by Dana Mentink
She was upset now and she wished more than anything he would take her in his arms and tell her everything was okay.
She drew her knees up and hugged them close. She wanted to run out and help, to say or do something. But Poppa had said to stay. No matter what. Thea tried to pull herself into a tiny little ball, hoping it would make her invisible. There was a gasp and then a gunshot. Then another. The sound clutched at her heart. The silence after that was deafening.
She shrank as far back into the closet as she could, her hands over her mouth to keep from screaming. If they knew she was there, they would come for her next. They would kill her. She knew it. Her father had told her to stay, and she always did what he told her to do. She stayed and waited. She listened to the sounds of the man and woman outside the closet door. They were arguing again. She heard the rustle of clothing, people moving around in the room. Then the smell came, a light scent of vanilla as she heard the rustle of a dress pass by the door.
The door flew open. Someone was there. Behind the hazy silhouette she could see her father lying on the floor.
Then the fire—there was always fire.
She looked up into the face of the person she knew had killed him. But then there was always darkness.
Thea awoke with a start, bolting upright from her scrunched position on the sofa. Her hand automatically flew to her forehead and the visible reminder of how close she’d come to death that night. She’d been told afterward she’d been hit over the head with something heavy and left for dead in the fire. Thea shook the thought away.
The aroma of cinnamon and vanilla floated through the air. Her stomach gurgled. No wonder she had smells in her dream. She’d never had that before. Part of her wanted to think she’d discovered some new clue, but her rational mind could only deduce it was because of the smells in the house around her.
A log on the fire cracked, making a popping sound and sending sparks shooting onto the hearth. She looked and found the room nearly empty. Ronin sat in a chair by the fire, watching her. He was always watching her. It was unnerving.
“You’re staring again.” Thea ran her fingers through her hair in an attempt to straighten the mess tossing and turning all night had probably left behind.
“You were dreaming.”
“You should have woken me.” Thea swung her legs over the side of the couch, careful for the puppies that had fallen asleep in the box on the floor next to her.
“The puppies are outside right now,” he said, noticing how she was being careful of where to put her feet. “And you needed to rest. We’re going to have a long day.”
“Are we leaving?”
“We need to. The longer we stay here, the more we put these people in danger.” His voice was calm, his gaze steady on her.
“I agree.” She didn’t want to put her new friends in any more danger than they already had by staying here. “You’re still staring.”
“You’re beautiful.” The room was filled with an awkward silence. She wasn’t sure if he was being genuine or joking with her. She resisted the urge to fuss with her hair again. Despite the fact she assumed she looked a fright, a thrill shot through her. No one had ever called her beautiful. In fact, she’d always gone out of her way to downplay any beauty she might have. She’d spent her life needing to blend in, remaining in the shadows and not drawing attention to herself.
Thea had no idea what the proper response would be, so she chose to ignore it. She placed both her feet on the floor. Pain shot through her legs and body.
He noticed her grimace. “Are you in a lot of pain?”
“Only when I move,” she teased. “If I get up and move around a little, I’m sure it will subside.”
She studied him. The gash she had inflicted on his forehead looked better, but there were other scrapes and bruises she probably should have noticed before now. He had been through the same ordeal. He had to be pretty banged up from his air bag and the crash. He’d tried to shelter her from as much as possible.
“How are you feeling this morning?” she asked awkwardly.
“I’ve seen worse. I’ll be fine.”
Just then, the puppies came bouncing back into the room. Jumping and rolling along the hardwood floor, they half ran, half slid to their spot in the box near her feet. Yips and tiny little growls brought a smile to her face. Their fat little bellies were witness to the fact they’d eaten well recently.
The black-and-white one she had held until she’d slept waddled up to her feet and began tugging on her pant leg. She lifted it onto her lap.
“You’ve really never had a puppy?”
“Was that information not in my documentation?” After she spoke the words, she realized how curt they sounded. She didn’t want to sound like a bitter shrew. “I’m sorry,” she added.
If he noticed either her rudeness or apology, he didn’t make a fuss of it.
“It was, but I thought maybe you’d like to talk about it.”
“There’s nothing to talk about, really. Father always said ‘maybe someday.’ We’d been picking out a few breeds that would work well as the royal puppy. It just never happened.” Not just any dog could be the dog of the royal family, after all. It had been frustrating. She’d been a child and she’d just wanted a puppy. Any mutt off the street would have made her happy. Now the puppy jumped at her face, licking and nibbling. “Then after the fire…” Her words trailed off as she remembered back to all those moves, all those homes. It had been impossible to have a pet then. “It’s not important.”
She was saved from needing to answer more when Lizzie walked into the room.
“Oh, good, you’re awake. The power is back and I’ve got breakfast in the kitchen.”
“I thought I smelled something amazing.” The mention of food reminded her of the smells in her dream. For a moment she wondered if she should say something to Ronin. But the more she thought about it, the more certain she was it had only been the food cooking that had made its way into her dream. It seemed silly to bring it up now.
