Chapter 42 A SMALL VICTORY IN AN ONGOING WAR
MERRIELYNN.
I turned to Cormac, feeling a sudden swell of sympathy for him.
"What happened?" I asked softly, my curiosity getting the best of me. I really hoped Cormac would let me in just a little.
But he tensed up, his expression hardening.
"You have no business knowing the details of my life," he shot back in an icy voice, like he was putting up a wall between us.
He sighed, looking around the room as if checking for eavesdroppers. "We’re only in here because this is the only place in the palace where I’m sure my father won’t come," he said quietly.
There was a weight to his words, and I could sense that there was so much more beneath the surface that he wasn’t ready to share.
We waited in silence until we finally felt it was safe to head back to Pinnthorpe with the original moonstone carefully tucked away.
As we headed to the car, I felt a whirl of emotions churn inside me. I had gotten what I wanted from Cormac, but it didn’t feel like a victory. My mind replayed everything that had happened, each moment leaving me with more and more questions.
As we drove back, I kept my gaze fixed on the moon, its light casting a silver glow over the path ahead. I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off. Was the queen’s fragile state the reason King Killian had the audacity to flaunt a girlfriend so openly, someone who was well-known throughout the realm?
The thought twisted in my gut. And then there was Cormac. Could he really be hooking up with his father’s girlfriend as a way to get back at him? The idea gnawed at me, a dark possibility that made my heart race.
How much disrespect could one family endure before it all fell apart? I felt a mix of pity and anger towards Cormac, knowing that he was caught in a web of betrayal that ran deeper than I could imagine.
\-x-x-
The following week, I walked into school with my heart racing, reminding myself about the deal I made with Cormac. I had to sit at his table during lunch, and just thinking about it made my stomach twist with nerves. As I got closer to the cafeteria, I spotted him sitting there, looking as confident as ever.
I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down. Now I was worried about what it would be like to sit with him, especially with everyone watching? Damn it! I suddenly wondered what could possibly happen if I bolted.
Cormac would definitely find me, I told myself. And he had a way of making people who crossed him pay.
As I approached the most elite table in the whole school, I could feel the stares of every student piercing through me like arrows.
When I finally reached Cormac, he looked up and flashed me a charming smile that sent a rush of conflicting emotions through me. “I’ve been expecting you,” he said, his voice smooth and confident.
I couldn’t help but wonder about this sudden shift in his personality. Just days ago, he had been intense and brooding, especially after our conversation at the palace. Now, he was back to his devilish, mischievous self, as if nothing had happened.
Before I could dwell on it for too long, he gestured toward the floor beside him. “Take your seat,” he instructed casually, as if it was the most normal thing in the world.
I hesitated, glancing around at the other students who were clearly intrigued by this scene unfolding before them.
I felt my cheeks heat up as the laughter from the other students washed over me, a wave of embarrassment crashing against my resolve. “That wasn’t part of our deal,” I shot back.
Cormac leaned back in his chair, a smug grin spreading across his face. “Our deal is whatever I want it to be,” he replied, his tone playful yet laced with an undercurrent of authority.
Then, with a casual flick of his wrist, he made his next move. “You can either sit on the floor for the rest of the week, or you can sit in my lap.”
I glared at him, torn between the two options. Sitting on the floor felt like a punishment, a mark of defeat, but the thought of climbing into his lap would be more than uncomfortable. I glanced around the table, catching the eyes of my classmates, their expressions a mix of curiosity and amusement.
And then there was Juniper who was glaring daggers at me. I could practically feel the heat of her disapproval radiating from across the room. I knew she wouldn’t want me sitting in Cormac’s lap either, and that knowledge only added to the pressure swirling inside me.
What was I supposed to do now?
I hated this situation. Sitting in Cormac’s lap would feel too intimate, too vulnerable, while sitting at his feet would make me feel like a pet, a humiliation I couldn’t bear in front of the entire school. I weighed the options, but each one seemed very uncomfortable than the other.
With my heart in my throat, I took a deep breath and slid into his lap, trying to mask the storm of emotions brewing inside me. The moment I settled against him, I felt the tension in his body, a slight stiffening as if he hadn’t expected me to take the bait.
But as I sat there, an unexpected sense of triumph washed over me. It was as if I had claimed a small victory in our ongoing war, a defiance against the circumstances that had pushed me into this position. The secret bond we shared made everything feel more intense, like there was so much left unsaid hanging in the air.
I struggled to keep a straight face, even as the eyes of my classmates buzzing like a distant hum. “Whatever,” I told myself, refusing to let it get to me.
They were going to whisper among themselves whether I did anything or not, so I might as well give them something to talk about.