“No, your highness.” Adele answered, still looking forward with her head held high. “We’re completely fine.”
“Then what’s with the sudden formality, Love?”
“Just playing the part. It’s all I can do.”
Zayden was confused as he looked to his left at me. I just sighed quietly and shook my head. Zayden still didn’t understand the sudden change in our behavior but thankfully he left it alone. He probably knew how Adele was with conversations like that by now and he didn’t say another word about it.
Our food and drink were soon elegantly laid out on the table in front of us and we sat mostly in silence. We were among the public now and talking about anything in too much detail could be a risk so we kept to our image. There wasn’t a person there who didn’t notice us but we kept it simple as the show carried through the night.
Chapter 30
Lamar
“What?!” My voice echoed loudly in rage. “They ran away?!”
“They tried but Darius is a very intimidating man.” Chase said. “You may have noticed. They didn’t have a chance against him alone. Three of them are still trying to get their thoughts straight. The girl was too well protected.”
I turned with a displeased sigh and began pacing the old floor of the tavern. What to do next? Those were my thoughts and every answer seemed to already predict failure. I wouldn’t have it. There had to be a way. I would get the throne even if that meant getting rid of them myself. Yes. That was the answer. I would have to do it myself.
“We’ll remain on watch until the next opportunity arises.”
“No!” I snatched, turning my eyes back to the supposed merchant of death. “You will do nothing! I will handle this!”
“But—”
“The deal is off but keep the money to buy away your men’s weakness. They shame the Senian name.”
“Now, wait just a minute!”
“Goodnight to you, sir! We have no more business between us.”
I walked out of the back room of the tavern and took to the dark back streets of the city. My hood was up, arms tucked tight in my cloak and eyes burning on the ground in front of me.
Failure. It seemed to be my life. I worked hard and scratch my way to becoming the King’s royal adviser but even that has been a failure as long as Zayden was around. I was never capable of getting my word in because Izin would always honor Zayden’s first.
I now knew what I had to do but killing Zayden could only be a thought. It’s been obvious from over the years that it couldn’t be done. I had to get rid of him another way and after seeing his attachment to the girl, it could surely work in my favor. Just like Zayden, I knew Izin would never let him have her. If he wanted it forever, he would have to leave, giving up his title and throne. It was just what I needed.
The plan all started coming together in my head but failure still seemed to shadow every thought.
“Well, of course. I will take your request under advisement.”
The King’s voice echoed in the main hall while I walked back in and I saw him coming out of the conference room with three men yet all were unfamiliar to me.
“Thank you.” One said, standing tall with hair blonder than the King’s and his hands held together behind his back. “I wouldn’t have wanted to see us come all this way for nothing like I said.”
“Neither would I.” Izin replied. “May your trip back be safe.”
Another standing to the King’s left, smiled. “You won’t have to worry about us. We’ll get there just fine.”
“Very well. Take care.”
“And you as well.”
They walked away from the King and passed me. Our eyes met and mine narrowed. I didn’t know them. I’ve never seen them before but something was familiar like I should know them.
“Your majesty? A meeting?”
“It’s all right, Lamar. You weren’t needed.”
“What were they here for?”
“Just some international business. Everything is settled.”
“The Leccans?”
Izin smiled and began to turn away. “You should turn in. It’s late. There’s a few things that need to be done in the morning.”
“All right.”
Izin walked down the hall but it still didn’t feel right. Was it really about the Leccan women? If it was I had a new problem. It sounded as if the King was pleased and now getting them all out of the way would be harder with Izin on their side. I needed a new plan or at least add to it. Now I needed the King out of the way. Not killed since I’d need to stay in his good graces so he’d pass the throne to me but just gone. At least for a bit. That would put the authority in the palace on me and I could get things done easier without the King objecting.
I walked in the other direction to a different hall and entered my quarters. I pulled out a piece of paper and picked up a quill pen to write a message to the King in regards to business that required his attention in Ledia, our closest neighboring ally to the east. It would take him out for several days and that would be enough. All I needed now was for it to look real.
I reached down into a lower drawer of my desk and pulled out a wooden box hidden in the back. It was lined in blue velvet and had four different colored candles and coordinating stamps sitting inside. The bases of the stamps were metal and had small wooden tops. They were copies of the four royal seals from our alliance, Lecca, Rugis, Ledia and even of our own Seni and I used them only when I needed to. This was one of those times.
Several drops of the ivory candle was placed on the folded message and Ledia’s stamp was pressed into the cooling wax. I let it set and cool completely before I left to get the message delivered.
I left it up to someone else to hand it off to someone else to hand it off again before it reached the King. I couldn’t be tied to this message at all. After all, the King had sent me off to bed already. I didn’t want to appear sneaky but I was and made sure I stayed out of sight to watch the King’s reaction.
