by Nina Walker
“Keep looking,” my father said. “Keep interrogating.”
Mark nodded.
“And what of your efforts here?” Sabine asked. She’d been standing off to the side, seemingly innocuous, when she turned to casually join the conversation.
“Like I said,” Faulk interrupted, “we’re being cautious.”
“There must be a spy in the palace somewhere,” Mark added.
“We know that,” Faulk replied. “We’re working on it.”
“You think it’s Jessa,” Sabine purred, her green eyes focusing on Faulk.
“I think everything started the moment she showed up,” Faulk replied defensively.
“Or it’s merely coincidence,” Richard said. “We’ve gone over this again and again. The girl is only sixteen. She was a dancer before coming here. What could she possibly know?”
“Her parents are missing.”
The room fell silent.
“It is curious,” Mark offered. “But it’s not proof of anything. It could be that her parents were the spies and she knew nothing of it.”
“Does she know about her older sister?” Sabine asked.
“We don’t know,” Faulk said.
“But the two were put together unwittingly,” Richard accused.
“We’ve gone over this,” Faulk said. “There must be a spy in the palace because otherwise Sasha never would have been able to infiltrate our system. Her cover was carefully planned out. I still want to know why she left.”
They quieted for a long moment.
“You’ve combed through every person here, every alchemist? Every servant and guard and officer? You’re sure of their history?” Mark asked.
“I’m positive,” Faulk said. “No more false identities. We won’t let that mistake happen again.”
Richard shook his head. “She was Francesca, wasn’t she? That girl who got stolen from us years ago?”
“We believe so,” Faulk said.
“It was a blow to lose her. I can’t believe she came back, and we missed her.” He directed his words at Faulk, and she shrunk back. “It makes sense now that Jessa would be a red alchemist like her older sister. Talented family. Dangerous…”
“Then the damage is already done.” Mark rubbed the back of his neck.
“Maybe,” Sabine said, walking over to place a hand on her husband’s shoulder. “Or maybe it was a blessing in disguise.”
“Explain.” Richard motioned to her, a flicker of hope crossing his features.
“Now that you know the parents have disappeared, and about Sasha, or should I say, Francesca, you know that someone is out there trying to get Jessa back. You can keep her close, protect what’s yours.” Sabine smiled. “Not to mention, now you know there’s a mole in the palace in the first place.”
“We need to start interrogating the alchemists.” Richard nodded.
“I wouldn’t alert them just yet.” Mark relaxed. “If we can find the Resistance leader, we can cut them off at the knees.”
They stood in companionable silence for a few minutes, possibly going through all the scenarios in their heads, weighing the options. They knew about the Resistance, that much was clear. From what I gathered, my father had called in extra help after Sasha had turned out to be a fake. Now they were searching for answers, trying to find her as well as Jessa’s parents. And, of course, they were watching Jessa closely.
“How’s Celia doing?” Richard asked, breaking the silence.
“She’s unsure,” Sabine said.
His eyes narrowed.
“Your son is obviously in love with Jessa. Even you know that much. But Celia isn’t sure if it’s just that or if something else is going on.”
“Like what?”
An icy chill ran through my entire body.
“Richard,” Mark interjected, “you already know Lucas went from dating Sasha to dating Jessa. It is suspicious.”
“You don’t think I know that?” Richard challenged. “What is Celia’s take on it? Does she think Lucas is the spy?”
“She’s not sure.” Sabine shrugged. “But she’s leaning toward no. However, it’s likely your son knows something. Being involved with Sasha, did he really have no idea who she was?”
“The girl was gorgeous and mysterious,” Richard said, defensively. “Not to mention being an alchemist and off limits. My son has always dated that type. He wants what he can’t have.”
Anger coursed through me. Celia was reporting back to her father about me! I knew I didn’t like her, but this was taking things to a whole new level.
“How do you know Sasha wasn’t just using him?” Sabine asked.
“She probably was,” Faulk growled. “I just wonder how much that boy gave away to that traitorous filth.”
“Celia will know more soon,” Mark said. “She’s talking with Jessa now, as a matter of fact.”
Celia was with Jessa? I imagined my cold fiancée cornering the girl I loved. That was not okay. I wanted nothing more than to storm through that door and go and find them. Celia seemed to be some kind of spy with her parents—that much was more apparent than ever. She was a snake in the grass, and now she was toying with Jessa too. The whole thing had me dying to punch a hole through the wall right then and there!
“Celia had better make a decision soon,” Richard said. “I need to know that my son is loyal. That’s the only reason I agreed to this engagement!”
There it was. The real reason I was engaged. So my father could keep a closer eye on me. I swallowed angry words that needed to be released. He got the daughter-in-law he wanted, the one who kept me in line. The one who worked for him. And I got nothing.
“The engagement is beneficial to everyone,” Mark said. “Your son will be lucky to have my daughter for a wife.”
“Oh, don’t get all fatherly on me now.” Richard laughed, his voice filling the space. “We all know she gets a crown out of the deal.”
“It’s true.” Sabine smiled. “She’s very happy about that.”
