Chapter 180: Chapter 180

Chapter 180 Sabrina’s POV:

The king led me out of the castle and through a back door that I didn’t know existed. Ahead lay a long dwindling path was a glass dome. I looked up at the ceilings, and I could see the sky overhead, the thick vine leaves.

And the sun.

I turned to the king, mildly alarmed. “The sun is out, your majesty.”

“Oh that?” He glanced up quickly. “It won’t harm me. The glass doesn’t let the sun rays through. It’s completely fine.”

I raised a brow slowly. “And if it’s not, and I get frames for the murder of the king?”

He laughed to himself. Then he took a step forward and walked into the dome.

I waited with bated breathe. A second passed. Then five. Nothing happened.

I exhaled a breath of relief.

“You were worried about me,” He said, extending his hand to me.

I took his hand. “Not exactly.”

“In that case, let’s keep going.” He said, a knowing smile on his lips.

He led me to the end of the glass dome where there was this massive glass green house. The walls stretched miles and miles into the sky, the ceilings covered with a lush canopy.

My jaw dropped as I took in the beauty of the garden.

I could hear the twittering of birds, butterflies drifted about lazily, their wings colorful and ethereal. Flowers of all forms, roses in colors I hadn’t seen in my life. I thought the harem gardens were beautiful but this...this was straight out of paradise. The air carried the soft scent of flowers, so many notes mixed together it was almost overwhelming. Most of the sun was kept out here, but it was still stunning.

A blue Morpho butterfly drifted across of my face, and I could swear it paused for a second for me to admire its glowing wings.

“Woah,” The word was out before I could stop it.

“Do you like it?” The king asked.

“Like it? It’s more than lovely,” I gasped, unable to find the words to describe it with. “I didn’t know somewhere like this existed.”

“That’s because no one is allowed here.” He gently nudged my hand and led me deeper into the garden.

“Why did you bring me here then, if no one else os allowed?” I asked.

“It felt right to do.”

We got to a lounge area with luxurious couches, multiple bookshelves, and a tea table that had already been set. He took me to the tea table and pulled a chair out for me. I muttered my thanks as I sat, my hands folded delicately in my lap.

He sat opposite me, red eyes focused intently on my face. “Tea?”

“No thank you, I’m still full from breakfast.”

A few seconds passed between us. His gaze was beginning to make me feel squirmish.

“Why are you staring at me so much?”

“I can never tire of looking at you, Sabrina.”

I was taken back by his words. I’m sorry is this the same king I knew? What is going on?

“Well that is um...a bit uncomfortable. I am not used to his side of you, and pardon me if it takes a while to get used to.”

“I understand. I’m not used to being so shut down anyway. Things weren’t always like this.”

“Like how?”

“Well for one I wasn’t always....stuck up?”

I didn’t know when I laughed. “Is that so?”

He smiled fondly. “It’s surprising? Isn’t it?”

I tried to imagine a once not stuck up version of him. I couldn’t come up with a mental image.

“A lot happened, which is not why I wanted to speak to you. But know that you were the one who pulled me out of that dark place i fell into. And I didn’t realize it took last night.”

Last night. And just like that the memories came rushing back. Caldan. The witch. Passing out helpless.

I shaved them down.

“I cannot stop thinking about you, Sabrina. I never stopped. Not since the day I saw you in that throne room, kicking and –

yelling.”

My jaw dropped in shock. I quickly shut my mouth and cleared my throat. The throne room?! The very first time we met and he sentenced me to a life of pain and suffering because of Zayn Crue?!

He saw my expression and laughed. “You look so shocked. Don’t be.”

“Are you being serious right now? The throne room?”

“Yes.” He nodded.

“How is that even possible, your Majesty? Barely three...four days ago you left, you called me irrelevant to you. You said all those mean and hurtful things to me. And now you’re telling me that you’ve been thinking of me since day zero?”

He sighed, regret etched don his brow. “Sabrina...”

“I don’t understand. Why?”

“Sabrina before I sent you away from the palace, I have been in love with you.”

I felt like a bucket of ice cold water had been thrown on my face. I reeled back, a deep frown on my brow. “What?”

“That was why I send you away. I was getting terrified by those overwhelming feelings towards you. I wish I hadn’t done that. It did nothing to help. That made everything worse. I was wrong.”

“You were?”

“How couldn’t I? I realized how crazy I had acted, fueled by anger, I had to get you back. What I did was....stupid to put it best, and I think this is the part where I apologize.”

Wow. I must have gone to sleep and woken up in an alternate reality.

The king just admitted to doing something stupid. My jaw nearly hit the ground, and it’s been barely ten minutes yet.

“Sabrina, I am deeply sorry for how I treated you.”

I deadpanned. “That’s all?”

He blinked. “All?”

I leaned back and folded my arms. “You treated me badly? That’s being vague, your majesty. Please be more specific, because you have been horrible to me in so many different ways. And a vague apology will not cut it.”

“You’ve got no mercy in you, right? I knew you wouldn’t make this easy on me.” He said, his eyes soft as he gazed at me.

I straightened my back and flipped my hair over my shoulder. Don’t fall for those eyes, Sabrina. Hold you ground and get every last apology out of him.

“If I’m going to get an apology from you, I deserve a decent one. Wouldn’t you agree, your majesty?”

AD