“That does shine some light on why you were so eager to sell Adam off.”
“Since you brought that up, I rather would like to sell Adam off, and while there’s a lot of problems with tying the sale of children to a betrothal arrangement, there’s nothing against me bribing you for having graciously accepted my son for your daughter. Right now, we’re getting the better deal, so that’s unfair to you. Pat suggested riding lessons and, once you’ve learned how to ride, a young horse from our stables along with lifetime boarding and care. It’ll make us both happy if you’d accept, and as I know full well your birthday is coming up soon, we can call it a very extravagant birthday present.”
My eyes widened. “A horse? Me?”
I’d never been near a horse in my life.
“That’s the idea. Pat doesn’t have a strong talent with horses, but he’s got enough of the touch where he’ll be able to pick a good horse for you. If we don’t have one in our stables, he’ll take you out until we find one that’s perfect for you. In the meantime, he has a school horse in mind for you.”
A suspicion took hold, and it involved the royal couple deciding my future for me without a realistic way to escape. “Out of curiosity, what would happen if I declined?”
“Pat would probably stalk you with a horse in tow. It wouldn’t surprise me if he brought the mare to Congressional Hall and begged you, in the most pathetic way possible, to get you to accept lessons because the mare of his choice will be heartbroken if you don’t. Fair warning.”
I shuddered at the thought of His Royal Majesty bringing a horse to a congressional session. “I surrender.”
“Excellent. I’ll tell Pat. He’ll be thrilled to hear it. He’s been itching to plan your lessons all day.”
“I’m going to hang up on you now, Jessica, before you come up with something else I won’t be able to refuse. Have a good day.” I tapped the screen to disconnect the call and returned the phone to its owner. “You’re a bad man, Douglass.”
“Jessica is not only the queen of Texas, she’s a queen of manipulation, too. You were wise to accept her terms. If you’d refused, she would have made her second offer even more elaborate. Don’t be surprised if small gifts start turning up because she thinks you’d like them. She does that, especially to people she likes who won’t buy nice things for themselves.”
I needed a vacation, somewhere remote, quiet, and peaceful. “I have a congressional session today, Douglass. If I said no, he’d show up with a horse. It’s a public session. I was protecting myself from their insanity.”
“And before you get started and bristle, it’s not charity. Jessica and Pat have a very strong sense of equality, and they rightfully feel they’re getting the lion’s share of the betrothal agreement. And they are, never doubt it for a second.”
I understood. In their shoes, I would’ve done far more than pawn off a horse on another mother to secure Mireya’s comfort and security. “Securing their child’s happiness is priceless. Money can’t buy everything.”
“No, it can’t. They’ll get excessive, but they mean well. Try to be patient with them. It’ll help if you ask for little things. Pat enjoys cooking, so if you were make some wishful comments for dishes, you can rein him in easily enough. Jessica will give you more trouble, but she can be tricked, too.”
“I need a vacation, Douglass.”
“How about a road trip for charity? Mireya can meet up with you when she’s on breaks from school.”
“I haven’t even seen Baby yet. Can I rename the car? I don’t want to drive around in a car named Baby.”
“It’s your car. Name it whatever you want.”
I’d investigate the car later. If I wanted to make it through the rest of the day without crying, I needed a long walk to clear my head. “I’m walking to Congressional Hall today.”
“Good. That’ll give you a chance to get your head back into the game. They want to argue about the budget, so it’s actually going to be an easy session for you. Tell them to be patient. You can’t set a budget until you can establish the general rules for the auction, and you can’t establish the general rules for the auction until you have a chance to make proposals for His Royal Majesty of Montana to review. Until we have him on board with a proposal, there’s no point in establishing a budget. I don’t know is an acceptable answer, so use it often. Tell them they’re putting the cart before the horse.”
“I can do that. Got any useful material I can review? Maybe some information on His Royal Majesty of Montana? A clue on the type of woman he wants to marry might help.”
“I’m going to go on a limb and suggest you’re his probable target of the auction, Mackenzie.”
“His Royal Majesty is just going to have to live with his disappointment. I already told you I’m not buying a father for my daughter at a man-meat market.”
“I will beg you, but please let me listen in when you tell him that.”
“No matter what the congress has said, my goal is to be eliminated from the auction as quickly as possible. I refuse to repeat history.” Dylan wouldn’t show up, but I’d promised him a chance to in my dreams, and despite knowing it was futile, I meant to keep my word in case a miracle did happen.
Stranger things had already happened.
Chapter Twenty
My idea to walk to Congressional Hall bit me in the ass within a block. I considered myself lucky I dodged any reporters, but people armed with phones and cameras insisted on taking my picture. Without Geoff’s warning, the curious photographers would’ve worried me. A pair of runners with professional cameras got closer than the others, shoving their devices in my face to get the best pictures possible.
It was a good thing I lacked a spark of magic; if I’d been capable of it, I would’ve lit them both on fire.
