Chapter 384: Confessions (1)
In the palace, Elijah went in search of Rue. He learned that she was well, but he still needed to see for himself that Rue wasn’t injured.
Though Elijah’s focus was on Rue, he very much intended to join his father and others to go after the ones responsible for the attack.
After what seemed like endless searching and palace servants not being able to point him in the right direction, Elijah finally got word of Rue being in the queen’s garden.
"Rue!" Elijah called as he stormed into the queen’s garden in search of her.
Elijah found Rue sitting with Julie, the princess and the queen, but his focus was still on Rue.
Rue stood up, puzzled by Elijah’s arrival.
What startled Rue wasn’t that Elijah was in the palace, but how Elijah rushed to her side and hugged her.
Rue didn’t know what to do. Had he been told that she was gravely injured?
"I am fine. It is my guards I have lost to guns, but two of them are holding on. What were you told?" Rue asked, reaching her hands around Elijah to hug him back.
Had someone spoken of her losing the fight?
"That you were attacked," Elijah answered.
Elijah reluctantly let go of Rue so he could see her face. He palmed her face, sweeping her hair to the side so he could see clearly. Thankfully, there weren’t any injuries.
"We were attacked, but my guards protected me with their lives. I killed the men who were left and came to the palace with Julie. Have you heard from my father? Is Cassius dead or at least captive?" Rue asked, hoping Elijah brought news.
"I do not know," said Elijah.
The sound of someone clearing their throat took Elijah’s attention from Rue, and it was then that he was reminded that others were present.
Elijah dropped his hands to his side and stepped away from Rue. "Queen Hazel," he gave proper greetings.
Hazel smiled, amused by the display of affection before her. "How kind of you to remember we are all seated here. Julie was present during the attack. Will she be bestowed such an affectionate greeting?"
Julie looked at the queen, puzzled as to why she would need to be greeted by Elijah. It was evident that Elijah had special feelings for Rue, so Julie didn’t want to get in the midst of it.
"Must you tease me?" Elijah asked, knowing Hazel was toying with him.
Elijah expected this to be a conversation with his mother.
"I must, for it is not very often that I see this side of you. I am so fortunate to have been sitting here. Miss Rue is well along with Miss Julie," Hazel said, calming Elijah’s fears.
Though news of an attack had worried Hazel from the moment she heard of it, she found a bright side in the darkness. There was love blossoming.
Elijah looked at Julie, pleased to see she wasn’t injured. "I am glad that you are well, Julie. Your father and I arrived at the same time. We split up in an effort to find you sooner."
"I will have a maid bring him here," Hazel informed Julie. "I would take you to find him, but I cannot leave the other ladies alone. Will you be staying with us, Elijah? I hear my husband is watching over someone he arrested today."
Elijah snuck a glance at Rue. He wanted to hear more from her about how the attack happened and inquire if she was well after losing some of her guards, but he wanted to see the bastard responsible for the attack.
"I will join the king and then return to aid my father. I apologise for disturbing you," Elijah said, bowing his head slightly.
If not for formality, Hazel didn’t need the apology. She wanted to thank Elijah for amusing her at this moment.
Hazel looked at Rue and noticed something. She could hardly wait to speak of this with Alessandra.
"I cannot leave you two alone, but we can turn our backs so you may speak in private. It appears that Rue has something she wants to say to you," said Hazel.
’Can she read minds?’ Rue wondered, curious if the Castros had special talents.
"Let them have their moment," Hazel instructed the other ladies.
Elijah’s lips were folded into a thin line as he had already heard what was going to be said between the queen and his mother.
"She’s going to make sure I never forget this," Elijah spoke softly.
"I like the queen. She knows how to read others," said Rue.
Elijah looked down at Rue on his left. She was clueless, not having any idea how his mother and the queen spoke.
"Why are you staring at me? Did I get a new scar?" Rue asked, touching her face.
Elijah picked up on a bit of excitement in Rue’s voice. "Are you excited to have a scar?"
"No. This isn’t a fight I can enjoy. I won, but I have lost people I care for. If there is a scar, I would use it to help me never forget this fight. Gideon is gone," Rue shared, trying not to let her emotions get the best of her.
Rue was staying strong for the other guards who were being cared for by the palace doctors, and the other guards who would surely cry if she did.
"We aren’t a match for guns. I hate them so much," Rue confessed.
Elijah stayed quiet since his family made guns.
"I wish I could leave the palace and kill Cassius myself, but I promised my father I wouldn’t move. It is frustrating to want to kill someone, but you must hold back. I want to avenge Gideon. Can you do something for me?" Rue spoke softly as she faced Elijah.
"You might have permission to go and see who they are holding captive. All the reports are going to the queen, and she speaks nothing of it. Can you find out for me if it is Cassius they have or if he is dead? It is the only way I can calm myself," Rue said, depending on Elijah to be her eyes and ears.
"I will go to the king. As soon as I see your father, I will tell him that you wish to see him. Stay here just as you promised your father. We both know he won’t let Cassius get away with this. I will be back soon," Elijah said, holding Rue’s hand to raise it for a kiss.
Rue didn’t think anything of the interaction, but after Elijah walked away and she turned back to the group, she noticed how the ladies watched her.
"Weren’t you all to have your backs turned?" Rue asked, only to be answered by laughter.