The goblet was dragged out of her hand and the next thing she knew, the wine was splashed on her face.
The man’s grip around her chin vanished as his lady changed her sitting position to straddle him.
“Don't look at her, look at me.” She whined and pressed a kiss to his lips, while the others laughed at her display of jealousy.
Now that the attention was no longer on her, Belladonna staggered to her feet, slightly trembling as she raced out of the room hoping that no one would notice her.
The laughter of the men and women in the room followed behind her like gongs of mockery; just as the gaze of the man that held her chin did the same with a spark of curiosity, confusion and something that shouldn't be there.
He snapped his attention away from the valueless servant, and pulled the female away from him, instead he pushed her against the table, his hand around her neck. She squirmed in delight, as some of the goblets her presence on the table had disrupted, bounced off the table to the floor.
A couple of whistles, laughter and giggles.
“Have your manners.” The White King, a broad gray-haired man with full gray beards and a silver crown on his head finally spoke. His fingers that held his goblet were more claws than flesh and bones and a gentle smile graced his lips. “Stop acting like your father,” he ended, his voice lighthearted and humorous.
They all laughed once again.
There seemed to be many reasons to be in a great mood tonight.
___
___
Belladonna didn't even know where she was going, all she knew was that she had to get as far away from that room as possible. The guards paid her no regard and soon enough she realized that there were no guards anywhere, anymore.
It made her pause and think.
The men in the room must believe they were too powerful to need so many guards, it must be an ego thing. Also, they must be committing a lot of atrocious activities along these hallways, they probably didn't want an audience for that.
She took a moment to observe her environment, trying to alert the Channeller in her mind that she needed directions; that was even if that could be done.
Was she even doing this right?
Her face still ached from the hits she had received tonight, she reeked of the smell of fruit and strong alcohol, and once again she wiped away her tears and the wine off her face. Her head hurt and it felt like the servants were still pulling onto the strands of her hair.
She moved her fingers through her hair as if to reassure herself that it was free from those merciless grips.
Her sight clouded with tears again and this time she brushed them away in anger.
“Any bleeding?” Someone whispered as he joined her in the lonely hallway. “Nightshade.” He was closer to her now, yet she refused to turn to him.
“She won't direct me. I’m afraid our connection might be broken.” The only thing she wanted right now was to get the gem and get out of here. She had been afraid of exhausting the Channeller, if not she would have asked her to channel her to the Lycan’s Realm to ensure that her sister and her son were safe.
She had been scared that the sick Channeller would die after that.
Maybe this was selfish but she intended to request for that only after bringing Eli back.
“I should have killed him.” Alaris said, rage still tight in his chest. Then he added quickly, when he realized that she wouldn't look at him. “I’m sorry, I let my emotions overwhelm me—”
“This would have never happened to me if Eli was here.” Tears ran down her cheeks as she held onto the pendant of her necklace—of his necklace.
“You know that I have always tried my best to protect you.” His eyes darted to the bracelet around her wrist, the one he had gifted her. “You know why I didn't do anything in there. You understand.”
Finally, she turned to him. “If Eli were here, he wouldn't have put me in that situation in the first place. He would be reasonable, he would think things through.”
Anger flashed in Alaris' eyes. “Well, Eli is not here, your King of Perfection is dead. I am the one here, I am the one standing before you.” He snapped and immediately regretted it. “I’m sorry. His death hasn't been easy for me too—”
“You are stupid.” She didn't wipe her tears away this time, she just let them flow. “You don't think! Just act, violently.”
“That man killed my family. He was the one that came into the cave on that day and killed my mother. He killed my parents too.” He laughed humourlessly, tears in his eyes. “And The first time I see my Family's Killer and I am being instructed to wash his feet?!”
Silence sank between them, their fight suddenly felt irrelevant- this wasn't the right time for any of this. , they weren't supposed to be doing this.
Belladonna extended her hand to his to comfort him.
“I’m sorry. I—” A wave of dizziness hit her at that moment and she saw it in her mind, the hallways and the doors, quickly.
“It's here.”
“What?”
“The gem!” She smiled at him and held his hand, as she quickly went down the stairs. “She is showing me the way.”
___
___
The Channeller’s directions led them somewhere underground, right in front of a big door.
That was where the directions ended, right in front of this door. Like there was no way she could go further.
Like this was her limit.
The only problem though was that the door was slightly opened, like a trap begging them to come in.
They had no second to contemplate their decisions though, because right at that moment, they heard a couple of steps walking towards their direction. Alaris quickly grabbed her and slipped them both into the room that was filled with darkness. His body was pressed against her and his hand over her mouth, as he pushed her against a wall.
She could barely see a thing, except the light that seeped into the room through the slight opening of the door… and the woman that had just walked into the room.
Silence.
Belladonna's heart was racing loudly. What if the woman could sniff them? Was her hearing good? Could she hear them breathing?
No, no, no!
This couldn't be happening.
It would be death if they were caught. Alaris would fight but he would be greatly outnumbered and she was useless as she was.
By Ignas, could this woman just go away!
The sound of sobbing broke the silence.
Was she crying?
The sobbing sound got louder.
She was crying.
Feeling sorry for her, Belladonna turned to catch a glimpse of the woman’s face except that she got more than she bargained for.
Through the darkness, a pair of silver eyes were staring right back at her.
The woman had seen her.