They hounded me for two blocks before they gave up the chase. Arriving at Congressional Hall likely had something to do with it; security guards checked everyone entering and leaving the building, and thanks to my frequent appearances, I had a building pass that got me into the doors to the first checkpoint without a fuss.
The second checkpoint took longer, requiring a scan for concealed weapons. The guards waved me through, and I headed for the chamber, forcing my attention to the session ahead. Two more checkpoints later, one of the guards let me in with two minutes to spare before I was supposed to take the floor.
The murmur of conversation warned me they hadn’t been in session, which frustrated a sigh out of me. Had I been lucky, the public session would’ve already been underway. Hoping my presence would go unnoticed, I crouched behind Representative Dorothy Hughes, the only person on the highest tier reserved for overflow during a major hearing.
Dorothy twisted around in her chair. “What are you doing, Little?”
“Hiding.”
“Why?”
“It’s the most normal thing I’ve done this week.”
“I can believe that. Did you have a nice flight? Should I be planning a celebration for five years from now? Please tell me yes.”
“That depends. Can you keep your mouth shut for the next six months?” I sighed, well aware someone would confirm the truth with the congress sooner than later.
“You could talk me into it if the price is right.”
“The flight was miserably cold. I won’t be celebrating. I’ll be drinking copious amounts of liquor in a corner somewhere. I’ve already developed empty nest syndrome and she hasn’t even been accepted to her new school yet.”
“I see. Well, as I wouldn’t want to knock you further off your rocker, I’ll just pretend you neither denied or confirmed a thing. It’ll be hard, but sacrifices must be made. You were missed yesterday.”
“Really? And here I thought you’d be throwing a party.”
“You’re delightful, Mackenzie. Often infuriating, but delightful. His Royal Majesty of Montana called in, and he wanted to speak with you.”
“He got to speak to me yesterday, so he needs to stop whining
.”
Dorothy cackled. “He wanted to speak to the auction committee with some questions and concerns.”
“That’s not so bad. He didn’t want to speak with me, then. Didn’t you confirm a secondary?”
“We have, but as you’re back in action, she’s going to be hiding in congress hoping she won’t have to touch the auction with a long pole. Anyway, His Royal Majesty wanted to speak directly with you. He was very disappointed when he found out you were in Colorado on Royal business.”
I hated the capital R so, so much. “Lucky me. Why did he want to speak with me?”
“That’s what we’re all burning to know.”
“I have no idea.”
“He has a sexy voice.”
Yes, he did. “That’s nice.”
“He seemed so very disappointed you were out of town.”
Unless I was mistaken, Dorothy Hughes had joined the idiot brigade wanting me to marry a king. With my daughter leaving for school abroad, the idea of getting into my new company car and running away seemed like a very nice idea. While on the move, I’d have some hope of getting some work done without a nosy congress trying to marry me off. “How tragic for him.”
Dorothy waggled her finger at me. “Take this seriously, Mackenzie Little. He might be gorgeous under that mask of his. And since he has to wear a mask all the time, who cares what he looks like? That voice.”
“So?”
“You’re really going to be difficult about this, aren’t you?”
I arched a brow at the old woman. “Yes.”
“If a king isn’t good enough for you, who is?”
Good question. I had an answer, but I wasn’t willing to spill my secrets about my unfortunate fixation on Mireya’s father. She’d likely either join my daughter’s crusade for a road trip to find him or have me committed to an institution. “I thought you wanted the king for yourself.”
“I’d wear the poor dear out. Kings are so high maintenance.”
“Right.”
“Aren’t you even the slightest bit curious about him?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“What would I do with a king?”
“Marry him, have lots of little babies, take over the world. Those are the key ambitions in life.”
Dorothy Hughes needed to join me in the institution. “Are you crazy?”
“No. I’m bored. They want to discuss the budget for the auction.”
“If I pretend I’m not here, you’ll tattle on me, won’t you?”
“Damn straight I will, missy.”
“What did I ever do to you?”
“I’m critically offended you tried to get yourself killed last week. Do be more careful.”
I sighed. “Yes, ma’am.”
“Good girl. Now trot your pretty self down there and tell everyone we can’t do a budget until we have a better idea of what we’re doing for the auction.”
What Dorothy Hughes wanted she often got, so instead of arguing, I stood and headed for the podium to convince the congress to let me do my job without micromanaging me.
For two hours and twenty-three minutes, the congress tortured me about the auction budget on live television. While I would’ve loved for them to show me mercy, I respected them enough I answered every question I could, fell back on my boss’s suggested ‘I don’t know’ when necessary, and refused to commit to any budget until we were able to secure multiple tentative agreements from Montana’s king.
I pitied the speaker in control of the next session, who had the unpleasant job of securing a vote on a tax measure no one wanted but everyone agreed was needed. While the mousey senator from Houston would be run over coals for a few hours, he’d get his measure passed after everyone had a chance to heckle him. Better for him, no one wanted to watch politicians badger each other for hours, so no one would watch him earn his measure.
