Chapter 10: Chapter 10

It turned out that I must have scared Emrys away during our talk because forty-five minutes was definitely a lot of time to spend in the bathroom. I would have gone in to check but I was a female and the last thing I wanted was for a man to think I was a rapist or something even worse.

I waited patiently and even tried to call his line when it seemed he was taking too long but I didn’t get any reply. I tried to console myself in the fact that he was planning something greater for our date but it was slowly starting to feel like he had run away when I asked a waiter for the check and I was told he had already paid.

Now, I know you’re thinking I was a fool for still sitting there and waiting but I thought I had no other choice. For one, he was my ride back and I didn’t even know where we were or how to get out. That and I was hoping I was dreaming. Turns out, sadly, I wasn’t.

I was about to give up on waiting for him completely annoyed that he could leave me like that. I was packing up my things ready to leave when I felt a hand on my shoulder.

A smile graced my lips as I turned my head thinking that he had come to surprise me and probably apologize and tell me of all the great things he had planned for me. There was only one problem: the fingers touching me weren’t the right shape nor the skin the right color.

I fully turned to see who it was and saw a beautiful lady staring at me. She had the clearest skin I’d ever seen and the most gorgeous pair of brown eyes. It was like I was looking at a beautiful painting turned human.

“Emrys isn’t joining you again tonight, my dear,” she said and her voice was just as beautiful as she was.

I frowned as she took a seat on the chair Emrys once been sitting on and I realized that there may have been a conspiracy. “Where is he?”

“He had to take a trip,” she said, inspecting her nails like she could be anywhere else than in front of me. “He will not be coming back.”

That was enough to scare shit out of me. “And who are you?”

She smiled and I don’t know why, but it sent shivers down my spine. “Oh, I can be many things, darling, depending on what you want to me to be. I could be a friend, an enemy, a lover…” she winked at me. “Whatever you want.”

“Well, I want to know why you’re here instead of Emrys.”

“You don’t waste any time, do you?” I glared at her. “Okay. I’m here to help you.”

“Help me? I don’t even know who you are,” I snipped, looking over my shoulder once more hoping to see Emrys. “You shouldn’t even be here…you should leave. Now!”

“Or what? You’ll call security?” she laughed. “I own this place darling and you can’t leave until I want you to. Right now, I want you to sit down and talk to me.”

I huffed and crossed my arms seeing no way out of the situation. “Fine. What do you want from me?”

She grinned and clapped her hands. “I want you to leave my man alone.” “What man?” I asked with a raised brow confused with what she was saying. She rolled her eyes. “My soon-to-be husband.”

I had no idea who she was talking about since the only friend I had that was getting married was Kosara and we weren’t even that close. I decided that she was just bullshitting me and nothing more.

I frowned. “Why are you here really?”

“I want to get an answer on my proposition,” she said so simply like I was meant to magically have an idea what she was going on about.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Stop playing games with me,” she all but shouted.

“I’m not playing any games. If anyone is playing games, it’s you,” I said, my frown deepening with each passing second. I really didn’t like her.

She sighed and began to rub her temple. “A simple yes or no is what I want.”

“A simple no, then, for the simple reason that I have no idea what you are talking about. You probably got the wrong person or something, mixed me up with someone else.”

“You are going to regret that answer,” she threatened with a smirk that I wanted to slap off her annoyingly beautiful face.

I crossed my arms, annoyance taking over my being. “I don’t even know you. I don’t know who your husband is or why you’re asking me to leave someone I don’t know. I think you have the wrong person. The one you’re looking for isn’t me.”

She narrowed her eyes at me. “So, you’re trying to tell me you have no idea who Leonidas Minos is?”

I groaned already frustrated with her way of speaking. “I have no idea who that is. The only Leonidas I happen to know is Leonidas King.”

“Oh, same difference. What do you think Minos means?” She rolled her eyes. “I want you to stay away from him so he can focus on his duties most of which involve getting married to me.”

I tilted my head and studied her face for a minute for signs that she was lying. I didn’t come up with anyone. “He didn’t say he was getting married.”

“We would if you’d leave him alone.”

“He didn’t tell me about any girl let alone someone he’s engaged to. You have to give me more reason to stay away from him especially when we live together.”

“You don’t even know anything about your so-called best friend,” she spat, venom dripping off each word and I could sense that I wasn’t the only one getting frustrated by the other’s antics. It was a mutual thing.

I glared at her. “Excuse me?”

“You are excused, darling,” she sneered. “Did you know that your best friend is actually the second prince of the Qethen Kingdom?”

“The what kingdom?”

She didn’t answer and instead continued with what she was saying. “Did you know that if his brother dies, he is meant to take over the throne?”

“You’re lying.”

“But I’m not sweetheart and I’ve not even gotten to the best part. Did you know that Leon isn’t even human?”

