Chapter 173
CAMILLA’S P.O.V
Over the past two days, Ryker had been acting weird. I knew there was something up but no matter how many times I asked, he would just calmly and quietly shut me down or change the subject. I tried so hard to snoop or eavesdrop on him but I never got anything concrete. It was driving me mad because at every second, he looked to be lost in thought which wasn’t normal for him. He would zone out during meals and sometimes while with the girls. Everyone else had noticed it and not just me.
He had just walked out of lunch after murmuring a few words under his breath when Riley turned to me. “Is there something wrong with him? Is something going on that I don’t know?”
“I’ve been asking myself the very same thing,” I mumbled. “Something is definitely bothering him but he will not tell me what it is no matter how much I try to ask.”
She hummed and crossed her arms over her chest. She was in a much better place than she as when she first arrived. She looked healthier and happier but she still refused for us to inform Damien. It wasn’t my place to ask why so I chose to respect her space although I couldn’t help but notice that she tended to avoid Juan and Christine. If they were in a room, she would make up an excuse and leave or turn the other way. I had been meaning to ask her about it but the right time never came up.
When Christine and Juan walked in, I realized it was perfect. They were whispering between themselves and ! saw Riley stiffen. She tried to look anywhere but at them and she was failing badly because her eyes would ultimately end up settling on them.
“I should go,” she muttered under her breath finally standing to her feet. “I can try talking to Ryker. I might be able to glean something.”
Before I could respond, she had walked out of the room. Christine turned to me with raised brows in confusion and I just shrugged. I was as confused as she was but I was determined to find out so I followed her. I watched her run her hands through her hair as she made her way towards the side entrance to the palace. She either didn’t notice me or didn’t care as she walked into the garden.
“I just need a second, Camilla,” she mumbled when I made my way over to her: “I’m still recovering from whatever that witch did to me and sometimes I need some fresh air.”
“You will have to come up with something better if you are going to get rid of me,” I drawled and she exhaled deeply. “Is there a reason you are avoiding Christine? Did someone say something to you?”
“No, and I am not avoiding her. I just needed some space.”
“When she walked in,” I finished but she wouldn’t speak. She took a seat on the bench and I slowly walked over and took the seat next to her. “Tell me what the problem is, Riley.”
“I don’t know,” she said and I could sense the sincerity in her tone. “I just feel so st upid when I look at her, you know? I was so angry with her because of Damien but now she has someone else and she is happy. It almost feels like bad karma, like I villainize her so much and now she has everything and I have nothing. She probably hates me.”
I snorted. “No she doesn’t. Christine doesn’t have a mean bone in her body despite what she might tell you. She feels nothing for you but mutual respect at sharing family members. She doesn’t feel that way, I swear.”
“Are you sure?” Riley asked and I nodded. “I would deserve her hatred. I took her mate away from her. I made him choose between us. I embarrassed her time and time again.”
“If she was to hate anyone, it would be Damien but I don’t think she hates him either. If Damien hadn’t chosen you, she never would have found Juan. The way I see it, it was a win-win situation. The only person who feels any sort of way about this is you. You need closure from this, Riley?”
Her voice was soft as she responded. “How do I do that?”
“You see Damien, you talk to him and you figure out if you are going to try again or move on. You cannot hide out here forever.”
She opened her mouth to respond but before she could, a guard rushed over to us. He was panting as if he had been running for a long time. He took a second to catch his breath and I considered dousing him in water because he was sweating profusely.
“Your majesty,” he bowed once he managed to catch his breath. “The town needs you, there have been some- I can’t explain it, you just have to see.”
I gave Riley a small smile ignoring her look of confusion and followed the guard. I was about to ask about Ryker when I saw him at the front of the palace. The horses were already prepped and I tried to catch Ryker’s eye to ask what the hell was going on but I noticed that he was avoiding me. My brows furrowed in confusion and I couldn’t stop that sickly creeping feeling from crawling up my spine. Did he know something about this?
I wasn’t able to ask him any questions until we got to the town but all thoughts died out when I took in the environment. The first thing I realized was that it was empty. There were no people on the roads or in the fields, it looked almost completely deserted. I was so stunned that I couldn’t move. It wasn’t until I felt a warm hand on my thigh that I realized I was the only person still mounted on my horse. Ryker gently helped me off not once letting go of my hand.
“What the hell happened here?” I asked aloud but even he could not respond. The guard that had called me led us towards what looked like a massive town house.
“You have to prepare yourself, your majesty,” he mumbled before reaching into his satchel and producing two face masks. I was left confused wondering what was happening but put it on any way. He pushed the door open and I was stunned to see not one but at least ten different people who looked deathly ill.
The scent of death stuck to the walls and the air, it clawed at my insides and I felt my powers rise to the surface as if begging and beckoning me to heal them. I stumbled at the entrance not knowing if I would be able to control myself if I were to walk in. Ryker turned to me in confusion but I simply shook my head- I was fine.
We were led in and that was when I noticed the physician and his son standing in the center of the room. I turned to the guard. “When did they get here?”.
“They have been here since yesterday afternoon when the first case broke out. We think it is contagious because how else do we explain that it is rapidly spreading. The rest of the town is locked in their homes terrified that they will contract the strange illness.”
We were walking past the people when a hand reached out and grabbed me. The guards sprung to action but I held up my hand to stop them. It was and it took all my will power to not all woman, no older than twenty five probably. She looked terrible and it took all my will power to not allow my power flow into her.
“Why?” she groaned out, her voice barely over a whisper. I leaned down wondering what she meant by that. “You should have given yourself up like she asked. This wouldn’t have happened.”
“That’s enough,” Ryker muttered before pulling me away. I noticed there was an unnatural stiffness to him and he was avoiding my gaze. He steered me away from the woman but her words echoed in my ears.
I waited until we had walked out of the house before I turned to him. “What was she talking about and don’t lie to me?” he stayed silent. “Ryker, so help me if you don’t respond.”
“I got a letter two days ago from who I assume is the witch. She asked me to give you up and it was that I wasn’t going to agree to that.”
“Didn’t you think to tell me?” I asked but he crossed his arms over his chest. “Those people in there are dying and it is my fault.”
“No, it is the witch’s fault. I already have Lyla and Caius trying to find out who she is. I didn’t think it was necessary to bother you.”
I let out a groan of frustration and stormed off towards my horse. I could feel eyes on me but I didn’t care, I was pissed. He had no right to hide that from me. He tried to follow me but before he made his way over, I was already gone and heading towards the palace. I arrived before him and immediately went into the comfort of our room.
It took him about half an hour before he walked in too. “Camilla, you’re being unreasonable.” I raised a brow in his direction but said nothing. “The letter came to me and it was my choice to decide whether or not I wanted to tell you.”
“Okay,” I said simply. “You can leave now.”
“Are you truly doing this right now?” he asked but I didn’t respond. He muttered a curse under his breath before walking out.
He didn’t return that night which was good for me because sometime around eleven, I got myself dressed in riding gear and a large dark coat. I snuck into the stables and took one of the horses then quietly rode out into the town. I waited until I saw the last light go off signaling that everyone was asleep before I dismounted and made my way out of the bushes where I was hiding.
I snuck in through the back door and gently knelt beside one of the sick people- a young teenager. I clasped his palm and with a deep breath, I tunneled my powers into him.
