by Sarah Olson
I stood. "I appreciate the offer, but I cannot sit around and wait."
His face grew somber. "Your searching and questions will be better received from Malanese soldiers. Not to mention how much more ground they will cover. I would rather not have the king of Asteria and his guard banging on doors."
"He’s right," Davorin said, looking up at me.
"Who did she travel here with?" the prince asked, taking Davorin’s word as agreement.
"A merchant named Wesley Langdon," Gabriel said when I didn’t respond. "That’s who we need to find."
The prince looked up at me and nodded. "I will have my men sent out immediately."
Chapter 22
W AITING FOR NEWS was just as painful as it was back at the castle. I paced the room the prince had given me not finding any reason to rest. I wanted—needed to be out there. But I was not the king of Malan; I was king of Asteria. This was not my kingdom, and I had to respect the prince’s orders.
I walked toward the window and looked out as I’d probably already done a hundred times. I was not tired. I was anxious. Looking out to the ocean gave me nothing, so I turned and paced the length of the room again. I felt like a bird in a cage and was seconds from bursting out the door and riding to the seaport myself—the prince’s request be damned.
I turned to the round bed in the center of the room piled with soft looking pillows of pale blues and whites. The room was clean and sparsely decorated but in a way that spoke of comfort. An ocean getaway. Something I could appreciate if I were here under other circumstances.
That was it. I was done waiting. I picked my sword and scabbard up from the bed where I’d flung them after being escorted to the room. I was going to go out there and find Aria myself. Just as I finished tightening the belt around my waist, there was a knock at the door. I rushed to it and swung it open.
Captain Jaspar bowed quickly. "They found Mr. Langdon."
"And Aria?" I asked, almost too hopeful.
He shook his head. "But we brought Mr. Langdon in for questioning."
I was out the door before the captain had time to say anything else.
Captain Jaspar ran to get ahead of me. "This way," he said, leading me back down to the second floor.
Davorin was waiting by the doors when I reached the entrance to the same parlor we had been in earlier.
"The prince is inside with him," he said.
I barely heard him as I burst through the door feeling the weeks of anger and fear getting ready to overtake my better judgment.
Wesley and the prince looked up just as I marched through the threshold, my eyes centered on the man who had taken my daughter from me. I was nearly across the room prepared to throttle him when Davorin stepped in my way and held me back.
"Not like this," Davorin said, under his breath.
I could hear a sword being drawn beside me, but my gaze didn’t leave Wesley’s. He had stood and backed away from the sofa, so he was almost against the far wall. There was fear in his eyes, and I relished it.
"James," Davorin said, his tone the same as Layla’s when she was attempting to calm me down.
Just take a breath. This is not how we fix this. It is what she always said.
I dropped my arms and took a step back.
Prince Nazir motioned the captain to put his sword away. "Have a seat, Mr. Langdon," he said, motioning to the frightened man still cowering near the wall.
I licked my lips and sat in one of the overstuffed chairs. Perhaps sitting would keep me from doing something foolish.
Wesley moved forward slowly, his eyes darting between the prince and me. Prince Nazir gave him a reassuring smile.
I suppose I should’ve been grateful for the prince’s presence since his composure would probably help more than my anger.
"Now, tell King James what you told me." The prince’s words came out like he was coaxing a stray dog from its hiding place.
Wesley gulped, his eyes on the floor. "She’s not in Malan anymore."
"What do you mean?" I demanded, as the slightest bit of hope I foolishly allowed myself to have slipped away.
"She—she left," he stammered.
"Where?" Davorin interjected before I scared the man out of answering another question.
"On a trade ship. It was her choice, I swear. I tried to stop her, but she’s a princess—I couldn’t tell her what to do!" His words spilled out quickly as if he thought the truth would somehow lessen my anger.
"On a trade ship?" I asked, dread replacing my anger.
A trade ship. Aria was on a trade ship. How could this happen? Did she not realize the kind of men that worked on those ships? Her safety was further out of my hands than I realized.
"Her friend Ethelyn went with her as well as my good friend Stephen. He swore he’d watch out for her. I trust him with my life, Your Majesty." Wesley shifted uncomfortably in his chair waiting for my response.
"When did the ship leave?" Davorin asked when I remained silent.
"About two weeks ago," Stephen answered quickly. "They should be docking in Asteria within the next couple of weeks—I think."
I bolted up from the chair. "You think?" I yelled.
Wesley threw his hands out in front of him as if they could protect him.
"You never know with trade ships. There are delays sometimes, so you can never be sure on when they will return. But they will. They’re on a well-traveled route that will leave them at the Horizon Seaport."
I clenched my hands as my mind raced through every possibly horrible thing that could happen to Aria on a voyage like that. It was one thing to have run off to Malan, but to board a trade ship—it was madness.
"She was supposed to go to Kings City and stay with King Darius. That was her plan, Your Majesty, but she wanted to try something new and thought that a voyage at sea could be worthwhile." Wesley said the words so quietly that I almost didn’t catch them.
"What ship?" I demanded.
"The Enigma."
"I will send my men to retrieve the log at the docks for more information," the prince said, standing and motioning to the captain. "Do you want him as a prisoner?"
