by Willow Aster
The softness leaves her features in an instant and I’m sure if we were in the light of day, I’d see her flushed cheeks. In this lighting, she looks pinched and pale, but the anger is still easy to see.
“And this conversation started out so well,” she mutters.
“If you want to discuss your beauty, I can do that all day. However, I have a kingdom to run and my life to protect, so I’m afraid I’ll have to say goodbye. I don’t mean to offend when I say this, but beyond seeing you in person, I’m not sure what the purpose of this visit was. From the surface, it seems you are in way over your head. Please take this in the kindest way possible, because it has truly been an honor to meet you, but I ask that you never waste my time like this again.”
I reach out and take her hand, kissing it and ignoring the rapid thumping of my heartbeat as I do so. I hear the quick intake of her breath and without waiting to see what other sorcery comes out of her mouth, I turn and walk out of the cave. When I reach the sunlight, I take a deep cleansing breath and shake my hands out in front of my body. Once I catch my bearings, I head back to the car and drive to the hotel, feeling a strange disappointment that I won’t be seeing Delilah again.
Chapter Four
Jadon
The more I think about my conversation with Delilah, the more troubling I find it. Why did I rush out of there? I have so many questions. Why didn’t I take advantage of us finally meeting to get some answers?
I step into the hall because I’m tired of pacing in my hotel room and run into a woman with short black hair.
“My apologies,” I say, my hands on her arms.
She doesn’t respond, and when I give her a closer look, she backs away, turning to walk in the other direction. I grab her arm and move until I can see her face again.
“Delilah? What are you doing here?”
She frowns and yanks her arm away. “No need to manhandle me. I’m staying here.”
“Why the disguise and what were you doing outside my room?”
She levels me with a look that would put me in my place if I weren’t so on guard.
“I’m staying in the room below this…I must have gotten off on the wrong floor.”
“You expect me to believe that?” I put my hands on my hips and count to ten. Living with my stepmother has taught me this lesson well. Don’t trust anyone until they earn it. “I regret leaving so hastily…without getting to the bottom of why you really called this meeting. I suggest you step into my room before I tell the authorities there was a woman lurking outside my room.”
Her eyes flash like a little spitfire. She gets on her tiptoes and gets in my face. “You wouldn’t dare.”
“Oh, try me.” I open my door and motion for her to step inside. “I’ll give you five minutes to explain yourself and then we can say our goodbyes for good.”
She huffs but walks into my room and sits on the loveseat by the window. She yanks her wig off and her hair spills down her back. The fact that she looks like a vision means nothing to me right now.
Yeah, you keep telling yourself that, buddy. I can hear my little sister in my head, calling me out for being so transparent.
“I have one question.” I stay near the door so I’ll have a quick escape should she try to—what could she really do? She’s tiny and I’m sure she doesn’t have a gun hidden in her dress anywhere.
She’s the enemy, I remind myself.
“Well, are you going to stand there all day or are you going to ask your ‘one question’?” she asks, her eyes nearly rolling back in her head.
I look at her for a few seconds longer and then go sit by her, pleased when she flushes as my shoulder brushes hers.
“Are you this cheeky with all the kings you meet?”
“No, something about you brings it out in me,” she says, grinning. “Was that your question?”
This time I do groan. “No, it wasn’t. Why did you tell me to watch my back?”
She shifts uncomfortably with that question, the lightness in her demeanor quickly shifting.
“It’s been no secret that there was a threat on your life. I hoped I’d get to meet you before anything bad happened to you.”
“And who do you suspect to be behind this? Can you admit there’s a strong possibility that it’s your father?”
“If it were my father, that would mean he has a good reason to protect himself. What have you threatened him with lately?”
It’s as I suspected, she’s here to fish, either of her own accord or to take information back to her father. I suspect he loves her too much to put her at this much risk, but he’s a despicable man…maybe I’m giving him too much credit.
I need space and get up to stand in front of the window.
“I have never threatened your father. I’ve only ever come forward with talks of peace and to negotiate ways to move past the barriers between our kingdoms…there has been no threat from me. The last I knew, your father was very sick and wasn’t in a position to be harmful, so I thought my life was in the clear for a while longer. This cousin of yours…he seems intent to carry things further than your father ever has. Do you find that to be true?”
Her expressions have shifted from hopeful to guarded to confused all in the course of seconds.
“How involved are you in the running of Alidonia, Delilah?”
Her shoulders falter for a second before she sits up straight, stoicism bouncing off of her. She’s probably counting on me not noticing, but I try my best not to miss a thing when it comes to my adversaries. And the way I can’t take my eyes off of her is only adding to my attention to detail. My eyes narrow on her hands fisting and unfisting and her face is flushed when I look at her again.
“I’m here, aren’t I?”
I wait for her to say more and when she doesn’t, I chuckle. “You say that as if it’s an answer.”
