Chapter 3

Snow

T he palace has been a little less lonely these past few weeks. I've been spending more and more time with Regina. The more I get to know her, the more I like being around her.

She's sweet, funny, and kind. But her mouth! I'm now used to the colorful language she uses, and it makes me laugh every time she does. In return, my laughter makes her smile. I like making her smile. It's much better than hearing her cry. I don't like that she's unhappy here. If I can make her time here a little bit better, that's all that matters to me.

"Where are we going?" she asks, brows furrowing as I hand her a black cloak before slipping my moss green one on.

"Out." I grin excitedly. My father has gone away on business for a week. I want to make use of that time the best way I can, and that means getting out of the palace.

"We've already been out to the garden today," she points out.

"No." I laugh, shaking my head. "Hurry, put it on. I'll show you."

She raises a brow. "Are we about to do something we're not supposed to be doing?"

I bite my lower lip, trying but failing to hide my grin. "Maybe. But everything will be fine, trust me. I do this all the time, and I've never been caught."

A smile forms on her lips. "Snow, do you have a wild side I haven't met yet?" She laughs as she finally slips the cloak on.

I shrug. "I hate being cooped up inside. I'd much rather be out there." I look towards the window. "When my mama was alive, I hardly spent time inside the palace. I prefer nature."

"I'd have to agree with you on that one. Alright then, Princess, lead the way." She winks.

The gestures make my belly flutter and I quickly look away, pushing aside those unfamiliar feelings I've been getting as of late.

Regina follows after me as we sneak out into the hall. After a quick check to make sure no one is around, I smile and nod my head in the direction to the left. We take off running, a thrill sweeping through me. I raise my hand as we come to a stop, pressing my fingers to my lips before pulling the candlestick on the wall. The wall slides open, revealing a door just big enough for us to squeeze through.

Once I'm in, I look back to Regina, who's staring at the opening with wide eyes.

"Okay, this is cool. It's like something out of a medieval movie." She smiles widely before following after me.

"Perks of the palace—makes it easy to move around without being seen. I'd never risk it any other way. I'd be caught for sure if I did."

"Now, what do we do?" she asks.

Taking a step forward, I squeeze my way past her. "Sorry," I whisper, glad it's too dark in here for her to see the way my cheeks heat as I grab onto the candlestick inside the passageway, closing the door behind us, the position causing my front to be pushed up against hers.

I'm about to move away when Regina grabs my hips. I freeze, my heart thundering in my chest.

"What are you doing?" I whisper.

"Helping you out." She laughs as she helps push me out of the way.

"Oh." A wave of embarrassment fills me. What is going on with me? Why did my body react that way simply from her touch?

"It's dark down here. How are we going to find our way around?" she asks.

Digging my hands into my pockets, I grab two flashlights and flick them on. "With these." I smile, handing her one.

"You're a prepared one, I see. I like that in a woman." She grins.

Another flutter in my belly has me pulling my attention away from her and quickly starting down the path.

At first, I thought Regina was a quiet person, a little broody. She would have every right to be so with how her life has been going. But, after only a few days of spending time with her, I learned that she has more of a playful personality.

I don't think I've smiled and laughed as much as I have around her.

"Where do these lead, anyway?" she asks, her voice echoing off the walls.

"There are tunnels that lead all around the property. It's very easy to get lost. So make sure you stick close to me," I tell her, pausing as we reach a break-off in the path.

"I don't think that's going to be a hard thing to do." I jump when she whispers so close to my ear. She laughs as I spin around and shoot her a glare. "So jumpy, Princess. Relax. No one is going to hurt you."

"I know." I lick my lips.

We hold each other's gaze for a moment, a moment too long. My eyes dart back over to the tunnel. "This way."

Get a hold of yourself, Snow. Why am I so reactive to every little thing she does today? Is she more playful than normal? She doesn't seem to be. I must be reading far too much into it.

It almost comes off as if she's flirting with me. But that can't be, she's my stepmother. She's just being friendly.

Regina talks about how creepy the tunnels are and how much she loves it. I'm unable to keep the smile off my face the whole time she speaks. I'm glad she's already enjoying herself.

