by Willow Aster
“I’m so sorry. I-I didn’t know. I can’t imagine knowing someone in my family wants me dead. As angry as I am with my father right now, I believe he thinks he’s doing what’s best for me…even though he’s wrong.”
I nod and look down at our hands then reluctantly pull mine away. “My very existence proves my father’s betrayal in his marriage. He loved my stepmother very much, but the fact that I was born proves that he wasn’t faithful to her early in their marriage. I am a constant reminder of his affair. He tried to make it up to her until the day he died, but I am like salt in the wound.”
“Where is your real mother?”
“I try really hard to remember my mother. I loved her very much. She died when I was six and she’s never been spoken about in this house.” I walk into the room and look back at her. “Do you think this will be okay? I’m right next door. This wing is separate from everything else and more private, but I didn’t want you to be too far away from me. At least until I can get more security and we know what’s happening with your father.”
She steps in the room and still doesn’t seem to see anything but me. She looks tiny and forlorn, exhaustion bending her shoulders—that or grief, I don’t know her well enough to know for sure.
“I thought I knew my father so well,” she whispers. “I have to find out why he’s doing this.”
“You let me know what you want your next step to be. I am offering you a refuge here for as long as you need it.”
Her shoulders dip and she puts her hand to her mouth, her chest rising deeply with a breath. “Thank you. I think I’ll sleep a while, and then hopefully I’ll have more answers later.”
I nod and start to back out of the door. “The bathroom is through that door. You should find everything you need in there. I’ll have Eden set a few changes of clothes outside your door. Find me when you wake up and we’ll figure out the next step.”
I close the door and put my hand on it, hesitant to leave her when she seems so sad.
I get to my room and even though I’m exhausted, I know I’m too wired to sleep. I text Ava, all of this concern over getting Delilah to safety making me worry about my little sister too.
You still loving traveling the world?
Ava: It’s the best thing ever. It’s the middle of the night there—why aren’t you asleep?
Just thinking about you. No sign of anyone following you still?
Ava: Not even a slightly questionable sign. What about there? Anything unusual?
Only the enemy’s daughter in my house. I start typing but delete the words. Finally, I just say, So far nothing new. I wish I knew who was behind your abduction. I’d feel more at peace about everything right now.
Ava: You okay? Is something going on that you’re not telling me?
My little sister, always the most perceptive of all of us. She resists the monarchy more than us, but she’d probably be the one best suited to rule all the kingdoms combined.
Not sleeping. It’s just got me extra melancholy. I love you, little one.
Ava: Love you too. You’re worrying me. Should Gentry and I come home?
No. I’d feel terrible if you missed out on your trip of a lifetime because I’m having a weird night. Enjoy your trip! Just send more pictures. You’ve been slacking.
Ava: Okay. Will do. :)
I lie down and when sleep finally comes, I dream that I’m being chased by King Farthing and Delilah.
Chapter Thirteen
Jadon
Despite my crazy dreams, I feel better when I wake up. I get a shower and when I walk past Delilah’s room, I slow down, listening for any signs that she’s awake. All is quiet. I walk downstairs and hear something being discussed in the dining room. When I walk inside, Luka, Eden, and Delilah stop talking and turn to look at me.
“What’s going on?” I look at each of them and notice that most of the tension is gone between Eden and Delilah. Interesting.
“I’d like to do a news conference immediately. Word is already out that I’m missing,” Delilah says.
“Did you decide where you’d like to do it?” I sit down across from her and she taps on the table with her fingertips.
“The Sea of Caninsula seems the easiest.”
Luka nods and I look at the lunch I’ve missed. My stomach growls and I grab a piece of bread.
“The sooner, the better,” Delilah adds.
I take a few bites and stand up. “I can have the plane ready immediately.”
“I think we should take my plane,” Luka says. “I don’t want to cast any doubt on you—if they know it’s your plane, they might come looking for her here.”
