Realized Too Late

**Natalie POV**

Awkward and silent, I headed back towards the doors. Shion or Kalum were creating some havoc from the sounds around the corner.
Princess Aileen was unfazed by the melody of evil laughter, heavy footsteps, and agitated sighing. "Cupcake."
The name had my knees buckling. I tilted my head back to see an awkward curving of lips on the princess' face. "Sorry, I don't actually know your name. Anyway, I remember Trevor calling you Cupcake back when I woke up in the infirmary all those years ago."
I really did miss Trevor. Since I met him, being so far away had been challenging but doable. Being in the same building as him, knowing another girl stood at his side, was insufferable. All I wanted to do was run into his arms, kiss his lips again, and declare him as my true love.
"Too late," I admitted. "But I'll apologize." If he'll hear me out.
Aileen was satisfied with my answer. She turned on her heel, making her skirts twirl by her ankles. I followed behind her, observing her fiddle with the silver chain around her throat as we walked.
Near the doors, the two princes were running in a straight line between the walls. They ran in opposite directions and met in front of the guards. The two half-demons collided with each other and fell back to the ground. They did this three more times while their Mom pinched her eyebrows together.
With each collision, Kalum would whine, saying Shion ran into him. Repeatedly Kalum referred to his brother as the 'bad guy'. In response, Shion stuck his tongue out, correcting his title as 'the Almighty, Unstoppable Villain of Doom! They laughed and proceeded to repeat the process.
On their fifth attempt in our presence, Aileen scooped em both up. One guard broke his statue posture and sighed heavily, thinking the sound of the door opening would hide it.
I was about to step into the delicious aroma room but was held back by the Princess swinging a toddler at me.
In sync, all three held up their index finger, shaking their heads in unison. If we were in a horror flick, I would be getting gutted or jump-scared about now.
I stifled a laugh. The serious stares the family was giving me were too much.
This unease around Aileen and Trevor was like a dream. One that was too good to be true. Letting years of lessons crumple because of an ace the Princess may possess?
When I'm dismissed from this banquet, perhaps I should act like my Mom's handler and do some research. Something was off. Nothing connected.
The older prince was tired of being held and demanded to be let go.
Pointing at me he declared, "she's my girlfriend! Hold me, pretty?"
Aileen dropped her son and flicked his forehead. "Okay, the sugar was one thing, but now you're speaking like him. You've been spending too much time with your Uncle!"
Enjoying the comfort, I joked, "careful, or you'll be a young grandparent. Ya know!"
Aileen cracked up hard, not bothering to cover her mouth. "Oh please, it's true Trevor flirts with any breathing thing with boobs, but he didn't actually start having S…E…X until he was seventeen. I still remember the first time he snuck a girl out. Mr. and Mrs. Hemmer came home early, and he hurried his girlfriend of the time out the backdoor. She got caught on the fence, tearing her thong on the wood!"
Princess Aileen kept reminiscing about the time Trevor got in deep shit for his womanizing ways and how funny it was. I was hung up on the age.
When we met the first time, he was only fourteen. A sadistic fourteen-year-old who had already found his life's joy in the screams of fallen women.
*"He did this to me after swooning me. His girlfriend held me down while he burned me with a cigar. I can still hear him whispering, 'you liked my big dick stabbing you, right? You came so many times around my huge cock, baby! Let's try stabbing you with this!' And he stabbed me with a short blade. I only escaped because his squad leader returned. Told me he'd cut my tongue out if I informed them."*
But he didn't have sex until age seventeen?! Was this a calculated lie on Aileen's part?
"Are you okay, girlfriend?" Shion asked, hugging his little arms around me.
He was so sweet. I had to figure out the truth in all these sticky webs.
"Your Uncle already called dibs on her before you were born, Shion. Stick to playing with your toy soldiers." Aileen scolded him.
In this family portrait, I prayed their interactions weren't a pretense.
I had to talk to my friend instead of reacting to whoever played my mind. Figure out what exactly happened. Lead myself and trust my instincts.
"Izzy."
A long sigh escaped Aileen's lips, but not out of irritation for her children. "You know that girl?"
Crap! I hadn't realized I spoke her name aloud!
