Their Hidden Princess (Zora) novel Chapter 41

**Where Sleeping Rivers Dream We Follow Trails Toward Tomorrow by Evan Milesa Cade**
**Chapter 41**

“What do you want?” I snapped, pushing myself off the floor with a sense of urgency that belied my earlier lethargy.

**555 Vouchers**

Even as I stood, I couldn’t shake the feeling of being dwarfed by Maximus, who towered over me by at least half a foot. I attempted to tilt my chin defiantly, aiming for a fierce glare, but it fell flat against the intensity of his golden eyes, which seemed to pierce right through me.

“To be able to sleep without hearing you scream,” he shot back, his voice laced with irritation. “Do you even know what time it is?”

“No,” I retorted, my tone dripping with petulance as I crossed my arms defiantly.

Maximus stepped further into my room, the door slamming shut behind him with a force that made Loren jump in her seat. He snatched the fuzzy pink clock from her desk, the cord trailing behind it like a snake, and thrust it toward me, the clock face spinning wildly.

“It’s eleven-fucking-thirty,” Maximus barked, shoving the clock against my chest. I fumbled to catch it, my eyes narrowing as I shot him a glare that was meant to be intimidating.

“Oh, I’m so, so sorry for disturbing your beauty sleep, your highness,” I mocked, punctuating my words with an exaggerated bow that was more for show than sincerity. As I straightened back up, I found Maximus still glaring at me, his expression a mix of annoyance and something else I couldn’t quite decipher. Loren’s eyes flitted nervously between the two of us, her curiosity palpable.

Maximus inhaled sharply, his nostrils flaring as if he were about to explode. For a fleeting moment, I braced myself for an onslaught, expecting him to charge at me. Instead, he took a step back, his hand reaching for the door as he yanked it open.

“Just… keep it down,” he spat before storming out, the door slamming shut with a finality that left Loren and me enveloped in silence once more.

“Wow, that was some serious sexual tension,” Loren whispered, her voice barely above a breath as she watched the door swing back and forth. In a flash of annoyance, I hurled the fuzzy pink clock at her, and she caught it effortlessly, a smirk playing on her lips. I flopped onto my bed, the weight of the world crashing down on me.

“Now that you know my secret, are you going to overanalyze every interaction I have?” I asked, half-joking but fully aware of how Loren’s analytical mind worked.

“Yep,” she replied cheerfully, bouncing onto her own bed with a mischievous glint in her eye. “But don’t worry, I won’t comment unless I feel the need to.”

I rolled my neck on the pillow, stealing a glance at her. She looked like a tiny pixie perched on her massive pink bed, her head cocked to the side as she considered my words.

“But, no promises,” she added with a teasing grin, and I groaned, tossing my pillow over my head to muffle my scream of frustration. Loren’s laughter rang out, brightening the dim room. I tossed my pillow aside, eager to see her face again.

“Seriously, though,” she said, her tone shifting to sincerity. “Thank you for telling me. I know you probably have a thousand more secrets, but I’m really grateful you shared that one. I won’t say anything to anyone unless you want me to.”

A genuine smile crept onto my face. “Please don’t,” I urged, the weight of my confession still heavy in the air.

With a playful gesture, she mimicked zipping her lips and tossing away the key, then slid off her bed and headed toward the bathroom. I followed suit, preparing for bed, my mind still racing with thoughts of the day ahead.

**11:22 Tue, Dec 9**

**Chapter 41**

That night, sleep eluded me, my mind a whirlpool of second-guessing. Had I made the right choice in confiding in Loren? I supposed that the potential mate bonds among the school’s more obnoxious students paled in comparison to my bigger secrets. Being the Princess was the most significant one, and I kept that under wraps. But if Loren could handle my complicated feelings and my secret rendezvous with Valentin, perhaps she could shoulder the weight of my royal identity too.

Morning arrived far too quickly, and we scrambled to get ready for class. I had nothing scheduled until ten, while Loren was free until eleven, so we decided to head to the cafeteria for breakfast. As we entered, I felt the familiar weight of stares upon me, but today, the scrutiny felt sharper, more pronounced.

I nudged Loren gently. “Does it seem like people are especially look-y today?” I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper. Loren quickly scanned the room before turning back to me, her forehead wrinkling in confusion.

“Do I have something on my face?” she asked, her tone light but laced with concern.

“I think they’re looking at me,” I whispered back, my heart racing as I surveyed the crowd.

Glares and scoffs seemed to rain down on me, and I instinctively reached into the back of my mind, letting in the voices I had been trying to block out.

“Did you hear? Apparently, the reject is sleeping with Professor Lunerly as well?”

“Really? Gods, she’s such a whore. You think she’d take a second to chill after breaking her fated bond. Guess she’s really desperate.”

“Mallory wasn’t talking about Kate,” Bella snapped, her eyes narrowing. “She was talking about Sleazy Smith.”

I blinked at the derogatory nickname, feeling a mix of embarrassment and anger. It certainly wasn’t the worst name I’d been called, but it stung nonetheless.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I replied, my voice steady despite the turmoil inside. “So if you’d just move—”

“We’re not moving anywhere until you admit it,” the scary brunette, Kate, interjected, her tone challenging.

“Admit what?” I asked, my heart racing as I tried to maintain my composure.

Mallory sneered at me, her expression mocking. “Don’t play dumb,” she snapped. “We all know you’re fucking our boyfriends.”

My eye twitched at the accusation. I glanced over to where Kairos, Maximus, and Thorne usually sat, all of them watching the confrontation unfold. Kairos wore a wicked grin, Maximus’s face was a mask of neutrality, while Thorne rolled his eyes, seemingly disinterested in the drama.

“Your boyfriends,” I replied slowly, my voice dripping with sarcasm. I turned my gaze back to the girls. “Right. Yeah. I’m not sleeping with anyone.”

“Liar!” Kate hissed, her voice low and dangerous.

In a swift motion, she raised her hand and slapped me hard across the face. The sound echoed through the cafeteria, a sharp crack that silenced the room. My head whipped to the side from the force, and I stumbled back, my hand instinctively flying to my stinging cheek, which felt ablaze.

As I steadied myself, I noticed every eye in the cafeteria was now on us. Even Thorne, who had seemed so disinterested moments ago, was staring intently, his gaze shifting between Bella and me as if he were weighing his options. Maximus was on his feet, nostrils flaring, his eyes locked onto Kate with a fury I had never seen before.

I glanced back and forth between Kate and Maximus, my heart pounding in my chest. In the blink of an eye, Maximus was striding across the cafeteria, his movements purposeful and fierce. I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing myself for the storm I feared was coming. But when I opened my eyes again, I was surprised to find Maximus standing protectively in front of me, his back to me, blocking Kate’s furious glare.

The man who had yelled at me for being too loud just the night before was now my unexpected shield against the chaos. Confusion washed over me as I tried to make sense of the situation unfolding before my eyes.

**Chapter 42**