The Promised Prince: A YA Dystopian Romance

by Kortney Keisel

  Trev agreed, letting Drake take the lead on this one.

  He joined his father on the dais, taking the throne seat next to him.

  Carver fidgeted nervously with the end of his tie. “Let’s hope the worst is over.”

  “What about Commander Pryer?” Trev asked. “Is it possible that he betrayed us? Carried on with the mission without your knowledge?”

  His father shot him a look. “No.”

  “Well, I know it wasn’t me. You claim it wasn’t you. That only leaves one man that could have given the order.” He looked at his father, hoping he saw the logic behind what he said.

  King Carver slammed his hands on the thick arms of his chair, then pushed himself up.

  Trev should have known better. His father never saw the logic.

  “We’ll know more tomorrow,” the king said. “It’s late. I’m going to bed.”

  Trev sat alone on the dais. The seriousness of the situation weighed him further into his chair. King Adler had consumed his thoughts for hours. He would never say the situation was a nice distraction, but it was a distraction, nonetheless. Now, in the quiet, he allowed his mind to drift. Seran had gone up already, saying she had packing to do for the honeymoon, and he’d lost track of Renna long ago.

  45

  Renna

  The next morning, Renna knocked on the door, hearing Seran’s soft voice in the room beyond. Her maid answered the door, giving Renna a slight curtsey.

  “Come in,” Seran said from behind her maid.

  “I wanted to talk to you.” Renna stepped into the room and paused, looking at the pile of dresses sprawled across Seran’s bed. “Unless you’re too busy.”

  “We’re just packing for the honeymoon.” Seran looked at her maid as if she understood the headache of it all. “The first few days we’ll spend in the mountains at the Trevenna family lodge. Summer is over and up in the mountains, it’s going to be chilly.” She pointed at a stack of colorful dresses with long sleeves. Next to them were bright jackets. “I have to be prepared for cooler temperatures, but then after that, we’re traveling around to several cities. The king thinks that showing the happily married couple will help with the election. So I have to have dresses that work for those occasions and temperatures.” She shook her head in annoyance. “There’s just so much to think about.”

  Renna tried not to let the word honeymoon bother her. It was the first time she had heard Seran speak about what would happen after the wedding. The wedding ceremony had always been the culminating event—the final moment that loomed over her like death to the terminally ill. She hadn’t put much thought into Trev and Seran’s immediate future, into their honeymoon.

  “So yes, I am busy, but not with anything I can’t do while talking.” Seran’s words pulled Renna out of her own head. “What do you need?”

  Renna took a few more steps into the room. It was exquisite. The marble floor was covered with plush, striped rugs. Deep purple sofa chairs surrounded a large marble fireplace, the mantel molded and carved on the sides into ornate designs. Three French doors led to a spacious balcony that overlooked the city. Seran had all three sets of doors open, letting in the soft morning sunlight and the first evidences of Fall.

  “I like your room,” Renna said.

  Seran looked around while she continued to fold clothes. “I like it too, but I won’t be in it much longer. When we get back, I’ll move into Ezra’s chambers, and then after the election, I suppose I’ll have the queen’s suite attached to the king’s.”

  More things Renna hadn’t thought about.

  Things she didn’t want to think about.

  “I’m leaving tomorrow,” she blurted. “I’m going to live at Wellenbreck Farm.”

  “Oh?” Seran paused her folding, giving her full attention to Renna.

  “I’m leaving before the ceremony.” Renna talked fast, the same way she always did when she was nervous. “I just wanted you to know, so you didn’t wonder where I was. Not that you would even think about me on your wedding day.” Renna frowned. Why did her words sound so weird? “I just . . . thought you should know.”

  Seran set the dress in her hands down on the bed, then turned to her maid. “Vivian, will you give us some privacy, please?”

  The maid curtseyed once then left the room.

  “It seems strange that you’re leaving before the ceremony,” Seran said.