Her eyes flash with anger and she stands, stalking toward me until I wonder if she might mow me down. I hear her sharp intake of breath and force myself not to react to the nearness of her. She’s extremely hard to ignore.
“What do you want?” I whisper. “Does your father even know you’re here?”
Her chest rises and falls and I can’t resist, I reach out and brush my fingers across her face. Her eyes close and her lips part and I have never been so fucking turned on in my life. When her eyes flutter open, my craving for her is so strong that I’m practically trembling inside. I school my features into indifference and wait for her next cue.
She leans in and I stop breathing for the seconds she stares up at me, our noses nearly touching.
“I don’t want my father’s last days to be spent stressing over what you’re going to do next. Why is he so obsessed with you if not for your threatening him in some way? Back down and let us live in peace. Better yet, submit to my father and let’s join kingdoms.”
I frown at her, momentarily taken aback. When she continues to stare up at me with those eyes that remind me of the stones in the Cave of Stars, I clench my jaw shut and fold my arms across my chest, causing her to take a step back.
“Either you have been grossly misled or your naïveté is appalling.” The contempt drips from my voice and I don’t bother anymore to contain it. “I’m not sure which is more detestable.” The color rises in her cheeks and it gives me a small dose of satisfaction. “I suggest you go home, ask your daddy to fill you in on the way he conducts business, and let us take things from there.”
If I thought her flushed skin was due to embarrassment, the way her eyes flash in the next instant proves me wrong.
“You’re no better than any other man, thinking that I’m incapable of anything because I’m a woman. I assure you, I am fully capable.”
“I have no doubt that if you were informed, you would be fully capable; however, all you have proven today is that you know nothing. You know nothing about me, and sadly, it seems you know nothing about your father…or in the case of the latter, I’d say that’s probably a blessing since
you can’t choose who your father is.” I soften my next words and attempt the mercy that usually comes easily to me…for some reason, she has me in a rage I don’t typically feel toward anyone. “You’re playing a dangerous game, Delilah. One you don’t know the rules to, and one in which you don’t have all of the information…please go home before someone is needlessly hurt.”
I move past her and she reaches out and grabs my arm.
“Is that a threat?”
I sigh and feel the weight of what I have to do every day as king bearing down on my chest.
“For the last time, I am not a threat to you.” I steady my eyes on her and pray that she’s paying attention. “But I’d be worried about your family, once they find out you’ve been playing negotiator. Something tells me there’s a reason you’ve been kept in the dark.”
She pales and the way her skin can go from flushed to white is fascinating. I swallow hard and attempt to think of something other than what her skin would do under my touch. What shade would her skin turn under the stubble of my chin or if I sucked her skin between my lips and gave it the hard bite that suddenly seems to be all I can think about…how many shades of pink?
“Please don’t let anyone know about this meeting.” Her voice shakes and the way she clenches my arm sends a bolt right through me. “What can I do to convince you that I have the right motives?”
“Go home and stay out of this.”
I put my hand over hers and the way she looks up at me is almost beguiling enough for me to want to move mountains just to see her content. I drop my hand like it’s on fire and her hand falls off of my arm as I walk toward the window.
“And if, God forbid, my father doesn’t live and I become queen—will you be more forthright in your political aspirations toward my country?”
I rub my temples and focus on the colors of the sunset. We’re going to just continue in these circles if we try to talk any longer.
“I’ve entertained this conversation long enough,” I say with as much kindness as I can. “I’ll ask you to close the door behind you on your way out.”
A few seconds later, I hear the click of the door closing and take a deep breath, sagging into the window. What was that? I feel like I’ve run a marathon and am in last place, not sure where I went wrong. Watch my back indeed…somehow the attraction to Delilah Farthing feels far more dangerous than any recent attempts on my life.
Chapter Five
Delilah
I go home feeling defeated and like I have more questions than ever. My conversation with Jadon has plagued my thoughts all the way home. And what makes it worse is that I don’t know how I’m going to find out the truth when I was supposed to have been on a shopping expedition…for a wardrobe, not gaining secrets from our greatest ally.
When I think of Jadon, my body turns to mush. I resort to a typical female, all giddy inside over a gorgeous man whose power seeps from his pores. I’m thoroughly ashamed of the way I fell captive to his charms; even when he wasn’t being charming, the passion that exuded from him when he was abrasive was almost more powerful.
The only thing I really accomplished from this trip is knowing I could sneak out and none would be the wiser. Diego leaves as soon as my father greets us, his exhaustion from partying while we were away probably sending him straight to bed. And my father smiles warmly at me and hugs me as tight as his weak body can manage.
“Did you buy out all the shops?” he asks.
“Not quite. But I did get some nice things. Maybe I can take another trip later to fill in what I didn’t find…”
He pats my cheek. “I’m glad you got away. You’ve spent too much of your time cooped up in this house, worried about me. It’s time we have a little fun. I decided something while you were away.”
“Oh?” I grin. I can tell by the mischief in his eyes that he’s up to something and it makes me so happy to see the life back in his eyes.
