Chương 16: Alone in Defiance

"Yes, you can!" she retorted.

"No, I can't. I am not the one who ordered them to guard you. I can't call off the King's order."

"Yes, you can," she mumbled. "You just don't want to." He didn't have to blatantly lie to her face; yesterday wasn't that far off.

"Maybe yesterday," he said, as if reading her thoughts. "But not today. You reap what you sow." He pulled the book from her grasp.

"What?" she yelled. "I was just following what you said."

"I don't recall telling you to do that," he said sternly, his face devoid of any emotion.

"You said to make them call off the wedding themselves," she whispered, her voice low.

The consequences of her actions were hitting harder than she wanted them to. She knew she was going to get reprimanded, but she hadn't thought she would be treated as though she committed a crime.

"Yes, but I don't recall telling you to embarrass the King and Queen. These are important guests, Bel. You weren't only disrespectful to your parents but also their guests. You should be grateful all King Aaron did was stop you from leaving the castle."

He was walking away even before he finished speaking. He grabbed the ladder as he prepared to climb back up.

The library was a huge space with shelves all the way to the ceiling. The shelves were demarcated by sections, and almost every section was filled to the brim with books.

Each section was meticulously organized, with books arranged in neat rows and columns, their spines adorned with intricate lettering and faded symbols.

The woods of the shelves were carefully maintained, their surfaces polished to a smooth sheen. The stream of sunlight through the stained glass emphasized their glow.

"I should be grateful?" she asked darkly.

Lord Landon stopped his movements and slowly turned to look at her. "I was sympathetic to your plight, but it isn't a plight. Marrying into the Vampire family should be an honor, especially the Royal one; they have never sought out a human before. I shouldn't have given you such advice; that was my mistake."

"What?" she asked. She was at a loss for words. She had expected a lot of things but not this.

"It's best you make peace with this decision," he gave her a sad look. "Nothing you could possibly do could change it. The King is determined, and frankly, you have no good reason to refuse."

Bel felt all the blood drain from her face. It was as if she was speaking to a different person. She could clearly see there was no changing his mind. She was truly stuck. She had no option but to agree to a marriage she wanted no part of.

Bel felt the frustration and the reality of her situation bubbling up to the surface. Her eyes watered, and she spun on her heels, speeding out of the library.

She concentrated on the sound her footwear made as it hit the wood; it was either that or she would burst into tears.

There was no one on her side. She was alone in her defiance, and by the looks of things, only straws were left of it.

She opened the exit and winced as she was greeted by her entourage, ignoring them once more. She walked past them, knowing they were just going to keep at her heels and sides.

The journey to her room seemed endless, each passing moment stretching out into eternity as she struggled to keep her composure.

Her legs felt like lead, dragging her down with their sluggish movements as she fought to hold back the tears threatening to spill from her eyes.

If she could run, she would have; at least she would get to her room faster before she burst into tears.

She felt a mixture of anger, frustration, and helplessness swirling within her. Lord Landon and her sister's words echoed in her mind, each one a bitter reminder of the reality she faced.

She frantically made her way through the castle corridors; all she wanted was to escape, to find solace in the confines of her room where she could let her emotions run free.

Finally, she reached the door to her room, with trembling hands, she pushed open the door and stepped inside, closing it behind her with a heavy sigh of relief.

Alone at last, she allowed herself to collapse onto the bed, the weight of her emotions crashing over her like a ton of bricks.

The tears threatened to spill, but she found that they didn't. Her heart was breaking, but it refused to scream out.

She lay in bed dazed, the enormity of what lay ahead threatening to overwhelm her. Bel didn't know how long she lay there until a loud knock pulled her from her deep thoughts.

Bel pulled herself to a sitting position. She wasn't sure if she should respond because, frankly, she wanted to be left alone.

If they weren't going to change their decision, they should leave her be. Let her wallow in her helplessness.

Another knock quickly followed, but still, Bel didn't make any attempt to move to the door or inquire about who might be behind it.

"Beryl," a voice called.

Bel stiffened immediately; it wasn't very often he called her by her full name. The sound of it grated on her ears.

He was the last person she expected to knock on her door. She had thought she would have to be the one to go see him first. Never in a million years would she have predicted it.

Lord Landon and Hazel spoke endlessly about how angry he was. His presence couldn't be good. He could have sent for her; he didn't have to come all the way to her room.

"Open the door; it's your King."

Not father, she bit her lower lip. It wasn't a suggestion; he just issued an order as a King. One she couldn't dare refuse.

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