I thought about it for a moment but shook my head. "Let him go." As much as I would’ve liked to throw him in the dungeons for helping Aria in this ridiculous plan, he didn’t kidnap her but simply followed her orders.
"You have no idea how sorry I am, Your Majesty," Wesley said as the captain led him to the door. "If I could do it over again, I would never have let her come."
"Leave before I change my mind," I snapped, not in any mood for his groveling.
Wesley bowed his head and followed the captain from the room.
"I’m sorry," Prince Nazir said when the door closed behind them.
I looked over at him and knew that the worry that creased his brow mirrored my own. "Thank you for finding him."
"Of course."
I nodded and left the room without another word.
☐☐☐☐
"What do you mean she’s not here?" Gabriel asked, his nostrils flaring at the news. He was sitting on one of the palace balconies with Hunter.
"She got on a ship," Davorin said.
"To where?" Gabriel asked.
I plopped down into a chair across from him, exhausted from the day. "To Asteria."
"We’re going in circles," Gabriel half-growled.
"And Wesley Langdon?" Hunter asked.
"We let him go," Davorin answered.
Gabriel threw me an incredulous look. "Why would you let him go? He brought Aria here. He helped her run away."
"It’s not that simple," I said, meeting his hard gaze. I glanced up at Davorin and over to Hunter. "Leave us."
Hunter stood. "Yes, Your Majesty."
Davorin nodded, and Hunter followed him from the balcony.
I turned my attention back to Gabriel. He was seething.
"Father, she’s my sister—the princess of Asteria, and a commoner helped her run away and board a s
hip, and you’re not going to punish him for that?"
I leaned forward. "I would love to punish someone for this if it meant getting Aria back. But doing so to Wesley gets us nowhere. Aria chose to leave, and he obliged because she is his princess."
Gabriel glared at me, and I realized that my explanation was as much for me as it was for him. "But don’t think the Malanese aren’t keeping an eye on him," I added.
Gabriel looked away. "Then punish Thomas instead since he is the cause of this mess."
I ran a hand through my hair. "Trust me, I would have relished punishing him, but as a king, my hands are tied. Everything your mother and I do has to be done strategically. If we punish a lord’s son—one with quite a bit of power in the kingdom—we may very well be digging ourselves into a very deep hole. Don’t think for a moment that I like any of this, Gabriel, but as a king, you have to watch what you do if you want to keep the throne. We don’t rule with fear and brutality like King Luther."
"No wonder she left," Gabriel said, standing. "Your inaction fed her to the wolves."
His accusation was like a punch in the face.
"I’m going to the seaport. Don’t worry; I’ll take a guard with me."
I watched him leave, slack-jawed because perhaps he was right, and I should have done more. Aria counted on Layla and me to protect her, and we let the scandal play out, attempting to control the rumors. We left Thomas and his family untouched because we were convinced there was nothing we could do without causing trouble among the lords and governors. I never once thought to ask her what she wanted us to do. I let her lock herself away and mourn her broken heart, while I concerned myself with keeping her reputation intact because that’s what I thought she wanted . . . what Layla thought she wanted.
What had I done?
☐☐☐☐
I decided we would stay the night at the palace before beginning our journey back. After all, there was no point in waiting around since the ship Aria was on would take her back to Asteria. I tried my hardest to believe she was safe, but it was a wasted effort. This feeling of being out of control and not knowing what had happened to my daughter was overwhelming.
I sat on the round bed in my chambers and rested my head on my hands. What was I going to tell Layla? I felt as if I had failed her. When we married, I took Aria as my own and promised to watch over her. I wasn’t even angry at Aria; I was angry with myself. Maybe if I’d had more guards on her. Maybe if I had been able to see how much she was hurting.
The knock at the door stalled my thoughts. "Come in," I said.
The door opened, and a young page smiled at me nervously. "Prince Nazir would like to see you in the main parlor."
"I’ll be right there," I said, standing.
The page bowed and headed back down the hall.
I straightened my clothes. Hopefully, the prince had some new information since dinner wasn’t for another half hour. I walked down the hall and descended to the parlor. The guard posted outside the door nodded and opened it for me.
"Well, well, if it isn’t the infamous General Hamilton—or should I say, King James," a smooth voice said, the kind that reminded me of a snake.
I turned toward the voice, finding the woman it came from. She sat sprawled out on the sofa, her dark tunic and pants outlining the curves of her body.
"Salma," I said, watching as she picked at her nails.
She raised her dark eyes to me, a seductive smirk on her lips. "It’s been a long time." I watched her take me in with her sharp gaze, and she clucked her tongue. "The queen is a lucky woman."
I merely smiled at her appraisal. "Prince Nazir sent for me."
"Yes, I know. He’ll be here in a moment. So how long has it been, Your Majesty—or do you prefer James?"
I walked over to the window. "Whatever you want, Salma."
She laughed, the kind of sound that would garner most men’s attention. "Well then, James, how long? Sixteen, seventeen years? I lose track over how long ago the war was."
"Ten years," I corrected her. "I saw you in Kings City."
"Ah yes," she said, with a smile. "I remember now."
