Chapter 30

Hunter

Hunter strode through the hallway of the new hideout. It was once again a small house located in the middle of the woods, where Hunter, Chase, Liana and their parents and siblings all hid in. This house was larger than the last now that more families were involved, but it was still tiny and chipping away with age.

But at least, it only took Hunter a few seconds to reach Liana's door.

He paused before knocking on it, thinking about Cassia. Of the way she wouldn't meet his eyes as if ashamed of what she'd done. Of the way her cheeks reddened, her eyes blown wide as he kissed her to punish himself for what he'd done.

He had ruined the one good thing in his life. But now, he would fix everything.

Hunter raised his hand and knocked against Liana's door. She shouted for him to come in and he opened the door and stepped inside, shutting it behind him.

Liana lay on her bed with a book in her hand. She was reading up fighting techniques and her eyes peered up at him, a frown on her face as he stood there in her small room, where there was nothing but a bed and nightstand, and plain white walls.

"Hi," Liana said, sitting up. She put her book down. "Is something wrong?"

"Why do you hate Cassia?"

Liana stilled. She frowned and Hunter stood there, expressionless.

"Why are you asking?"

Hunter didn't reply and Liana sighed. Her red hair was out and it ran down her back in gentle waves.

"Well, why wouldn't I hate her?" Liana said. "She has everything. Power, beauty, money, but she's a horrible person. She's always been the enemy - we were raised knowing that. Don't you remember, Hunter? Her father and her are the people we hate most in this world."

"But why do you hate her?" Hunter asked. "This much. Outside of my father and our purpose."

Liana's eyes darkened. She rose up to stand and slid closer to him, her eyes blazing under the lamp light. Hunter fastened his eyes on hers and he tensed when she stopped a foot away.

"I hate her because she took everything away from me - including you," Liana said. "She already has everything, but she stole you right when I thought you were falling for me."

Hunter stilled. He knew how Liana felt, but it was unnerving to hear that she hated Cassia because of his feelings for her.

"I was never yours, Liana," Hunter said, trying his best to keep his voice levelled. But, his heart sunk as Liana crumpled. "I'm sorry if I ever made you think I reciprocated your feelings - that was cruel of me to do, but I was just looking for a distraction and you came to me and..."

Hunter drifted off. He sounded heartless. And now, he realized how horrible he'd been to Liana.

"Why her?" Liana whispered. "I just don't get it. You could have been a prince if it weren't for her, so why did you fall for her as if she isn't the reason behind your pain?"

"Maybe my life could have been different, but this is the life I got. There's no changing that."

"You can change that! If you follow your father's order, you can-"

"Do you think my father will be a good king?"

Liana froze. Her eyes flew wide before she concealed her expression with a serious one.

"He will be confident and strict," Liana said. "He was born and raised a prince, so he should know more than Cassia's father."

"But he will be cruel, too."

Liana was silent. Her face was still concealed behind a mask of nothingness, but he could see the uncertainty in her eyes.

"We grew up thinking this is what we had to do, which is why we all thought we had to hate Cassia, but when I fell for her I realized she isn't the monster my father described her as," Hunter said. "I even think in another life you and Cassia could have been friends, so maybe it's time for us to think of what we want rather than what he wants."

Liana barked out a laugh. "Cassia and I friends? That's madness."

"I'm being serous. Both of you love the same - with your entire heart. But, you both use anger to hide it because you're afraid of getting hurt."

Liana's eyes flew wide and she gaped at Hunter as if he fished out her deepest darkest secret. He stood there, observing her as he hoped that she'd see the light.

"You've changed," Liana said, composing herself. Now, her eyes darkened. "So, stop trying to change us. Just because you want Cassia, doesn't mean we should, too."

Hunter opened his mouth to argue, but Liana pushed passed him and out of the room. Hunter turned around, but it was too late. Liana was long gone.

*****

Hunter rapped his fist against Chase's bedroom and Chase shouted for him to come in. So, Hunter stepped into his room and shut the door behind him, noticing his room was the exact same as Liana's - empty other than a bed and nightstand, with white walls and lacking windows.

"Hi," Chase said. He was sitting on his bed, reading the same book Liana was reading earlier. "What's going on?"

Hunter strode over to Chase and plopped down next to him on his bed. Chase frowned and Hunter tried to smile, but it was hard to. Because everything was falling apart and he didn't know how to fix things.

"Do you want a kingdom where my father is the ruler?" Hunter asked. Chase opened his mouth to answer, but then Hunter cut him off, "Where you can never be who you really are? Where you must hide the parts of you that should be normal, but aren't because of my father's narrow views?"

Chase ashen. His dark brown eyes were blown wide as he gaped at Hunter.

"Why are you asking such a question?" Chase asked.

"Because I'm starting to realize we need to stop blindly following my father."

Chase stilled - a look of horror spreading across his face. Hunter wore a somber expression, meaning every single last thing he spoke.

"We grew up thinking that Cassia and her father were the enemies. That they are the reason behind our pain and maybe they are partially, but we also forget who my father is," Hunter said. "We forget he's capable of cruelty, but yet we think of him as the hero who will save us. We're adults now and it's time we start thinking about what we want rather than what my father wants."

"Hunter... Cassia has made you lose your mind," Chase said. "Enough of this. Love is intoxicating - I know that, but this is insanity."

"You want what my father wants merely because he promises power and money, but there is no guarantee he will give that to us," Hunter said. "And besides, those things won't make us happy. Trust me, even Cassia knows being royalty doesn't mean happiness, so what's the point of risking being hated by everyone to capture this power?"

Chase was shaking his head, his dark curls bouncing at the movement. Hunter was stiff next to him; his heart picking up pace as he prayed this would go better than it had with Liana.

"Then what do you want us to do?" Chase asked. "Continue to struggle and be poor? Upset your father and have him murder us himself? What's the fairytale ending to your plot."

Hunter froze. Because the truth was, he didn't know.

"There has to be a way," Hunter said, his voice lowering. "But I'm sure following my father's footsteps isn't right."

Chase shook his head, but Hunter could see the dilemma in his eyes. His eyes lowered and they both sat there in silence for a moment, the weight of the world on their shoulders.

"I get where you're coming from. I would be lying if I said I didn't agree with you at all," Chase said, his voice a mere whisper. "But, I really don't want to be on your father's bad side. Not when you don't have a solid plan." Chase smiled sadly and Hunter's heart shattered. "I'm sorry Hunter, but it's too late to change the trajectory of our lives."

Hunter was silent. He understood. Despite everything, he understood why Liana and Chase didn't want to side with him. Without a plan and a good reason to, Hunter wasn't the type of person you would want to support.

"Just think about it, okay?" Hunter whispered, rising to stand. He glanced back at Chase who wore a look of pity. "That's all I ask."

"Okay." Chase bowed towards him. "I will, but I want you to think about our side as well. I told you love leads you to bad choices, so please Hunter, think this throughly. I don't want to see your life ruined over a girl."

Hunter nodded. He understood. Because the truth was, maybe he was making bad choices. Maybe in the name of love, he was throwing away the prophecy he was assigned to.

But without another word, Hunter left Chase's room and went back to his. And in the silent house where everyone was preparing for war, Hunter drowned in thoughts of Cassia and his friends as he wondered how he would please everyone in the end.