Chapter 127

[ 1,123 words ]

Arabella:

I was sitting at the study table in my room, surrounded by files and loose papers.

For the past hour, I had been going through everything I could find about Anika’s murder. Witness statements, photographs, old reports—anything that might tell me what everyone had missed three years ago.

I was halfway through reading one of the statements again when a loud knock rattled my door, making me jump in my chair. “What the…”

Another knock followed, just as loud. I dropped the paper on the table and turned around with a frown. Whoever was trying to break my door down was about to get an earful. Before I could say anything, the door slowly opened, and someone peeked inside.

My eyes widened, and for a second, I simply stared. “Oh, shit! Maya!”

Her face immediately broke into a huge smile, and I screamed at the top of my lungs in excitement.

And obviously my friend screamed right back.

I shot out of my chair at the same time she pushed the door fully open, and we ran toward each other. “Oh, my Goddess!”

I threw my arms around her, and Maya nearly knocked me backward with the force of her hug.

“You’re here!” I squeezed her tighter, unable to stop laughing. “You’re actually here!”

“Yeah. I’m here!” She pulled back just enough to stare at me for barely a second, then hugged me all over again. I buried my face against her shoulder.

For the first time since coming back to the palace, something felt familiar. I didn’t notice Toby until a very deliberate cough came from the doorway. Maya and I looked over at the same time.

He was standing there with two bags in his hands, watching us with the most bored expression. His eyes moved from Maya to me before he slowly rolled them up.

“Toby?” Then I looked at Maya. “What is he doing here?”

“Yeah. How welcoming.” He lifted the bags slightly. “Nice to see you too, Arabella.”

I gave Maya a questioning look, but she only shrugged. “Didn’t you ask me to bring a guy?”

My mouth fell open. “And you brought him ?” My friend must have lost it completely. While eyeing Toby, I scrunched my nose.

Poor guy! He was still standing in the doorway with the bags in his hands, looking between the two of us as if he had walked into forbidden territory.

“What do you mean she asked you to bring a guy?” His confused gaze moved to me before returning to Maya. “You told me you wanted me to come because you didn’t want to visit the royal palace alone.”

He glanced around my room and then back at us. “So, what’s the catch here? She asked you to bring someone? Why?”

I shook my head, raising my finger. “I asked her to bring a man I could pretend to be dating… someone who could pass off as my boyfriend.”

Toby stared at me in shock and then at Maya. Maya was suddenly interested in fixing the strap of her handbag.

His eyes narrowed. “Why? Why would you do that?” I shot Maya a look that made her take a cautious step back. Toby almost took me as his friend. We always shared a platonic relationship.

I hesitated a bit. Explaining that part to Toby was a lot more awkward than it had sounded when I came up with the plan.

Toby stared at me for a few seconds as if he was waiting for me to tell him this was some kind of joke. When neither Maya nor I said anything, his expression slowly changed. The confusion disappeared first, replaced by something that looked like hurt.

Without another word, he bent down and placed the bags on the floor. “It’s okay. Goodbye. Here are your bags, Maya.” He turned and walked out of the room.

“Toby, wait!” I hurried after him and caught the back of his shirt before he could get far into the hallway. “Please, listen to me. I can explain.”

He stopped but didn’t turn around. He sighed before he finally looked back at me, and the anger on his face made me loosen my grip. This was probably the first time I had seen him genuinely angry with me.

“I always thought of you as my sister, Arabella,” he said, looking more hurt than furious now. “And apparently, the two of you decided I should come all the way here and pretend to be your boyfriend… without even bothering to ask me.”

“I know, and I’m sorry.” I released his shirt completely and moved around so I was standing in front of him. “Maya should have told you before bringing you here, but this isn’t what you think. I’m not trying to make you actually date me or do anything weird. I just… need someone I trust, and things here are a little complicated.”

His brows drew together, but at least he wasn’t walking away anymore. “Complicated?”

I opened my mouth, then glanced behind him at Maya. She had followed us but was now standing there quietly. I gave her that look before turning back to Toby.

“Just give me five minutes to explain everything. After that, if you still want to leave, I won’t stop you.”

For a moment, he said nothing, then folded his arms across his chest. “Fine! Explain.”

I swallowed hard and pulled his sleeve. “Come on. First you need a relaxing shower and good food in your tummy.”

This time, thank Goddess he didn’t argue and followed me quietly.

***

Half an hour later, Toby and Maya sat across from me in Warrior’s Café with freshly washed hair and a plate of food in front of them. Maya and I had explained everything to him… or at least enough for him to understand why I had dragged him into this mess. He had listened quietly, only eating occasionally, and now he was staring at me as if he was still trying to decide whether I had completely lost my mind.

“So basically, you want to make him jealous?” he asked me.

“Not exactly.” I leaned back in my chair. “I just want him to see that I’ve moved on too. I’m not here waiting for him like some lovesick teenage girl while he goes around flaunting and kissing his fiancée.”

Toby chewed slowly before putting his fork down. “And for some reason, I have to be the poor bastard helping you prove that?” Toby pointed his finger at me. “You owe me for this, Arabella.” A smile tugged at my lips. That sounded very much like a yes.

But I had a feeling… he was already regretting coming to the palace.

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