Chapter 14 : The Rumors
Cassian and James's eyes widened as they heard Ana's words clearly. The shock was evident on their faces. It was as if the ground had shifted beneath their feet, and both of them were left speechless. They were unable to process what she had just said.
Ana giggled when she saw their shocked expressions. "Believe me, I'm telling the truth," she said with a smile.
James was the first one to react and said. "Then what are we doing here? Let's go before someone finds us," he said with some urgency in his voice. And without waiting for a reply, he grabbed Cassian's arm and started dragging him away. Cassian followed willingly, his expression mirroring James's fear and confusion.
Ana was left speechless for a moment by them And just stared at their retreating forms. She hadn't expected them to react so strongly. But when she realized that they were actually leaving, she hurriedly ran after them.
"Hey! Hey! Wait! Listen to me first!" she called out, trying to catch them up. But Cassian and James didn't slow down. The fear in their hearts was far greater than any curiosity they had about what Ana was trying to explain.
Anna started running behind them while shouting, "It was the prince's room! I said was, that means not now! So stop running away and listen to me first!"
Cassian and James froze in their tracks at her words. They exchanged a glance before turning around to face her. Cassian was the first to speak, his voice tinged with confusion. "What do you mean, Ana? We can't understand. First, you say it was the prince's chamber, and now you're saying it's not?"
Ana took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart. She reached out, grabbed both of them by the arms, and dragged them back inside the room. "Look," she said firmly, "you need to understand my words before you jump to conclusions."
Cassian and James exchanged uneasy glances but allowed themselves to be pulled back into the room. They could see that Ana was serious, so they waited for her to explain.
"This room was the prince's chamber when he was younger," Ana began with her patient tone as she explained. "But when he left for the barracks, he stayed away for ten years. When he finally returned, he didn't want this room anymore. He had a new palace built for himself. This room hasn't been used as his chamber since."
As Cassian and James listened intently to Ana's explanation, their attention shifted toward the figure of Prince Dorian, a man whose reputation was both awe-inspiring and terrifying. The first prince was more than just a member of the royal family; he was a legend in his own right, a figure whose name alone could command fear and respect across the kingdom.