  Renna’s voice came out a little too high. “Does it?”

  “Well, yes.” Seran seemed a bit put out. “It will look bad if you’re not there. Like we had a falling out or like I asked you not to come.”

  “No one will even notice that I’m gone.”

  “Ezra will.” Seran’s lips tugged further downward. “He notices everything about you.”

  Renna’s stomach began to churn, and suddenly it was hard to breathe.

  “You know, sometimes I watch him watch you.” Seran gracefully sank onto the edge of her bed, squishing a pile of undergarments in the process. “His eyes always find you, but the look on his face is the most interesting part. Everything about him brightens.”

  Renna swallowed back the rising bile in her throat. How long had Seran known about them? “Seran, I—”

  She put her hand up, stopping Renna. “At first, I was angry with you. You’re not chained to a marriage alliance. You can fall in love with and marry whomever you want. Why did you choose the only man I can be with?”

  “I . . .” Renna shook her head. Her chest tightened and it was hard to find her voice. She swallowed. “I didn’t choose him. I would never intentionally do that to you.”

  Seran nodded. “Do you want to know the worst part?”

  Renna didn’t dare answer.

  “The worst part is none of us will truly ever be happy. No one wins in a situation like this.”

  Emotion crept its way up Renna’s throat, but she refused to let it out, refused to let her own pain diminish the significance of Seran’s. She swallowed back the lump forming in her throat, willing herself to stay strong.

  “I feel awful,” she managed to get out. “What can I do to fix this?”

  Seran’s lips lifted into a small smile, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “There’s nothing to fix. You’ll go away, and I’ll pray that Ezra forgets you someday.”

  Renna felt numb.

  “I’m scared to marry him. Not just because he has feelings for you, but because I don’t have feelings for him,” Seran admitted. “I know that’s probably the last thing you want to hear me say, to complain about marrying a man you’d give anything to be with.”

  Renna had thought she would give anything to be with Trev but seeing the hurt in Seran’s eyes ripped her heart wide open. Seran was right; no one won. “I wish you were free to do what you want with your life.”

  “I do too.” Seran’s eyes dropped to her hands. “And what about you?” She abruptly stood. “Will you be happy?”

  Renna nodded her head, not daring to speak, afraid if she did she might crumble to pieces right there on Seran’s floor.

  “Well,” Seran pulled her into a hug, “good luck, Renna.”

  This was another goodbye. If Renna was going to cut Trev out of her life, she had to cut Seran out too. She was the closest thing to a sister Renna had ever had. Even though they were different, Renna was going to miss her.

  There were probably a hundred things Renna should say to Seran, but all that mattered now was that Seran and Trev found happiness. “Take care of each other.”

  “We’ll try,” Seran said, giving her one last hug.

  Renna was all packed and ready for Wellenbreck—it wasn’t as complicated as Seran’s honeymoon packing—so she decided to spend some time on the roof. She had only discovered the roof last week. With lots of time on her hands, she had followed a staircase in the west corner of the palace, finding it led to the roof. It wasn’t the entire roof, more like a little section above the west tower, but it was secluded and had picturesque views of the city and the chan
ging leaves on the mountains. Renna wished she had known about it earlier. She could imagine hours of stargazing from this spot.

  She pushed open the steel door and walked through, letting it slam behind her. The late afternoon sunlight was blinding, but her eyes still made out the outline of Trev. He sat on a cooling unit with his elbows on his knees, staring out across the kingdom, his back to her. The door slammed shut behind Renna, causing him to flip his head around.

  There was nowhere to run.

  Nowhere to hide.

  There they were, face to face for the first time since he’d kissed her. He looked somber, but handsome as ever.

  There was a slight hint of stubble on his face like he’d forgotten to shave that morning. His clothes were casual—a green t-shirt and black athletic pants. And his blue eyes, Renna had forgotten how blue his beautiful eyes were. She would have to forget that again. The realization made her sad.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t know you were up here.” Her words came out rushed, and she turned to go.

