Chapter 27: Chapter 27

Abbie POV Walking in, Ivy looked defeated, and I rushed to her side, I wanted to tuck her close and run away with her. It was only hours ago that we were mucking around while I did my chores. She was excited about the King’s return and had rushed off to see him the moment he returned, only for me to run into her, looking heartbroken and overall broken.

I couldn’t fathom how everything turned so sour. Though I should haven’t been so foolish to believe that anything would go right for us. We were forever doomed to be nothing more than filthy rogues. Though I wished I had the power to help her.

Though on the walk down, I had made up my mind that we would run the first chance we got.

“I had a cake made, but I couldn’t carry it down,” Clarice tells her.

“You should have seen it, Ivy. Clarice did a good job. We spent all day making it,” I tell her before frowning. I wanted to cheer her up, but clearly, the cake was from her mind.

“You enjoy it then,” she tells me.

“We can’t stay long; Gannon is right; the King is on the warpath, but I couldn’t let you go without wishing you happy birthday.” Clarice says, placing the blue cupcake in her hand. Clarice lights it with a match, and I stare at the flickering flame.

“Blow it out and make a wish,” Clarice tells her. Ivy blows the candle out without excitement or light in her eyes. I was so excited to help Clarice; it was all for nothing. I smiled sadly and kissed her knee, giving her hand a squeeze from where I sat beside her.

“What did you wish for?” Clarice asks, a teary smile on her face.

“I wished to be free,” Ivy tells her, and a choking whimper leaves my lips.

“Don’t say that,” I whispered. Anything but that, she can’t wish for that. This was supposed to be a fresh start.

“I think it’s a good wish,” Clarice says, looking at me, startled.

“Not where we come from. The only freedom rogues get is in death,” I tell her. I knew precisely what Ivy meant by those words. Clarice looked at her, shocked before grabbing her face in her hands.

“You wish for anything but that. Do you hear me? I will not watch my Queen die. I have buried enough of them,” Clarice says before walking out. I watch her go before turning back to Ivy.

“I wish I could stay to see you shift,” I tell her, and she nods. Glancing around, the place was cold and lonely. Ivy stayed with me, not that she had a choice being locked in the room with me, but I at least still had her by my side. I wondered if maybe I could convince Gannon to let me come down when her shift starts so she would be alone.

“It’s not too bad. We have slept in worse places,” I tell her, glancing around, trying to uplift her mood, but I might as well have been trying to grasp air with how useless my attempts to cheer were. Maybe if I asked the King, he would allow it, or I could deliberately get myself in trouble and hope he kicks me out here with her.

“I will speak to Beta Damian. Maybe he can convince the King to let me stay here with you,” I tell her my chances of even getting close to the King’s quarter were slim. Ivy shakes her head.

“No, stay in the castle; you don’t need to be punished too,” she tells me.

“Abbie, love, you need to go,” Gannon calls out softly, and embarrassment courses through me, and I know my cheeks turn a little pink when Ivy looks at me questionably.

Leaning forward, I kiss her forehead and cheek. I didn’t want to go. She doesn’t deserve to be out here with farm animals, but! didn’t want to ruin my chances at being allowed back.

“I will try to come back. If I don’t, I will tomorrow,” I tell her, rushing back to the door. I looked up at Gannon as I passed him.

“I won’t leave her alone. Once she shifts, I will sneak her back into the castle,” Gannon tells me before reaching for a lock of my auburn hair. He twirls it around his finger and then clears his throat before nodding, and I rush out before he does anything else that I would have to explain to lvy.

Liam was waiting for me when I returned to the castle, and I headed for the guard’s quarters, hoping to find Damian to see if he would grant me permission to stay with Ivy for the night. The thought of her shifting with no one but Gannon upset me.

Climbing the stairs, it didn’t take me long before I heard Liam’s footsteps rushing to keep up with me.

Reaching the second-floor landing, I see Damian in the hall talking to one of the guards before he turns and heads toward the King’s chambers. Turning on my heel, I went to head down there only for a hand to grab my arm.

“Uh ah, can’t let you do that?” Liam tells me and grits my teeth.

“Then can you ask Damian if I can stay with Ivy?” I ask him, and he sighs, steering me in the opposite direction toward the guard’s quarters.

“Gannon is with her. She will be fine,” He says, dragging me along with him. I try to pull out of his grip, only for it to tighten.

“Abbie, you go barging in there. You will make things worse. Leave it be and trust that Gannon will look after her,” Liam scolds me as if I am some disobedient child. Truth be told, I didn’t mind him. He seemed akay, a little eccentric, but I knew he cared deeply for Gannon and, unfortunately, the King who currently was on my hate list.

“What if she gets cold?” I wondered aloud.

“Gannon sent guards to get firewood. Dustin will take her blankets. For now, you need to go to bed,” he says, stopping at my door. He opens it and motions for me to go inside. Tears prick my eyes as I step toward it.

“And don’t think of trying to sneak out. Gannon asked me to watch you. I will be right outside this door, Abbie. You won’t get far.” He tells me, and I glare at him.

“By all means try, I loves me a game of cat and mouse, and I could use the entertainment.” He chuckles, shutting the door, and I sigh, moving toward my bed.

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