“Is there anything else?” Faulk asked. They shook their heads. “Then if you’ll excuse me, I have some work to do.” She headed up the stairs to her private office, her heels clacking loudly with each step.
“The minute you catch wind of anything, you tell me,” Richard said, pointing at Mark.
“Yes, sir.” He nodded.
They left in a rush of activity. I followed closely behind, my heart hammering. I’m a suspect! I should have never worked with the Resistance. Not because I didn’t believe my father was a terrible king—he was—but because I didn’t know enough about the Resistance to agree to do their dirty work. And now, not only was I in danger, but Jessa was too. I’d made a mess of everything, and she was bearing the weight of that.
I needed to find out what Celia was saying to her. I tried to clear my mind as I squeezed the rose in my hand tighter and rushed toward Jessa’s room. Taking deep breaths as I went, I willed myself to be rational about my next action. If I was going to get out of this engagement, I had to prove my loyalty to my father. I needed to give him something he wanted more than marrying me off to that awful family. What does Dad want more than anything?
Control.
He wanted to dominate me by choosing whom I married. But it was more than that. He wanted to control more people and resources by going to war with West America, and getting in his way was the Resistance. He was searching for answers. If there was a way I could give enough answers to satisfy him, maybe I could protect Jessa at the same time.
I had an idea. But I needed to think it through. In the meantime, the need to comfort Jessa was overpowering. She needed to understand that this was all so much bigger than just our relationship. She shouldn’t be afraid of someone like Celia. I would find a way out of this, for both our sakes.
I ambled up to her room, waiting a few minutes until the hall was clear. I tapped at the door. A long minute passed before she opened it, in wet hair, no makeup, and pajamas. She peered around, seeming
half annoyed and half relieved not to find anyone. Red rimmed around her eyes, and her cheeks looked shallow.
“Jessa,” I whispered. “Please let me in.”
She paused, her face lighting with recognition before darkening. I hoped she wouldn’t be upset I’d come using white alchemy. I expected her to slam the door in my face, but she nodded and pulled it open just enough for me to squeeze through.
Once we were alone, I breathed out, dropping the rose from my grasp. After over an hour of being invisible, I was not only exhausted, but the rose was almost completely gray when it fell to the floor.
“You’re sure no one else can do that?” she asked, picking it up. She studied the rose between her finger and thumb, twirling it, no concern for the thorns.
“Not that I know of.”
“Hmmm…” She nodded. “You’re engaged.”
“I’m sorry.”
“I met your fiancée tonight. She came here to talk.”
“I heard.” I shook my head, running my hands through my hair. “Whatever she said, please don’t listen to her. It’s not what you think.”
“She basically asked me to be your mistress,” Jessa whispered bitterly. She moved to sit on the edge of her bed and narrowed her eyes on me. “I told her no, by the way. Just in case you’re wondering.”
“I didn’t know she was going to say that,” I said. “I don’t get her.”
“She doesn’t care about your heart, Lucas. Only your crown.”
“Well, that I did know.” I sighed. Then I laughed.
“It’s not funny,” she said, her eyes flashing.
“Believe me, I know.”
I tentatively sat next to her on the bed. She scooted away. Only a couple of inches. A small amount, but it felt like so much more. She was communicating something with that motion: stay away forever.
“I spied on her family. They’re working with my father. Celia is too,” I said. “Believe me when I say that this mess is bigger than I imagined.”
“Celia is spying on you?”
“And you,” I said.
“Wow. She’s bold.” She ran her hands through her hair, and more drips of water soaked into her black, cotton top.
“Don’t get me wrong, she wants that crown. But her father is trying to sniff out the Resistance. Plus, Richard and Faulk haven’t given up on figuring out what Sasha was doing here, how she got in and out… all of it.”
“I guess it makes sense.” She nodded. “But why did you have to get engaged, Lucas? I’ve been trying to understand it. I’m sorry. I just…don’t.”
I hated this. She said the last few words with so much sadness. And it was my fault. “I was an idiot. My father was having second thoughts about executing Thomas. He wanted that red alchemy, and when you broke it off with me, I kind of lost my mind. You were right, Jessa. You’re always right about me. I should’ve just talked to you about my grief, but I wasn’t thinking straight. I thought the only thing to make me feel better would be Thomas’s death.”
“And do you feel better?”
“No.”
“And you’re engaged because of it?”
“My father made a deal with me. He’d execute Thomas if I agreed to an engagement. I never agreed to an actual marriage. I figured I’d call the engagement off or something, I don’t know, I was stupid. But when I went to talk to him about it, he threatened to send you away.”
“So I was right.” She frowned. “I didn’t want to be, you know.”
“You were right. You broke it off between us because our relationship bothers my father. It’s not what he wants, but Jessa, it is what I want.” I reached out and grasped her hand. It hung limply in my own. More than anything, I wanted her to squeeze mine back, but she didn’t. “You’re all I ever wanted.”
A tear ran down her cheek, and I shifted closer, catching it with the tip of my index finger. She turned her cheek. “I would do anything for you,” I said. “Don’t you see that? I love you.”
“I know.” She sighed, more tears absorbing into my palm. “But you’re engaged, Lucas. I can’t.”
