Chapter 29

Cassia

Cassia wandered through her town with Sakura at her side. Her mind was muddled. Because of Hunter - always because of him, her mind was a cyclone of thoughts and she had begged her father to let her out because she needed to breathe. After the attack on the castle, Cassia needed to get out and forget about the way Hunter saved her.

Cassia treaded down the road, her feet slapping against the stoned ground and she glided passed commoners. They were scurrying around, their eyes animated and alive as they spoke about the attack. Everyone knew what happened. It was obvious now that posters of Hunter, his friends and his father littered the town streets.

They were wanted criminals. Posters of them were glued to shops and houses, and everyone was eager to hunt them down to win the grand prize. Some people were sharpening up their weapons, others were plotting and the rest were just annoyed with the disturbance. Oflaria was changing and it unsettled Cassia.

Soon, Sakura and her entered the clearing Hunter and her once were - the one where a fountain sat in the centre and around it townsfolk would chat and play games. Cassia strode towards the fountain - it was a bad idea, but she did it anyways, and she hopped onto the ledge and Sakura joined her.

And immediately, Cassia teared up.

Because she thought she hated Hunter. She was supposed to want him dead, but she didn't know how to feel anymore. Because Hunter had saved her. He was supposed to be her enemy, but he still showed her a kindness no one else had ever shown her.

"Are you okay?" Sakura asked, frowning. "You seem awfully sad."

"I'm fine," Cassia snapped. "Hunter escaped, so you can understand why I'm overwhelmed."

Sakura's eyes darted away. She lowered her eyes and Cassia paused.

"Fine, I'm not okay," Cassia blurted out, unable to hold it in anymore. "Do you know what it's like to have your enemy save you? To have the one person you should absolutely hate do something kind for you. I feel like my head is going to explode as I try to make sense of it."

Sakura was quiet for a moment. Her eyes glazed over and Cassia sighed. Why was she here when Hunter once sketched her and told her she was his muse?

"I don't understand it either," Sakura confessed. "But, I've seen the way he looks at you. It's not the way you look at someone you despise."

Cassia's heart lurched forward and she hated it. She hated how Hunter had chipped away at her until she was no longer the person she used to be.

"Princess Cassia!"

Cassia jolted at the familiar voice of a girl. Her eyes rose and there was Maria and her brother, and Cassia groaned. She was not in the mood for small talk.

"Why do you look so sad?" the boy asked, frowning.

His eyebrows furrowed and Cassia sighed heavily. She really didn't want to talk to them.

"Nothing, just a lot has happened," Cassia said, waving towards the sign that read Hunter Monroe wanted. "As you can see, I've been betrayed."

They glanced back and nodded, their eyes filling with sorrow. It was humiliating. To be pitied was mortifying.

"I'm sorry your boyfriend tried to kill you," Maria said and Cassia blinked. "You were so happy with him."

Her heart ached. It was as if Hunter had an invisible knife he could jab into her heart whenever he pleased.

"It's whatever," Cassia said. "I should have expected it. Everyone I love either gets hurt or hates me, so I should have just stayed away from him. But, I was an idiot. I should have known I was cursed."

"Cursed?"

"I am impossible to love." Cassia smiled sweetly. "I realize that now."

They both stared at her with a frown on their face. And Cassia hated it. She hated everything.

"Well, we like you," Maria said. "So I don't think no one in your life will ever love you."

"You barely know me," Cassia said. "You like the idea of me, but not me."

Their frown deepened and Cassia shook her head.

"Well because we barely know you, we could have picked to not like you, but we do," the boy said. "That has to mean something. You do realize not everyone is out to get you, right?"

Cassia blinked. She couldn't believe the way he was speaking to her.

"If you've lived the life I've lived, you would understand. My mother is shunned, my guard is dead and the only boy I ever loved is trying to kill me," Cassia said. "I have to protect myself. I have to stay away from everyone because if I stayed away from Hunter, I wouldn't be in this position."

They glanced at each other, looking unsure. Cassia wasn't sure why she was having a therapy session with a bunch of teenagers.

"I mean, maybe that would have helped," Maria said. "But maybe you would have missed out on something incredible. I really thought Hunter was a good guy until well... you know."

"I rather have missed out on something incredible than live the life I live now."

"But you were happy, weren't you? Do you regret everything."

