“I’m so sorry, Victoria,” I said. “It seems nothing I’ve done has worked out as well as I’d hoped. I didn’t want you to have to face him alone. I wanted to be at your side and offer you whatever you needed to overcome the hold he has on you.”
“He can’t know Mina’s here—I mean, he suspects she is, but he can’t know for sure. And I don’t want her to know he’s here either. I wish you hadn’t brought him.”
Now, I was beginning to wish the same thing. He was supposed to be a grand gesture—a grander one than freeing Kale. “I thought it was better than me coming alone,” I said. “He doesn’t deserve to continue to roam freely after what he’s done to you, what he’s done to his family and God knows who else. What almost happened to you that night in the limo—I still can’t bear to think what could’ve happened to you.”
“I handled it,” she said. “And I can handle him. He doesn’t rule my life. Not anymore. But I don’t think he’s as securely locked away here as you might think.”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“Duke Ramsey has friends here.”
“How is that possible?”
“I don’t know, but he does.”
“Kale would’ve said something,” I said. “He promised me he’d be secure here. And you could decide or help decide his fate.”
“I don’t want to decide anyone’s fate,” Victoria snapped. “And I suppose Kale doesn’t know. I never mentioned Duke Ramsey’s connection to Duke Mackenzie because I didn’t think it would become an issue.”
“Mackenzie?” The name disgusted me almost as much as Ramsey. “He’s here?”
“He’s been here,” she said. “He returned to the palace to do some research for us—for Frank.”
“Who’s Frank?”
“Kale’s father.”
“But Mackenzie is in bed with the Queen. Now, he’s a trusted friend of Kale’s father and has some connection to Ramsey?” I didn’t know what to make of all his associations. Mackenzie was Constance’s step-father and she had as difficult a childhood as Victoria. It would stand to reason he was aligned with important people—especially Dukes of the neighboring wards. Mackenzie and Ramsey seemed to have similar interests—abusing young girls. They probably traded sick stories, techniques, and maybe even shared their prey. “When did you discover Ramsey and Mackenzie were friends?”
“In the limo,” she said softly. “He was there. He fought for me and held back Duke Ramsey when I threatened them with the panic device, but if it hadn’t been for that, he would have enjoyed abusing me just as much as the others.”
“The others… You never mentioned others. How many men were in that car?”
Victoria shook her head. “I don’t remember. Four—five? That incident was a blur. Those other guys were background noise. I was focused on Duke Ramsey.”
“Would you know them if you saw them?” I asked, racking my brain for anyone else I’d suspect to being connected. Other dukes, perhaps?
“I don’t know. Maybe. But I don’t want to try and remember more of that night. What I currently remember is enough. What I do want to know about now is what we’re going to do with Duke Ramsey. We need to get him out of here.”
I hadn’t even brought up anything regarding the message from the Queen yet. We would have to get there eventually, but I didn’t want to put any more weight on our fragile relationship. The ice between us was too thin already.
The tablet the Queen had given me was back in the SUV, somewhere abandoned in the Outlands. As I already knew, Kale was paranoid of tracking—of bringing anything potentially trackable into his camp. So, we’d have to go back for it. And I’d have to remain out of view since, to her knowledge, I was their captive.
I forced myself back to the concern at hand, and asked, “You want Ramsey out of here. What would you like done with him?”
“Take him back to Westeria,” I said. “Drop him off somewhere—I don’t care. I just don’t want him here and I’m not about to kill him. So, I just want him gone.”
“I can kill him for you,” I said. “Or I’m sure there are a number of people here willing to do it—even Kale.”
“You don’t even know what kind of backlash that will have,” Victoria argued. “He may also be on good terms with Frank or the leader of this community, I forgot his name. I already know he’s in good with Duke Mackenzie, and Duke Mackenzie is in good with Frank. And—and despite connections, it’s just wrong.”
“What he’s done to you most of your life has been so wrong.”
“I don’t dispute that. But I don’t want to play on his level. I don’t want to be like him.”
“You’re nothing like him,” I insisted. “You look out for others. Look what you’ve done for your little sister—all you did for the other girls in the palace. I tried and didn’t accomplish nearly what you did.”
Her head dropped and her expression turned somber from remembering the girls we’d lost, which I knew would happen. But if it hadn’t been for her, Piper and Constance would be dead as well. She had to recognize that as a success.
“I don’t know what I’m doing,” she finally said, still not wanting to look me in the eyes.
“None of us really does. And whoever says they do is lying,” I said. I pushed back up to a seated position, fighting through the pain. “Look at me, Victoria. You’re not alone. I know Kale’s here to help you and he seems to have recruited his whole community. I also need you to know I’m here to help you. That’s why I’m here. That’s why I planned to get shot. It was not an easy decision, but so much easier than you thinking I didn’t really love you.” I pushed off the cot. My legs nearly buckled, forcing me to catch myself, using the hard mattress for balance and support. “Let’s get to work. I’m committed to doing whatever you need. Where would you like to start?”
23
Victoria
I wanted to start by talking to Kale.
