[Monday Morning, Before School, Poten High Knob Palace]
Serenah leaned against the shower wall, letting the water wash away the blood from her wounds. Yesterday was the worst. From Amanah beating her to the final punishment from her father and Grand Duke Noward, Serenah had drowned in pain. Unlike the other days, her father had not allowed her to get healing.
She hurt and ached everywhere. Frustrated tears ran down her face. She fought to pull them back. She had to be stronger than this. She gingerly washed herself, doing her best not to rub the open wounds. It took longer than she liked to take a shower and get dressed.
She put on the baggiest clothes she had to keep her wounds from being rubbed. She left her room only to be intercepted by a guard who escorted her to her father's office. Her heart raced its familiar run of fear at having to deal with her father. She entered and went before him, head lowered and her gaze on the floor.
"Today you return to school. You will go to your classes and afterwards go to the internship. You are not allowed to go anywhere but to school and Mr. Lancaster's office. Do I make myself clear?"
Serenah almost protested, but swallowed it down. "Yes, Your Majesty."
She tensed when she heard the scrape of his chair. She kept her eyes focused on the floor, her mouth going dry at her father's approach.
He grabbed her hair and jerked her head back. She gasped, wincing at the pull on her scalp. Her frightened eyes flew to her father's face.
"Disobey, Serenah, and you will spend what is left of your school year being homeschooled. No more internship, no more school. You'll lose it all. And you think you've bled before. Defy me again, and you'll learn the true meaning of bleeding for your sins."
"Yes, Your Majesty," she whispered, tears stinging the corners of her eyes.
He released her, growled a "Get out," and returned to his desk.
She didn't wait. She fled from his office to the garage to wait for Alaster. Her thoughts tumbled about, tangling with her fear, anger, and sadness. So lost was she in her mind that she didn't sense or hear Alaster's approach until he cleared his throat. She flinched, her eyes flying to his face before she looked away.
"Your Highness, let's go."
She got in the passenger side, and he took the driver's side. For the first few minutes, silence reigned.
"Your Highness, I'm sure you're glad to be going back to school. Please keep in mind that you were punished for two weeks. You don't want to upset Amanah anymore, do you? You should work on distancing yourself from Romeo. Just let your sister have him."
Serenah stiffened in shock at Alaster's words. What the hell? How could he say such things! Her eyes flashed in defiance. How dare he say such things to her? He was her friend! He should be on her side.
"I want to remind you, as per His Majesty, that you are not allowed to hang out with Romeo outside of school and the internship. Once we are done with the internship, we are to come back home immediately. You are not allowed to do anything extra. Did you hear me, Your Highness?"
"I heard you," Serenah mumbled.
Her emotions were rising at his lecture. Was Alaster turning on her? Was he becoming her father's pawn? She pushed that thought away. There was no way that was true. Alaster had always been on her side. He wouldn't abandon her, would he? Doubt nibbled at her conviction. She just didn't know anymore.
She sat in the passenger seat and brooded all the way to school. She was out of the car as soon as Alaster parked. She didn't give him a chance to say anything to her. Her fated mark throbbed. Romeo was here.
"Romeo," she whispered, her voice almost a whimper of happiness.
She hurried toward the school doors, ignoring Alaster's shout to wait. She refused to let her reunion with Romeo be dampened by Alaster's behavior and lectures.
She jerked the door open, crossed the hall in four steps, and was through the gym doors in the blink of an eye. She froze in the entrance, her searching, hopeful gaze scanning the crowds for a glimpse of Romeo. Her mark burned hot when she felt his eyes land on her.
Her breath caught as her emotions swelled and burst from her. Relief-happiness-determination-loneliness-pain-longing-sadness-desire. She felt her fated mark fill with her emotions before spewing them out in a flood toward Romeo. Mixed with her emotions were his. The turbulent swirling of their entwined feelings threatened to overwhelm her.
She blinked when he halted before her, his eyes checking her over from head to toe. For a moment, she couldn't control what she felt, and her exhaustion and pain were reflected in her eyes before she forced them away. A faint, happy smile appeared on her face when her eyes met his. He saw the exhaustion and pain in her eyes.
"Romeo," her voice was a whisper.
She saw him twitch. She knew he'd heard her, and the past two weeks of misery seemed to dim in her memory.
"Sera," her name came out in a whisper. He reached out, gently took her hand in his, and caressed her fingers.
She felt the hum of joy in her mark. She wasn't sure if it was hers or his. It didn't matter to her. She was by his side once again. Everything felt right in the world.
"Missed you." She let her sadness and longing fill her voice.
"I missed you, too."
Romeo leaned forward until their foreheads touched. The proximity caused her fated mark to sing in joy. She felt their bond strengthen. His honey and cinnamon scent wafted to her nose, and she took a happy inhale of it.
The moment was interrupted by Liz's happy shout. "Sera!"
Suddenly, the other girl was there, hugging them both.
Serenah laughed at Liz's exuberance, the pain from her wounds forgotten at her friend's warm welcome.
"Liz, let her breathe," Romeo said with a chuckle. He entwined his fingers with Serenah's. "Let's go. Don't want to be late for first period."
As they walked to class, hands held tightly, he leaned in closer and whispered in Serenah's ear. "I have something to tell you at lunch."
"Okay," she replied. Her heart thumped as worry rose. What did he have to tell her? Was he going to leave her for her sister? She pushed away her negative thoughts and tried to focus on her classes.
Many of her fellow students greeted her happily, welcoming her back with words and, for some, with hugs. She struggled to hide her wincing in pain. She didn't have the energy to explain her wounds.
All too soon, it was lunch. Romeo grabbed their food and took her outside to one of the secluded tables. It was the moment of truth. Would he break her heart, or would he continue as her safe harbor?
Once again, he surprised her. He placed their food on the table, then cuddled her. He gently nuzzled the curve of her neck before giving it a light nibble.
She jolted, her eyes went wide, and then she happily sank fully against him with a light whimper. Her soul calmed. He wasn't getting rid of her. When he nuzzled her again, the bond grew hot with her emotions. Desire-longing-lust-surprise. She felt so many things. His feelings mirrored hers. Their bond was nearly ablaze with the surge of their emotions overwhelming it.
"Sera," he whispered in her ear.
She shivered from the huskiness of his voice and glanced up. He caressed her cheek as he looked down at her upturned face.
"When we go to the internship this afternoon, I have something I want to give you."
"A gift?"
Confused, she could only stare at him. He caressed her cheek again, and she closed her eyes.
"Romeo," she whimpered his name.
His arms gently tightened around her. "Yes, a gift of sorts."
"What about my twin?"
She couldn't hide her fearful wariness at the possibility of her sister finding out about his gift for her.
"My father will take care of that. We will be able to talk undisturbed."
"Okay." She let him see her trust in him in her gaze.
If he said his father would take care of it. She believed him. They ate their food, and then lunch was over. They went back to class, and Serenah settled down, ready to make her first day back a peaceful one.