He sighed while he refolded it and turned to the one who gave him the message still standing by. “Find Kathryn and have her pack my things. I must leave first thing in the morning when the sun rises and tell her I’ll be going alone so she doesn’t bother the Prince with this.”
“Yes, your majesty.” The man replied with a bow and turned away down the hall.
Izin went in another direction back towards the main hall and I could only smile to my success.
Everything seemed to be working out so far. I just needed the rest to go this smoothly and everything would soon be mine. I was ready. I could smell the sweetness of success but it was never enough. I longed to taste it and remain in the spotlight of my glory.
The crown; so often envisioned around my brow in the mirror, it may just finally be mine. I was confident now more than ever. My future was beginning to look just a little brighter and I wouldn’t let anything mess it up this time.
Chapter 31
Troy
The entire audience was on their feet, applauding the night’s performance. The noise in The Grand carried and echoed in everyone’s ears. I knew it because I could barely hear my own thoughts amidst the roaring crowd.
“That man is brilliant.” We look down at the director who was bowing on stage with the performers when Zayden mentioned him. “He never ceases to amaze. The world’s greatest creative mind.”
“I know who he is.” Adele said, smiling for the first time since she’s been here. “He’s my grandfather.”
Zayden laughed, trying to keep it quiet to himself. Same with his words. “He’s Seth. I’ve just always known him as Director Willis.”
“What?” I heard him and was a bit confused.
“Nothing!” Adele snatched. “Highly irrelevant.”
I didn’t think it was and looked over her. Zayden smiled and cradled his arms like he was holding a baby.
Oh! That must have been where she got the name. He’s named after her Senian grandfather―or will be,
I guess.
Adele sighed when she looked over and caught him doing it and walked away from us to the edge of the balcony. “Don’t say a thing to me.”
“It’s still a sensitive topic for her.” Zayden whispered.
I laughed. “It probably always will be.”
“Nah. I hope to get her out of it soon.”
In a way it was good to know what that meant. He would have to be coming with us in order to do that. I was glad to hear it.
“Ready to go home, Love?” Zayden approached Adele after everyone had cleared out of the theater but us.
“Home? You mean the palace.”
“You’re still my bride until we get behind closed doors.”
“Then what am I? Just another girl.”
“No, you’re not.” Zayden took her hand to get her to understand but it didn’t work.
“Yes, I am.” She slowly pulled her hand away, her voice being lowered with it and I was beginning to lose hope in Zayden’s ability to change her mind about any of this. “And that’s all you should see me as because that’s all I can be.” She turned from him and started walking down the stairs.
Zayden was ready to follow.
“No.” Ruby said, stopping him from even thinking about it. “She needs to do this alone.”
“I’m not just leaving her here.”
“So don’t. Just let her talk to him alone. She hasn’t seen him since she was a child. Their words may not be—pleasant.”
“Fine, you go back but I need to know what she says.” Zayden went down the stairs without another word and Ruby sighed to his stubbornness to listen. I’ve had to deal with that before. I knew how she felt.
“Are we really going back?” Jaylyn asked.
“Why not? We should already know what she’s going to say.”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“That Darius was right.” Jaylyn answered. “She enjoys being miserable because she knows being happy couldn’t lead to anything but disaster. We’re used to always putting what we want second. It’s part of our job that we’ve accepted a long time ago.”
“Well, I don’t know about you but I’m not missing a second of this.” Darius started down the stairs with a smile and Ruby smiled too before following.
I didn’t. I stayed behind and looked at Jaylyn, holding out my hand. “Well, you coming? It could be interesting.”
She smiled to my playful pretending tone and took my hand. “All right. I don’t want to go back yet anyway. I’m afraid of what will happen.”
“You don’t have to worry. You’re going to keep your life.”
“No. I’m afraid of having to go back with them and leaving you here. My brother would never allow you to come with us.”
“But he could never stop me from following. Even if you do leave tonight, I’ll be no more than a day behind.” Jaylyn smiled but her eyes started to water at the same time and I took her in my arms for a comforting embrace and words of reassurance that she needed to hear. “You’ll never be without me.”
“It feels like I already am even though you’re right here. I know him, Troy. He’s not going to let me be with you. Now I’m afraid of what will happen if you do follow.”
“Nothing is going to happen to me.” I gently pulled her away and lifted her chin so she would see my eyes and know that I wasn’t lying. “I’m pretty good at convincing reason.”
“Maybe to Zayden but he’s your friend. Trever would never allow―”
“Why don’t we worry about it when we get there? Come on. We should catch up.”
She at least halted her worry long enough for me to see that precious smile and I led her down the stairs after the others. We met up with Zayden, who was standing slyly just back stage to hide himself but close enough to hear Adele’s conversation.
Chapter 32
Zayden
Of course they followed. I wasn’t mad about it. I knew it was going to happen but I tried ignoring them so I could hear Adele.