I looked back at her, the only woman that had managed a position as one of King Darius’ commanders. Most believed she moved up the ranks because of an affair she had with Prince Nazir, but I’d seen her on the battlefield. I fought beside her during that brutal war and knew she deserved the title. She was a couple of years younger than I with quite the reputation of blowing through men. I remembered all too well the time she tried to get into my bed during the war.
"I heard the princess ran off," she said when I didn’t reply. "Dangerous for a pretty thing like her to board a trade ship, I’d say. Someone told me she’s probably the most beautiful woman in Asteria—is that so?" I glared at her, and she laughed. "You always were a protective bastard."
"Watch your tongue, Salma," I warned. She always did have a mouth on her.
Salma smiled as if she enjoyed provoking me, which was probably true. "Well, just hope the crew is nice."
I clenched my hands into fists and took a step toward her just as the door opened and Prince Nazir waltzed in.
He took us in with a sweep of his eyes and shook his head. "Salma, Salma, you know better than to provoke my guests."
She laughed and continued picking at her nails, unfazed by the deadly look I was throwing at her.
"Have a seat, King James," the prince said, gesturing to one of the chairs across from his smirking commander.
I reluctantly lowered myself into a chair.
The prince settled down in one by Salma. "I went through the logs at the docks, and it appears Mr. Langdon was telling the truth—as far as when the Enigma left and its expected arrival in Asteria."
I figured as much.
"There was a list of sailors that boarded the ship, but her name was not on it nor any other woman’s. However, merchant logs are not always accurate," he said, handing me a piece of parchment. "I would assume, though, that she is indeed on it."
"It would appear that way," I said grimly, taking the parchment. I unfolded it and scanned the names. Not recognizing any, I folded it and tucked it into my pocket.
The prince sighed. "I am very sorry for your ordeal, my friend."
"It hasn’t been fun," I said humorlessly.
"You have my word; should the Enigma return to Malan instead, I will have my guards find her and escort her back immediately."
"I appreciate it."
Salma sat up, running a hand through her short black hair. "So all of this over a man," she mused, almost to herself. "We’ve all heard the rumors."
I shot her a dark look. "It’s surprisingly difficult to keep them from spreading, but yes, her former fiancé decided to be a prick." I was done dancing around insults.
Salma laughed.
"At least he was only ever her fiancé," the prince pointed out.
I knew he meant for me to look at the bright side but there was none to look at when my daughter was out at sea somewhere.
"Well, James," Salma drawled, not bothering to use formalities in front of the prince. "You’ve saved my life a few times, so say the word, and I’ll end the damned lord." Her smile was bloodthirsty. "It would never trace back to you—I’m very good at making accidents happen."
The offer was tempting, but it was territory I couldn’t enter. "I’ll keep it in mind," I replied.
Prince Nazir leaned forward, resting his arms on his knees. His face grew serious. "There was something else I wanted to discuss—the Surman matter—before dinner."
"Of course," I said, grateful for the momentary distraction. "When did your information on the prince come in?"
"Within the last few weeks," Salma replied for him.
Prince Nazir threw her a sidelong glance. "I’m positive that if this has reached my ears, it’ll reach King Azad’s in Surmania. I cannot afford to look like I’ve been harboring him in Malan, especially not when I’ll be ascending the throne soon."
"I agree," I said. "What do you need from me?"
"Keep an eye out for him in Asteria. People come and go between our two kingdoms regularly, so I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s been slipping in between the two to avoid suspicion. My sources tell me he has found work as a sailor. Salma’s been working to find what aliases he’s been using. If we find them, we will have a far easier time tracking him."
I nodded.
"He’s a difficult one to find," Salma said, her eyes on mine. "A sneaky bastard; I’ll give him that."
"And if you do find the prince, turn him over to Surmania," the prince continued. "Let them deal with his crimes. It is best we don’t get involved—that request comes directly from my uncle."
"I wasn’t planning to get involved," I assured him. "His guilt is evident."
"From what we know, of course," Salma commented.
I creased my brow, meeting her gaze again. "You think he may be innocent."
She raised a trim eyebrow. "I wasn’t there to see it, were you?"
Prince Nazir sighed. "Either way, it would be dangerous for any of us to look into the matter ourselves. We cannot risk war over that dispute."
"Wasn’t even on my mind," I said, turning my attention back to the prince. "You say he’s a sailor?"
"At the present."
"Then I’ll have my guards watching the seaports in Asteria as well."
The prince stood. "That’s helpful, thank you."
"Anything for Malan," I said, forcing a smile. "So, King Darius will finally be retiring? I have been hearing him talk like that for the last five years and he didn’t mention it during my visit last month."
The prince straightened his tunic, and I saw pride in his eyes. "Yes, very soon—or so he says. I would be honored if you and your family attend the coronation."
"You know we will be there if we can."
Prince Nazir beamed. "Well, I expect dinner has been served. Will you be joining us, Salma?"
The commander stood and stretched her arms. There were no visible weapons on her, but I knew better than to assume she wasn’t armed.
"Of course," she replied with a smile. "It’s not often I get to dine with the king of Asteria and his son."