I wasn’t the only one to sneak out of the session, and Senator Forester held a finger to his lips. “I already filled out my ballot and left it with the King’s Herald, who promised he’d cast it for me so I could run off with the prettiest lady in congress.”
If I rolled my eyes hard enough, could I knock myself out? I tried without success. “If I’m unwilling to buy a man on the man-meat market, I’m not messing with another woman’s man. What do you actually want?”
“You handled the session really well, but you looked tired.”
“I am tired. Between the medications and the flight, I’m dead on my feet. I’m planning on heading home and taking a nap until tomorrow, preferably late afternoon, so late my boss calls and complains I skipped work. Then I’ll remind him he’s been trying to get me to skip work all week.”
“Except we all know you won’t skip work.”
“Unfortunately.”
“I was sacrificed to thank you on behalf of the congress. Her Royal Majesty notified us officially you’d signed the betrothal agreement and threatened to dismember us via drawing and quartering if we made you cry on television. We were given strict orders we weren’t supposed to mention the null rights bills or the betrothal. In fact, we were told to play stupid.”
I sighed, tallying another mark in Jessica’s favor. “I appreciate it. Dorothy already pried the truth out of me. I begged for six months.”
“Her Royal Majesty also notified us she intends on informing Prince Adam she’s beginning the process of betrothing him.” I stiffened, and he held up his hand. While infuriated, I kept my mouth shut. “She’s testing his talent. If he’s fixating on Mireya, it’ll strengthen the bond. It’ll also give her and the academy instructors a chance to monitor both of them. This happens frequently enough the school is well prepared to handle a fledgling bond and nurture it. Prince Adam will be put into expanded education to make certain he’s slower to graduate in preparation for ruling Texas, which will ensure he’s not criticized for being schooled for longer. Mireya will be advanced as necessary; she won’t be elevated in official grade levels, but she’ll be under extended education as well. In reality, it’ll be done to make certain they are thrown together as much as possible so they can be observed.”
“For how well they work together?”
“In part. It all depends on how strong Prince Adam’s abilities become.”
“And what abilities Mireya develops,” I added.
“That’s a very serious issue. Without knowing her genealogy, she could develop almost any talent to devastating strength. Take Jessica for example. She can control the damage from entire hurricanes across multiple kingdoms. A child suddenly developing that level of talent without someone watching for it could be catastrophic. If you know anything about his talent, it would help a lot.”
I halted, lifted my hand, and pinched the bridge of my nose. “I really don’t know. He never demonstrated a talent that I know of. No one was willing to cross him, that’s all I know. I assumed it was because of his emblem.”
“The academy is just going to love having an unidentified royal running around. The instructors are going to lose their minds by the end of the first year, and in reality, they have three or four years to wait before she manifests a talent.”
“Her father could always show up.” I snorted at my folly and shook my head. “Who knows? He might even be at the auction accidentally.”
“There wouldn’t be anything accidental about his presence if he showed up, Mackenzie. Every single royal in attendance is going to draw huge attention. You’re organizing an event with a king as the eligible bachelor. It’s going to be a madhouse.”
“Well, if you don’t get the congress off my back long enough for me to plan an auction, there won’t be one. I only have so many hours in the day.”
“All right. I’ll get them off your back for a while. They’re just excited because they might get to plan a royal wedding to take place here in Texas. Add in the news about the betrothal, and they’ll be annoying for at least a month. They’re also relieved you were released from the hospital,
but good luck getting that lot to admit it.”
“His Royal Majesty deciding to sell himself on the man-meat market doesn’t involve me for anything other than making sure he can get happily married off—to someone other than me.”
“Must you call the auction a man-meat market? That’s awful.”
“Accurate.”
“You’re ruthless.”
“It’s still accurate.”
“They’ll lay off once you’re dating someone.”
“Which I’m not going to do until after the auction if I do at all. Don’t you all have anything better to do than henpeck me to death?”
“Not really.”
“How wonderful."
I regretted choosing to walk back to the office the instant I stepped outside. A crowd determined to photograph me hounded my every step, and I pretended none of them existed. As long as I didn’t make eye contact, I’d be all right. Compared to modern phones, my relic was limited, but it could check my email, and I read my new messages while I dodged people eager to prove they’d seen me on the street.
It cured me of wanting to be a public figure within ten minutes.
Several blocks from the comfort of my office, the joggers armed with their cameras showed up again, and they made no secret they meant to get close-up pictures of me.
I needed to ask Geoff about the legalities of breaking a photographer’s camera with his face. If I didn’t use the magic I didn’t have, would I still go to prison for a long time? Probably. Fantasizing about violence distracted me until I retreated to the safety of the office building. I beelined for the elevators, grateful the security guards would prevent any unauthorized people from making it off the ground floor.
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