The Banished Prince

Chapter 23

Cassia

     Cassia laid in bed. Her face was buried into her pillow and her throat was raw from screaming. She wished to scream some more, but her throat was in so much pain it felt like it was yelling at her to stop it. Stop it before she destroyed herself.

     But, Cassia didn't care what happened to her. Not anymore. Because Astra was dead because of her. If only she left when her father asked. If only she never fell for Hunter, maybe Astra would still be alive. And she hated it. She hated how she had thrown down her guard for Hunter, who had been plotting against her from the start. She had been a fool. An idiot for ever thinking he could love her and now she would never throw down her guard again.

     She would never love again.

     Cassia tensed at the sound of rapping against her bedroom door. She sat up and hesitated, her eyes scanning her large bedroom. She sat on her queen sized bed, where pink silk bedsheets littered the mattress. Her windows leading to her balcony were blown open to allow fresh air to come in and her white mirror table lay against the light gray wall - giving her a view of the girl who's hair was tangled up and matted; her eyes darkened from lack of sleep. She looked dreadful and she didn't care.

     "Yes?" Cassia said.

     The door opened and her father appeared. He was wearing brown slacks and a white buttoned shirt - a casual outfit and Cassia just stared at him. She hadn't spoken to him since he found her at the doors the night before.

     "Are you okay?" her father asked.

     No. That was the obvious answer, but Cassia didn't want to tell him the truth. Because to be honest was to be vulnerable. And to be vulnerable meant to be miserable.

     "Yes, what do you want?" Cassia asked.

     Her father's eyebrows knitted together and he strode over to Cassia's bed. He sat on the edge of her bed - hesitant. His eyes were guarded, but she could see the pity fighting its way through his shield.

     "Astra was buried earlier today," Cassia's father said. "I don't think you're okay."

     She said nothing. She would never speak about Astra again.

     "Tell me everything," Cassia said. "You told me you would tell me your past."

     Her father froze momentarily before he sighed. The deep worry lines in his face stood out more and more with every day that passed.

     "Very well, I will tell you my tale," Cassia's father said. "Of how I became king."

     Cassia frowned. "I thought it's because your aunt and uncle were the former king and queen of Oflaria?"

     "They weren't my aunt and uncle. That's why you never met them."

     Cassia stilled. It was true, she never met the former king and queen of Oflaria, who had retired and left Oflaria altogether. But, her father had told her they were his uncle and aunt and how they never had a child, so they picked him because he'd been their favourite. Cassia had been thrilled to hear her father's luck.

     "Everyone thinks the former rulers of Oflaria didn't have kids, but the truth is they had a son - Kain Monroe. Who, I now realize is the poor boy's father," her father said. "When I was ten, my parents were killed in an accident the former king caused. So to owe me, the king let me live in the castle. I wasn't his adopted child, but I was given the same education, food and life as Kain. We became friends in school actually and we grew closer with every year that passed.