Time to leave
701 Words
*Ryan*
I yank the headscarf from my face, the fabric slipping away like a shroud, revealing my identity. I can’t believe I’m standing here, in the king’s office, after everything that has happened. I hated being right, but the moment I heard the princess talk about Russian connections, and then saw the flicker of intent in the soldier’s eyes, I knew something was off.
“What the hell are you doing?” Holly’s voice cuts through the stillness, sharp and accusatory. Her glare is like a dagger, but I can’t focus on her outrage. I’m still processing the chaos that just unfolded… the king’s almost instant collapse, I wonder what poison was used… the horrified expressions on Sebastian’s and Holly’s faces.
Ignoring Holly, I pull off the dress, feeling the urgency surge through me. It was never just about the wedding; I wonder if there would have ever been one or I would have suffered some accident. I need to act now. I’m not here to play the royal bride; Right now I’m here to save us all.
Sebastian steps forward, grabbing my arm with a fierce grip. “What the hell just happened, Ryan?” His voice is low, dangerous, and I can see the adrenaline coursing through him. “You need to explain. Now. Did you kill the king?”
I jerk my arm free, the anger bubbling up inside me. “That was your f*****g tea Seb, should I have let you drink it?” I snap, my heart racing. “I had a bad feeling. The waiter… he added something to both of yours. So I Tom over his job, and switched the cup” I take a breath, my chest tightening. “The king wanted to kill you. I knew it; he was going to eliminate you both. The princess told us about Russian connections, that kinda alerted me.”
A wave of silence washes over the room, broken only by everyone's kinda harsh breathing. Holly’s expression shifts from anger to disbelief, her eyes wide. “did you kill the waiter too?” she whispers, but the doubt lingers in her voice. “Also you thought dressing as a woman was the best way to do that, that no one would notice?”
“Not the time, Holly!” Sebastian interjects, his voice rising. “We need to figure out what to do next. We can’t just stand here. If someone comes in and sees the King dead, there will not be much of an investigation. They’ll come for us. They’ll think we did this.”
“Well Ryan kinda did do it,” Holly shakes her head, clearly trying to process the gravity of the situation. “We can’t stay here. We need to get out… now! Find Karolina and leave the palace before anyone realizes what’s happened. We can regroup and figure out our next move.”
“Regroup?” Sebastian’s voice is incredulous. “You mean to run like cowards? This isn’t just about us anymore! This is a power vacuum. What about the princess? Who will take power?”
“Then we bring the princess,” I say, urgency clawing at my insides. “She is with Karolina, and to be honest I am pretty sure she won’t really be angry about this.”
Holly and Sebastian exchange glances, the tension thickening the air. “What if we’re too late?” Holly’s voice is barely a whisper. “What if they’ve already captured Karolina? Or worse?”
“Then we will find her,” I assert, my resolve solidifying. “But we can’t waste time standing here debating what to do. If we don’t move, we’re as good as dead. Do you want to stand here and discuss it until we get arrested and executed? Or do we go get Karolina and the princess and get out of here?”
Just then, the door swings open with a force that makes me jump. In walks the princess, her eyes wide with alarm, followed closely by Karolina, her face pale and drawn.
“Ryan!” The princess gasps, her gaze darting to the lifeless body sprawled across the desk. “What happened?”
- Writer