I nod. “Okay. Do you have security in place in Niaps should her father come after you?”
“Yes,” Luka says with a grin. “And Basile is on his way here, along with five of our guards. I’ll sleep better knowing they’re here.”
“Thank you. It’ll be good to see him,” I add. I wave my hand. “Should we get going?”
“I think you should stay here,” Delilah says. “Now that I know a little more about what you’ve been through recently, I don’t want to put you in any more danger than I already have.”
“I can’t just sit here and wonder what’s going on. I’ll go crazy. And you’re coming back here afterward…right?” The thought of her leaving so soon makes my head hurt.
She stands up and walks toward me. She smiles sheepishly when I look up. I forget about everyone else and stare at her.
“Jadon, you saved me last night and I’ll always be grateful. It’d be best if I stayed somewhere neutral, so all of this doesn’t come back on you. I’d feel terrible if I caused more of a divide between you and my father. Luka and Eden filled me in a little more on the history between our kingdoms than you have. I know my father has always talked about the Safrin family as the enemy, but now that I’ve met you for myself…I have found the most caring and selfless people. I just want to let him know that, somehow…once he gets this idea of me marrying Avaban out of his head, maybe I can reason with him about your family.”
I stand up and grip her shoulders, staring at her in horror. “Let me make that choice for myself. I’d feel better with you here. Please just let me protect you until we know how your father is going to react to you leaving.”
She swallows hard and eventually nods. “Okay. Let’s see what happens after the news conference.”
My hands drop and I take her hands in mine. She bites her bottom lip and looks so nervous, I can’t take it. I lean down and hug her, wrapping my arms around her and feeling her sag into me. Over her shoulder, Luka and Eden are both staring at us in shock and I can’t even pretend to care. I glare at Luka when he starts to smirk and he lifts a shoulder at me like, “What are you gonna do about it?”
When I pull back and look at Delilah, she smiles up at me and my heart thunders in response. This girl. Why does she affect me so much?
“I’ll be on the plane and Eden is coming too. I don’t want to leave her here without us,” Luka says. “We can come back tonight and then we need to get back to Niaps tomorrow, if everything goes okay today.”
“Let’s do this.” I grab an apple and bite into it as we walk down the hall and outside where the plane is waiting.
“Have you guys always been this close?” Delilah asks, pointing between Luka and me.
“It took a while for me to grow on Jadon,” Luka says, grinning.
Eden snorts and pokes Luka in the side.
“Because you lead with asshole,” she says. “It took a while for you to show your kindness.”
He shrugs and I laugh because she’s right and we all know it.
“Were you close to your brother?” Eden asks and Delilah’s smile drops. “Sorry, is that too personal?”
“No, not at all. I wasn’t very close to him. He was very close to my father and Caulder. I was closer to my father than to either of them, but being the only girl in the house after my mom passed away…they like to remind me th
at I don’t need to bother myself with all of the stressful aspects of the kingdom. It gets exhausting, feeling like I’m in the dark all the time.” She bites her lip and buckles her seat belt once we’re all in place. “I’m thinking I must have been in the dark even more than I knew.” Her voice fades and she looks out the window, deep in thought.
“Maybe forcing your dad’s hand about this will be the best thing you’ve ever done,” Eden says. She reaches out and squeezes Delilah’s hand. “He needs to know you have a say in this. My marriage to Luka was an arranged one, but we both knew it was happening from a young age. Luka didn’t want it, but I did.” She laughs. “Until I married him, that is. Obviously, things worked out for us, but…you not having a clue until the party—I can’t imagine that. I’m glad you got out of there.”
Luka starts the plane and we’re quiet until we’re in the air. I work on my laptop while Eden and Delilah talk and when I set it aside, I lift my hands over my head and stretch.
“You look tired. Did you not sleep well last night?” she asks.
When I shake my head, she sighs.
