The Crystal in the Chasm

chapter 29

When I was just a girl and still being courted by Prince Grimm Hastings, there was a moment in time that never left my mind. Grimm had come to visit me in the Kingdom of Fae, interrupting one of my ballroom dancing lessons. I had taken a variety of lessons at the time such as piano, the language of ancient fae, and dancing of all kinds. Grimm strolled into the castle as if he had owned the place, all confidence and charm, and waltzed into the ballroom where I had been twirling around.

I was only 12 years old, yet I was utterly infatuated with him. When he was away and we were unable to visit, we'd exchange letters. I had read a letter from him the morning prior, putting me in a rather splendid mood as I twirled around with Maeve's green fingers interlocked with mine, distracting her from her cleaning duties because she had no choice but to put up with me. Grimm stopped in the large golden archway as he entered the room and leaned against the wall, his lightly tanned arms crossed over his chest to display the dark bolts of lightning trailing down his forearm from beneath his rolled up white sleeves. He was clean cut and polished, his dark hair slicked back from his face with only one rogue piece dangling in his eyesight as he flashed me a feline grin. He was a year older than me, his features slightly more sharpened like the sword strapped to his hip. I had difficulty remembering the color of his eyes, yet I knew them to be striking and vibrant.

"You look ravishing this afternoon, Princess Helena," he marveled as the sunlight shining from a large window warmed my bare feet against the golden polished floor.

I blushed, the giddiness causing my feet to stumble. Maeve scoffed and unlinked herself from me, snickering to herself as she picked up the feather duster and pretended to mind her business.

"Thank you," I managed to smile back.

Grimm glided toward me with elegance and grace, extending a hand my way as his clean shoes clicked against the floor and echoed off the walls.

My instructor clasped shut the magical box playing ballroom music with a dull click, drowning out all of the noise and sucking all of the air out of the room, leaving only our voices to be heard.

"Do you mind if I...?" I raised a brow to my instructor.

The winged faerie merely nodded her head and turned her nose to the ceiling, neatly and stiffly vacating the room. Grimm clasped my hand in his and dragged me toward the front entrance of the castle.

"Where are we going?" I asked him breathlessly, looking over my shoulder in case either the king or queen spotted us. They would have been distraught to find me alone with Grimm, without the knowledge of the fact that he and I were always left alone in his castle.

"Somewhere we probably shouldn't," Grimm flashed a wide grin to me before we stepped out into the warm air, a dull breeze gliding through my curled hair. At the time, it still had dyed-red tips.

As we stumbled down the castle steps, the guards began to shout behind us. We had been spotted. I wasn't allowed off the castle grounds. The men in full armor chased us for what felt like forever, Grimm pulling me breathlessly as we darted into the woods. We weaved around trees until the sounds of the guards died out. I didn't care how much trouble I might have been in once I returned. The only thing that mattered to me was the sound of his childish laugh as he tipped his head back and let it float magically through the air.

"Suckers," he nudged me with his arm. Then he froze, staring me down.

I was heaving in breaths of air as he leaned forward and tucked a strand of hair behind my pointed ear, his hand trailing down to the dyed tips and rolling it through his fingers.

"You are crazy!" I couldn't fight the smile tugging on my lips.

Grimm winked, "Only for you."

I couldn't recall what happened after that or where we ended up venturing off to, only that the sun had set by the time we were climbing the castle steps again. I was on his back, my bare feet dirty and aching. His carriage was already rolling up the cobblestone path, the beat of horse hooves a distraction from the line of guards waiting for me at the front door.