Erondale

Chapter 24

Chris’s POV

I’m walking back to my room at the palace when I run into Emma. When she first notices me, she rolls her eyes and starts taking off.

“Em.” I call out to her. She starts running faster, irritating me. I groan frustrated. “Em.” I holler out again, using my authoritative tone.

She spins around. “Yes, your Majesty?” She bows, sarcastically.

It irritates me. We were best friends. I struggle to keep my irritance at bay. I scowl at her and take a deep breath. I’m already upset that Rae didn’t show. I had hoped that years apart would help her feel better.

“Em. Get up, you know that you can call me Chris.” I tell her.

She doesn’t look very happy that I consider her a friend. Great. I knew that Rae and her were best friends but could they both not forgive me? I’ve changed. I’m sorry for what I’ve done. She looks at me disbelieving.

She raises her eye in defiance. The smirk on her face irritates me more. “I can?? Oh!! How exciting! Is it only Rae who isn’t good enough to call you Chris?” She asks, sarcastically.

Ouch! That stings. I never told her she couldn’t call me Chris. My brows furrow in confusion. What is she trying to say?

“What are you talking about?” I ask.

Emma rolls her eyes. She squints her brows and starts to laugh. Only, it’s not a kind laugh. It’s one full of disbelief and sarcasm.

“Oh. Did you forget what you told her?” She laughs some more.

When she calms down, she glares at me. No I didn’t forget. It was only Rae that I told couldn’t call me by my name. I was trying to separate my feelings for her since I know that I can’t have her. Emma was never told otherwise.

It’s something that has played over and over inside my head since I left. That and every look that she gave me when she saw me with someone else. That still stings, remembering her looks of longing, hurt, and betrayal, then stubborn dismissal.

I still remember her laughter with Alrich knowing I couldn’t do anything to stop her from dancing with him. I also remember the way that she looked at Toby, when she thought no one noticed, and the severe jealousy that it sparked and still does. I remember all of it but I’m not going to tell Em that.

“Well, if you have nothing else then I would like to leave. If that’s alright with you, that is. Us lowlifes shouldn’t be caught talking to you.” Emma says, bringing me out of my spinning thoughts.

I look at her, truly sorry. I just want my friends back. I look at her pleadingly.

“Em, I’m sorry. I didn’t want to hurt Rae.” I try to explain.

“Yeah, sure you didn’t. That’s why you dated Sera. Sera!” She says in a yell.

It stung. I knew that was low of me to do but I had to.

“Which by the way, I’m pretty sure is why Alrich dislikes you. Oh, and then let’s not forget the fact that you took Erin into bed the night before Rae’s birthday.” She reminds me with a malicious grin.

Another thing that makes me hate myself. Another reminder of how I messed up Rae really bad. That one was a mistake though. I dated Erin hoping to forget about Rae but also wanting to keep close to Rae.

“You didn’t even bother to show up for Rae’s birthday before you left. So, tell me. How exactly did you not intend to hurt Rae?” She asks. If looks could kill, I’d be dead right now.

“I don’t know how to explain it to you, Em, but I had a reason. I really did. Please believe me. I love Rae, Em.” I plead. I really wish that I could explain it to her.

She laughs. She laughs so hard that tears start rolling out of her eyes. I knit my brows in confusion. What is so funny? She takes a couple of deep breaths before she starts laughing again.

“You know, you’re going to have to get in line.” She laughs again. “It seems that everyone is in love with her even some psycho.” She says, wistfully. Is Emma jealous of Rae?

Her words register and I feel the jealousy in the pit of my stomach. Of course everyone loves Rae. She’s easy to love. However, she isn’t finished laughing. I’m about to ask her what she found so funny but we were interrupted by Toby’s parents.

She straightens up when she sees the seriousness of his face. David walks over to Emma and whispers something in her ear. It irks me that he’s ignoring the fact that I’m standing right here.

“Hello, David.” I say to get his attention.

He turns around. “Your Highness.”

He bows his head slightly and grabs a hold of Emma who has sunk down to the ground.

“What’s going on?” I ask concerned.

He looks over at Emma and sighs. His next words cause my heart to stop beating in my chest, momentarily forgetting how to breathe.

“Rae is in the hospital. We don’t know if she’s going to make it.” He says with a frown and tears in his eyes.

When I finally catch my breath, and I can think straight, I don’t say anything. I just reach over and grab a hold of Emma’s arm to help her up and take off running.

I run as fast as I can to reach the hospital. My chest feels heavy and I’m more frightened than I have ever been in my entire life. As soon as I enter the waiting room everyone drops to their knees but my focus was on her family.

They are devastated. I’m too scared to say anything. My heart feels as though it’s ripping apart. Emma rushes past me and practically jumps into Toby’s arms. That’s strange. I knew that they were friends but I didn’t realize they were anything more. I quirk my eye in confusion.

Her slap pulls me out of my thoughts. I watch as she assaults Toby in fear and anger. He is just standing there and tolerating the slaps. Why? It looks like deep down he knows that he deserves them as his face is showing pure devastation and guilt. Then they tell the story of what happened. A horse. A horse fell and crushed her.

She is barely living because a horse fell on her. She loves horses. I’m trying to get over the shock of this. She’s always been tiny but never in my nightmares would I have imagined a horse could kill her so easily.

When Talon says that she stopped breathing my legs almost give out. My breathing speeds up as fear of losing her overwhelms me. It doesn’t help when Alrich shows up. I don’t like him as much as he doesn’t like me. His step sister is my ex girlfriend.

They didn’t ever get along so I don’t understand what his problem is with me dating her. I didn’t like him because he was the one that got to dance and smile with Rae the night of my birthday. Other than that, I never had a problem with him.

