Page 51 of A Kingdom's Heart
“William,” I began, my voice low. “There’s something I—”
“Iris!”
The sound of my real name cut through the air like a blade.
I froze.
Every thought, every breath, stopped at once.
Raven was running toward us, her braid loose, her chest heaving from running. Her eyes darted between us, first to William and then to me.
“You need to come now,” she said, breathless. “The kin—” She caught herself, swallowed hard. “The mistress would like to have a word with you. Now.”
My blood turned to ice. The way she said it told me everything she wasn’t allowed to say.
It wasn’t the mistress.
It was my father.
For a moment, I couldn’t move. The world around me dimmed, the warmth of William’s nearness fading into something sharp and cold. The pulse that had raced for him now thundered for another
reason entirely.
Raven’s voice came again, softer but urgent. “Iris, please.”
I nodded slowly, forcing air back into my lungs. “Alright.”
Behind me, William’s brow furrowed. “Iris?”
The sound of my real name from his lips made my chest twist. Hearing it from him was worse than I could have imagined. It sounded wrong in his mouth, because he wasn’t supposed to know. Not like this.
I couldn’t look at him. I didn’t dare.
“Let’s go,” I whispered to Raven, my throat tight.
Raven grabbed my arm, and we moved fast, the grass whispering under our steps. My pulse pounded in my ears, every beat too loud. I could feel William’s confusion behind me, heavy as the silence he didn’t break.
When we reached the edge of the forest, I finally hissed under my breath, “Why on earth did you use my real name? In front of him!”
Raven didn’t slow. Her braid bounced behind her as she ran. “I was panicking! The king sent guards looking for you, and I had to tell them something. I said you were helping in the village, but it won’t hold for long. Now come on, we have to hurry before he finds out.”
The words hit me like cold rain. My father had sent guards. He must already know I’d left again.
I pushed harder, my feet hitting the dirt path as we ran toward the castle gates. The wind tugged at my hair, pulling loose the white headband. My lungs burned, but I didn’t stop.
The gates loomed ahead. The guards recognized me at once and moved aside without question. We slipped through, running across the courtyard and into the quiet halls of the castle.
By the time we reached the healer’s wing, both of us were breathless. Raven bent over slightly, one hand pressed to her side.
“He’s waiting,” she managed, her voice low. “In the throne room.”
My pulse beat faster with every step. The corridors felt longer than ever, the air thick and still around me. My palms were slick with sweat, and I had to press them against my dress to steady them.
The guards stood by the tall doors of the throne room, their faces unreadable. When they saw me, they bowed without a word and pulled the heavy doors open. The echo of it filled the hall.
He was there.
My father sat straight on the throne, his expression carved in stone. His crown caught the faint light from the high windows, but his eyes were colder than the gold that framed them. They locked on me the moment I stepped inside.