Cassia opened her mouth to deny it - to tell them she hated every single last second of being with Hunter, but no words escaped her mouth. And it was absolutely humiliating. To have loved him so strongly that she could still look back fondly on their memories was horrid.

"Why do people act as if life is some precious thing?" Cassia asked, her eyes rising to the sky above them - bright and aqua. "Most days I wish I didn't exist. Because life sucks most of the time and..." Cassia paused, remembering what Astra once told her. "What is a life without love? I am cursed to never love, so what is the point of life."

Her voice cracked. She tried her best to keep her eyes fixated on the sky above them to hide her shame.

"Don't say that, princess," Maria said. "Because I wouldn't want you to not exist." Maria raised her hand before Cassia could argue. "And I'm not just saying that because I barely know you. I'm saying this because you are our future queen and we need you."

Cassia sighed. They were too innocent for her.

"You guys are too nice," Cassia said. "You should be scared that I'm the future queen."

"Maybe." The boy smiled. "But, I think you'd do a better job than your father, and that's the first step."

Cassia went silent. Maybe. Maybe they were right that at the bare minimum, she could be better than her father. But yet, she wasn't so sure.

"Things are tough right now," Maria said. "But you'll figure it out. From what I've heard, you will burn down this town to stop Hunter and his father."

Cassia narrowed her eyes and they smiled, their eyes gleaming with amusement. And Cassia sighed. She still didn't know what to do.

"We'll see," Cassia said. "I really don't know how to fix everything."

Cassia's voice dropped to a whisper and they exchanged a look before nodding towards her. Cassia sighed once again as her eyes met theirs again.

"Good luck, Princess," the boy said, bowing. "But we believe in you. You think no one is rooting you on, but we are."

Cassia smiled. She couldn't help it and they smiled back.

"Thank you," Cassia said. "I hope to see you both again."

They smiled at her and waved and walked off, and Cassia stared after them. And the entire time, she wondered how she would be a better queen. How would she help her people in the ways her father or Kain never could?

*****

Cassia laid in bed. It was nearing midnight, but she couldn't fall asleep. Not when her mind was consumed with Hunter - with the way he kissed her, with the way he saved her and she wished to stab herself. To be rid of him - to slice off the parts of her that clung to him, Cassia wished to take her sword to herself and she squirmed under her velvet bedsheets.

She then jolted when a pebble struck her window. Her heart stopped for a mere second before she rose up, dusting off her white nightgown. She strode towards the window and grabbed her dagger that lay at her nightstand, her heart fluttering against her chest as she went closer and closer to the window.

And she froze.

Because right at the edge of her balcony stood Hunter, his figure darkened with nothing, but moonlight illuminating him. He was expressionless - she couldn't read him, but his eyes were a swamp of emotions.

"What are you doing here?" Cassia hissed, throwing the large windows open.

Wind hissed as it blew her hair back. Her heart slammed against her chest as they stood there for a moment, observing each other.

"I want to talk," Hunter said. "If you'd let me."

Cassia inhaled sharply. Her heart was hammering against her chest and it was hard to breathe as he stared at her - his eyes drinking her in. She hated this. She hated him. But yet, she stood planted in her spot.

"I should shove you off this balcony, you know," Cassia said. "To end all this pain and madness, I should push you off and get this over with."

"Then do it," Hunter said. He held his hands up and Cassia tensed - he was weaponless. "Punish me, Cassia."

Cassia stepped towards him, gliding closer and closer and she reached out to touch him. His eyes flew wide. A realization dawned on him as Cassia's hands moved closer to him, and she basked in that. She relished in terrifying him, but she stopped herself before she touched him.

Because she couldn't do it. When it came to him, she was crippled.

"I hate you so much," Cassia said, her hands falling to her sides.

She swung around and stormed back into her room, but her windows were still blown open. Wind sailed into her room and it hissed as it sliced through everything in its path, and Hunter stepped inside. He stood there, hands at his side as she sunk into the edge of her bed.

"What do you want?" Cassia asked. "I'll give you a minute before I call my guards on you."

"To explain," Hunter said, striding closer to her. "I just want to explain and then I'll leave you alone. I promise."

Cassia sat on the edge of her bed and she searched his face. She wanted to say no. She wanted to tell him to throw himself off the balcony, but she wouldn't. She couldn't.

