Royal Affliction (The Anti-Princess Saga) Read Online Free PDF

passed out.  Did you see anyone here with me?” I asked, trying my hardest not to sound frantic.
    She looked puzzled.  “No.  I just pulled up and found you lying here so I thought I’d make sure you were ok.”  Her eyes fell upon my exposed bra.  “Were you mugged?”  Logan’s wasn’t in a bad neighborhood, but there were reports of the occasional mugging.
    “No.  My shirt must have gotten caught on my purse when I fell.  I’ll be fine once I get some sleep.”  I flashed a passable smile.  She rolled her eyes, muttered “Whatever,” and headed inside.
    When I pulled into my covered parking spot, Clifton’s apartment was dark and quiet.  Just the way I’d hoped it would be.  His party was presumably over, and hopefully he wouldn’t bother me on my way inside.
    Like a ghost, I tiptoed up the stairs, and had to be just as quiet in my apartment because the walls and floors were thin.  I prayed that Clifton was asleep as I turned on the shower.  The water here took forever to warm up so I crept into the kitchen to grab a snack before getting in.
    While washing, I caught sight of a silver anklet strapped just above my right foot and it dawned on me that this was the thing I heard “click” when my power disappeared. This small bit of metal had weakened me so much?
    I grabbed it with both hands, trying hard to pry it apart, but it wouldn’t budge.  It was one solid piece of metal with no seemingly possible way of being removed (aside from hacking off my own foot).  Frustrated and tired, I just left it there.  It may have been irritating, but it didn’t hurt and I could deal with it in the morning.  When I left the bathroom I was foolishly optimistic about my chances for a goodnight’s sleep.
    As exhausted as I was, my senses were down.  I should have felt the presence of the man who was sitting on my bed, but I didn’t…until I saw him.
    “Clifton?  What are you doing in my apartment?”  His scent wafted over to me and I breathed it in.  It was inviting.  I watched his vibrant green eyes surveying me.  His soft features displayed his mood: he was anxious.
    “We need to talk.”
    “Do we really have to do this now?”  I just wanted to go to sleep.  Would this day ever end?
    He patted his hand on the bed next to him.  I thought of staying where I was since I was a good eight feet away from him now.  But I found my body moving towards him anyway.  Something in me wanted him, wanted to trust him, and wanted to be with him.  I’d ignored these feelings for so long that my body seemed to be giving in to them without my consent.  Traitor!
    “Did you get my note?” he asked.
    “Note?  I didn’t receive anything from you.”
    “Really? Because I left it in a place you’d be su—”
    “In my car?” I interrupted, remembering the odd envelope I’d found that morning.  He nodded.  I fumbled through my purse to find it and stared at the thing as I’d done earlier.
    “Please, there has been something I’ve wanted to tell you since you moved here but I’ve never quite found the words.”
    I slid my finger between the seal slow as if for dramatic effect but really just because of my uncertainty.  Clifton must have been embarrassed because for once his eyes were averted from me.  There wasn’t much in the envelope, but gold coin about the size of a silver dollar with a large “K” embossed on it almost made me collapse.  This was gold from Kortis.  “Wha?  How?”  He indicated to the envelope for further explanation.  The index card was what he’d been referring to.  “Can you please find the time to talk to me?” was written on it along with his signature.  This was a sure way to get my attention.
    “How do you know where I’m from?” I asked while staring down at my feet.  I just couldn’t bring myself to look at him.
    “I can see you, through your façade.  I don’t know much of the Zolera, but I know that is what you must be.”
    Well, my