Avenged

♔Chapter 4b

“Yes you do, Marissa. I know you better than that. That’s why you seek the pleasure of s****l company so often. For a moment, your guests make you forget who you are and what you did.”

“How did you know that?” she seems shocked that I could read her that deeply. Honestly, I don’t think that anyone else has ever tried to actually get to know her, except the friends we betrayed.

“I know you, Marissa. You are not as heartless as you act. And I’m not as dimwitted as you seem to think I am.”

She playfully elbows me.

“That doesn’t matter though, does it? We can’t undo what we did,” I saw and heard her remorse under her outwardly self-assured facade as she spoke. The tears welling in her glistening eyes betrayed her.

“I know. I just miss them. I can’t help but wonder what it would be like if we hadn’t been such obedient children. If we’d stood up to our parents,” I answered.

“We were kids, Adonis. We didn’t get much say, any say, and you know dad was in the right. The old king was trading fairies as slaves, pillaging the royal treasury. He was…

“According to dad he was,” I cut her off. I’d heard those justifications a thousand times before and they still didn’t seem any more likely today than they had the first time I heard them. “Lianna and Tiberius both swore he would never do that. And you and I both know it didn’t really sound like something they would do either. They were the kindest, fairest people we knew. Besides, you were just a kid. I was 18, Marissa, I was an adult. I should have done more research. I should have demanded a proper trial.”

“Are you saying dad lied to us?” she asked.

“Tell me that thought has never crossed your mind, Marissa. You know it has.”

“Adonis, let it go. It’s way too late now, anyway. They are all gone and we can’t change the past. All we can do is live with our mistakes and do our best by our people. Now, tell me about Lady Devendale,” she demanded.

I wanted to point out that they weren’t all gone. Liana was out there somewhere. My father told the people she died trying to escape. I think he truly believed it too. I didn't. In my heart, I knew she was out there somewhere. Probably working some dead-end job, trying to stay under our radar. Instead of pointing this out, though, I accepted the topic change.

“I don’t know what you're talking about.”

“Now it’s you that thinks I’m a dimwit,” Marissa smirked at me. “You couldn’t keep your eyes off her at dinner last night. You moved her into the castle in the middle of the night, and I’m guessing she was the girl in that sexy green dress at the ball you were staring at while we danced. Anyone with eyes can see you are interested in her. You’ve never shown a woman of the court that much attention before. Or any attention, for that matter. She’s obviously interested in you.”

Damn, was I that obvious?

A knock sounded, my food had arrived. Marissa and I moved to the table to pick at the plate together. I was hopeful she’d move on. No such luck.

“Ella?” she pushed.

“I think I like her. Like, like, like her.”

“Oh my stars, you sound like a teen with his first crush,” she laughed.

My first crush? That’s when it hits me. She reminds me of Liana. We were young, she was too young. But I think that’s what it was. There was something about her that I always loved. She was my crush. That's not exactly the right term.

“What if she doesn’t like me? What if she’s just being polite? I’ve only known her a few days. I don’t actually know anything about her at all. You’re right, I am dimwitted,” I rambled on.

“I’m always right. Don’t ever forget that,” she smirked once again. I was surprised she didn’t ask me to record that so she could play it whenever I annoyed her. We may be adults now, but we naturally fall into our childlike sibling comradery when it’s just the two of us. We were rarely free to let loose like this and be ourselves or say what's truly on our minds.

“Of course she likes you. She’d be an i***t not too. You’re rich, powerful, the next king, moderately good looking…”

“That’s a big part of why I’m attracted to her. She didn't know who I was. Money, power, position; none of that mattered to her. She’s the first girl I’ve met that hasn't thrown herself at me with stars in her eyes, desperate for the opportunity to become the future Queen. And when we first met, she couldn’t see that I am incredibly handsome, so it wasn't my looks that snagged her either.”

“Well, take her on a date or something. What else do you like about her?”

“She’s spirited.” I answered before popping a few grapes into my mouth.

“She didn’t seem that way talking to dad last night. She looked like a nervous wreck,” Marissa scoffed.

“That’s what her body language showed, yes. But her eyes were full of fire. She’s smart. Smart enough to tell dad what she thinks without him seeing it as disrespectful. I think she’s far stronger than she lets on. And she makes me feel normal. I have this strange urge to protect her, even though I also have a feeling she can protect herself.”

“I see you do like this girl. You know you’ll have to fight for her, right? I’ll tell you right now she may be rich, powerful, and from the right family, but mother thinks she’s defective. She won’t approve.”

“When was the last time our mother approved of anything?”

“Sometimes I think she feels guilty too,” Marissa whispered.

“I don’t think that emotion is in that woman's repertoire.”

“Maybe… but unfortunately for us, time is up. Go show our father you’re his perfect son before he starts considering one of his bastards for the job.” Marissa pats my leg in encouragement.

“They’d be welcome to it,” I snorted.

With one last hug, I part from my baby sister and head back to the conference room.