“I didn’t choose Celia. She was chosen for me. I barely even know her. And what I do know about her tells me I can’t trust her.”
“So what are you going to do about it?”
“I can’t marry her, Jessa. I won’t do it. I’ll refuse.”
“So what’s your plan then, huh?” She was jaded. It was my own fault.
I gathered every ounce of passion and looked her dead center in her eyes. “I’m going to find a way to convince my father to call off the wedding, to let us be together.”
She laughed. “And how are you possibly going to do that? There’s no way.”
“There has to be a way. And I will find it. I promise.”
She shook her head.
“Jessa, look at me.” I carefully placed my hands on her cheeks again, moving her face to my own. We were only inches apart, and I stared into her ocean eyes with everything I had in me. I needed her to believe in me. In us. I needed her to fight for me as much as I was fighting for her. She was the only thing left. The darkness would consume me without her.
But I’d messed up. And I didn’t deserve her forgiveness.
“Nobody else matters to me anymore but you,” I said. “Please, I’ve already lost my mother. My father doesn’t care about me, not really. You’re all I have left that matters. Don’t give up on me. I will find a way out of this. I’ll do anything. Whatever it takes for us to be together, I promise I will find it.”
I searched her eyes, waiting for the spark to come. The one I knew so well, the one I’d seen so many times before. It had to be in there.
“Please, Jessa,” I said. “I love you.”
It was the truth. It was everything. I love her.
“I love you too,” she said, the words a sweet breath on her lips.
“I am not going to marry Celia,” I said, my spine turning to steel. “I won’t do it.” It was true. I would do anything to be with this girl before me.
She nodded, hopeful.
“I’m going to marry you, Jessa.”
A spark lit in her eyes, and she gasped. Surprise. Longing. Love.
I couldn’t hold back. I kissed her gently, waiting for her response. Her lips felt like coming home. They were hope. They were passion. They were everything coming alive in one touch.
Our foreheads touched as I continued. “You will be my wife,” I breathed. “When you’re a little older, and when you’re ready. I’ll wait for you. I promise.” She kissed me harder, her arms moving to wrap around my neck, and I came home.
I didn’t know how long we went on that way, kissing to fill the void that only each other could fill. I’d always thought “butterflies” was a dumb expression. But that’s what I felt with Jessa. Only more. It was so much more than butterflies.
“I know we’re young. You especially,” I said, pulling away, “but there’s no one else for me.”
“I know it too.” Tears rolled down her face.
“Don’t cry,” I begged, kissing them away, the salt wetting my lips.
“I’m happy,” she said, her smile making her cheeks move against my mouth. “I’m just scared, Lucas. I’m scared I’m going to lose you again. I don’t know what it will do to me.”
“I promise, we will be together.” I laced her hands in my own and stood her up. Then I hugged her tightly to my body, ignoring the struggle to kiss her again. Right now, she just needed to be held.
I gripped her hands in mine. “Jessa, I don’t know when, and I don’t know how, but I will marry you. That is…” I coughed, nervous. When did I become this romantic guy? “That’s if you’ll have me.” I kneeled before her. This was how a proposal should be done. I would do it again properly one day, with a ring and everything. But for now… “Jessa Loxley, will you marry me?”
Her eyes widened. A smile lit up her entire being. That alone told me everything I needed to know. But I waited for her to say yes.
>
She did.
I kissed her again, losing myself. I hated that my real engagement had to stay a secret for now. We’d have obstacles to overcome. But I would make it happen. Too many times, I’d rolled over, allowing my father and his people to tell me how to live my life. But not on this one. Not with Jessa.
We lay in her bed for most of the night, holding hands, kissing, but mostly talking about the future. We never brought up our problems or how we could potentially overcome them. Instead, we imagined what it would be like to be married. We saw a world without obstacles and talked about it like it was real. Where would we live? Would I become king or would we run away together? If I was king, what would she do as queen? Would we have kids? Yes. And what would our kids look like? We laughed over some of the options and held our breath over others. But we held nothing back, and it was the best night I’d ever had. I kept her safe in my arms, as if that was somehow all it took. Just a boy holding a girl he loved, and deciding not to let go.
Time moved despite our best efforts. Reluctantly, I got up to leave, knowing I had already been gone far too long. She grabbed my hand, fear lining her eyes.
“What is it?”
“Lucas, tomorrow. Do you know I’m being initiated tomorrow night?”
I nodded. “I heard you passed your final test. Congratulations.”
She stared up at me, the moonlight casting a blue glow across her face.
“You’ll be okay,” I said. “You’re a champ. It’s easy.”
“It’s not that,” she whispered. Her face closed off for a second, as if considering something and deciding better of it. But then just as quickly, she opened herself up again. “Something is going to happen tomorrow night…with the Resistance.”
I stilled, holding back the resentment that bubbled up at the mention of them. “What? What it is?”
She paused, eyes darting from side to side. “They’re going to do something during my initiation. I don’t know the details. Just promise me you’ll be careful?”
I nodded, fear spearing through me. Of course they were going to do something during her initiation. It would put her in danger, but they didn’t care about that. They never did!