The Claiming

Chapter Twenty-Six

On Christmas day, everything takes a turn for the worst. We both wake to knocking at the door with loud voices yelling in. I have a déjà vu moment, thinking of back in Bayfell when the prince showed up at our house and took me away.

But then I remember where we are.

And then I realize there is still someone at our door wanting in. Alec and I throw the bedcovers off of us, but before we even reach the doorknob of our bedroom, we hear the front door break down. I scream and fall back into Alec.

After getting our bearings again, we rush into the living room to find Vain, Alice, and a few of Vain's buddies with guns ready and stone-cold looks on their faces. Alice gives us a grim stare.

Vain and one of the other policemen approach us both with handcuffs ready. "You are both under arrest for the murder of Nancy Corrin, as well as for the attempt on Alice Braxton's life. You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say may be used against you in a court of law."

"What's going on?" Alec demands. Vain roughly pulls Alec's arms behind us back and links them together with handcuffs. "We didn't do anything! We told you already!"

"You have the right to remain silent." Vain shoves Alec towards the broken down door as the other police handcuffs me as well.

"Alec!" I cry out.

"Belle!"

We both have no idea what to do. We were asleep just two minutes ago, anticipating my first real Christmas. But, of course, we're arrested.

Merry Christmas to us.

I don't even know what makes them think we did anything! Well, yeah, the murder happened right in front of our door, but there is no other proof that we did anything! And an attempt on Alice's life? Why would we do that when she welcomed us into her town so generously? Something is not right here.

And I have a feeling this is not going to go well.

***

They throw us in separate jail cells.

There apparently haven't been any crimes in Winslow Wood because the jail cells look as if they haven't been occupied since the last war. The cell is filthy and lined with so much dust that I'm coughing constantly. Alec is a little better off, but not by much.

Vain locks us in the cells and leaves us for a little while. Alec's cell neighbors mine, but I can't see him. I want to, though.

"You okay?" he whispers in the dull silence.

I cough harshly. "Yeah. Sort of."

"We'll—we'll be okay."

Suddenly, I hear Vain's crackling voice. I flinch. "I wouldn't be so sure about that."

"You know we didn't do anything!" Alec spits in an outburst. I shrink to the back wall of my cell.

"Of course, you didn't, but you see, Alice doesn't know that. And she can't."

I crawl back to the front of the cell and hang onto the bars. The room is dimly lit, but not enough to see the man's face, just his silhouette. "Why are you doing this? What did we do to you?"

Vain sits down in a rickety chair opposite the two cells. A metal table rests beside him, and I see him place a coffee cup on it as he relaxes. "Turns out your Prince Walden is offering a reward for your return, Belle. In exchange, I receive ten thousand dollars. And he promised to leave Winslow Wood alone. You see, we've been bullied by Bayfell for years. Now we finally have a chance to be left alone. The only thing that stands in the way is you. I promised to give you two up, but I said nothing about the rest of your family. If you two can keep your families' mouths shut, then they can stay here under protection of the town. However, you both will be heading back to Bayfell. Sorry about that."

"No you're not!" Alec shouts in fury. "You wouldn't do this if you were! Is ten thousand dollars really worth it? What can you even buy with that much money here? There's nothing here!"

Vain jumps to his feet. "I will do with it what I will! Now shut up! Your parents are on their way here. I know you were both at their house last night for Christmas Eve dinner. Tell them what you will—as long as they don't admit where you really were last night."

"We are not confessing to a lie," Alec growls.

"You don't have to," the sour man replies. "Alice thoroughly believes it was you two anyhow. I have her convinced that Nancy Corrin was being a little flirty with you, Alec, and that Belle over here couldn't handle it. And then Belle thought you had a little thing for our mayor, so she tried to kill her as well."

"How could she even believe that?" I say in disbelief. "Alice is, like, twice his age!"

Vain stands and heads towards the door with his now empty coffee cup. "Tell that to the woman who is threatening to give you two the death sentence. Now, you both better come up with a good excuse not to have you killed."

And with that, he leaves and slams the door behind him.

I cover my face with my hands and bite back sobs. I'm not going to cry. I'm not going to cry. All I do is cry. "What have we gotten ourselves into?" I mutter.

I hear Alec sigh miserably. "I don't know, love. I don't know."

I start to cry.

***

The door opens and we hear Alec's mother rushing in talking as fast as she possibly can. "Alec, sweetie! Belle! Oh, my goodness, I can't believe this is happening! We have to tell them what really happened! Then they'll let you go, and we can forget this whole thing ever happened!"

"Mom," Alec says slowly, "It's not that easy. Apparently Walden asked for our return to Bayfell, and Vain is going to turn us in. He promised to leave you all alone if we go willingly, and that's something we have to do."

I run my hands through my messy hair, gripping it at the roots.

"You can't! There has to be something else we can do," Alec's father says.

"There isn't. Look," Alec says, lowering his voice, "Belle and I are going to be okay. We got away from the prince before, so we can do it again."

Alec's parents a quiet.

"Trust me," Alec says seriously. "Just—don't say anything at the trial, okay?"

"Son, there isn't going to be a trial."

"What?" I say, finally speaking up.

I see Alec's mother bend down near my cell to my level. "Honey, this place is just as screwed up as Bayfell. I mean, a little more freedom... but no justice. They don't have a judge or jury or... anything. Just a tyrant of a mayor."

"Why can't we find just one normal place," I mutter.

"We'll figure this out," Alec's father says.

"Dad, promise me one thing—do not take any risks while Riah is pregnant, okay?"

My heart flutters for a brief moment at Alec's consideration for our friend.

"She has to have this baby here where there are doctors and shelter. You can't get kicked out."

Alec's father sighs. "You're right. I trust you, son. Just... be careful. You, too, Belle."

"I will," I say quietly.