Their Hidden Princess (Zora and Maximus) novel Chapter 272

Chapter 272

Zora’s POV

The farther the car took me from Neo, the worse I felt. I had promised to stay with him, but then I had abandoned him.

Why hadn’t he stayed behind me? Had something happened to him? Or had he changed his mind about me?

Every option I thought of hurt, and I didn’t know which even to hope for. I didn’t want him to have been captured or worse, nor did I want him to have left me. Maybe he couldn’t stand being with a princess, after all, but didn’t know it until he saw the Queen.

No… That didn’t seem like the Neo I had come to know the past couple of days.

I pressed my hand to my chest and felt the tug of our bond. It was so new, barely formed, yet I still felt it growing. I didn’t know what happened to Neo, but I didn’t think he was in trouble. Nor could I believe he left me forever, not when I still felt like this.

Thorne’s mistake had taught me what rejection felt like, and this was not that.

For now, for my sanity, I had to believe this separation was temporary.

As we drove out of the human side of town, my mother started to relax more in her seat. Looking at me, she asked, “Are you going to tell me what that was about?”

“Where do I even start?”

“I know you vanished while teleporting, and I’m glad your back,” she said. “Tell me about this friend of yours.”

“I don’t really know that much,” I admitted. “But he protected me. He’s so strong. I think… I mean, I know… He’s my fifth mate.”

Victoria’s eyes went wide. “You’re certain?”

“Almost entirely,” I said. “We didn’t have time to fully explore things, but I felt it. I thought we’d have time to explore it. He was waiting with me for you, but then… He disappeared.”

My heart ached.

Victoria’s face turned sympathetic. “I wouldn’t worry, dearest. If he truly is your fifth mate, then !

be able to stay away from you for long. None of your mates will.”

I hoped she was right.

With a small sigh, I turned toward the window. I kept my eyes on the sidewalk, looking at the people as we passed them, searching faces for Neo.

After a while, they started to blur together.

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Funny, that pair of men there looked like Max and Thorne.

Wait.

That was Max and Thorne!

“Stop! Stop the car!” I shouted suddenly.

The driver did at once. He looked to the Queen for explanation, but she didn’t have one. I didn’t bother giving it as I pushed open the door.

“We’re going in circles,” Thorne said, arguing with Max. Neither saw me yet. “I thought you said she was

close.”

“She is close. I’m sure of it.”

“Max! Thorne!”

At once, their heads turned toward me. Then, in a flash, they were running. I was running too. I flung my arms out and we all collided together.

Max smothered my cheek and ear with kisses. Thorne dropped his nose to the corner of my head and shoulder and breathed me in.

I held onto both of their shoulders, unwilling to let either of them go.

“All of you. Get back into the car,” Victoria called. “We aren’t to safety yet.”

None of us wanted to part, so we ended up nearly tripping over each other as we went back to the car. Once inside, neither of my mates wanted to be very far from me. This was fair, I didn’t want to be from them either. So the three of us sat, with me in the center, on one bench seat, while Victoria took the seat

opposite us.

“I’m surprised to see you both here,” Victoria said. “Though perhaps I shouldn’t be. Valentin told me that you were following your bond, Maximus.”

“You were?” I asked him.

“Yeah,” he said. He continued to hold my hand tightly. Thorne, meanwhile, kept his nose at my neck. Being near them filled in pieces of my heart that I hadn’t realized were missing until I had them back. again.

Though now, I could also feel the absence of the others more keenly. I wanted all of my mates, as soon as possible. Including Neo.

“Everything fell apart when you disappeared,” Max said. “Even Valentin was a mess, though he was trying not to be. Kairos went wild. Thorne was useless.”

“Hey,” Thorne said, but didn’t really argue the point.

“The only thing I could think to do was try to follow our bond. For a while, it seemed hopeless, but then

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you were suddenly much closer.”

“I teleported back,” I said.

“Good,” Max said. He lifted our combined hands and kissed my knuckles. “Though I would have followed you to the ends of the earth if I had to.”

I leaned into him. “I know.”

Thinking on what he said, I asked, “Kairos went wild?”

Thorne huffed. “He thought he could find the answers by fighting through vampires.”

“Is he okay?” I asked.

“He will be when he knows you’re safe,” Thorne said.

“This will also soothe Valentin,” Victoria said. “I have spoken with him. He came to the Academy looking for you, or some sign of you.”

“Do you know where he is?” I asked. “Can you reach him?”

“He went on a mission far to the north. This was dual purpose for him. Yes, he was looking for you, and that was his primary motivation, I’m sure,” Victoria said. “But there was also a… rumor that we heard. He’s the only one I could trust to investigate whether or not it’s true.”

“What rumor?” I asked.

“Nothing you need to worry about yet,” she said. “Not until I know if it’s real.”

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