Page 66 of Silent Secrets

Hadley

Laterthatnight,I find myself in the gardens as I often do after dinner. I can’t truly enjoy them during my lessons with Hunter, seeing as I’m usually annoyed or pissed off at him. Once again, I’m grateful for the conversation that I’d had with Grace so that I understand where the anger is coming from. It’s yet another reason that I can’t wait until my birthday.

With the moon and the stars shining down on me, I find a peace that I rarely find at any other time of day. The night calls to me in a way that the day never does. I’ve always been more of a night owl, though between school and work for the last few years, I’ve just been tired. I might be busy and overwhelmed here, but it’s nothing compared to what my life was like in L’Airid.

Who would have thought that going to another realm and finding out that you’re the future queen was more relaxing than what I’d always thought was a normal life? That having years of information stuffed into my head in just days was easier than studying accounting—all because I’d forced myself to continue to study something that I hated.

I’m not really paying attention to where I’m going as I walk through section after section, allowing my mind to wander. The palace gardens are vast and even with my almost nightly trips, I still haven’t explored half of them yet. I find myself outside of the hedge maze that I’ve seen from afar, but haven’t yet explored.

Staring up at the high walls, I chew on my lip. Nighttime probably isn’t the best time to go exploring a maze. But I’m already moving to the entrance as if I’m being pulled to it. There’s a weight in my chest that I hadn’t noticed before, but as I step inside the maze, I feel it lessening. As if I’m where I need to be.

Interesting.

I wonder if this is my magic again, like the night that it had led me to the book about the Fae Queens. I hadn’t realized what it was when it had happened, but after speaking to Grace, I know that’s exactly what it was. While I might not be able to access my magic yet, it’s doing everything it can to let me know that it’s there to help.

A few times when I begin to make a turn, the weight returns and only lessens when I turn in the other direction. I don’t know what the hell is going on, but since I’m already here, I might as well keep going. It’s obvious that I’m needed somewhere inside this maze, though who knows what I’ll find once I arrive.

It takes me about thirty minutes to reach the center of the maze as it opens up into a fairly large meadow with a small lake in the center. I let my eyes roam over the area that is bathed in moonlight, loving it. This might be my new favorite place in the gardens. It’s beautiful here.

Moving toward one of the large trees, I see flowers blooming before my eyes—something that shouldn’t happen at night. When I reach out to trace my finger over the petals, the flower snaps shut and I jump backwards with a gasp. Maybe touching isn’t such a good idea?

I make a note to ask Grace or one of the guys about these flowers. They’re beautiful but unlike anything I’ve ever encountered. When I step further into the clearing, movement near the lake draws my eyes.

There’s someone there, kneeling beside the lake. With their back to me and head bowed low, I shouldn’t know who it is. But somehow I know that it’s Hunter. I take a step back, planning to leave, so that I don’t ruin the rest of my night or his.

I freeze when I realize that his body is shaking and that the sound that I’m hearing is him crying… which makes little sense. I know I don’t really know him, but I’ve never seen the man show any emotion besides annoyance or anger. Not wanting to intrude upon this moment, I move to step back into the maze when a branch cracks beneath my foot.

Hunter twists around, eyes narrowing in on me. The moonlight glances off the tears on his cheeks and in his eyes. I move toward him without a thought. It’s obvious that he’s hurting, and I just want to make it better. Seeing others in pain hurts me, and I just want to fix whatever is wrong. Or at least hold him while he falls apart.

Wait.

What?

Since when do I care what the hell Hunter is feeling or want to hold him? Damn my magic, causing my emotions to spiral. I can’t keep up with the yoyoing of my emotions. It’s honestly too much.

“What the fuck do you want, princess?” Hunter’s voice is harsh, but thick with his tears as he turns away from me.

Why am I here? He doesn’t want me here. He’s made that very obvious with how he’s treated me—not just right now, but in the past as well. Why had I felt drawn here to him?

His sadness is calling to me and I can’t seem to stop myself from going to him. I sit beside him, not close enough to touch, but I know he can feel me.

“Are you okay?”

Hunter scoffs. “Do you really care?”

“Yes,” I answer instantly, knowing that I shouldn’t care, but for some damn reason, I do. “I don’t like to see people hurting—even when they hate me.”

He says nothing, so I just stare across the water. Until he tells me to leave, I’ll just sit here in case he wants to talk, I guess. Sometimes I hate how much of an empath I can be. It’s draining, and I don’t want to care so much for those who care so little about me.

“I don’t hate you.”

Hunter speaks so quietly that I almost don’t hear him, but as soon as I understand his words, I can’t help turning to him.

“You could’ve fooled me.”

Hunter takes a deep breath as he looks up at the moon. “Did you know that I was engaged once?”

I try to ignore the twinge of pain at the thought as I shake my head. “No… What happened?”

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