Intimidated

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

~Ariee~

“Why do you keep staring at me like that? You should be happy that we got a free pass into the next stage,” Fiona snorted.

“Three groups were disqualified because of you,” I harshly reminded her. “If you hadn't provoked those three women into beating you up, their groups wouldn't have had to bear the penalty of fighting in a public space.”

She moved her head from the icepack I was using on her face. She turned over the clinic bed, lying on her stomach so she could look me in the face.

“Since when do you lecture me, Ariee?” She asked and I lowered my head, biting my lower lip to keep from speaking. “People provoke me all the time but you don't see me attacking them like a rabid dog. Example, you!” She hissed. “You are always criticizing me but all I do is scold you. A very queenly classy behavior.”

My lips pressed tightly together, fighting the words that were just at the tip of my tongue.

She only scolds when provoked? Yeah right! Tell that to the headless servants deep in the pit behind her father's mansion.

Back at home, her father did the dirty work, now, she just had to rile up others and rip the benefits when they react.

A brilliant strategy for this competition if she actually gave it a thought. But Fiona was just being Fiona this time. She hadn't expected them to attack her and she was too frail to fight back.

The footage made her a perfect victim especially with no audio recording. Fiona could say the vilest of things with an innocent face and graceful posture and if you didn't hear her, you'd swear the other person was crazy for having such a strong reaction.

After the footage was carefully reviewed with Fiona falling unconscious right on cue, she was given a free pass into the next stage. A judgement that irritated a lot of people, me included.

I let out a sigh. “Forgive me, my lady.”

Scolding and cursing her in my head was not going to change anything. I just had to hope that the other girls in her group managed to come up with something.

“What do you think the next task would be?” She went on eagerly, without acknowledging the apology. “This one was kind of boring.”

It was boring because you refused to understand the concept. Not that I could say that out loud.

“Maybe we can go watch the other candidates performance?” I suggested. “It will help us understand the competition better and plan for…”

“Why do I need to understand those losers?” Fiona rolled her eyes. “I don't see any of them as competition.”

If confidence was all it took to win, she would definitely take this one, but unfortunately, that's not how it worked.

“I know,” she sprang up suddenly, then a wince followed. She rolled the sides of her head gently. “Those dogs really did a number on me.”

I didn't comment on that and instead stretched the ice pack to her. She didn't take it and instead climbed out of the bed.

“Why don't we go check on my groom?”

I choked on nothing, coughing hard as my lungs burned.

“W—What?” I stuttered out, stroking my chest to calm myself down.

I must have heard wrong. There was no way she was suggesting that we spy on the Lycan King.

Her grin grew even wider.

“Don't look so bummed,” she laughed. “There's nothing wrong with getting a closer look at the man I am going to spend the rest of my life with, is there?”

Oh, there is everything wrong with that! Especially when you are dragging me into it!

“I… I don't think that is a good idea, my lady…” I started but she grabbed my hand before I could even finish my excuse.

“Talk less and follow me!” Fiona said, dragging me with her.

“Please calm down, my lady. I really think this is a terrible idea,” I said, desperately try to pry her hands off me. “The King is a very strict man and I don't think he would find it amusing if he caught us spying.”

“Then all we have to do is not get caught,” She shrugged.

“We don't even know where he is,” I tried again.

“I have my map with me,” she smirked and my face dropped.

Why does she have that again?

We were handed schedules and maps so we could manage our time properly and navigate White Coast easily. It was definitely not to track the King.

My heart was beating at a scary rate. What if that man popped up again? How do I explain running this time?

What if the King saw me again and found it annoying? He could crush me for real this time like an actual insect.

Calm down, Ariee. Calm down.

You're overreacting.

The palace along is bigger than our entire pack. As long as she doesn't go to his chambers or personal wing, the chances of running into him out here are extremely low.

“I think we should start with his private quarters,” Fiona said suddenly, catching me off guard. “We'll most likely run into hi there and…”

“No!” I half-yelled and she stopped. She let go of my hand this time, granting me the freedom to express my frustration.

“This is a very terrible idea!” I exasperated. “Going to private quarters to spy on him equals trespassing and we could get into a lot of trouble for that. You might even get disqualified, my lady!”

She didn't say anything to that and I thought she might actually consider the consequences for once.

“Nahh, we're good!” She rested a hand on my shoulder. “We're not going to get caught.”

My jaw dropped in disbelief. Is she serious right now?

“But my…”

“That's enough yapping,” she interrupted curtly. “Focus!”

There was nothing I could say to convince her anymore. With no other choice, I followed her and her crazy map to the second largest building in the palace.

It was isolated from the rest of the palace with only a low stone bridge linking them.

My anxious mind wasn't helping either. It was kept building the worse possible scenarios.

Like the King showing up when we were halfway across the bridge. There was no way to run or hide then. I chewed on my fingernails nervously. There were so many ways things could go wrong but Fiona was so relaxed and nonchalant about it all.

Not an ounce of dread radiated from her as she strolled across the bridge. She had a loooooooot of nerve.

She glanced back impatiently. “The hell are you doing there?!”

I quickly scurried over to her. Completely out of excuses.

I'd expected to see guards everywhere as we approached the building but it was… empty?

I glanced around in sheer confusion. Not a single soul in sight.

Is White Coast that safe? That a king can live totally unguarded?

“Thank goodness there's no one here,” Fiona let out a sigh of relief. “I was wondering how you were going to take them all by yourself.”

Wow! So her plan was to lead me into the Lion’s deh and have me take care of a dozen guards by myself?

Nicely done, Fiona! I could never replay this kindness!

We got around a hidden corner and observed for a while before deciding it was safe to approach.

Fiona was just about to take the first step when we heard the loud creak of a door opening and the quite yard burst with life and chattering.

Several women walked out, each with baskets of flowers in their hands, chatting and laughing.

They were dressed in dazzling sun dresses with beautiful long hair swaying with their hips. They looked otherworldly.

With beauty that matched goddesses.

“What is this…” Fiona’s voice trembled behind me. I turned to see her shaking, her fists clenched hard, teeth clenched and eyes glaring at the women before us.

It was the first time I have ever seen Fiona intimidated by other women.

“Is he running a harem or what?” She growled.

I wanted to laugh at how ridiculous she looked.

“Why is he making us fight over him if he has THEM at his back and call?!” She gritted. “Is he trying to make a joke of us or something?”

Us, huh?

Never thought I'd see the day the self-centered queen gave others a thought.

Maybe this whole spying thing wasn't such a bad idea after all.