“None of us did. I feel bad that I turned your trip to my country upside down. I would’ve enjoyed showing Alidonia to you,” Delilah says and then clutches her chest, her face paling.
“What’s wrong?” When she doesn’t answer right away, I touch her arm and she looks at me, eyes wide.
“I just realized after this news conference, I may never be allowed in Alidonia again.”
I take her hand in mine and ignore Eden’s watchful eyes. “Let’s not worry about that yet, okay? One roadblock at a time. I’ve been talking with the ambassador in Caninsula. They’re prepared for you and willing to stand with us, should the need arise.” I squeeze her hand and let it go.
“Thank you. That was fast. Why would they agree to this?” She pulls her sleeves over her hands.
“Are you cold? Here, I’ll get a blanket.” I stand and grab one off of the nearby couch, handing it to her.
“Thank you.” She stares at me like I’m a mystery she hasn’t figured out yet, and I know exactly how she feels. She’s hard to read.
“You should both get some rest. It’ll be a while yet before we land, and you’ll need your wits about you, Delilah. The bed is ready for you if you need to take a nap.”
“I’ll be good here,” Eden says, lowering her seat back. “You take the room, Delilah.”
“I won’t be able to sleep. You take it, Eden.”
Eden laughs and looks at Delilah. “Why don’t you at least try? Lie down and rest, if nothing else.”
“I’d prefer to be in here with Jadon, if that’s okay. I have questions about who I’ll be meeting.”
Eden lifts her seat up. “If you’re sure.” She smirks at me and I warn her with my expression to not say anything to embarrass me. “Later, brother.” She leans down and kisses my cheek, whispering in my ear. “I dare you to think of another ten reasons to touch her.” She laughs again and stands up, walking to the bedroom.
“Siblings.” I laugh awkwardly, hoping to God Delilah didn’t hear Eden. “They’re impossible.”
“Seems like you’ve got a pretty good deal going with yours. Are you close to your younger sister too?”
“Very.” I nod and turn to face her. She’s staring out the window, her gaze sorrowful. “You said you weren’t very close to your brother?”
“I wanted to be. Does that count?”
I think of Kathryn and how I spent a lifetime striving to win her love. The thought of anyone causing Delilah to feel that way sends a spike through my heart.
“But you seem so easy to get along with.” I came so close to saying easy to love but stopped myself in the nick of time. Where did that come from?
“I’m realizing how easy I’ve made it for my father and cousin to leave me out of the equation. They don’t treat me the way you do Eden—the fact that you included her in getting me out of Alidonia…that would’ve never happened.”
“So, your trip to see me really was a first step for you trying to take control somewhere? By what? Getting me into submission?” I grin when I see her flinch and know I’ve hit the nail on the head.
“Alidonia is the largest kingdom and the most powerful,” she says quietly. Even though she seems embarrassed, I can tell she believes what she’s saying. “My father obsesses over Farrow and you, so I wanted to make my own headway with you…prove to him that I’m capable of more.”
“Delilah, you know I will never give up my kingdom to Alidonia, right?”
“Even if my father isn’t king?”
A chill runs through me and I sit back in my seat, staring straight ahead. “Just when I start thinking I can trust you, I’m reminded that you’re a Farthing through and through.”
She shifts in her seat but doesn’t say anything. I lean my head back and think about what the implications of all I’ve done for Delilah could mean for my kingdom. When I risk another glance at her some time later, she’s sound asleep, her face turned to mine.
She looks like an angel. I’d do well to remember that she’s far from it.
Chapter Fourteen
Delilah
Ambassador Danes greets us at the airport and talks ninety miles an hour as we drive to a remote building nearby.
“King Otto is meeting us there and will have a few words to say at the end of your speech,” Danes says. He looks at Jadon and Luka. “I’m assuming you have something prepared as well.”
Luka and Jadon look at one another and nod. They seem to have a way of communicating without words and I’m envious of that. It’s similar to my father and Caulder and I wonder for the hundredth time—how long have they been plotting my marriage to Avaban?
