Chapter 18


    Abbie POV


    The following morning.


    I walk out of the billiard room down the corridor, and my eyes light up when I spot Ivying toward


    me. I was about to run to her when I realized the King hade around the corner and was next to


    her. He has a hold of my hand. Ivy, also noticing me, smiles and moves toward me before freezing, yet


    my gaze was on the possessive way he gripped her hand as if he was afraid she would run off. Ivy


    pauses and I frown.


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    However, the King looked down at her and said something while I waited to see if she was allowed to


    come to see me. He nces down at her before bringing her hand to his lips. My eyes widen. Why was


    he being affectionate toward her? My breath lodged in my throat as worry courses through me for her.


    Surely, he isn’t forcing her to be his sex ve. The thought horrified me. I know it happens, but she was


    my Ivy. I don’t know if I could live with knowing she was suffering like that.


    The guards didn’t even bat an eysh at his outrageous affections toward her as if they expected, yet


    whatever he said had her rushing over to me. Her body crashed against mine as she embraced me,


    and I squeezed her tight. It felt as if it had been ages since Ist saw her.


    Upon colliding against her, a sob burst from my lips as I smother her in my hug. The relief I felt upon


    realizing she was okay, or as okay as she could be given her situation, was as if a weight had lifted. Ivy


    squeezes tight, proving she missed me just as much as I missed her.


    Pulling away, I see tears streaking down her face and I wipe her tears, and she wipes mine. “I was so


    worried when I didn’t see you for a few days; I thought they got rid of you,” I murmur, remembering to


    keep my voice out of earshot.


    I didn’t want to see her punished for my words, and I also didn’t want to be reprimanded before holding


    me at arm’s length. I nced over at her, looking forsh marks or bruises, but I found none. She


    appeared to be okay.


    “Where is your uniform?” I ask her, noticing she wasn’t wearing the usual staff uniform all the servants


    here wore.


    “I have to go with the King somewhere. He told me to wear them,” she says, and my brows furrow.


    Wait, where is he taking her?! nce over at the King to find him talking to his guards and rice.


    Panic made me worry she had done something wrong. Was he shunning her from the castle or selling


    her? I felt my stomach pool with dread at the possibilities.


    “You’re leaving the castle?” I asked, unable to keep the panic sound in my voice. Ivy nces over her


    shoulder at the King before looking back at me, and she nods her head.


    “But you’reing back, right?” I ask. I feel the blood run from my face. And I nce down at my


    clothes again. If he was getting rid of her, I wanted to go with her. I don’t want to remain here without


    her. We had a pact. Ivy is all I have left, and I refuse to go on without her. I couldn’t. She is the only


    reason I didn’t kill myself. The goddess knows how I tried to end it. If it weren’t for her, I would have.


    “Yes, I will bring her back, Abbie,” the King says, pulling me from my thoughts, and I quickly straighten


    just as Mrs. Daley taught us, making sure not to meet his gaze. I give a little curtsey, not wanting to be


    whipped for disrespect, and turn my neck in submission


    “It’s time to leave,” the King says, leaning down next to her and cing his hand on her hip. My eyes


    dart to his hand before going to lvy. Wondering if she was okay when he suddenly pulled her away from


    me and toward the guards at the end of the hall.


    “I love you,” I blurt, she needed to know I loved her, and the King stopped when she looked back at me.


    Ivy lets his hand go and rushes back to me, her arms wrapping tightly around my neck, and I fight back


    the tears. She pecks my cheek, and I squeeze her extra tight, not wanting to let her go.


    “I love you too,” she whispers to me. I didn’t care if I got scolded for it or even whipped. I held on just


    that a little bit longer. I needed thatst hug in case it turned out to be myst one from her. If she didn’t


    return, I would follow and give up, find a way to end myself to be with her.


    “So much, more than my life,” I whisper in her ear, and my voice cracks as my throat bes clogged


    with emotion.


    “More than my life,” she whispers back before letting me go. The king watches us curiously, and it was


    hard for me not to demand where he was taking her as she walked back over to him. My lip quivers as I


    pray to the moon goddess to return her to me. Momentster, I saw Gannon walk past and before I


    could stop myself, I gripped his wrist. He stops and looks down at me before watching the King and Ivy


    leave out the doors.


    “He won’t hurt her, will he?” I ask him, looking up at him to realize I still had a hold of his wrist. I jerk my


    hand back. “Sorry.” I murmur, dropping my gaze. It was clear he was busy and going with them, and I


    was obstructing him.


    Gannon sighs before gripping my chin and tilting my face up, and my face heats, knowing we were


    drawing the attention of the guards in the hall.


    “What are you talking about?” he whispers.


    “The King, where is he taking her? Is he selling her?” I ask him, and Gannon seems taken aback by my


    words.


    “No, of course not. I won’t let him hurt her, Abbie; I promise she will be back.” I suck in a breath and


    nod.


    “I will be back in a few days. You have the key to my room still?” I nod my head, and he brushes his


    thumb along my jaw. “She’ll be fine. And I left a present for you on my bed,” he says before shocking


    me and stepping closer. He hugged me quickly and kissed my forehead before walking off, leaving me


    stunned while he left.


    The rest of the day, I was in a sour mood. I worried for Ivy no matter how many times rice reassured


    me she would be fine. After a while, she sent me upstairs. I think she got sick of my never-ending


    questions about the King’s intentions with her.


    I was about to step open the door to my little room when I remembered what Gannon said, and I fished


    the key out of my apron pocket. Moving toward his door, I ce the key in his door and twist it. Pushing


    the door open, I nced around before stepping inside.


    On the center of his bed was a paper bag, and I giggled, already knowing what it was. Opening it, I find


    candy clouds, choctes, and a wrapped present beneath. I unwrap it, removing the decorative


    wrapping to find an art book, charcoal pencils, and some pastels.


    I look around, shocked he remembered. Yet why would he buy it for me? I smiled before hesitating.


    Wait, did he expect something in return? I wondered.


    I swallowed, setting it back on the bed before rushing out of the room, leaving everything behind. No


    one gives you something without expecting some form of payment, and I know the sort of payment that


    comes with food and niceties. Rushing to my room, i step inside and lock the door. I won’t make that


    mistake again.


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