Chapter 108

[ 1,106 words ]

Arabella Toussaint:

I had stopped breathing.

The queen stood directly in front of me with her pursed lips. Faint lines appeared across her forehead as she studied the space where I was standing. I waited for her to demand an explanation, already trying to think of something that wouldn’t make me sound like a complete idiot.

Before she could say anything, Aliya walked over and stopped behind her. Her eyes moved straight toward me, and I braced myself for her reaction. Instead of widening in surprise, her gaze passed right through me as though I wasn’t even there.

“See? I told you there’s no one here.” Aliya took her mother’s hand and gave it a gentle tug. “You’re worrying yourself over nothing, mother.”

I stared at her, too stunned to even react. There was no way they could have missed me from this distance, yet they hadn’t shown the slightest sign that they could see me.

Queen Theodora didn’t seem as convinced. She remained there for another moment, looking out the window with a slight frown as if her senses were telling her something. Eventually, Aliya managed to take her away.

I stayed where I was, afraid that even the smallest movement might somehow make them notice me. Sweat had broken out all over my body, and my heart was still hammering against my ribs.

What the hell had just happened? Why couldn’t they see me?

I looked down at myself, half expecting to find nothing there, but my body looked perfectly normal to me. Had I become invisible?

That sounded ridiculous even inside my own head, but what other explanation was there? I was still trying to understand it when the door opened, and I quickly peeked out from behind the curtain.

It was Lucien walking into the room. For a second, seeing him actually brought a strange sense of relief. He was still wearing the same T-shirt and pants as when I had last seen him.

I was getting more confused by the second. How would I explain this to anyone? How would I leave this room? Was someone playing with my head? Maybe someone in the palace wanted me gone.

After standing there for another minute, I finally mustered enough courage to come out from behind the curtain.

What could they do anyway if they suddenly saw me? Insult me? Throw me out? Or maybe kill me?

Hopefully not.

I stepped out and waited, but no one reacted. Lucien kept casually talking to his mother, while Aliya sat nearby listening to them. Since they still couldn’t see me, I slowly walked closer.

First, I stood beside Queen Theodora and looked at her and then at Aliya. Nothing happened.

Interesting.

I moved toward Lucien next and stopped beside him. He was saying something to his mother, completely unaware that I was standing close enough to touch him. I studied his face for a moment and leaned closer to his neck, taking a small sniff.

Man! He smelled amazing.

Before I could move away, Lucien stopped in the middle of whatever he was saying. His nostrils flared slightly as he drew in a quiet breath, and I immediately straightened.

“Brother, don’t tell me you sense someone too.” Aliya sounded amused. Lucien looked at her with a frown. “What do you mean?”

“Mother thought someone was in here a few minutes ago.” She shrugged. “I told her there was no one.”

Lucien glanced around the room, and I stood quietly beside him while his gaze passed over me. “No,” after a moment, he muttered under his breath. “I left her in her room. It can’t be her.”

My heart skipped a beat. Was he talking about me?

“What are you talking about, brother?” Aliya looked at him curiously

“Nothing.” Lucien didn’t explain further. “It’s late. Go to sleep.” He leaned down to kiss his mother’s head and headed toward the door.

That reminded me of another problem. I had no idea where I was or how to get out of here.

The moment Lucien opened the door, I hurried after him. Wherever he was going, at least he could get me out of this room.

I slipped through the doorway behind him before it closed. I didn’t know what I was supposed to do next, so I followed Lucien.

He was muttering something under his breath as he walked, but I couldn’t make out the words. I stayed a few steps behind him, mostly staring at his broad back because there wasn’t much else for me to do.

I was still nervous about this whole invisible thing and was scared. What if someone did see me? A guard. An Omega. Or anyone else.

I kept a little distance whenever we passed someone, but nobody paid me the slightest attention.

Once we left the queen’s quarters, Lucien headed toward his own quarters. I assumed that was where he was going until he suddenly halted in his steps. I stopped too, thinking what to do next.

He turned his head and looked across the grounds, and I followed his gaze. Uh-huh. He was watching the guest building.

He stood there for a moment, apparently debating something with himself. Then he closed his eyes briefly, shook his head, and changed direction. Now he was heading to the guest building.

Was he going to check on me? My heart gave an uncomfortable little jump.

Oh, no.

For a second, I thought about running ahead of him, but what would be the point? I didn’t even understand what was happening to me, let alone how to get back into my room before him.

Lucien entered the guest building and went upstairs, taking the exact route we had taken earlier. By the time he reached my door, I was panting right behind him.

My sixth sense was right. He had come to see me. I was suddenly feeling very nervous.

What was he going to think when he found my room empty? How would I explain all this to him? Just then Lucien decided to turn the knob and opened the door.

I looked past his shoulder toward the bed and for a second, my mind refused to understand what I was seeing.

My breath caught, and for a moment, I could hear nothing but the frantic pounding of my heart. I was there, lying face-first across the bed in the same clothes and shoes, sleeping exactly where I remembered passing out.

My gaze dropped to my own hands before shooting back to the bed. What the hell? If I was sleeping there, then who was standing behind Lucien?

Who am I?

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