Avenged

♔ Chapter 5a

∘◦♔ ═════ ∘◦ Lady Ella Devendale / Princess Liana Bright ◦∘ ═════ ♔◦∘

Thorn and I were talking in his new room when Adonis and Marissa found us.

“Thorndon, good to see you.” Adonis strode forward and shook Thorn’s hand, smiling warmly.

“You too, my friend,” Thorn replied, not even a little icily. Good on him.

Surprisingly, the snake greeted me before my brother.

“Ella, my old friend, how are you? It’s nice to see you again,” Marissa said silkily. Then she shocked me by pulling me into a hug. I was stiff at first, but soon forced myself to relax into it. It felt as though my body was at war with my mind. Each trying to override the others desires. To choke her, or not to choke her…. Ella was a hugger in her youth. Marissa clearly remembers that. That’s actually more than I expected from Marissa, to remember a personal detail about another person. Perhaps she has matured slightly.

I plastered on an equally fake and polite smile and returned her greeting. We’d not spoken at the ball or at dinner. For a brief moment after the hug, there was an awkward pause while she just held both of my hands and stared at me. For a few horrible seconds, I thought maybe she’d recognized me. I could change my hair color, change my eye color, I could hide my wing patterns with illusions, but my facial features were my own. Though I’d grown a lot since she’d seen me last. Did she see through my disguise?

“Ella, I...” Marissa hesitated, wringing her hands—a rare show of nerves. “I’m sorry. For how I treated you after the accident.”

I blinked, surprised. She never apologized. Not even as kids.

“I was a brat,” she added quickly. “That’s not an excuse. But maybe it explains some of it.”

My smile didn’t reach my eyes. “Of course, Princess Marissa. Let’s start fresh.” I smiled, adding a tiny excitable bounce to my feet.

Just like that, we were friends again. At least, that’s what she wanted everyone to believe. As do I.

“Just Marissa, please. We might be sisters one day,” she said with a ridiculous wink.

Ahh, so that’s why she’s buttering me up.

“I know it's been a while. I promise I’ve grown up.” I swallowed the groan that threatened to escape. This show was obviously for Thorn’s benefit, or maybe Adonis’s. He always had a blind spot where his baby sister was concerned.

After Ella’s accident, her friends, led by Marissa, all turned on her. Now she was apologizing and acting like we were childhood best friends and… I’m tempted to call her out on it. But conflict right now with her doesn’t further my cause. This friendship she’s offering does. As someone wiser than me once said, ‘keep your friends close and your enemies closer.’

“We’ve come to invite you both to dinner with our parents,” Adonis smiled. The way his eyes burned through mine, I almost felt like he could pin my soul with his gaze. That was a horribly disconcerting thought. My stomach flipped awkwardly and for one horrible moment, I forgot how to speak.

“It won’t be fun, but you should get the niceties over with. Maybe then they’ll leave us all in peace,” Marissa joked, diffusing my odd moment.

⋘══════ ∘◦♔◦∘ ══════⋙

An hour of idle chit chat later, the four of us headed to dinner. We entered the small dining room together, chatting like old friends. What surprised me was that somehow it felt almost comfortable, almost normal. I had to keep reminding myself not to let my guard down.

Perhaps in another world this is how we should have been together- friends that supported each other. Maybe I could have loved Adonis. I think I would have if things had been different. I was already full on crushing on him before the incident.

The King’s voice boomed in greeting.

“I’m so happy to see the four of you so close again.”

The first thing that caught my eye was the caged bird. He looked miserable in a golden filigree cage in the corner. He perked up a little at our entrance. I forced myself not to gasp. Then I fought to tamp down the anger surging through me. That was Fintan—my father’s phoenix.

If the legends were true, phoenixes could speak directly to their bonded line- our line, soul-to-soul. I’d thought it was a trick when I’d seen him at the ball in the same tiny cage he was in now. It had to be some magic trick to make it look like he was here. Surely, there was no way he would sing for them.

Phoenixes were one of the rarest magical creatures. They are gorgeous and powerful, intelligent and loyal. Yet, this poor excuse for a royal family was treating this one like a prized trophy, carting him to events to show off their victory over my parents.

Once seated, and the dreary greetings were done, Adonis noticed me gazing at the bird.

“It’s a shame to keep such a beautiful creature caged,” he said nonchalantly.

“Then why do it?” I questioned dryly. A little too much annoyance leaking through my tone. I cleared my throat and added, in a much sweeter tone, “My Prince.”

“I told you to call me Adonis,” he gently chided.

His smile was soft and sweet. He was looking at me like I was the most unusual and attractive woman he’d ever met. It was quite unnerving. I hadn’t expected him to fall so hard, so fast. I expected I’d have to work at it. Or maybe he’s using me to get to my brother and my father to bolster his father’s standing in the kingdom and, of course, the country's financial stability. That must be it. I should have realized that sooner. As far as they know, I’m the naïve daughter who's been socially isolated for the last eight years. I’m sure they think they can play me. I smiled and addressed the King.

“I didn’t wish to be disrespectful in front of your parents,” I said, biting my lower lip and adopting an apologetic, submissive expression. Adonis’s eyes moved to my lips.

The King loudly spoke over Adonis’s attempt to reply, “The phoenix is a symbol of power. Its presence shows the people who he supports.”

Except that my father never once had to force Fintan to do anything. He would never have considered disrespecting such a creature. I smile sadly at Fin, wishing he knew how much I want to save him from these people. I mentally added it to my list.

“He’s just a symbol now, completely useless. A ratty old bird that can’t fly, can’t shoot fire, and can’t even carry a tune,” the King sneered. It took a considerable amount of willpower not to react.

“Not completely useless,” whispered a voice in my head. My eyes widened briefly in surprise. No one else reacted, so I could only assume he’d spoken to me directed and me alone.

“Fin, you remember me? You recognize me?” I asked the bird in my head, not actually expecting an answer. I didn’t even know he spoke actual words like this. Was this some kind of trick?