Chapter 32

                                    

                                          
I had always thrown my arms around Holly whenever I had seen her. She had been my best friend for the majority of my life. Hugging her and telling her I loved her was something I did almost every day.
                          
It was two days after my incident in the dining room. Now, I hadn't seen her in over two weeks. But when she entered the palace all I could do was watch her. It seemed like she wasn't the same person I thought I had known so well a few months ago.
                          
"King Orion, Queen Adeline." she greeted. Her voice was shaking and her body trembled as she dipped into a curtsey. The cheap dress she was wearing didn't match the movement. We had picked it out together and loved it then, but it didn't suit this conservative, elegant home. Or the people who were watching her, all wearing formal clothing and crowns.
                          
"We are so thankful that you agreed to this journey on behalf of Keiko," King Orion said, shinning his wonderful smile. I didn't know the king particularly well but I knew that he was the softer, kinder one.
                          
"Where is her mother?" Adeline piped up. her voice was cold and low as her eyes moved over the foyer, searching for a person who clearly wasn't there. The queen was definitely the ruler. And damn, she was tough.
                          
I stiffened at the mention of my mom, especially since it came out of Adeline's mouth. I didn't understand what she had done but I knew that Adeline, Ajax, and Orion hadn't approved of it. And though many people didn't always like my mother there was something deeper and darker with the hatred towards my mom. I didn't know what this family ruled over, but I hoped that they had very little governing power over my mother. Somehow, I doubted it.
                          
"I lost contact with her," Holly admitted, her brown eyes flashing to Ajax, like she was asking for assistance.
                          
And Ajax delivered by stepping between Holly and his mother, flashing the queen a bright, laid back smile. To me, he was a brave man for taking the heat of his mother's gaze like that. Then again, he had grown up with it. and, if I was being honest, I had seen it in him from time to time as well.
                          
"Holly was wonderful in trying to convince Keiko's mom to journey over here. Unfortunately, a few days before the flight she left her home and no one has heard from her since."
                          
"What?" I squeaked, my voice high pitched and unrefined, "Oh my God, what if something happened to her?"
                          
"Oh please," Adeline rolled her eyes, almost seeming irritated by my voice, "I've known your mother for years, long before you were born. Others fear her, not the other way around."
                          
"How would you know my mother? You know what? It doesn't matter. What matters is you hunted her down like an animal and she fled." My heart was pounding in my ears and my hands grabbed at my dark, straight hair. My mom, my poor mom. She must be terrified right now. "I need to go back home. I need to find her."
                          
Ajax shot his mother a hard look. It was another thing that I don't think a lot of people would be brave enough to do. Then, when his eyes were back on me he was all soft smiles and calm eyes. "Your mother knows where you are and she knows that you are safe. It was her choice to run. It's very unlikely that anything has happened to her."
                          
"Innocent people don't run," Queen Adeline declared, her eyes hard. "One day, when you understand what your mother has done to you, you will be thanking us."
                          
"Addy," Orion warned, touching her arm.
                          
And just like that she shut her mouth. The war had been waged. Now I could see a glimmer of regret and sorrow, like she pitied me. It made me grit my teeth, but it also reminded me of my parents. I didn't have a lot of memories of my father, but some were like that. Tiny touches to unravel.
                          
"I need to go back to my mom," I said, turning to Ajax again. 
                          
For the time being he seemed like the softer one to target. He was defending my mother a protecting my friend from his own. He would understand. But at my words his teeth clenched together and his lips were pressed into a straight line.
                          
"Your mother will come find you."
                          
"She's scared. She could be hurt or kidnapped. You don't know," I argued, feeling like I was on the verge of tears.
                          
"Keiko, she knows where you are. And instead of coming to find you, she ran." Ajax was steady. I could tell by the way his shoulders were tight, hunched ever so slightly,  that he knew he was going to hurt me.
                          
"You're wrong," I protested. My mother would never abandon me like that. It was her and I till the end. It had been that way since my father left.
                          
Ajax just shook his head. "Holly, it would be greatly appreciated if you could spend some time with Keiko and try and calm her down."