“Pancakes. I thought it would give you a lovely start to your day.”
“Let me just wash up first and I’ll be right there.” As she spoke Thea placed the puppy back on the floor with her brothers and sisters. Ronin rose at the same time and made to follow her out of the room. “I really think I can manage to get to the bathroom on my own.”
The elderly woman chuckled. “Give her some privacy, young man, and come help me set the table.”
Thea made her way up the stairs slowly. She glanced over her shoulder to be sure he was indeed giving her some space and not following her. He watched her from his spot in front of the fire until she was out of sight.
The details of her dream floated in and out of her mind. She’d had nearly the same dream many times through the years. But this time it was different. There was something she couldn’t quite put her finger on that she knew was important. Figuring it out could keep them safe when they arrived in Denver. She knew it. She would just have to keep replaying that night in her mind until she figured it out.
Her future and their safety might depend on it.
*
The hood of the beat-up truck fell shut with a slam.
“She isn’t pretty, but she’ll get you where you’re going.” Earl ran a gloved hand over the cracked paint on the hood. “She’s only got rust holding her together in a few spots, but she’s got a solid engine.” The man chuckled and tossed over the keys.
“I really appreciate all your help.” The man had truly gone above and beyond. Not many people would have been so accommodating to total strangers and handed over the keys to a vehicle, as well. “As soon as I get Thea to Denver, I’ll see that you are repaid for your kindness.”
“Didn’t do it for repayment.”
Ronin thought of saying more but didn’t want to offend the man or his gracious offer. He wasn’t sure what they’d have done without him. It would be very likely he’d have had to make that phone call to his brother
Jarrod to arrange for financial assistance or help with transportation. With so many people only out to harm them, it was heartening to see there were still those with a kind heart.
“Still, I’ll at least do my best to get your truck back to you in one piece.”
“I know you will, son, but more important than that is keeping the princess safe and getting her home to her family.”
“You can count on that.” Ronin glanced outside the shed to where the truck was parked. Every now and then the sun attempted to shine through the haze of gray clouds still hovering over the countryside. As far as the eye could see into the hilly horizon, there was nothing but white. The storm had left behind at least a foot of snow and ice. Drifts where the wind had blown the snow across roads and the countryside would be even deeper.
“It seems to have let up now,” Earl said, as if sensing Ronin’s thoughts about the weather. “The snowplows should start making the rounds soon.”
“That’s good.” He didn’t want to scare the old man, but if the snowplows could get through, so could other vehicles. Plowed roads cleared the way for the men who were after Thea. The longer they stayed, the more dangerous it was for everyone. He hated the thought that their trail might lead here. “When I get to town, I’ll send someone back to check on you.”
“No need to fret about us.” The man spoke in a calm tone without a hint of worry. “The phone lines will be up again soon, and I’ll make a call to the sheriff myself.”
Ronin nodded. He’d make a few calls himself. The couple’s kindness would not be repaid with danger. He’d see to that.
“I’m headed back in for some of that hot chocolate the wife was fixing.”
“I’ll be right there.” Thoughts of the men coming back had his mind on once again checking the perimeter. Just in case.
As he turned the corner at the back of the shed, he was surprised by a snowball in the face. Clearing it away from his eyes, he noticed the smiling woman standing in the yard with what looked like the beginnings of a wobbly snowman.
“I’m guessing that was no accident.”
“That’s very astute of you,” she replied, bending over to scoop up another handful of snow.
“You really shouldn’t dish it out if you can’t take it.”
“And why would you think I can’t take it?” Her question was followed by another snowball aimed directly at his head. A quick move to the side and it went flying by, missing its target.
“For starters, you have terrible aim. Not to mention your snowballs are not packed nearly tight enough. Half of it is falling apart before it gets to me.”
She laughed. “It would have hit you if you hadn’t moved. There’s nothing wrong with my aim. But tighter snowballs, that I can do.” She smiled, taking her time to gather up a larger amount of snow before packing it tightly into a nice grapefruit-sized ball.
They didn’t have time for this. They should be gathering their few belongings and loading the truck so they could get on the road. But seeing her smiling and laughing was his undoing. She was happy. For the first time in the short time he’d known her, she seemed carefree. Not at all like the woman who had been distant and fearful just the day before.
These few moments of lightheartedness might be all she’d have for a few days. If not longer. He’d be cruel to take that away from her.
“How’s that for aim and consistency?” she said, shooting another snowball toward his face.
The ball hit him dead center on his chest. “Depends what you were aiming for.” He laughed. Life and death were not a light matter to him. But here, in this moment with her, there were no assassins, no princess and no throne. There was just a man, a woman and snow.
She laughed again as she bent over to scoop up more snow. Her laughter touched a part of him he hadn’t realized existed. The sound warmed him and temporarily made him believe in the good things in life again. It gave him hope.
