Chapter 25~

(Rosie) "Thank you!" I call out to the Vespa driver who just dropped me off in front of the palace.

He raises his hand in a wave as he speeds away into the early morning light. He has no idea who I am and for a second, I savor it. That was the last time I'll get to be Nobody.

I pull my hood down extra low as I walk up the path to the palace. As far as any of the staff knows, I've been super sick the whole time. Seeing me with blond hair and blue eyes might raise some questions.

I use my key to let myself into the back door rather than face the guards at the front entrance, then climb up the stairs to the second floor. I know I should go straight to my quarters to wash the blond out of my hair, but the queen in me insists I go by my office first to make sure everything has been moving smoothly in my absence.

I ease open the door and close it slowly behind me, so I don't wake anyone. I flip on the light and am shocked to see Ed hunched over my desk fast asleep. The light jerks him awake and for a moment he just sits there staring at me. I stare back, not sure what to say.

Finally I blurt out, "What are you doing in my office?"

"The key you gave me," he half-explains groggily. "Where the hell have you been?"

"I had to go." I take a small step forward. "I needed to make sure we were safe."

"And you couldn't tell me you were okay?" His voice rises.

"I needed you and Carter to believe," I explain. "For Armando's sake."

"Armando's sake?" Ed stands.

"I'll explain more later." I push back my hood so he can see my new short blond hair.

"More later." He laughs to himself, an angry bitter sound, then suddenly pounds his fist against the desk and yells, "And that's supposed to make it okay?"

"No." I quickly cross the floor so that I'm standing in front of him with only the desk between us. "It's not. I'm sorry."

"I haven't slept in weeks because of you." He points an accusing finger in my direction.

I've only been gone a week and a half, but I figure now is the wrong time to correct him.

"I'm so sorry," I say again.

Ed steps out from behind my desk so we're face to face. His eyes are angry, more intense than I've ever seen them. He grabs my wrist forcefully and drags me closer, then bows his head so we're eye to eye. "Don't ever do that again."

His large hand wrapped around my small wrist hurts. A lot. I look into his unyielding eyes and for a second, I'm scared. The next second, our arms are around each other and his lips are on mine.