Her Highness's Second Life

Chapter 6 - The Twisted Dream

Raena finished her tale, her gaze lingering on the final page of the book. “And then the valiant warrior defeated the monster and saved the Empire. When he returned from his quest, everyone cheered and threw flowers at him, praising his name and bravery. Even the Emperor greeted him with a friendly smile, bestowing upon him the honorable title of ‘hero.’ And then they lived happily ever after.”

She closed the book and checked on her daughters. Lydia had fallen asleep even before Raena was halfway through the story, her face serene as ever. Elora had fought to stay awake until the end, having chosen the bedtime story herself.

Raena smiled wistfully. Had she been as diligent as her daughter in reading her own books, she might have spared herself a lot of trouble. But despite Elora’s determination, she had dozed off before reaching the end, sleeping with her mouth open and her limbs sprawled everywhere—much like her father did when he slept alone.

Raena pushed the covers aside and slid down the bed, careful not to disturb her sleeping daughters. Her visit to the Imperial Palace had left her unsettled, but spending time with the girls helped her regain her composure. It seemed as though they sensed her unease; both girls had behaved impeccably, almost as if they were watching over her instead of the other way around.

Raena stepped onto the floor, a shiver running through her body as her bare feet met the cold carpet. She was wearing just her nightgown, anticipating Kassian’s return so they could retire to bed together. However, he had yet to come back, and the hour was growing late.

She pulled the covers up to Lydia’s chin, leaning down to kiss her forehead before circling the bed. Adjusting Elora’s hands into a more comfortable position, Raena tucked her in and planted a kiss on her cheek as well. She was just about to leave when her eldest daughter’s eyelids fluttered open.

“Did the warrior defeat the monster?” she asked in a voice heavy with sleep. Raena smiled, reaching out to pat her head.

“Yes, darling. He defeated the monster, became a mighty hero and everybody lived happily ever after. Now go back to sleep. It’s late,” she said, waiting for the girl to relax again.

“Mom, can a girl be a mighty hero, too?” Elora asked, rubbing her eyes.

“Of course, Lori. A girl can be anything she wants,” she said, giving her daughter another kiss. “And if that girl is you, you’ll be the mightiest hero of them all. Just like your father.”

A smile blossomed on Elora’s face, and she nodded with satisfaction before burying her face in her pillow. Raena sat on the edge of the bed a little longer, watching over her until her daughter’s breathing evened out and her body relaxed.

Getting to her feet, Raena picked up her shawl and stepped into her slippers, heading toward the door. She opened it carefully, glancing at the guards outside, who gave her a silent nod in acknowledgment. The two nannies who usually looked after the girls were standing beside them, and as they saw her, they immediately curtsied.

“They are asleep, so you can retire as well,” she told them. “Goodnight, everyone.” She closed the door and prepared to leave when one of the guards moved to follow her. “There is no need for that. I’m just going to my office. If you see my husband, let him know I’m there.”

“Yes, Your Highness,” the two guards replied in unison.

Raena made her way to her office, shuddering at the cold. Despite it already being spring, the nights were still surprisingly chilly, so she regretted not putting on more layers. She wrapped her shawl tighter around her shoulders and made her way to her desk, lighting a few candles and sinking into her comfortable chair. She picked up one of the documents she had left for tomorrow and lowered her eyes to the wall of text.

She had decorated her office exactly like the one in the North Palace—a lot of the new residence was a copy of the place that had changed her life in so many ways. Even Kara seemed to get in a better mood when she came here or to one of the drawing rooms, which Elene had painted again. Her personal maid, now an escort, wouldn’t stop complaining about the extra work, but the moment she picked up the brush and started drawing, her expression turned serene, and for days she looked like she was walking on air.

Everyone had moved on with their lives in their own way after what they had gone through. All because of Raena’s mistakes and foolishness. She had been so confident that she knew enough about the future of this world that she disregarded the most important thing—the moment she replaced the real Raena and started changing her life, it was no longer the same story she had abandoned on her nightstand.

The future was not set in stone—neither here, nor in the real world.

The real world.

It seemed that as time passed, her memories of that place, of the people and the places, of her past, had all slowly started to fade. She didn’t mind—everything she needed was here now; her ties to the other world were irrelevant.

She was never going back there.

Raena pinched the bridge of her nose, trying to concentrate. She had been attempting to read the same document for the last few minutes, but her mind kept slipping away.

When was Kassian coming back? Perhaps something had happened, and he was held back at the Palace. If it was too late, he was probably going to stay there for the night. In that case, she might as well just go to bed. She was already exhausted.

“I’ll wait just ten more minutes,” she told herself as she leaned her hands on the desk and rested her head on them. She couldn’t shake the image of Yulien’s cold eyes, staring down at her with so much threat. Even when he didn’t trust her when Kassian was locked up for treason, he never looked at her with such hostility. Maybe Kassian was right. Maybe he really did care for Arina and Raena had crossed the line. It would probably be best to apologize. She didn’t want to cause a rift between the brothers or lose Arina’s friendship.

She should have just listened to Elene when she told her not to meddle.

