The Aldean Chronicles: Hidden

The lights are on and the moon is reflecting on the water's surface. The summer air is warm and the wind feels soft against my skin.

I hear his footsteps and smile before I see him. He appears behind me and wraps his arms around my stomach.

"You called, your highness." He teases, kissing my cheek.

"Thank you for coming." I sigh. It's midnight, I finally caught a break from my family. I've been answering calls since the party ended and now I just want to be here with him.

"I'm glad you called, considering where you asked to meet. I'm guessing the meeting isn't conjugal in nature."

I roll my eyes. "I hate you," I say even though I don't, the opposite actually.

I turn back in his arms and soon we're in the same position we were in just hours earlier. "Like the picture." He says and I nod.

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"Everything, helping me when I first got here. Telling me I can do anything."

"You can."

"Like that." I kiss him.

"Is that why you called me here?"

"No." I place my head on his chest and smile. "For this." I bring out my phone and take a picture. I look at it and he's looking down at me with an amused smile on his lips.

"I wasn't ready, I want another one." He protests.

"No, this one is perfect." I go to my main page and think of a caption. I can't think of one so I put a pink heart instead.

"You want to post that?" He asks.

"Do you mind?"

"No, but what will your family say? Don't you have to run this by them?"

"I don't care." I hit the post button and put my phone in my pocket.

He laughs. "They are going to kill you."

"I still don't care." I kiss him again. I pull away and remove my shoes. I sit at the edge of the pool and kick my feet in the water. He does the same.

"I felt something, in the cave," I tell him. "This want, need for power."

"What do you want to do about it?"

"Do you think I can be queen?" I hold my breath, waiting for his answer.

"I respect you too much to lie, it's going to be hard, really, really hard. But it isn't impossible."

"Thank you." My hand flits to my head and I feel my crown resting there. I caress the chrystal and stare at the water in silence. I can be queen.