We’re stopping before I’m ready, my mouth suddenly going dry at what I’m about to say. But I’m whisked to a back room apart from Jadon, which makes me nervous. He’s treated me differently since I woke up and I miss the warmth that had started to form between us. I remember his hug in Farrow and I hope he’s not changed his mind about helping me, because I feel like a fish out of water. It seems like every time we talk about our kingdoms, tensions rise. Something I said set him off and I wish I could take it back.
I put on a pantsuit Eden loaned me and feel like it makes me look at least ten years older. It’s tighter and smarter than the whimsical pieces I usually wear, and I frown as I look in the mirror. Eden knocks and steps in, stopping in front of me.
“You don’t like it?” she asks.
“It’s just not me.”
“I think that’s good for today, don’t you? Maybe your father will see this no-nonsense version of you and take notice.”
“If only it were that simple. I hope you’re right.”
I reluctantly walk out of the cocoon of the dressing room into the room teeming with young journalists and camera crews from the various news stations from all over the world. I’m floored by what Jadon was able to set up in such a short amount of time. I told him what I wanted and he was making it happen while I slept. If I hope to be taken seriously at all, I’ll have to learn to pull my own weight…
The room grows still as they notice me walking toward the microphone. I notice Jadon and Luka standing to the left side of the podium and a few other dignitaries that I vaguely recognize, along with King Otto, whom I’ve never met before. King Otto steps out to greet me and then turns to face the cameras.
“The Sea of Caninsula is extending a warm welcome to Princess Delilah Farthing. She has a few words to say and I ask that all of you listen closely and extend the kindness Caninsula is known for…Princess?” He holds his hand out and I step up to the microphone, my shaking hands resting on the stand in front of me.
“Thank you for your welcome, King Otto. I’d like to extend my gratitude to all of the kingdoms represented here today. I’ll make this short and sweet.” I smile and there are various chuckles throughout the room. “My father arranged a marriage without my knowledge and did not give me the choice
of getting out of it. Since I do not feel comfortable going home knowing that I would be forced to do something I don’t want to do, I’m making it known here and now that I will not marry King Avaban. I still hope to one day rule Alidonia in a way that is best for my kingdom, and this in no way fits that plan. I ask for peace and neutrality between the kingdoms, that my leaving Alidonia willingly will not cause any disruption, only that I be allowed the freedom to marry who I choose when that time comes.” I face one camera in particular and speak to it in hopes my father is watching. “Papa, I love you and I ask that you let this matter drop. Let us be a country of peace and goodwill, even now, amongst each other.” I look around at the people watching me with rapt attention and smile at them, the relief that this is almost over nearly buckling my knees. “Thanks so much for your time.”
I walk to the side of the room, the flash of cameras blinding, and watch as Luka, Jadon, and Alex from Yuman all show their support. Five other kings whose names all flow together—I really will have to learn who everyone is…I’m ashamed of myself for not knowing—also speak, and at the end, journalists start asking questions.
King Otto holds up his hand and says, “That will be all for now. We appreciate you coming out, but Princess Delilah has traveled a long way and I don’t want to exhaust her more. Thank you.” He holds up his hand in a salute and the journalists and camera crews pack up and exit the room.
I’m flanked by Jadon and Luka and a few guards as we walk back to a conference room. King Otto walks in behind us and clears his throat.
“I thought that went as well as can be expected,” he says. He looks at his ambassador and the commanding officer of his army. “Any news from Alidonia?”
“It’s quiet, Sir. No statement has been made yet.”
I already know my father is furious with me. I hope he will cool down and think about this before he says anything.
“I’m hoping he’ll be willing to hear me out. Doing this publicly was the only way I knew to ensure a marriage doesn’t take place. Thank you so much for your willingness to stand behind me. I pray for peace for all of us.” I bow to King Otto and the other kings who have made their way into the room.