(Tilly Ann)
I must have sat in that corner for a very long time. I must have dozed off there too. Because when I opened my eyes, it was the next day and sunlight was bleeding through the window.
I watched it happen—the slow climb of light over the horizon—as I folded myself like my father's old blanket and cried myself to stillness.
It was strange, crying over a broken engagement. Over Chase Dubois of all men.
I should have been jumping and laughing and celebrating my freedom. Instead, I was curled in a corner like a piece of discarded laundry.
A knock made me wipe my eyes and scramble to my feet.
Not a hesitant knock. Urgent. My mother or father, probably, come to demand answers for the words I'd hurled at them last night before locking myself away.
"Tilly."
My brother's voice.
Great. Maybe Father had sent Kessington to drag me to the war council. Show me what my selfishness was costing our kingdom. Or maybe my pig-headed brother had volunteered for the pleasure.
"Go away, Kessie. I won't change my mind. I will not marry him" I turned back to the window.
"Matilda."
I looked up immediately. Hurrying to the door.
Because the last time Kessington called me Matilda instead of Tilly or Tills, I'd ended up staring at my uncle Brett's dead body on the dining table. Another victim of the war with the Greek fairies.
I yanked the door open, heart in my throat.
"Who?" My voice shook. "Who died?"
"Chase. It's Chase but he's not dead. Just missing—"
I took off before he could finish the word.
"Tilly!"
"Where's Papa?"
"The Great Hall!" He ran after me. "Tilly, wait! He's not...damn it, stop running "
I didn't wait or stop running. Of course I didn't.
The Great Hall was in chaos.
Servants whispered in corners. Guards formed search parties. My father sat at the head table, his face carved from stone. My mother beside him was pale as ash.
And standing in the center of the room like a thundercloud about to explode was Alpha Kale Dubois, Chase's father.
"His room hasn't been touched since this morning," someone was saying. "His wheelchair is there. His things. But he's gone."
Gone.
The word didn't make sense except it did. I suddenly felt this tightness in my chest like I was about to keen over and lose consciousness.
I moved closer to my father. If there was anything Adonis Winchester was good at, it was keeping monsters in my closet away from me.
I needed him to extend that to Chase.
I needed my all seeing and loving father to have a solution to this disaster. He always did.
"Papa" I whispered when I was close enough. "Find him and bring him back, papa"
He turned and looked at me. Saw the tears that was beginning to form again.
"Please, Dada"
It was like I was suddenly three again and holding a broken toy he needed to fix.
He pulled me closer to him and I held on for dear life and he went back to being King.
"Search the grounds," my father commanded. "Every inch. The cliffs, the forest, the shoreline. Find him before nightfall."
The cliffs?
The cliffs!
I opened my mouth. Closed it. Opened it again. No sound came out.
"Princess Tilly." Alpha Kale's voice found me. He exhaled, almost bored. "This is… unnecessary."
"Search the borders between the Greeks and us. Mathew!" My father called for his dragon warlord. "Send a message to the fairy Queen—"
"The boys went out," Alpha Kale interrupted. "They will be back. They are Alphas. My sons."
"—tell Queen Fye that if she did something, it will be the last thing she does—"
"I have pack affairs to tend to." Alpha Kale took his leave.
I blocked out my father's voice. Blocked out every voice—until a hand grabbed mine.
Luna Mulan. Chase's mother.
"Do you know anything?"
Everyone was looking at me.
Well, maybe I will, Matilda.
He'd said that. When I asked him to do everyone a favor and die.
I shook my head. "I called off the engagement. Earlier. He was… we were upset. I left him near the Isle of Dragons. I'm sorry."
"We will find him. Don't worry" Mulan said and followed the Alpha disappearing body.
My father kissed my hair and rubbed my arm in a comforting motion.
But I didn't need comfort. I needed Chase.
"Where is he, Dada?. Where is he?"
He just stared at me.
My all seeing and loving father didn't have an answer for me.
Chase! Where are you?!
I buried my face in my father's chest and cried freely now. I could hear whispers in a corner.
Why is she crying, didn't she call off the engagement?