Chapter 12 Chapter 12
LENORE
Today was my third day in Eyrosa, but it felt like I’d been here for much longer. I never imagined there'd be a day where I'd miss the pack, but here we were.
After running into the second prince yesterday, I'd returned to my room and hadn't stepped outside it since then. Diane had been bringing my meals to my room, and thanks to the medicine the doctor had prescribed, my throat felt a lot better.
Unfortunately, the doctor couldn't prescribe a way out of this city.
“Our father's a bastard.”
A snort escaped me, causing a stabbing sensation in my throat, and I held back a wince. “I don't think he likes anyone saying that.”
The last time Wayne did, he'd smacked him so hard.
“Cameron did when he got back yesterday,” Virginia replied, her eyes lighting up amusement, and I raised my brows. I was on a video call with her. “Very loudly. I think everyone in the pack heard.”
“Really?”
“Really what? Did everyone in the pack really hear?”
“Not that.” I waved dismissively. “He called him a bastard?”
“Amongst other things. They got physical too.”
“Oh,” I muttered, surprised because I couldn’t picture Cameron getting into a fight with our father. The only person I could picture doing so was Wayne—he’d actually done more times than I could count—but unlike him, Cameron was cool-headed.
He must be angrier about this than I thought he was, and the fact brought a small smile to my lips.
“The announcement is still on Sunday?” Virginia asked and it took me a moment to realize she was talking about the King revealing what the diplomatic gathering was about
“Yeah.” I hoped we could leave right after the announcement, but I knew that was unlikely since that was when the gathering would truly begin. Still, a girl could dream.
She heaved a sigh. “Well, when you’re back, we can go shopping for school together,” she said and I smiled again.
It turned out that she and Wayne had also been accepted to Caldwell University and they planned to attend it. They’d found out this morning and Virginia had lit up when I told her I was going too.
Honestly, I was also excited they’d be at Caldwell. I’d expected to be alone there, just like I’d believed I was in the pack. I mean, I’d believed Cameron seemed rather solid—like someone who didn’t need anyone—and Virginia and Wayne, as twins, always had each other and needed no one else.
But now I knew that wasn’t true. I had them.
“I’d like that.”
“Oh, we could also get an apartment together. One close to school. Wayne would pay for it.”
“Does Wayne know this?”
“He loves surprises,” she replied and I let out a laugh which tickled my throat and turned into a cough. “Sorry. Have you taken your medicine?”
She’d noticed I sounded different when I called her yesterday, and since I didn’t want to tell her about my encounter with the first prince either, I’d told her I had a cold.
“Yeah,” I muttered before clearing my throat and wincing.
Ugh.
“I’m going to take a nap now,” I added. It was almost sunset and I wanted to get some sleep before spending the entire night awake to make sure no vampire came for my neck.
We said our goodbyes before I hung up and as I placed my phone on the nightstand, there was a knock on the door.
“It’s Cate,” the person announced right after.
I got to my feet, heading over to open it.
“Hey—” I started, furrowing my brows slightly. She was wearing a blue silk gown with sheer sleeves and a high collar, and her hair was swept into a smooth updo. “Uh… are you going somewhere?”
She shot me a confused look and gave me a once over. “Yeah. The hall we’ll be having an audience with the King in, in about thirty minutes. Why aren’t you dressed?”
My smile dropped. “What?” My gaze bounced between her and her maid who was standing behind her. “We have an audience with the King?”
“Yeah, they told us during lunch. I figured your maid would let you know. She didn't?”
“Crap,” I muttered before quickly heading over to the closet. I still hadn't unpacked so my bags were just lying in the middle of the room, and I opened the one my dresses were in.
Why hadn't Diane told me about this? She was rather meticulous, and this wasn't the kind of information someone could just forget to pass along, so what the hell?
“Is there anything I can help with?” Cate who was now standing in the closet’s doorway asked as I pulled a red dress out. It was wrinkled.
“No, you should—”
“Miss?” It was Diane and I looked up to see her standing behind Cate with an unreadable expression on her face. She slipped past Cate to enter the closet and when her gaze dropped to the dress in my hands, she pressed her lips together.
I frowned. “Why didn't you tell me about the audience with the King?”
It was starting in thirty minutes and it would take me longer than that to be ready for the event.
I didn't want to think she hadn't told me on purpose, but her lack of reaction to my question made it clear that she had. My frown deepened.
“What the hell?!”
Again, she had no reaction and turned to face Cate. “You should head to the hall, miss,” she told her. “You’re going to be late.”
“There’s still thirty minutes left before it starts,” Cate replied.
“I know. I need to speak to Miss Lenore in private.”
That made me pause and wonder if something was wrong. It seemed like she had something important to say and seeing as she had failed to let me know about the audience with the King, it had to be more important than that.
Cate glanced at me, raising her brows, and I gave her a nod. “Um, okay. See you in the hall.” She walked out of sight and when the door closed moments later, Diane returned her attention to me.
“What's wrong?” I asked and she shifted from one foot to the other, visibly uncomfortable, before taking a deep breath.
“You’re not meant to be in the hall,” she said and I drew my brows together. “You’re not having an audience with the King.”
I tipped my head to the side, waiting for her to continue, but she didn't say anything else. “I don’t follow. The pack representatives will be meeting with–”
“You’re no longer participating in the diplomatic gathering,” she burst out and I blinked at her, surprised.
“...What?”
“The King has uh…” She grimaced and wrung her hands. “The King gifted you to the first prince.”