A Curse to Break; Chapter 3

The chiming of the clock pulls my attention from the book. As it begins to count the hour, realization dawns on me. It was seven. I was supposed to be back before seven. Our dinner guests were arriving and tonight I was expected to be present. Lord Levine was hosting this dinner in hopes of arranging a marriage between some merchant's son and myself. He had told me himself not to be late. He was going to be furious.

He had probably already sent the twins after me. Better to be found on my way than curled up reading. I shut the book I had been reading, rising from the window seat.

Maybe the merchant and his son were running late. Maybe word had already been sent that dinner needed to be rescheduled. Or maybe this was the night I was finally thrown out.

I shove the book onto the shelf and my last thought down as far as I can. They wouldn't do that. It would reflect poorly on them and they cared too much about their reputation. No, they would find other ways to punish me.

As the book settles into its spot, I hear soft footfalls behind me. A good sign. It meant it was probably Daniel who had found me and he was typically kinder than his twin.

"I'm sorry," I say, hand falling from the book as I try to muster up the courage and will to face him. "I know I'm late."

"Late for what?" A low, deep voice inquires behind me.

My heart stills as I realize I recognize the voice, but it doesn't belong to Dimitri or Daniel. It doesn't even belong to Lord Levine. The voice belongs to King Axel.

I turn to face him as he comes to a stop before me, mere feet away. Unsure of what else to do, I begin to curtsey, barely able to get out the words "Your Majesty" as I begin to bow my head. His hand is suddenly under my chin, pulling my head back up, keeping me from curtseying.

His dark eyes slowly scan over my face, a smile slowly curling across his lips. The smile is nearly as dark as the shadows encroaching around us. "There's no need to be so formal, it's just us back here after all," he purs softly.

His hand doesn't move- the physical anchor to his dark gaze, pinning me in place. I can feel my fear coiling in my stomach, slowly seeping out to my limbs, screaming at me to run. I manage to bring myself to pull away slightly. His hand falls away, but the gaze remains. Was this how a mouse felt when cornered by a cat?

It takes a second, but I finally get my mouth to work. "I. . . I'm expected. I need to go." I turn to the gap between him and the shelf, my exit from the aisle and alcove. I don't even get to take a step.

His arm comes up, hand slamming into the shelf. I flinch back, startled. "I didn't say you could leave." The soft tone he had used earlier is gone. This one is hard and cold, its edge promising the danger I had felt I was in.

"I'm expected," I repeat, but now my voice is hardly more than a whisper, any confidence I had had completely gone.

"Late and expected, yet no one's come to find you. How long before they notice your absence?" His head cocks to the side, dark smile returning. "Are you sure you're wanted?" There's no mistaking the lilt of his voice, the mockery in his tone. My status wasn't exactly a secret, but no one acknowledged it. To an outsider, it would just be court gossip, and that was probably all he thought it was, but it still stung to hear someone say that aloud.

I can't help the flinch that comes in response. I could use a different path out of here. I know this library better than him. Turning, I find he's already blocked my path that way as well. He's caged me against the shelf.

When he begins to lean forward, I press myself back into the shelf. He stops, studying me. His expression is dark, his gaze that of a predator examining its prey. I can feel myself trembling.

No. No, no, no. Please no.

I couldn't stop him, not even if I wanted to. There would be no one I could turn to. No one would believe me. Even if I did scream, I doubted anyone would come. My cries had gone unnoticed as a child, why would it change now when I truly needed help?

King Axel silently studies me for another second, curiosity briefly flickering in his dark expression. "Not even going to bother trying to scream?"

I can feel the warm brush of his whisper across my lips. I dig my nails into my palms, desperately trying to make myself stop trembling. The pain does nothing to distract my mind from my fear though.

"LENA!" The call echoes through the library. Despite the rage in his tone, for the first time, I find myself relieved to hear Dimitri, to know he's coming. I nearly sag against the shelf as the relief courses through me.

King Axel draws back, stepping away. I can see the annoyance flickering across his face as his head turns towards Dimitri's voice, hands falling from the shelves. He still looks every bit the predator he had been just seconds earlier.

Path no longer blocked, and his attention no longer on me, I don't hesitate. I quickly dash for the main aisle, praying a hand won't grab me and pull me back. I make it to the aisle without being grabbed, but the fear of being dragged back remains when I don't immediately spot Dimitri.

I'm about to call back when he rounds the corner coming into view. He doesn't even pause, merely turning on his heel to stalk towards me, fury etched across his face.

"One thing," he growls, holding up a finger. "Father asked for one simple thing and you couldn't even do that."

"I know, I'm sorry. I-"

"I don't care," Dimitri cuts me off. He pauses before me just long enough to grab my wrist before turning on his heel again. He begins walking at the same brisk pace, forcing me to trot along to keep up with him. If he notices the tremor in my hand, he doesn't care.

I can't help but glance down the aisle one last time before I'm dragged off. I'm a little surprised to find it empty. It brings me no relief though and I find myself glancing down every aisle Dimitri drags me past, half expecting King Axel to melt from the shadows, if only for a second. Relief only comes when the doors of the library shut behind us.

As Dimitri drags me along down the hall, muttering to himself about the situation, I silently pray I never run into King Axel again. Princess Claudia could have him all to herself.