"Fine, but only if I get to hold this dagger to your throat," Cassia said, hands shaking as she held her dagger up. "Just in case this is a trap."

He winced, but he nodded. "I wouldn't have it any other way."

Cassia motioned for him to come over and he strode over, and she stood up, motioning for him to sit. Hunter sat down on the edge of her bed and she turned to face him, her dagger shifting to his throat. They were at the same height now. Eye to eye, and Cassia fastened her eyes on his.

"Go ahead," Cassia said. "Tell me your lies."

Hunter's eyes filled with pain and Cassia's legs wobbled. He was the one at her mercy, but Cassia felt like he was the one threatening her.

"You must know by now the tale of the banished prince and how my father was the prince?" Hunter asked. Cassia nodded and he continued, "Well, I'll skip over that part, but I will describe my side of the story.

"After my father lost his role as prince, he was sent to the outskirts of Oflaria and for years he lived off nothing. He would have to steal to eat and live on the roads. He lived a hard life and your father was the cause of his pain," Hunter said, his voice growing more and more hush with every word he spoke. "Eventually he landed a job, but it still wasn't enough and then he had me. I was an accident and he struggled to put food on the table and pay off our bills. We had to live where only the poorest live and that's where I met Liana and Chase, who I grew up with. They were practically my family and as we grew closer... our families began to plot."

Hunter paused. He shuddered as if his words were heavy on his shoulders.

"We hated your father for what he did to us. I was poor because my father had been tricked by yours and Liana and Chase were poor because your father taxed too highly," Hunter said. "So we plotted and plotted until we learned you were being sent to Camp Trillion and that was when my father devised a plan. I was to go to the camp and get close to you - whether it be as a friend or a lover, he didn't care. Liana and Chase would be my guards and we were to keep an eye out on you. To manipulate you until we could ambush you and I guess that did happen, but... I changed."

Hunter rolled his shoulder back and Cassia's heart slammed against her chest. It was horrible what he was telling her. A nightmare, but yet his eyes held hers with a look no one ever gave her.

"Because I fell for you. I never expected to, but I fell absolutely in love with you as the days passed by," Hunter said. "I thought you were my enemy - it didn't make sense, but I started falling for you the moment I saw you being kind to those fishes at the pond. And when we got together, I realized I couldn't do the mission anymore. I sent my father a note to say I wanted out, but then he popped up and told me he was going to ambush you the next day. I went to warn you immediately, but it was too late. My own father tricked me and I was the one to look like I never loved you."

Cassia's heart stuttered. She wished to slice off her ears. Because deep down, she was happy to hear this. These were words she yearned to hear and now that Hunter had spoken, her heart slammed against her chest and it terrified her. The power he had over her was frightful.

"You're lying," Cassia said. "And even if you weren't, your original plan was cruel. You were manipulating me. You merely started speaking to me to get close to me and that is unforgivable."

"You don't understand, Cassia. I grew up with nothing. My father would beat me into thinking I had to do this. That for us to ever be happy, I had to dethrone you and your father and I lost sight of who I was."

Cassia shook her head. She didn't want to believe him and Hunter paled.

But then, his expression grew serious and he moved to take off his shirt and Cassia's heart jolted. He did it so swiftly - so smoothly her dagger faltered around his neck and he threw his shirt off to the side of her room.

He then grabbed her hand and she gasped and tried to push back, but he pushed her hand away and stood up, turning so that his back faced her. And she froze. Because on his back were scabs and fresh wounds - as if someone had beaten him the day before.

"My father did this yesterday," Hunter said. "Because I helped you. And do you know why I helped you?"

Cassia was silent.

"Because I love you. I love you so much that I would disobey my father for you."

Cassia's heart lurched forward. Fresh tears flooded into her eyes and she couldn't help it. All her locks and barricades came crashing down and it terrified her. It made her want to scream until she disappeared, but she fought back that feeling as she reached out and touched his back. He tensed under her touch and she slid her fingers around, wishing somehow she could heal him from his wounds.

"Why does your father do this to you?" Cassia whispered. "It's too cruel."

"It's to discipline me." Hunter shivered as Cassia continued to trace his back with her fingers. "It's to make me obedient - like a trained hound who does whatever he says."