  “Wait!” He scooted off the green unit. “I’ve been avoiding you. Now here you are.”

  Slowly she turned around. “I thought I was the one avoiding you.”

  He chuckled, just a soft laugh, the kind you give more out of courtesy than anything. “How have you been?” he asked.

  Renna’s brows bent as she thought back over the last week and a half. The loneliness. The heartache.

  Her face must’ve given something away, because he quickly added, “That was a stupid question. Don’t answer that.” He shoved his hands in his pockets, obviously nervous.

  She tried to ease both their anxiety. “How was Axville?”

  “Frustrating. Sad. Disappointing. I just wish I could do more for the people. I repaired some damaged homes. They probably won’t invite me back.” He shrugged. “I’m not that great with tools.”

  Not knowing what else to do, she looked to the sky. “It’s a beautiful day.”

  He twisted his body to look upward. “Isn’t it? The weather couldn’t be any more perfect.”

  “They say it’s going to get cold soon,” she added.

  It’s going to get cold soon?

  He must have felt the ridiculousness of their conversation as well. “I can’t believe we’ve resorted to talking about the weather.”

  She smiled. “Yeah, it’s pretty bad.”

  He smiled too, the big smile that she loved, the smile that gave hints he was about to say something charming. “First of all, I’d like to apologize.”

  “For what?” He was going to bring up the kiss.

  “For not locking the door behind me the night of the ball.” He smiled, but it didn’t hide everything; it didn’t hide his shame. “They make locks specifically for reasons like that. Specifically, so that your future mother-in-law doesn’t walk in on you kissing somebody other than the bride.”

  Renna raised her eyebrows. “They make locks specifically for moments like that?”

  “Mm-hmm.” He nodded. “Can’t you picture the lock makers sitting around a table, discussing the worst possible things a human can do? Things you wouldn’t want anyone else to see?” His laugh was cynical. “Kissing your fiancée’s stepsister has to be top of their list.”

  She longed to ease his guilt—guilt she was all too familiar with herself. “There are probably a few other things that are worse.”

  A hint of playfulness touched his eyes. “Well, maybe a few.” He took his seat back on top of the unit, casting his eyes across the land. She didn’t dare sit by him. Instead, she kept close to the door. It was always good to have an exit strategy.

  “There are so many people at the palace right now. I had to get away for a minute. Clear my mind,” he explained.

  “Me too.” That wasn’t entirely true. She’d come to the roof not to escape, but as a way to say goodbye to the city that had been her home for the past month. She wasn’t going to tell him she was leaving. He wouldn’t try to stop her, and him not stopping her would hurt more than everything else combined. So she wouldn’t tell him; she wouldn’t test him that way. She’d go on pretending that if he knew, he would surely make her stay.

  The corners of his mouth lifted into a slight smile. “Actually, you came up here because you knew I was here. You’ve been following me, waiting for a moment when I was alone so you could”—he slowed his speech dramatically—“kill me.”

  “Kill you?” She balked at his choice of a storyline, but she was grateful for something light-hearted to talk about. Everything else between them felt so heavy.

  “Yes, you came up here to push me off the roof,” he said matter-of-factly.

  She smirked. “For not locking the door?”

  “Exactly.”

  Renna questioned his plan. “Why wouldn’t I have just poisoned you at dinner?”

  His head wiggled back and forth. “Too hard.”

  “Or shot you from across the room?”

  “Too messy.” His mouth contorted into a grimace.

  “Or strangled you while you were asleep in your bed?” she argued.

  He raised his eyebrows. “Too intimate.”

  She finally laughed, and it caught her off guard. “Okay. So now what happens?”

  “Well, I overpower you and push you off the roof instead. It’s a surprise ending.”

  Her face twisted in disgust. “What a gruesome story.”

