Page 59 of Royal Lies

I need Eli.

He'll know how to help me. He always has. A flicker. "Everetta-I'm so sorry."

Ugh, what? What is he apologizing for?

Another flicker.

"Are sure about this-Eli-you can't." Another voice, her elegant white hair, and beaming red eyes glowing like fire as she quickly turned storming out.

Wh-what? What is going on? I barely managed to croak as I stumbled my way along the narrow halls. Where's Eli, where is he? He can-he could explain this right?

Somehow I had managed to transport myself to Eli despite the increasing beatings in my head. My nails were digging into my skin as I crawled my way back up. My hand latched onto the stone brick wall beside me for support.

"Evie- Evie listen to me. You have to trust me, Ellie isn't telling you the truth.YOU. DO. NOT. NEED. HIM.You just need to rest. Please go back, don't do this-" A voice- my voice spoke in my mind. But how?

Ugh! Magic's this hurts!

I can't go back. I shook my head in a pitiful response to... myself? Hah, great, now I'm talking to myself. Why is this happening to me?

Using my magic I traced down Eli's signature.

Found him!

Eli! I nearly called out to him when I heard another voice. Wait, where am I? Right, he was meeting with the king? No-no prince-right the little prince so of course there's someone else here.

"You can't trust him!" The voice bellowed, sounding more alarmed now as I shook it off. It's just trying to tear Eli and me apart. Yes, that's what it was doing.

Flynn? The prince? The guy the girl cared for? No, no, something tells me he wasn't the same man she loved, the same man I loved? What? I don't love anyone. I-

"The man we love would never cower like that." The same voice, my voice spat, as if vexed I would even think that. I frowned. I screamed from the pain in my head, not wanting to let Eli know I was here. But why? Didn't I trust him? No, I did. This must be that voice’s doing. Why couldn't I speak?

"Don't trust him." The voice echoed more firm and demanding as I staggered back as if my limbs weren't in my control.

What-what is happening?

"I didn't want it to happen like this but- he's brought this on himself." That same voice came again, mine yet not mine. What was I-no she doing to me? I fought against the restraints of my own body as if I could fight myself but how-why-ugh!

It hurts!

I-I can't move-I-I have to tell Eli-

My head was still pounding. I was going to pass out anytime now. Yet, why couldn't I move?

Lucarious?

When did he get there?

I should have sensed his energy before he even arrived, but my magic, something was wrong.

Wait- was there always a knight there? What are they doing?

It was like my mind was blacking in and out. As I fought against this throbbing pain.

"What is Eli hiding from you? Pay attention." The voice in my head repeated as I blinked, too exhausted to fight. As if sensing my tiredness the voice in my head also seemed to relax, or was it my imagination?

No, I knew what they- what I, was talking about. I had no doubt there were secrets between me and Eli, but I-no, what am I thinking? Of course, there isn't—but there is, isn't there? No, he was hiding something from me. Yes, he was—no, he wasn't—yes? No?

I don't know!

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