Chapter 66

66 Don’t move

As Neera walked back to her room, she saw Zavian walking out of his chambers, their eyes met for a brief second and she looked away nervously.

Ever since that day they kissed, she found it hard to look him in the eyes, or on his face.

Her eyes looked everywhere else as she walked up to him and bowed; it seemed like he was leaving the castle as he was dressed up.

Zavian stopped and looked at the girl who had her head lowered;

“There are books scattered in the library, put them in their place, and dress my bed.”

He ordered and walked past her and Neera raised her head and watched him leave before going into his room.

Walking to his bed, she changed the sheets and dressed them; then went to the library. There was a little mess, as though he had been searching for something. Neera smiled when she realized he was always looking through books, most times she had come to see him, he was with a book in his hand.

Smiling, she went to the books and picked them up one after the other.

When she was done, she stretched her back and picked up the sheets she had taken off the king’s bed, and walked out of the room.

.....

Just as she walked out, her feet came to a stop when she saw Rue knocking on her door;

When Rue saw her, she heaved a sigh of relief and walked to her, taking the sheets from her hand.

“Princess Kitana wants to see you.”

Neera’s heart flew out of her ribcage as she stared at Rue, all color draining from her face.

She had heard of Princes Kitana and how wicked she was. She wondered what she would have done to make the Princess send for her. Neera gulped as panic clouded her gaze.

“She wants to see you now, you don’t want to keep the Princess waiting;”

Rue explained. She was not going back to Princess Kitana without Neera. She had even lied to get into the king’s chambers. The only maids allowed in the king’s chambers were those who had come to clean up or were sent on an errand by his majesty himself. She had told the guards she came to clean his room, that was why they allowed her in.

Princess Kitana would roast her alive if she came back without Neera, and she didn’t want to die, not yet at least.

“Where is she?”

Neera asked, feigning a smile that was a little too obvious that it was fake.

“Follow me;” Rue spoke and turned around, walking forward. Neera followed behind, her heart pounding against her chest.

What would she do? How would she escape this?

Princess Kitana was surely not asking for her, to congratulate her on looking like the dead queen! She was sure nothing good was going to come out of this, how would she escape?

She was as good as dead if she followed Rue to Princess Kitana, and the king left the castle, so no one would save her if she went to her.

Neera cried in her heart as she followed Rue quietly. They passed the guards and Rue breathed a sigh of relief. Now, the next thing was to deliver Neera safely to Kitana and free herself.

She smiled as she walked down the stairs. Neera thought of how to escape. She had no choice. Going to see Kitana was like drinking poison and expecting not to die.

She had to escape. And Quickly.

As Neera walked down the stairs, her eyes widened when she remembered the room Axel had been in a few days ago, and she prayed to the heavens that the door was unlocked.

Walking quietly behind Rue, her steps derailed as she approached the door. When she reached the door, she stopped and watched Rue continue to walk forward, and then without thinking twice, she turned the knob, and thankfully, the door was unlocked.

Quickly, she entered the room and shut the door behind her, locking it immediately and breathed out a sigh of relief.

That was close!

She thought as she panted against the door. Suddenly, she heard a noise behind her and she turned around to see a shirtless man, holding a sword in his hands.

“Your Majesty!” Neera called in shock as she stared at him. She did not think he would be there, and more importantly, not shirtless!

Axel watched her in confusion and then he asked;

“What are you doing...”

Before he could complete his words, Neera sprang towards him and closed his mouth with her hands;

“Shhh...” she whispered softly, looking at the door.

She heard footsteps return and Rue shout her name;

“Neera! Neera, where are you?!” The girl called, but Neera stood still, not making a sound.

She heard Rue stomp her feet on the ground and then walk forward. When she could no longer hear any sounds, she sighed and turned to Axel, and her eyes locked in his.

Axel stared at her fervidly, not moving an inch. Neera blinked when she realized they were in a compromising position and she quickly took her hand off his lips and tried to move away, but Axel was quick to wrap his arm around her waist.

“Wait... don’t move,” he spoke, staring straight into her eyes. Neera gulped as she stared at him.

Now she was this close, she saw how handsome he was. His eyes were dreamy and they looked like they pierced into her soul.

Axel’s hands pulled her closer to him and his eyes fell to her lips and he gulped.

Neera blinked when she noticed his gaze, did he want to kiss her?

She thought, her heart pounding against her chest. Was she going to kiss two men in less than a week?!

No, this was wrong... she shouldn’t do this...

She thought, but then she stopped. She couldn’t get the kiss with the king out of her thoughts and she hated herself for thinking about the king in that way.

He had mistaken her for his wife and he would never consider her a human worth anything other than a tool to bring his wife back. Maybe she should kiss Axel to forget him.

Maybe if she kissed him... she would stop thinking about kissing Zavian again...

Maybe she would forget how soft his lips were against her mouth and how she wanted to touch him even when she should not dream to.

Maybe if she kissed him, everything would return to normal...