“You shouldn’t meddle in his business so much. What if he leaves you? Do you want to turn thirty and still be alone and unmarried? You are twenty-five already; most people have gotten their degree by now, got married, and had one or two kids. You’re not getting any younger. You’ve been together since high school, are you two planning on tying the knot at all?” the familiar voice spoke harshly, and Raena raised her head to look at them. “Lydia? Are you even listening to me?”

Right, Lydia. Not Raena. Raena was just a fictional character in a book.

What was she thinking about right now?

“I… I wasn’t meddling,” Lydia said defensively, shaking her head. “I only told him my opinion because he asked for it. Daniel is not going to leave me just because we disagreed on something once. And we are going to get married when we want to get married. You’re the one that should stop meddling.”

“I’m just concerned for you,” her mother grimaced. “I don’t want you ending up like me. You won’t find another decent, single man who is ready to put up with your willful attitude.”

“Mom…”

“Fine, fine, I’m shutting up,” her mother sighed, shaking her head. “So touchy!”

Lydia rolled her eyes and exited the kitchen, going for one last round of the now dark and empty restaurant. All the chairs were turned over the tables, the TVs were off, and the bar was sparkling clean, no thanks to that lazy ass, Gary. If she had to do his job for him one more time, she was going to lose it. She could barely stand on her feet after working nine days, sixteen hours a day without a day off. She had barely seen Daniel, too, but at least she was going to in a few minutes.

The bell by the door rang, and Lydia jumped, cursing under her breath. She was positive she had locked up before turning the sign to ‘CLOSED’. Did her mother unlock it and forget to lock it again? This was way too bothersome for this hour.

“I’m sorry, but we are closed for the night, so I’ll have to ask you to…” she started as she turned around to look at the newcomer. Her breath caught in her throat as she stared at the man standing at the door.

Most of the lights were already off in the restaurant, so she couldn’t quite see his face. But as he took a step forward, the light from the lamp over the bar caught the badge on his chest, making the words on it visible even from where she was standing.

NY Police Department.

“Daniel,” Lydia sighed with relief, the lump in her throat disappearing. “You scared the s**t out of me! Why are you standing there without saying anything?”

She moved toward the door; it was probably best to lock it before some drunkard decided to make his way in and get fussy when she would inevitably try to kick him out. She poked her head out and looked up and down the street, but there was not a soul in sight. Only the quiet sounds of the city and the wailing of a siren in the distance.

Lydia locked the door and made sure the sign was showing ‘CLOSED’ when she felt Daniel move behind her. She smiled, waiting for his hands to wrap around her, but instead of joy relieving her fatigue, excruciating pain exploded in her chest. She looked down, staring with surprise at the blade sticking out from her body, blood dripping from its tip.

His breath tickled her ear right before a man spoke with a voice that definitely didn’t belong to Daniel.

“Better luck in your next life.”

Raena jumped, her hands instinctively reaching for her chest, only to find no knife in it. The pain was gone, and so was the familiar setting of the restaurant her mother owned, where she used to work. Still, it all felt so real, too real.

“Breathe, breathe!” Kassian’s voice whispered in her ear as he rubbed her arms gently, his warm hands chasing away the numbness in her body. She realized she was panting, her entire body covered in sweat.

Where did that dream come from? She hadn’t thought of her mother in so long, and apart from that nightmare a few weeks ago where she dreamed of the night of her death, she hadn’t thought of the real world at all.

And this dream felt so strange! Why was Daniel there? No, not Daniel. Why was the guy who stabbed her wearing a police uniform like Daniel? He had worn a hoodie the night he stabbed her. Could it be that they had met before, that he was also a policeman?

What did all of that mean?

“Raena. Look at me.”

Kassian cupped her face, taking a deep breath, then releasing it. He repeated the action a few more times until she was mimicking the gesture without realizing it. Her heartbeat slowed down, and her breathing calmed, but her mouth remained dry, making it hard to swallow.

“Water,” she croaked, and Kassian slid out of bed without a word, returning with a glass. She gulped it down, almost choking on it, while he climbed into bed with her. Once his warmth engulfed her and his familiar scent wrapped around her like a protective blanket, she felt herself calm down.

“Another nightmare?” he whispered, pressing his lips to her temple. “Should I be worried? Did Yulien scare you that much?”

“I… I don’t remember what it was about,” she lied without thinking, snuggling against his chest. “It was an emotional day. Maybe that’s why.” He gave her an unconvinced grumble, his arms tightening around her. “Kassian, this is real, right? You are real? I’m not still dreaming?”

“I’m getting worried now,” he said, his voice tense and somber. “I’m calling a doctor first thing tomorrow morning.”

“That is just something my Kassian would say,” she chuckled, sighing in relief. “It’s fine, it’s fine. I’m just disoriented because I don’t remember falling asleep in bed.”

“I brought you here, you can’t sleep at your desk,” he said in a reprimanding voice. “I’m sorry for being late. You shouldn’t have waited. Now get some rest if you can.”

“Yeah,” Raena murmured, making herself comfortable against him. He waited until she settled, then hugged her tightly, kissing her forehead.

Soon, his breathing slowed down, and his body relaxed against hers, suggesting that he had fallen asleep again. She tried to do the same, pushing away all those unsettling thoughts and twisted memories that never happened, but eventually, she found herself staring out the window until the sky began to light up, the uneasy feeling in her stomach taking deeper roots.