“What do you mean by he’s not human? He is very much human or do you think he’s an angel or a ghost? I’m pretty sure if he was either, I would have been fully aware of that by now.”

She burst into laughter. “You know what I mean when I say he isn’t human.”

“You can’t just say that and expect me to believe it. As far as I know, everyone in the world is human and unless there is some hidden world, you’re trying to tell me about, then you’re talking nonsense.”

She smirked, her eyes lighting up with an amusement that was cruel. “What do you think?” I swallowed and looked in her eyes and said confidently, “That can’t be true.”

“I could be lying but have you thought of what I could gain from lying? Besides, if you doubt me, I’m sure you have a phone that can Google all I’m saying.” I was shocked into silence. “Or do you want proof before you now? Because I can definitely show you what I can turn into.”

“I don’t believe you. Leon would never keep that from me,” I said even though I wasn’t too sure I believed that.

“Oh, but you do know it’s the truth, darling girl,” she said with a malicious smirk. “Now, I have many ways to get whatever I want which would be eliminating the obstacle and dear, you are the obstacle between the love of my life and I.”

I was not over the shock of Leon’s secret life when I asked, “How?”

“I know you’re blind to a lot of things like Leon’s secret life but surely you have seen how in love with you he is which is confusing since you’re not even a looker. You’re just human.”

“I can assure you that Leon isn’t in love with me,” I said and, fortunately, that was the only thing I was actually sure of.

“Then you are as blind as I thought. Anyway, your obvious blindness is none of my business. All I want is for you to leave my love. Don’t tell him about what happened today and I may not kill you and your lover, Emrys.” I gulped at the intimidating look she gave me. “Do we have a deal?”

“Y-yes,” I stuttered still feeling pretty knocked off by all she was saying.

She grinned. “It was nice doing business with you.” She stood up. “Remember, Leon shouldn’t hear a word about this.”

I nodded and despite my terrified self said, “I just want to know one thing.” “You said Leon isn’t human and I’m assuming you aren’t one either.” “Smart girl.”

“What are you, then?”

She grinned and her eyes lit up with a fire that terrified me. “Why don’t you ask your best friend?” I frowned and she laughed. “Run to him and cry to him. I don’t have time to listen to your sob story.”

“My mascara’s too expensive to ruin it by crying but just know that I am feeling a lot of things on the inside.”

“I don’t care how you feel. Honestly, you could die and I’d gladly watch you. All I care about is Leon and you are in the way.”

I wanted to say something but she spun on her heels and walked away. So much for having the best night of my life. I silently prayed that she didn’t do anything to Emrys. Worse, I was beginning to think he was working with her because I remembered him saying he was a friend of the owners and the lady said she was an owner.

I decided, obviously losing trust in my best friend, to google the said Qethen Kingdom I’d never heard of until that moment and there it was. A small country in Europe with no relations whatsoever with the rest of the world. And there he was. My Leon. A prince of said kingdom.

Apparently, it was rumored that there was strange activity associated with their kingdom and they were believed to be witches. That only meant that everything the lady had said was true. They weren’t human even though it was pathetically hidden from the rest of the world.

Hidden from me.

I didn’t even care if he was human or not. I just wanted to know why he would lie to me, why he would hide such an important part of his life from me. I felt cheated. I thought our friendship was based on lies considering everything he told me about his family.

It hurt me even more when I thought about how I didn’t hear it from him. I had to hear it from a source that he was supposedly engaged to. It didn’t even help when I thought that he didn’t want me going out because he didn’t want me to find out the truth.

I felt my phone ringing and when I looked at it, I saw that it was Leon. Despite all I told myself for moral support, I let the tears flow and picked up the call.

“Paris are you there?”

I cleared my throat and said, “Yes.”

“Are you crying?” he asked with concern lacing his tone. I couldn’t help but feel that it was fake. All of it. “Paris?”

“When were you going to tell me?” “Tell you what?”

“Tell me that you are a prince and you’re apparently not even human,” I said and laughed humorlessly. “All this while, I thought I knew everything about you but it turns out I know nothing. Not even your real name.”

“Hey don’t say that? Where are you?” I sniffed. “At your wife’s restaurant.”

He cursed under his breath. “I’m coming there right now. Please don’t go anywhere. I need to explain things to you.”

I didn’t say anything and I didn’t need to. He hung up on me and I could tell that he was going to keep to his word of coming to get me. It was with perfect timing too. I needed a ride back to Brielle’s house and I wasn’t sure I had enough money for a cab or knew how to get myself there.

With the dignity I had left, I stood up from the chair and made to leave the restaurant, leaving as a shadow of the person that walked in. I was confused and all I wanted was to sleep because I knew overthinking could make me sick.

When the cold air hit me, I felt something happen in me. It was like I was suddenly more aware of everything around me and maybe, just maybe, it had something to do with my so- called best friend standing by his car and looking at me with pleading eyes. Maybe it had everything to do with him.