“I’ve decided to throw a ball,” he says, clasping his hands together. His smile is bigger than I’ve seen it in years and I hug him again.
“That’s a great idea! Anything that makes you smile like this…” I lean back and beam at him.
“It’ll be the biggest ball any of the kingdoms have ever seen…and all the key players will be here to witness it,” he pauses to let his words sink in.
I put a hand to my throat when I realize what he’s saying. “You’re inviting all of the monarchies here? Is that wise?”
He throws back his head and laughs and I shiver, my nerves feeling whiplashed.
“Sweetheart, trust me, you won’t have to worry about a thing. We will have more security than anyone knows what to do with, and you won’t have to lift a finger for any of the arrangements unless you want to help with the planning. While you were gone, I handled most of that. You just need to show up and be your beautiful self.”
I groan and scowl at him, which just makes him laugh harder.
“I’m capable of doing a lot more around here. I wish you’d let me,” I shake my finger at him, “but I’m glad to see you excited about something. How about I take it from here and you just keep getting better. How much time do we have to plan this?”
“Invitations have already gone out and it will be in two weeks.”
“What? No one will be able to arrange that with such short notice!”
“When the almighty King Farthing gets up from the dead, you don’t think people want to see it for themselves? They will find a way to get here, mark my words.”
He puts his arm around my shoulder and we walk into the living room.
“You probably didn’t purchase something suitable for a ball of this magnitude on your trip,” he teases. “We can have a selection of gowns brought in for you to consider…in the next few days, if you’d like.”
“I can’t believe you’ve done all of this in such a short amount of time.” My eyes well with tears and as we sit on the couch, I take his hand. “Just a month ago, I thought I was losing you.”
“I have at least six lives left,” he says, laying his other hand on top of mine.
I look at my father, grateful that the color is in his cheeks, that he doesn’t seem feverish, and that his body is beginning to fill out again after months of emaciation. His recovery is nothing short of remarkable.
“Thank you for fighting this sickness, Papa,” I whisper, my words catching in my throat. “And for getting the best care. I-I don’t know what I’d do without you.”
“You’d be just fine without me. I’ve made sure Caulder knows the ins and outs of what will be required of both of you. You can lean on him for whatever support you need whenever the time comes.”
“Hopefully that won’t be for a long, long time. You’re still young, after all.” I smile when he makes a face. “I’m glad Caulder’s here, but it’s not the same as having you. He still thinks of me as his pesky younger cousin who is always trying to be in his business.”
My father chuckles and looks so much like he used to in that moment. I study his features, trying to imagine the man Jadon thinks my father is…the monster he portrayed in his few words about him. The father I know is, at worst, overprotective and somewhat old-fashioned, but he could never be as evil as Jadon made him sound.
“Caulder will show you the proper respect when it’s time,” he laughs again, “but I think you’re right, in his mind, you’re still tattling on him for smoking behind the bushes.”
“I haven’t smoked behind the bushes in ages—are you still dredging up my past, Delilah?” Caulder walks in looking the part of a regal aristocrat, not a hair or thread out of place. He winks and pulls out a cigarette case from his pocket. “I don’t have to go hide behind the bushes now, scared you’ll rat me out again.”
I get up, snatching the case out of his hands. I wave it in front of him. “These will kill you. I can’t help it that I want the two men in my life to live forever.”
He smirks and holds out his hand for the case. I roll my eyes but d
rop the case in his hand and he puts it back in his pocket.
“You’re not queen yet…you’re not the boss of me,” he says it playfully, but something in his eyes makes me take a step back and I sit down by my father again, unsettled.
Caulder laughs then. “The two of you are a serious bunch today. We have a ball in two weeks. We should start drinking and being merry now…so it’s not a shock to our system then.” He goes to the bar and pulls out two glasses. He lifts an eye to my father and grins when he’s rewarded with a brisk nod.
I frown and look at my dad. “The doctor said you shouldn’t—”
“Oh, let the man breathe, Delilah. He’s been laid up in that bed for months. Let him live a little.” Caulder fills two glasses with brandy and when he brings my father his and doesn’t hand me the other glass but clashes the glass with my father’s and then finishes it in one gulp, I scowl at him.
“Thank you, that was so sweet of you to offer,” I grumble. I stand up and walk to the bar. “Guess I’ll get my own.”
“There will come a day when I do all your bidding,” Caulder says. “But as I said, that day is not here yet.”
My face heats as I pour myself a drink and lift it to both of them. He’s always saying things like that and it gets under my skin every time. I didn’t ask to be the next in line. I wish it could be Caulder and he lets me know in these small ways all the time that he wishes the same thing. But in the next glance, he’s grinning and sticking his tongue out at me and I relax; my cousin has always known how to push my buttons. Even more than my brother used to.
“To Papa’s health.” I lift my glass to them and let the liquid slide down my throat, enjoying the burn.