazel staggered back to the shelf as she called out in terror, "A-Audrey?"

Audrey glanced at her and Hazel could finally see the guilt in her eyes. Why didn't she notice it before?

Audrey glanced at her until she felt a huge hairy hand on her shoulder. She bit her lip before moving aside for the person to come through.

"Is this the princess you have been telling us about?"

Audrey nodded.

The man looked at Hazel and chuckled, "This princess looks so innocent making me want to taint her a little."

Audrey glared at him and said frostily, "Stop it, Zegar"

Hazel who had her eyes focused on the man, flinched when she heard Audrey's cold voice. She looked at Audrey who was emitting a cold aura while glaring at Zegar. Her eyes then moved to the rest of the figures who have stepped through the secret path.

One...Two...Five...Six? Can she outrun these men?

Her mind snapped out of her thoughts when she heard a loud groan. She saw Audrey kicking a guy near her and command, "Take that back"

The guy held his abdomen as he complained, "What? I was just telling you that she was beautiful just like in the rumors."

Hazel gulped as she spoke up disturbing their fight, "A-Audrey..."

Audrey straightened up before she gave a sidelong glance at Hazel. 

"She is mine. You promised."

Hazel gulped as she knew those words didn't mean anything good. Beads of sweat formed on her forehead as she clutched the shelf and plastered her body against it.

She saw how amusedly the man called Zegar nodded at her. Audrey exhaled before turning towards Hazel and slowly started walking towards her. Hazel felt a lump stuck in her throat as she watched Audrey unsheath her sword from her case. The sound of the sword leaving the scabbard echoed inside the quiet room along with steady footsteps walking towards her brother's table. 

Her eyes unknowingly drifted towards the men who were walking towards the table when her eyes widened in shock. Even though she only had a glance through the paper, she still remembered the black scorpion tattoo along with the name of the guild. 

Her mouth opened as she whispered in horror, "Black Shadow."

The men stopped on their trail before grinning at the princess.

"Looks like this little princess is not so innocent after all."

Hazel switched back to Audrey who had a small change in her tensed face. Hazel immediately asked, "Audrey...they are really bad people. Are you being blackmailed by them? I can help you." 

Hazel then looked at her with her eyelashes trembling, "Just don't do this."

The men laughed as one said, "I think this little missy doesn't know how strong she is. We can't blackmail the strongest member in our guild."

"What?"

Hazel paled in shock as she stared at Audrey. Her body trembled and tears welled up in her eyes as it finally got across her. 

She was betrayed by her first friend... Or wait, did she even consider her as her friend?

She didn't know but she knew that she was the reason behind this. The reason why they could infiltrate the castle.

Glancing at her heartbroken expression, Audrey couldn't help but say, "I did consider you as my friend until I knew your identity."

Hazel scoffed with tears running down her face, "So the days where you came to visit me inside the castle was all a lie?"

Audrey pursed her lips at her question making Hazel feel cheated. She was devastated thoroughly by her actions. She was over the moon when she knew she could introduce Audrey to her brother... Hazel widened her eyes when her eyes snapped towards Audrey.

'Her brother?' She glanced at the door where any moment her brother could come in. 

Audrey smiled when she saw Hazel glance at the door. She pointed her sword in front of her, where the tip pointed at her heart.

"It's too late. Even though I don't hate you, you have to die today, Freya along with the rest of the royals."

Right after her words, a steeled expression passed through Audrey's eyes as she pushed the sword towards her heart. Hazel slapped the sword aside with a book and threw it towards her, startling Audrey. Then, she hurriedly escaped towards the door, cursing herself for sending away the guards before entering the study. 

But, before she reached the door, she felt a strong tug on her shoulder, pulling her back. Her mouth opened to scream when another hand covered hers, letting only muffled screams echo across the room.

"This one is really feisty even if she is weak."

Hazel contracted her face as she thought why was she weak? When she saw the darkened Audrey walk towards her, a thought crossed her mind.

'Is she going to die here?'

Is she going to let them kill everyone inside?

Hazel closed her eyes as she thought of her family. All the maids and guards. Was she going to be the reason for their downfall?

Her tears trickled down excessively as she cried for her brother inside her heart.

'Brother...'

She heard Audrey say, "I wanted to make this quick for you but it seems like you don't want me to."

She saw her sword slash towards her making her close her eyes tightly. She waited for death to strike her but all she felt was something wet splash against her face making her snap her eyes wide open.

She saw Audrey and the rest of the men's face pale in shock before her mind registered the fact that someone was hugging her tightly. Hazel felt the arm covering her mouth loosen before a loud thud echoed inside the room.

Her eyes drifted towards the thin guy who was unmoving on the floor with his eyes wide open.

'W-What just happened?'

She touched her face and looked at her hand which had a watery substance. Right at the moment, lightning flashed through the window, highlighting the color.

Red...it was red.

Her fingers shook as she turned towards the person hugging her. Her tears flowed when lightning flashed, and her savior's face was visible to her.

Hezekiah looked at his sister and smiled, "I'm sorry that I'm late."