I could tell she was going stir-crazy being trapped within the palace walls. Even with all the places we went on the property, she was still trapped behind four walls.

When we get to the door that leads to the edge of the woods, I pause and turn to her. "When we get outside, we will no longer be within the palace walls. But just to be sure, we need to get far away from this exit so we don't draw attention to it. If my father finds out about the tunnels, he will board them up."

"Okay." She nods. "If he doesn't know about them, how do you?"

"My mama." I smile. "This palace was originally hers; before her, my grandparents, and before them, theirs."

"Wait. So your father is only king because of your mother? How did I not know this?"

"It's not something he likes to talk about much. That man is so power hungry, the simple fact that he's only who he is because of my mother, a woman, agreeing to marry him into this position is a major hit to his ego." I roll my eyes.

"Misogynistic asshole," she sneers. "Is it bad of me to wish bad things on my parents for putting me in this position? Forcing me into marrying him. I hate them. I hate this place. I hate him."

I'm taken aback by the sudden shift in her mood. "Do you hate me?" I whisper, the question slipping free before I can think better of it.

Her face softens and my heart stops beating as she lifts her hand to tuck a piece of my raven hair behind my ear. "No, Snow. I don't hate you. I could never hate you."

The air around us grows thick. My head spins as a slow, warm feeling fills my body. As if Regina can feel it too, her brows furrow as she looks at the hand that is still holding onto my hair.

She pulls it away and clears her throat.

What was that? It almost felt like... magic?

That can't be, can it? She's not a witch or any other magical being. She's told me so herself in a past conversation. She's human.

So am I... no. It can't be.

"So." She looks around. "We gonna hang out here all day or what?" She laughs.

"Right, sorry." I need air and some space... now.

Opening the door, I give it a firm push. We stumble out into the forest. "Did we just come out of a tree?" she asks, eyes widening when she turns around to see where we just came from.

"Yup." I grin. "Pretty cool, right?"

"Very." She smiles over at me.

Quickly, I put the door back into place. "Come on. We have to go." I take a glance around, not seeing anyone. "This way."

We run through the woods, the fallen leaves crunching beneath our feet as we go.

My heart pounds as the blood pumps through my body, pure adrenaline coursing through my veins. I smile over at her.

She grins back, and we both burst into laughter, something about it feels freeing to the soul.

A lot has changed since Mama died. Most of it is for the worse. But I've never truly felt trapped behind the walls.

Regina has gone from having a little bit of freedom to having nothing at all.

I'm glad I can give that back to her. Even just for today.

Only when my lungs scream in protest do I stop running.

"That was wild," she laughs, matching my pose as we lean over with our hands on our knees, catching our breath.

"We should be good now. My father's men don't venture too far from the palace," I inform her, and she smiles. "What?" I laugh.

"I love how you talk." She shrugs. "It's so prim and proper."

"Oh." I guess she is right. Apart from what I've seen on TV and the time I've spent in the village, I've spent most of my time around the rich and classy. "I guess my pompous asshole is showing." I grin.

Her eyes widen before she laughs. "Naughty little Princess." My belly warms at her choice of words. "I sure do like the way you sound when you speak bad words."

She's flirting with me. Right? She has to be. Darn it. I have no idea. Doesn't matter anyway, I shouldn't even be entertaining these thoughts.

"I'll try to say more sometime." I laugh as we start to walk towards the path that leads to the village.

We're quiet for a little while, just enjoying the view around us, as well as each other's company.

When I look over to Regina, I find a look of worry on her face. "Is everything okay?" I ask her.

Her head snaps to the side as if my words startled her. "Yeah. Everything's good. Why, what's up?"

"You look... like you're lost in your own head. You know, you can tell me anything."

She sighs heavily before looking out at the path before us. "I know I can," she starts. "It's just... things like this... it's a little weird with the whole me-technically-being-your-stepmother thing." She shudders at the thought before shooting me an awkward smile.

"Like what?"

She looks away again. "Like the fact the other day the King came to my room to have a talk." She looks back at me. "It's the first time I've seen him since the wedding."

My eyes widen, but I say nothing as she continues.