Prince Byron shouldn’t have been out of bed, but he insisted on coming with me. He could barely walk and had to use me for support as we slowly walked to Kale’s house. It was obvious he was in great pain, but he never complained. And every time he looked at me, he smiled, though not as brilliantly as during our time together in the palace.
On our approach, Kale exited his house and assisted in getting the Prince inside. We both helped Prince Byron over to the couch he’d lain on the night before covered in blood. Luckily, there was no evidence of that now.
Natalie was finishing cleaning the morning dishes and the kids were playing a board game on the floor. I didn’t see Frank anywhere.
“Should you be out of bed?” Kale asked.
“No; he shouldn’t,” I said. “But he wouldn’t listen to reason.”
“Thank you for everything you did for me last night,” Prince Byron said. “What I remember was pretty terrible.”
“Well you look a whole lot better now,” Kale said.
“The nanobots are working hard,” Prince Byron said.
“Nanobots… Wow; okay.”
“Who knows about…” Prince Byron glanced at the kitchen and lowered his voice. “Ramsey.”
“The team from last night, my father, the sheriff—since the detention trailer is his. I take it, Victoria knows now.”
“I know,” I said, not mentioning anything about my little adventure last night. Then I felt my phone buzzing in my pocket. I took it out and showed it to the guys. My heart was immediately pounding from the thought of talking to the Queen. “What should I do?”
“Don’t answer it,” Prince Byron said. “There’s more you need to know.”
Of course, there was. There was always more. Just when I thought I was getting a handle on what was really going on, I discovered there was more.
Now Natalie had joined us, curious about the new developments of our situation. “What’s Queen Dorothea have planned next?” she asked.
“I don’t know exactly,” Prince Byron said. “What I do know is she originally sent
me to find Victoria to deliver a message.”
“What sort of message?” I asked.
Prince Byron adjusted his body on the couch and winced. “I wasn’t given the content of the message. I was handed a tablet, which was to be used to deliver the message. I was to call her once I’d found you. She would set up streaming video to deliver her message. I don’t know what she intends to show you…” He trailed off like he wasn’t sure what to say next—like he was conflicted. “…I mean, she didn’t tell me what would be shown, but I have an idea what she intends to show you.”
“Well, spit it out,” Kale said.
“What do you think it will be?” I asked.
“Piper and Constance,” Prince Byron said.
“What about them?” I asked, immediately concerned. Piper and Constance were all I had left in the palace. If the Queen killed them, then I’d have no reason to go back. Bethany would be the last girl standing and be at her rightful place at the Queen’s side. I wouldn’t be able to live freely within Westeria again—though that was no different to now.
Prince Byron looked nervous, but it could just be my misinterpretation of the pain he was in.
“They’ve been… altered,” he said.
“Altered?” Kale asked.
“Exactly what should’ve been one of the initial options to protect the new Princess Amelia’s legitimacy. They’re completely unrecognizable—not bad, just different—no longer like you or Bethany. But their voices…” Prince Byron trailed off. He looked so guilty relaying this information.
“That should be a good thing, right?” Natalie asked.
I understood why the Prince looked so upset, as did Kale because he was also there. There had been no legitimate reason for the others to die.
“I’ll need to call her back soon,” I said. “What are we going to do?”
“Let’s find my father,” Kale said. “Maybe he has an update from Mackenzie. That should give us a better idea for a next step.”
Prince Byron held onto the arm of the couch as he awkwardly tried to stand. His whole body shook from the strained effort.
“Why don’t you stay here,” Kale said. “You need your rest. We’ll be back and will fill you in on everything that’s happening.”
“No,” Prince Byron said. “I’m okay. I want to be a part of this.”
“You are a part of this,” I said. “But you’re not okay.”
“I’m fine,” the Prince said, now standing and balancing on his own. “I’m getting a little better every minute.”
I stepped closer to him and coaxed him to put an arm around my shoulder so he could use me for support. I wasn’t about to let him just collapse on his own, which he very much looked on the verge of doing.
Mina stopped me on the way to the door and said, “Could you play with us when you come back?”
“Sure thing,” I said with a smile. “Just stay here and we’ll play any game you’ve got.” I didn’t want her wandering around the camp while I knew Master Ramsey was here.
Ariel looked to Kale, but he shook his head. “I’ll try, but no promises.”
Ariel pouted her lips, slumped forward, and turned her attention back to Codie and Annabelle.
Now I felt guilty for being so sure of my answer, but I wasn’t going to take it back now.
Kale tried calling his father, but he didn’t pick up, so we wandered through the camp. Kale asked a few people along the way, who sent us in different directions. Finally, someone said he saw Frank go into the detention trailer.
Well, what does he want with Master Ramsey? I had to mentally prepare myself to see him again. And it would probably come out that it was not the first time we’d seen each other since his arrival.
The morning breeze was warm and there wasn’t a cloud in the sky, though there was a haze on the horizon. The sun was already beating down, and it was apparent it would be scorching by midday. There were a lot of people out and about, trying to get their outdoor chores done before the rising heat made that work unbearable.