Who I don’t expect to show is Rachael and Preston alongside Reginald. I hold in a groan when she launches herself at me, claiming me as her babe. I see the gleeful, and gloating, look in Alrich’s eyes. He knows that this is going to hurt Rae and I bet he’s just ready to be there to pick up the pieces. That is, if she survives. I look at Preston pleadingly and he successfully pulls her off.

Now, she is currently over in a corner pouting with Emma. I had not noticed Selene leave. Toby and Erin are huddled together, whispering with broken faces. David and his wife keep stealing glances between me, Alrich, and the twins. What is that about?

“Why are we here?” Preston asks me quietly.

“We’re waiting on news of Rae.” I state.

“But, your Majesty, you should be resting and not wasting time on peasants.” He says.

I narrow my eyes at him. “My father loved Rae. He would want to be here if he were still alive.” I snap.

I never told Preston about Rae. It was a secret that I kept tight. It was a secret that I tried to forget by busying myself with lots of ladies and training. Though, now I’m ashamed that I had done so. It’s not fair to Rae or to the ladies.

He nods his head. “Of course, you’re right.” He agrees.

Just then Rachael makes her way over to me. “So, who is Rae?”

I don’t answer her because I know what she is capable of. She doesn’t take my silence well and stomps her foot like a spoiled child.

“Well, I’m not going to wait around for a nobody to wake up.” She whines.

That doesn’t sit well with everyone in the waiting room. Rae is not a nobody and she is well loved. I stiffen as I see Erin stand.

“The only nobody here, is you.” She snarls at Rachael. “You can always take your cheap self out of this room. No one needs you here.” She snaps.

I feel my eyes go wide as I can feel a surge of something coming from Erin. I can practically taste her anger and hatred on my tongue. I’m about to say something but Rachael beats me to it.

She narrows her eyes as she walks slowly to Erin. Uh oh. “Do you know who you are speaking to?” Rachael asks with a sneer marring her face.

Erin looks up and down her slowly. She is taking her in and assessing every part of her. “No. I don’t care to know. Please, feel free to leave.” Erin sneers, again, as she steps a little closer to Rachael.

“You are looking at the future Queen.” Rachael spits at Erin.

My heart stops, my eyes widen, and a small gasp escapes my mouth. I see Erin’s face fall as her eyes dart towards me in confusion. A quick glance around the room shows me that everyone, except for Preston, is looking at me shocked.

“Rachael. Leave.” I command.

I can’t even say that she is lying because I don’t know who my Queen is. I can only hope that the gods did not pair me up with Rachael. She doesn’t even flinch my way. She notices the way that Erin looks at me and sees her as a threat. She steps closer to Erin, threateningly.

“Did you honestly think that you had a chance with the King?” She laughs. “You? A mere peasant?”

I flinch at her tone as my heart breaks seeing the look on Erin’s face. She glances at me with disbelief and shock. She looks broken. I never told her that we would end up together. She knows that I love Rae. Maybe she thinks that I’ve been lying to her this whole time. My chest hurts as it breaks.

Toby is about to say something but Preston speaks first. “Dear Sister, I do think that you should listen to the King. His face looks like it’s about to blow off his head.” He jokes.

I glare at him. Being that she is a Princess, I am doing my best not to call her on her lies and publicly humiliate her. I’ve never told her that she was to be my Queen. She is only assuming. The look that passes on Erin’s face hurt me deep. I never looked at her, or any one else, as mere peasants. She knows this as I told her the only told Rae to get her to hate me.

Which I regret doing as I don’t want her to hate me. I want her to love me. I want her as my friend. I was stupid for thinking that it would be for the best. I glance at Erin and she looks at me to say something but I don’t. I watch as Rachael and Preston exit.

“You’re marrying her?” Emma whispers.

I look over at her but I don’t answer. What can I say? I can’t tell everyone what is going on. My father forbid me from it. I can only tell those that I trust and I don’t trust everyone in this room.

“Well, your girlfriend has made quite the show while Rae is fighting on her deathbed. Maybe you should leave as well, your Majesty? We don’t want your Queen to think anything is going on between the two.” Alrich sneers.

“Maybe he is right, Your Majesty. We need to finish anyway. There is more that we must do tonight before you get the full role of King.” Reginald informs me.

“What do you mean?” I ask.

He glances around and shakes his head.“Not here.”

“I need to be here for Rae, Reg. I just need to be.” I plead, my heart breaking.

Toby scoffs and I glance at him. The look he gives me has me questioning again, what is his relationship with Rae?

Emma is looking at him with longing. What is his relationship with her? Is it just a simple crush that she has? For some reason, the thought of him having a relationship with Emma irritates me. What about Rae? How does she feel about it?

“Your majesty, I really must insist. The time is almost here.” Reginald says.

“Speak plainly. You are making no sense.” I snap.

“You will see.”

I roll my eyes and then look to him pleadingly again. “Let’s wait for a bit. I need to know that Rae is okay.”

“If you insist, Your Highness. Just a few moments more.” He agrees.

“Thank you, Reginald.” I look over at him. “In the meantime, can you make sure that Rachael and Preston are back at the castle safely. Make sure they have everything that they need. Tell the guards to discreetly make sure that Rachael does not leave the palace.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.” He nods and bows.

I watch as he strolls out of the hospital wondering what else he has in store for me. I turn back to the waiting room and see everyone staring at me with hatred, confusion, and disgust in their eyes.

I sigh. There is nothing that I can do, for now, and my heart breaks. Even Erin refuses to look at me like she used to.