Her eyes drift off into the distance. "I thought I got lucky. He was so busy with his... other women that I didn't think he cared too much about me. I thought I was just a solid deal to gain an important ally and connection. I was a fool to think that my husband wouldn't want more from me."

"What did he say?" I ask, my voice low like I'm not sure I want to know the answer.

"He told me when he gets back from his trip, we are to sit down and have a discussion on what he expects of me as a wife." The look she gives me is so grim it hurts my heart, sending a jolt of fear down my spine. "He said he wants to start trying for a son so that he can have an heir to his throne."

My brows furrow. "But he has me," I point out. "I'm the heir to the throne."

"I pointed that out to him. He was a dick, dismissed it as if it was outrageous for a woman to run a kingdom and that it was a man's job."

"But my mother ruled before he married her. She did an amazing job. This doesn't make sense," I say, stumbling to a stop.

"I know. Trust me, I know. I wanted to get into more of that, but I was panicking inside." She looks destroyed, and I try to get my emotions under control. This isn't about me, it's about Regina.

"I'm sorry," I say with genuine remorse. "I didn't mean to get so upset."

"It's okay, you have every right to be. What he's doing—what he plans on doing—isn't right." Regina wraps her arms around herself. She looks so small, so broken.

"What has you so panicked?" I have a feeling I know what, but I want to give her the chance to say it in her own words.

"Your dad, he's a handsome man. He has women fawning over him, so many who would die to be in my position." She swallows hard. "But I'm not into men. The idea of sleeping with him makes me sick. If I refuse him, I'm risking my life. But if I allow him to touch me, to... have sex with me, I know I'd be left feeling like I'd want to die. I know, dramatic, right?" She tries to laugh it off, but I see the tears welling in her eyes. My heart breaks for her. I'm gutted right now.

"Stop that." I rush forward, taking her hands in mine. "Do not think so little of yourself. You shouldn't have to give your body to anyone you don't want to." My own eyes well with tears. "Even if you were attracted to men, clearly, my father isn't someone you want anything to do with. Your body should be yours to do with as you please. No one has the right to it but you. My father... he plans to do the same thing to me that your parents did to you. He'll sell me to a man who can benefit him the most. That's why I plan on leaving, getting far away from here before that can happen."

"You are?" she asks, lips parted in shock.

I nod firmly. "And I think you should come with me."

"What? How? Your father would never let me leave. He would rather kill me than let me have a divorce."

"That's why we sneak away through the tunnels. I've been stashing money away. It's why I've been coming to the village so much as of late. Mrs. Bark and her husband—they've opened an account for me in their name. I've been bringing them money to put in there, a little bit at a time so that my father doesn't notice what's going missing. Not that he would, he spends money like it's going out of style."

"You really plan on running away?" she asks, eyes flicking between mine.

"As soon as I know I have enough money to start over somewhere far away, with a new life, a new name, I plan on going. I have a lot of people who are willing to help me get there. A lot of people who loved my mama, their queen."

"And you would let me come with you? That's an awfully big risk to take just to save me."

"Don't you see, Regina?" I step closer, my hands gripping hers tighter. "You're worth it. I've come to care a lot about you these past few weeks. I trust you, as I hope you trust me. I could never leave you behind."

"Fuck." She bites her lip as a tear spills down her cheeks. I think I've upset her, but she pulls me into her arms, wrapping me in a bone-crushing hug that fills me with warmth. "You really are amazing, you know that, Snow. A girl with a soul so white and pure."

The thoughts running through my mind and the feelings her touch elicits in me don't feel so pure. Her holding me like this, it feels like a warm blanket, like it's right, like everything in the world is right.

She pulls away and the spell is broken. Wiping at her eyes, she nods her head. "Okay. If you're sure. I'll come with you."

I smile brightly at her. "Really?"

"Yes." She laughs.

The rest of the walk, I fill the time with happy stories of Mama, of Mrs. Bark, and other people in the village.

"This place is adorable," Regina comments as we reach the main part of the village. "It's like so magical."

"Well, a lot of people who live here do have magic," I tell her. "Sadly, none of their magic can be used to better their lives in the form of money."

"It's so damn sad what the King has done to this place." She shakes her head. "I'm ashamed to call him my husband." She shudders.