Prince Byron was already sweating, but I believed it was more the strain of walking than the morning heat. His hobbling was getting worse the further we went, so I had a conflicted feeling of relief when the detention trailer came into view.
“You don’t have to go in,” Prince Byron said to me.
“Yes; I do,” I insisted.
Kale helped me get the Prince up the stairs and opened the door to the trailer. Upon entering, I saw Frank, Duke Mackenzie, a few other men—and Master Ramsey, unshackled, standing prominently beside Duke Mackenzie. When he noticed the three of us, he grinned wide, sending a shiver down my spine. My unseen lashes tingled.
24
Byron
It felt like I was walking into an ambush. Seeing the two dukes together immediately confirmed everything Victoria had said. If only she had stayed outside, but she was never one for doing what was best for her. I guessed that made two of us. I glanced over at her and she was as white as a ghost.
I barely had any strength left. I was in no condition to fight—verbally or otherwise.
“What is this?” Kale demanded.
“It seems I should be asking you the same question,” Frank said.
“I was doing the Prince a favor. I owed him my freedom. But that’s not to say I didn’t derive some pleasure in his capture. He should be nothing to us.”
“I disagree,” Mackenzie said. “He’s a great ally to have, especially in our current predicament. He currently shares no love for the Queen. He can aid our cause.”
“He’s Victoria’s abuser,” I said. “He is not welcome to help.”
“I was her caretaker for eighteen years,” Ramsey said. “She was punished for her transgressions. She’s always been a free spirit—one who’s needed proper discipline and guidance.”
“Have we been caring for his daughter?” Frank asked.
“You don’t understand,” Kale said. “His household was toxic. She ran away—”
“I want my daughter. Her mother misses her dearly,” Ramsey said. “But I’ll be willing to let her decide whether she desires to remain here or come home.”
“And where is home exactly?” Victoria asked, breaking her silence.
“My sister has a beautiful estate in the 23rd. You were probably too young to remember visiting there. We only brought you when you were young. Later… well, it wasn’t appropriate.”
“She won’t want to leave with you.”
I could feel Victoria shaking. We were both supporting each other now.
“We’ll see what she says when I ask her,” Ramsey said.
“This is inappropriate,” I said.
“This isn’t your decision, Byron,” Frank said in a chastising tone. “We have not asked for your help or counsel. If you haven’t noticed, this isn’t your Kingdom. You are here as a courtesy, nothing more.”
“We can’t give Mina back to him,” Kale said.
“He’s her father,” Frank said. “She doesn’t belong to us. She also has a mother and sister. She should be with her family. Would you want someone to take Ariel away?”
“It’s not the same,” Kale insisted, his voice pleading with his unyielding father to reconsider.
“Come. I’ll take you to your daughter,” Frank said, clapping a hand on Ramsey’s shoulder. “Then you can take her home. We can talk about your potential involvement with our move against the Queen after that.”
“Any move against the Queen is a move I want to be a part of. I appreciate your offer,” Ramsey said. “Thank you again.”
“No!” Victoria screamed. She left my side, causing me to sway and fight to regain my balance. “I just got her back! She’s just a girl! You can’t give her to this monster!”
She ran straight up to Ramsey and pounded on his chest with flailing fists. Ramsey simply stood there and took the furious onslaught as cool as ever like waiting out the tantrum of a child. He made no attempt to shield himself.
“She wa
s never yours to take,” Ramsey said in a quiet voice.
“Victoria, back down,” Frank commanded. And when his words were ignored, he added. “Kale, get her under control. And keep her away from the house until Mina’s gone.”
“No! No! No!” Victoria cried as Kale grabbed her by the arms and pulled her away from Ramsey. Now she was fighting to free herself from Kale’s hold, but he was unrelenting.
My legs were shaking so badly now, that they could no longer hold my weight. I collapsed to the floor—and then was consumed by pain. My whole stomach and chest were suddenly on fire. Lightning bolts shot up through my neck and down to my fingertips. Tears from the agony and my overflowing emotions blurred my vision and spilled down my cheeks.
Frank, Ramsey, Mackenzie, and the other few men headed for the door while Victoria continued to wail.
I reached out a weak hand and Mackenzie kicked it away as he passed.
How had everything gone so wrong? Every move I made seemed to be making the situation worse. And here Victoria was in Kale’s arms again. It had been such a mistake to come here.
25
Victoria
“Let go of me!” I screamed at Kale.
“Not until you promise not to run after them,” he said into my right ear.
Master Ramsey had left with Frank and the others, determined to return Mina to her horribly abusive household. And I was supposed to remain here and do nothing, not even be given the chance to say goodbye. I got the sickly feeling I’d never get the chance to see her again—and if I ever did, she wouldn’t be the bright and beautiful young girl I now knew.
“I’m so sorry, Victoria,” Prince Byron said. “I didn’t anticipate this happening at all.”
I finally broke free from Kale, needing my space, trying to control my crying. I was so overwhelmed and on the verge of a complete meltdown, I could barely breathe. “I told her she’d never have to see that man again. I told her she was safe.”
Royal Replicas 2: Royal Captives Page 12