Book 2: Chapter 22: Flash From The Past

Book 2: Chapter 22: Flash From The Past

Scarlet

Three years ago at the orphanage

I slowly make my way through the orphanage halls while yawning and still wearing my tank top and shorts that I tend to wear when sleeping.

Who is talking so loudly this late at night anyways?

Whoever it is that woke me up, Im gonna yell at them and then go back to bed. Because seriously. The one time I decide to get a full nights rest, someone decides they want to make a bunch of racket.

And somehow the kids managed to just casually sleep through it.

Not sure how they managed that.

I know Arthur sleeps with earplugs in, and Belle isnt here today. Which is for the best, since theyd get a lot more pissed than me. Especially Belle.

But that also means its not Belle making the racket. So who is it?

I groggily walk through the hall of the orphanage towards the origin of the voices, my body practically demanding that I go to sleep, and the winter air biting at my mostly bare legs and arms despite us being inside the orphanage building.

Maybe I should consider wearing pants instead of shorts when sleeping during the winter

Are you reneging on our contract? I hear a woman ask when I get close enough to Allens office, making me stiffen up for some reason. Then I hide up against the wall before slowly inching over to the door that is currently cracked open a little bit.

Of course not, Allen answers whoever the woman is. By the time it happens, shell have already left the orphanage, so you wont have to worry about that.

Contract? Left the orphanage?

What are they talking about?

I frown, some of my grogginess leaving my mind as I slowly move closer to the door before poking my head far enough out to see through the crack. And what I find immediately makes me realize that whoever hes talking to has some really nice choice in outfit.

I pat Arias back before asking, So you saved me?

She furiously nods her head over and over again, despite me only asking a single question. Then a squid? A squid appears in the middle of the air

How is a squid so cute? I mean, its a squid. How is this thing so cute?

Well, fae are meant to look cute, even if the animal they take the form of isnt necessarily normally cute, Tar answers in my head. But before I can think much on that, the squid begins talking, with that very same authoritative and powerful tone that Tar has.

I would like to ask you not to get into that much danger again, young lady, a female voice comes from the squid, sounding like an elderly grandma sternly scolding me. Which makes me blink in surprise.

Huh?

Greetings, fourth princess Rowena, Tar says, making my eyes widen slightly.

Holy shit, another royal fae?! Also, Ive been meaning to ask, but what sort of system are you using to call them? You mentioned before that you only had eight brothers, but youre the eighteenth prince. Does that just mean youre eighteenth in line for the throne?

Correct, Tar answers in my mind and not out loud, looking rather tense as he glances between me and his sister. Our line of succession pays no heed to gender. So when we use our titles, it is solely based on your current ranking in the line of succession. Meaning shes the fourth in line for the throne, and Im currently the eighteenth. Although I should be moving up in succession ranking soon.

Oh? Congratulations.

How does that even work though, with the tournament and all?

Shouldnt we talk about this at another time? Tar asks, reminding me that were not alone.

Oh, right.

Hmm, it makes sense that someone with an etched skill would contract with a royal fae now that I think about it.

And theres still that dream as well actually I can think about that later.

For now

Why do you have tentacle hair, Aria? I ask rather gently while staring at the few strands of the girls hair that had turned into tentacles.