Heir of the Underground

Chapter 20: Aurelia

The news of the ball came one morning, much to Aurelia's surprise. According to Fey tradition, a ball was always thrown leading up to a coronation. And it was at this ball that the date of the coronation was announced.

Jacinth had explained all of this when Aurelia awoke the morning of the announcement. She braided Aurelia's hair, all while smiling and humming to herself, clearly excited about this impending celebration.

Aurelia herself wanted to be happy as well. But the thought of how Kassius would take the announcement ate at her, though she couldn't quite place why.

She continued on with her day as normal though, training with Leviathan at dawn as she typically did. Then she joined Thisbie and Fallon for breakfast. Galderon tagged along too. The entire time, Aurelia tried not to think about his impending death.

When that was all said and done, she wandered the halls, unsure of what to do.

She had expected Kassius to seek her out, as he had been, but she saw nothing of him. It made sense for him to be sulking though, so she couldn't say that his behavior was all that surprising. He was dreading his coronation. He had said so himself.

It worried her though—his absence. He had been coming out of his shell so much since her first few days in the Underground. Him playing music with her just the day before was proof of that. But now it seemed he was back to hiding.

She didn't want it to be that way with him.

After minutes of pacing and fighting with herself, she gave into the fire in her veins, the impatience and spontaneity that gnawed at her but often got pushed away.

On quick feet, she sped down the hall and to his office, coming face to face with the door. And just as she reached out to knock, it opened, and she came face to face—or rather, face to chest—with someone else.

Kassius stood on the other side of the doorway, looking frazzled, as he occasionally did. He managed a smile, though it was a weary one, clearly hiding a deeper-rooted anxiety.

"You've been hiding all day." Aurelia spoke before she had a chance to really think.

"I have been," he admitted. He ran a hand through his hair, a poor attempt at trying to keep his rubied curls out of his eyes for good. "You're worried. And disappointed. I'm sorry."

She looked up at him, searching his eyes for a moment, before finally nodding. "It's alright. I understand that you're nervous about all of these changes." His pupils drifted away from her, off to the side, in avoidant confirmation. "But don't hide yourself away again. It's not good. You know that. Everyone here does."

"I just needed some time to be alone," he murmured. "I wasn't going to hide in here forever. Just a bit. Trust me. I don't want to give Leviathan a heart attack."

Aurelia stifled a laugh. Leviathan could be quite protective at times.

"Good," she replied. "Still, if you're worried about this, I don't think being alone is going to be much help. You realize, the more time you spend by yourself, the more you're going to think and overthink about what's bothering you, right? You're being a bit counterintuitive."

At that, Kassius couldn't hide the embarrassed smile that tugged at the corners of his mouth. "Yes, I guess my way of coping is rather illogical." He looked back down at Aurelia, his violet eyes staring deeply into hers—amber, enticing like honey. "So what do you suggest I do? You seem to have all the answers."