She was standing up against the piano on the stage with the director sitting in front of it, focusing down on the keys. “I felt your presence all night but I never would have expected this.”
Adele glanced up at her head to the crown that sat perfectly on it. “Oh, no. It’s not anything close to what you think. I’m not staying. I can’t.”
“I understand, your duty elsewhere keeps you away but your mother knew you’d come back.”
Adele shifted her eyes to the floor and her voice sounded like it was full of regret, almost making me want to go to her. “I’ve always thought it was the last place I’d want to be.”
“But?” I didn’t move when he asked, waiting for her response.
“But what? That’s it.”
I’ll admit I may have been looking for more than that but I should have been used to her short answers by now.
“I think there’s more and you know there is. Maybe it has something to do with why you’re really here. Not for us, I’m sure.”
“I see you saw Deven.”
“He wasn’t too thrilled to know you’ve returned.”
“I didn’t have a choice this time. I’m here from my own mistakes. It’s a complicated story.”
“I don’t think it’s as complicated as you make it seem. You’re just not looking at it the way others are.”
Yes! Maybe someone else could make her see it. Or so I thought until she spoke again.
“I’m looking at it the way the others should as I’m just guessing you already know who I’m talking about.”
“It’s not hard to guess but why do you hide from it?”
Yes. Why?!
“I have to. It’s the way things are. Don’t you think I’d choose their way if I could? But I can’t. I can’t do that to them.”
“Make them happy?”
“It wouldn’t. Not when my father found out. Remember your reaction when mother came back and told you she’s in love with the enemy?”
He paused as if thinking back on it. “Of course. It’s something I could never forget. I was disappointed but I knew that it made her happy so I let her go.”
It was a sad story but something about it changed Adele. She took a deep breath and started getting emotional with every word. “That’s where you’re different. My father would never let me go. He has an army at his fingertips and he would use it without question. They’re strong but they’re not strong enough.”
“I see. So, you’re worried for his safety.”
She didn’t have to worry. She did it too much already.
“Don’t say it like that. You make it sound like I’m—”
She hesitated to say it but I was waiting for someone to. I knew what she was thinking and watched the director lean forward with a quiet whisper of those two little words. “In love?”
She instantly denied it. “No. I’m not. I mean, I can’t be. It’s just—”
“What?”
She took a breath as she often does before she says the wrong thing. “I can’t see him get hurt because of me and he will if I let this continue. He’s better off to stay far away from me where I know he’s safe and alive. They all are. We only bring death.”
I couldn’t believe her or I just didn’t want to. I couldn’t live without her after this experience so someone had to get through to her and I hoped it was him.
“Maybe that’s not what they care about and your friends? What would they think?”
“I know what they’d think but they also know that I’m right. They know all too well what could happen if this got out, what would happen to them if we exposed this. There’s no looking away from it.”
Movement next to me caused me to look back. Jaylyn looked upset and Troy was leading her away. She must not have liked what she heard and I signaled for Darius and Ruby to follow them. They did without a word and I was left to hear more of this.
“This was never something I wanted.” Adele continued. “But he’ll be better off this way. I ma
y never be happy again but knowing that he’s here, safe and alive, that’d be enough for me.”
“You can’t go against Fate here. You came here for a reason, Zayden brought you here for a reason, you’ve been staying with him for a reason and you are standing here now with that crown on your head for a reason. Everything is a sign.”
“Not this. There are so many reasons why this can’t be me, why it shouldn’t be.”
I broke. I couldn’t just stand by anymore and listen to this going in the wrong direction. “Yes, it should.” I walked out from behind the curtain, my eyes pulsing with hope on Adele.
She was easily startled and quickly spun her head in my direction. “Zayden!”
We stared at each other and the director respectfully got up from the piano. “You have much to discuss. I take my leave.”
We were completely alone now and I was ready to fix this. All of this.
I walked right up next to her and took her hands while still looking in her eyes with mine so she wouldn’t look away. “It should be you and if I could choose it, it would be. I know we haven’t known each other very long but I know how much I want to be with you.”
She still seemed flustered that I was there at all and of course, tried to say something negative. “Zayden, I—”
“Can’t. I know and my father wouldn’t allow it either. That’s why I’m going with you.”
“With me?”
“Yes, with you, back to Kalu if that’s what he’s choosing to do with you.”
“But Zayden, you can’t. It’d be just as dangerous for you to be there as it is for me to be here.”
“It’s worth the risk. I can’t let you walk out of my life and have you go the rest of yours miserable just to protect me. I won’t have that. We’ll only be happy when we’re together, no matter the danger.”
“But Zayden—”
“No. I don’t want you to say anything because I don’t want to argue this. Right now, I just want to get my Princess home and behind a closed door.”
Deciding Skies (Fate's Intent Book 2) Page 17