Ronin stepped toward her before she could fire off another round.
“Your snowman is a little wobbly,” he said, hoping to distract her while he made his own ball of snow.
“Are you ridiculing my masterpiece?” Thea asked as she began gathering more snow.
“I’m not sure what you are going for there, but if you add any more snow to the top, it’s going to send it toppling over.”
Thea laughed. “Toppling is definitely not what I’m going for.” She stood, hands on hips, glaring down at the rounded mess she had started. “Do you maybe have some pointers on snowman building that you’d like to share then?”
“I’m not sure this snow is good packing snow, but you’re going to need a steadier foundation.” Ronin packed the snow he’d gathered in tight around the base she had already started. “The trick is going to be making the bottom nice and solid before starting in on the body and head.”
“It’s good to know I’ve got the right man for the job.” Thea bent down and began helping him pack the snow tighter around the base. She laughed and teased him as he explained what he thought were the proper techniques. He was just making most of it up. He’d never been much of a snowman builder. But for now she didn’t have a care in the world.
That was the way it should be. She shouldn’t have to live a life of always watching over her shoulder and wondering if someone was going to try to kill her. She should be safe in her castle somewhere. In a matter of days she would be. He’d get her to Denver, and once her identity was verified, she’d be well guarded. She’d be whisked away to her home in Portase. She would be safe.
“She’s looking much better!” Thea exclaimed as they added a few twigs for arms.
“She?” Ronin questioned.
“Of course.” She stood next to him. “Not all snowmen have to be men.” For a moment she looked puzzled. “I guess that would make her a snowwoman, though.”
“I guess so.” Ronin looked down at her and smiled.
She stood inches away from him, her eyes filled with laughter. She dusted the scattering of snow from his shoulders and reached up to brush the already melting bits from his hair. He noticed the moment the mood changed from playful and carefree to something else.
Something different.
He looked down into her eyes and was taken aback by the emotion he saw there. Her eyes were filled with happiness and, if he didn’t know better, love. She was just happy, he told himself. Nothing else.
The roar of the snowplow pulled them both from their trance.
“They’re clearing the road,” she whispered, not moving away from him.
Ronin was the one to pull away. He’d forgotten his place again. He’d forgotten he was here to protect her, not play games. He should know better. One moment with your guard down was all it took for someone to die. What happened with Leo had proved that fact to him. She might not have blamed him, but he blamed himself.
Even now they could be in danger. His eyes skimmed the tree-lined drive that led to the small farmhouse. The men could have followed them here and even now be waiting to make their move. It had been so easy for them to find them before. They’d followed them tenaciously. It was almost as if they were tracking… His thought trailed off as the realization finally hit him.
They were tracking them.
“Thea.”
“It’s time to go.” Her voice was barely a whisper, filled with disappointment.
“It’s not that.” Yes, it was time to go, but if what he was thinking was true, there wasn’t a second to waste. “Do you have anything on you? Something that you have been carrying with you all this time?”
“I’ve been wearing the same clothes, if that’s what you mean.”
“Not your clothes.” He couldn’t believe he hadn’t thought of it sooner. The fact that he hadn’t was more proof that his mind hadn’t been on his job. “Something smaller. Jewelry, like a ring or locket?” All the royal family had some sort of tracking device. The king had seen to that detail when his children were young.
The devices hadn’t
been needed when the royal family was thought dead, so they had been deactivated. But now—now the person who had tried to eliminate them so many years ago would know they were alive. That person would go to any lengths to be sure the princess remained dead. Now was a good time for the trackers to be activated again.
An array of emotions swept over her face. First confusion, apprehension and then fear.
“I have my family medallion. My father gave it to me.”
“Give it to me.” That was it. It had to be. He knew she’d struggle to let go of something that obviously meant so much to her. So now more than ever, she needed his honesty.
She needed to know how important it was to get rid of it.
“They are tracking us through it, Thea. We need to destroy it.”
“Destroy?” Her voice was filled with emotion as she choked the words out. “You can’t. It’s all I have left.”
For a few seconds he wondered if he were going to have to search her and find the medallion himself. But just as he was about to move toward her, she reached into her pocket. Pulling it out, she held it in her fist in front of him.
“If we keep it, they will track us. They will find us and they will kill us.” He grabbed her by the shoulders. He wanted to shake some sense into her. He was annoyed with himself for not thinking of it sooner. Frustration wasn’t what she needed from him now, though. She needed assurance and comfort. He pulled her close. Her hand remained fisted between them.
“That’s what the men meant when they talked about losing it, wasn’t it?” Her words were muffled against his chest, but he knew she referred to the things the men had said when they’d nearly found them in the woods. He should have realized it then.
“Yes,” he said. He was a fool for not figuring out how they’d tracked them. He’d let his guard down. He’d jeopardized her safety.
Ronin wrapped his arms around her and held her, giving her a few moments to come to the realization he knew she would.