Hunter pulled away from Cassia and her hand fell down. Her dagger was still in her other hand, but she kept it pointed towards the ground as Hunter turned to face her again, a gentle expression on his face now.

"I never knew my father tried to kill your father. I thought my father was banished for merely losing the duel," Hunter said. "He made it seem as if your father was the villain in my tale, but I realized my father had put lies into my head. He's not the man I should be supporting at all and I'm sorry it took me so long to realize that."

Cassia wavered. Hunter's heart was pouring out, bleeding all over her to soak her with realization. This was insanity. Two days ago she wanted to kill him, but now all she wanted was to comfort him.

She couldn't believe how easily she dropped her guard when it came to Hunter.

"Then what is your plan?" Cassia asked. "Who's side are you on?"

"I... I don't know," Hunter said. "I am not on my father's side, but I don't know what I'm doing."

"Me neither." Cassia raised her dagger, her heart stuttering again. "I should kill you right now. You're vulnerable. You have no weapon and I should kill you to put ourselves out of this misery, but... I can't. God, I can never hurt you. I'm so pathetic."

Cassia lowered her dagger again and stood there - bare and vulnerable. Because for one more day, she would be honest with Hunter.

"Does that mean you don't hate me?" Hunter whispered, sliding closer to her. He was still shirtless and Cassia noticed the way his muscles moved with every movement he made. "Do you still want to punish me?"

Cassia's eyes flew wide as Hunter moved closer and closer, his body nearing hers. She quivered at the ways he looked at her - as if he wanted nothing more than to get lost in her until they were one. She hated him. The more she thought that, the more she wished it were true.

"I hate you," Cassia whispered as Hunter stood there, peering down at her. "I will let you go tonight, but this is the last time we'll speak."

Hunter ashen and Cassia turned around, but then Hunter grabbed her arm and pulled her to him, and she went crashing into his chest. And with one swift movement, he hugged her and fell back onto her bed, crashing into her bedsheets. Cassia gasped as Hunter rolled over so that he was over her. His body shielded hers and his face was a few inches away - and his eyes were darkened in the same way he looked at her back in the shower.

And she threw her dagger up. Frightened. Terrified. Cassia held her dagger against his throat to stop whatever he would do.

"Then punish me," Hunter whispered. "One last time, kiss me. Touch me. Show me what an idiot I am and then banish me from your sights. Because one last time, I need to see what I have lost."

Cassia searched his face. Hunter's voice was low and in the darkness of her room, she could see the way his eyes darkened - filling with desire and a whirlwind of emotions that made her shiver. His breathing was ragged and his body rose and fell as it covered hers and she paused.

This was insanity. He was crazy. Delusional. Stupid. Everything she hated, but she wanted him. Despite it all, she wanted to punish herself as well.

"Then what are you waiting for," Cassia whispered. "You are at my mercy, so kiss me until I'm pleased."

Hunter grinned. His eyes danced around with amusement and Cassia smiled. This was a horrible, horrible idea, but maybe Cassia was a horrible, horrible person.

Hunter leaned forward and Cassia pulled her dagger back, and his lips fell against hers. They melted into hers and he kissed her sweetly - without any fear or restraints, even though her dagger was against his throat still. And she shuddered at the tenderness of his touch. As his hands fell to her hips, her eyes fell close and she moved her dagger out of the way and threw it, so that it crashed to the ground.

Hunter pulled away and his eyes flew wide. He looked genuinely shocked and Cassia giggled, and he broke out into a smile and leaned back to kiss her. But this time, without the tenderness she enjoyed, but could do without. This time, he kissed her deeply, his lips moving in ways that made her feel undone.

His hands moved to the buttons on her nightgown and she rolled her eyes and pushed him off. He let out a breath and she rolled on top of him, and her eyes lowered to meet his as he breathed heavily, his body rising and falling with every deep breath he took as she straddled him. And with one swift motion, she threw off her gown and his eyes flew wide.

"You are at my mercy, remember," Cassia said. "I'm the one punishing you."

Hunter's eyes flew wide and she leaned forward and kissed him. Kissed him with everything she had and Hunter gasped between the kisses, and they kept kissing and kissing for hours on end.

And Cassia felt like she was the one with power for once. As Hunter said her name like a prayer - like he worshipped her, Cassia smiled and got lost with Hunter that night. Just once more before she would banish him for good.