"My friend." No point in lying. The ex-investigator of the DSS would see through it. "She was hurt."
"I see. So friend, did she say how? Elementally blessed are under King Ulrich's protection."
Relaxed or not, I knew to seal my lips. A Princess was the cause of Izzy's pain.
"Izzy's assailant is a mystery to me." Aileen was an enigma. Whether she secretly desired Trevor and Shiuku and was baiting me or was a victim herself.
Pink lips thinned, unhappy with my mask. "Later, I will have another counseling session with Izzy."
"You don-ah!" I yipped when a rough hand shoved me out of her way.
Glaring at me was the Princess of Krennan. Trevor's scent was all over this woman. Her lipstick was faded, too, as if recently kissed. A primitive surge of possession yearned to claw her throat, ripping off chunks of flesh.
"Oh dear, I seem to be clumsy! I'm rather weak-kneed after Prince Trevor's bed. He was rough, thoroughly using my body to get over his little girlfriend. Oh, but the fierceness and passion in his kisses, the way he filled me to the brim, his sexy voice calling my name; oh, so worth it. I'm getting all hot just thinking about that man."
Breathing hurt.
I had no right getting upset. Plain and simple, this was my fault. Any selfish excuses for my actions changed nothing; I still pushed him to Princess Lydia. Trevor had every right to be happy.
Never ignore your instincts.
"Poor girl may have whored around with my Trevor, but such a horrifying murder was unwarranted." Lydia pouted, fishing a strawberry bear from under her poofy sleeve. "Trevor had the class to deny their relationship but hugged this cheap witch's charm like a treasure! You were right to ignore his advances, baking wench. Only a dignified Beauty in the Glosteron High Tower can tame such a man."
Putting her hands on mine, the necklace was placed on my palm. Lydia beamed as she continued, "take it as a reminder of how smart you were to let him go. I'd hate for an innocent girl to meet such a fate. Trevor took the hint that you hate him, so stay away."
Stealing her necklace, Trevor found comfort in was low. The deceased girl could have been a valuable friend to him. A sentimental piece of jewelry may have been all he had left of her.
Jealousy blinded Lydia, steering her to an identical mistake as mine.
I owed Trevor, even though the words tore up my heart. My own instincts wanted to rip my lips off for helping a rival.
"Assumptions lead to ruin. Be better to him." I blinked back the tears, hardening my voice. "Or I will."
Lydia huffed, dripping with condescension, "You really do hang around with the riff-raff, don't you, Princess of Lutz. I compliment the low-born, and she threatens me? Please say this ill-mannered, slutty, flea-infested peasant will be invading our banquet."
Aileen was prepared to say something, but I beat her to it. "I'm a blessed. I have every right to dine as Princess Aileen's guest with the King."
I may prefer peace, but I will not be walked over.
"You are a cooking maid." Lydia hissed.
"By choice." I chose to keep most of my words to myself again.
Aileen shielded her face with her son for a solid thirty seconds. With her composure back in place, she curtsied to her fellow Princess. "It seems my guest has more manners than the groomed Princess of Krennan. Seems a common issue with your royalty."
Lydia's face was glowing. Had she been a demon, her eyes would be bright red. Her eyes flickered between Aileen and me several times. Reasonably quickly, her face returned to its pale tone. The curling of her lips made my stomach twist. It looked unnatural, wicked.
"We really should be more civilized with each other, Princess. I'm just concerned you'll tarnish your reputation further! Coming back home with a husband who was not your betrothed was pretty rattling in the community. Trading a Prince down for a Lord who only gained his title from King Ulrich."
"Prince Roy was a terribly bad ruler. Lord Devon is strong and the love of my life. I traded up."
Ahead of us, we could hear horns blowing. The guards announced the arrival of Princess Aileen Vernen, Prince Shion, Prince Kalum, and finally, a member of the gifted invited here as a guest to the crown.
With a foul grin, Lydia said to Aileen, "since we are going to be siblings soon and Trevor is unfortunately too grief-stricken to attend, I'll let you have the honors of knowing first."
I should have been by his side to console him. Feeling guilty, I almost missed the devastating news that followed.
"Trevor and I are engaged!"