Chapter 40
Forty
Commotion rattled through the hallways of the ship. Guards sprinted around searching for Armienti, holding silver metallic guns in hand. Steel doors opened and slid closed as they searched countless rooms for him.
Autumn’s stomach flipped as she stepped over the dead body of the guard Armienti froze to death, then shattered before her eyes.
He’d created some mess.
She shook her head—another needless death. Nobody in space had any respect for life whatsoever. How could he do this?
She approached Leyla and hugged her tightly. “Are you okay?”
Leyla nodded before brushing off her long silver dress. “Yeah, I think so. What was that all about? What did he say to you in there?”
“Nothing,” Autumn lied, crossing her arms over her cardinal-hued metallic dress. Leyla didn’t need to know what’d transpired between her and Armienti. It was too much to process. “He just wanted to know if Dante would pardon him for his mistake.”
She couldn’t tell Leyla the truth. She’d never understand how much Armienti cared for her and how she broke his heart.
Leyla stared at her hands. “There’s no way my brother is going to pardon him after this fiasco. I’m sure he’ll want him dead. He’s inconvenienced him too much.”
Autumn watched her in silence. Her stomach twisted in a hard knot. She didn’t want to think about the consequences.
“Come on,” Leyla gestured toward the opposite end of the hallway. “We should go back to my room. I’m worried Emperor Brumha will check in on me after all the commotion, and I want to pretend I’m indisposed.”
“Isn’t it good that he cares if you’re all right?” Autumn blinked.
Leyla’s face contorted in disgust, and she stuck her tongue out. “Oh, gods no, although his brother is quite handsome. The rumors are true in that department. It’s hard to believe they’re related. But still, he’s no Kyo.” Her mouth fell flat, eyes wavering with tears. “You’ll meet him soon enough.”
As she began to walk back to the room with Leyla, footsteps pattered across the metallic tiles.
“My lady, my lady,” a disembodied voice echoed through the hall.
Autumn turned around as a silver-skinned servant girl wiped a long slender arm over her beading brow. She curtseyed, struggling to catch her breath.
“Emperor Dante II is here. He’s searching everywhere for you.” Autumn inhaled and a wave of dizzying excitement consumed her. Her legs wobbled beneath her, and it wasn’t because of her heavy dress. She couldn’t wait to see him.
“Are you coming?” she asked Leyla, who grew silent in response to the news.
“No, I never ever want to see him again. But you go ahead. I’ll catch up with you later,” she waved.
Autumn respected her wishes. Leyla turned on her heel, making her way through the winding corridor. Her silver dress glided across the floor until she disappeared into the shadows.
She inhaled. She’d check in on her later. She was suffering so much.
Autumn followed the girl through the hallway, unable to breathe. They descended many flights of winding steps. The train of her gaudy dress trailed along the floor behind her.
Crap, if only she’d looked the least bit decent, but it was too late to change.
They arrived at a remote door on the far end of the ship. She pressed frizzy strands of hair behind her ears. The servant punched the code into the keypad beside the entrance and she was granted access. She wrung her hands behind her back as she walked into the room. Her heart pounded in her chest so fast she feared she might faint.