  His hands raised out in front of him. “I know, right? It took an evil turn somewhere, and I just had to go with it.”

  They fell into an uncomfortable silence, the only sound the soft hum of the cooling unit. Neither one of them had planned on seeing the other, let alone talking to each other. Beyond make-believe, what real things could they even talk about?

  She decided to leave. “I better go get ready for the wedding dinner.”

  “Renna?” Trev hopped to his feet again, staring at her for a moment. “Thank you.”

  She shrugged her shoulders. “For what?”

  “For teaching me what it feels like to have a broken heart.”

  A familiar sorrow coiled around Renna like an old friend keeping her company. “I don’t think that’s a good thing,” she whispered, trying to keep her emotions in check. She completely loved him, and yet, he had a broken heart.

  They both did.

  “I’ll take anything I can get from you, even if it’s only a broken heart.” His eyes were defeated, adding to the canyon of heartache inside her. “I’ve never been so miserable in my life,” he said, half laughing. “This misery has changed me. It has taught me about myself and . . .” His words got quieter. “About love.”

  Renna had to look away.

  She couldn’t handle the seriousness of it all. She couldn’t handle the use of the word love, especially when he would never be hers. She swallowed hard. “I’m afraid you’ll never be satisfied again,” she said with an air of sarcastic haughtiness.

  “Obviously,” he whispered.

  “Obviously,” she whispered back.

  Renna didn’t need to look at him. She knew from the sound of his voice what smile he gave—the sad one, full of longing.

  But she did look at him.

  One last time.

  His blue eyes were glossed over with moisture, contradicting his charming smile. He stood there, hands in his pockets, staring back at her. Every fiber of her being swore she was meant to look at him for the rest of her life and beyond, but somehow this was goodbye.

  She loved him enough to let him go.

  She turned to leave, letting their story end one last time.

  46

  Trev

  Later that night, everyone gathered in the great hall for the pre-wedding dinner. Glasses clanked together after each toast and each shout of, ‘to the happy couple!’ Trev’s jaw ached from all the smiling he was doing. The pretense of happiness was exhausting. Of course, nobody used the word love in their speech. This was an arranged marriage, a political move. Instead, they said things l
ike, ‘they make a charming couple,’ ‘Albion’s future is bright with the two of them,’ or Trev’s personal favorite, ‘there’s never been two people more perfect for each other.’

  As if any of these well-wishers knew anything about what was perfect for Trev. What was perfect for Trev was sitting eight tables away, wearing a shiny silver dress. Her hair was down and impossibly straight—Trev had never seen it that straight before. She was sitting next to a young soldier, who seemed to be leaning into her just for the fun of it.

  “To the happy couple!” Alba Folley said, finishing his speech. Trev raised his glass to Seran’s again. More cheers. More clanking glasses.

  King Adler stood, making tensions rise. Nothing had been solved yet. Drake had tried to question Commander Pryer, but he was already gone; he had left to find the men stationed at the Dawsey Inn to bring them back for questioning. Still, Pryer’s absence seemed extremely convenient.

  Adler raised his glass. “To Prince Ezra, Princess Seran, and the unity of two great kingdoms. May their marriage lead to happiness, not war.”

  “Here, here!” shouted the crowd. Trev took a drink, not missing the knowing look from Drake.

  King Carver stood, raising his glass. “Thank you all for coming. King Bryant and I are honored that you would all travel so far to celebrate this joyous occasion with us. King Adler is right. Tomorrow marks the joining of two great kingdoms.” Trev held his breath. He would have preferred his father not mention Adler. “And, in a few months, this happy couple will rule Albion together, uniting us all, making Albion stronger than ever.” Even from where Trev was sitting, he could see the snickers pass through Joniss, Maxwell, and their friends. If they had their way, Joniss would be the one ruling Albion in a few months. “Again, thank you all for coming. We’ll see you all tomorrow at the wedding ceremony.”

  The crowd applauded.