"Then don't." I laugh. "He's just a person you were forced to marry. That's it."

"You're right."

"Now, let's get our minds off the sad things for the rest of today. Only happy thoughts." I grab her hand and pull her towards Mr. Bark's pub. At this point, I think I'm just looking for reasons to touch her.

"Snow, darling," Mrs. Bark greets us at the bar as we take seats on two of the stools. The place is empty, but that's expected for this time of day. It will pick up later in the evening.

"Hi," I greet her.

"Back so soon?" She looks from me to Regina and back to me. "And who is your friend?"

"Regina." Regina holds her hand out to Mrs. Bark.

Mrs. Bark takes it, giving it a shake as she looks at me. "Regina. Isn't the new Queen named Regina?"

Her eyes widen as realization takes over her face, eyes darting back to Regina, then to me again. I give a firm shake of my head paired with a glaring look.

She swallows and nods her head. "Nice to meet you, Regina. What can I get you to eat?"

I relax, knowing Mrs. Bark isn't going to make a big deal over this. I trust her with my life and now with Regina's.

For the next hour, we sit, talk, and eat our fill. Regina's fun, flirty personality comes out again. I smile from ear to ear, unable to stop watching her. She's so pretty, and seeing her happy is addictive.

Regina seems like she's in pure heaven as she eats a large plate full of Mrs. Bark's homemade lasagna. When Regina makes a comment about hiring Mrs. Bark to cook in the palace, Mrs. Bark and I share a sad look. It's heartbreaking how much has changed.

"We better get back to the palace. Just to be safe," I tell Regina when I notice the sun will be setting soon.

"Already?" Regina asks. "It feels like we just got here."

"Time flies when you're having fun." Mrs. Bark smiles. "You're welcome back here anytime. Any friend of Snow's is a friend of mine."

"Thank you." Regina smiles.

Mrs. Bark gives me a knowing look, but I shoot her a warning one back that just makes her smile wider. "Be safe, ladies."

Knowing that Mrs. Bark knows what to do, I leave a bag full of money on the counter before we leave the now-busy pub.

"That was fun," Regina tells me as we walk down the dirt road, out of town, towards the trail.

"I'm glad. Mrs. Bark is like a grandmother to me. She's the best."

"I like her." Regina nods.

Just as we're about to reach the tree line, I freeze. That same feeling as before takes over me. It's as if someone's watching me.

My head darts around, looking for those glowing eyes, that towering form from before.

"Are you okay? What's wrong?" Regina asks, sounding worried. "Did you see something?"

"I think my mind is playing tricks on me." I wrap my arms around myself, running my hands up and down to try and rid myself of the chill. "I feel like someone is watching me."

Regina steps closer as she scans the tree line. "I don't see anything, but stay close."

She pulls up her dress to reveal daggers strapped to her thigh. My eyes widen in surprise as I stare.

"Where did you get those?" I hiss, eyes flicking back up to hers.

"Stole them." She grins. "I mean, is it really stealing if I'm the queen?"

I laugh, shaking my head. "I'm not the only one with surprises."

"Trust me, Princess, I'm full of them." She winks before grabbing my hand and pulling me towards the path. "Don't worry. We're going to be fine."

And we were. We make it back to the tunnel entrance with no issues. But the feeling of being watched doesn't fade away.

As I stand in my bedroom, looking out at the dark moonlight forest, I still feel it.

Howls pierce the air, and I jump back. Fear and unease fill me. Grabbing my robe, I slip it on, then my slippers, before quickly making my way through the palace to Regina's room.

I'm just about to knock on her door when it opens. I blink up at her, eyes matching the surprise in mine. "I was just coming to check on you." She laughs softly. "Are you okay?"

"Couldn't sleep. Still feel off." I rub my arms.

"Come in." She opens her door. "The bed is big enough for the two of us."

I know this is wrong, I shouldn't be here. Not with her. But as we slip under the blanket and Regina pulls me into her arms to cuddle, I nearly cry with how perfect everything feels. While it should be wrong, nothing about it feels that way.

Letting myself be swallowed by her warmth, her smell, I drift off into one of the best sleeps of my life.