by Willow Aster
I start laughing hysterically and when my dad and Caulder grab my arms, guards start walking toward us.
“Let me go. You’ll want to hear what else I have to say,” I say loud enough for my voice to echo through the chapel. “I’m carrying Jadon Safrin’s baby, and therefore, I will not be marrying Xang Avaban today or ever. Our agreement stopped holding validity when I lost my virginity and—” I pull one last thing out of my bouquet—my phone. I push play and put the phone in the microphone so everyone can hear the recording of Avaban and Caulder.
Caulder tries to rip the phone away from me and the guards hold him back. They surround Avaban and my father and once I have room, I pull the ribbons on my dress, making the pile of ruffles fall to the ground in a heap. I have a sleek dress on underneath and shoes made for running, and as soon as I step around the huge mound of material, that’s exactly what I do.
Chapter Thirty
Jadon
I don’t know what to do but watch the wedding unfold. There are too many guards to get on the grounds today. Kidnapping her just isn’t an option…for now anyway. I’m sitting, watching the screens like a man lost in self-pity. I let the whiskey drain down my throat and pour another shot, sick that she’s actually going through with this.
I’m surprised by her wedding dress choice, but even though it’s the last thing I’d have expected her to wear, she still looks like a goddess.
My goddess.
I sling back the shot and pour another, a little bit dripping down the side of the glass.
She looks like she might fall over under the weight of that elaborate gown, but fuck me, she’s so pretty. I’m picturing her out of that dress, the way she looked on her bed in the moonlight, her pale skin luminous and so soft. Quincie turns up the sound and I give my head a good shake to snap me out of this.
“What the fuck?” he says.
“What? What happened?”
“Did you see that? She pulled two things out of her bouquet, or maybe that dress? That’s a fucking huge dress, what does she have hidden in that thing?” He laughs.
“Shhh, what is she saying?”
“I didn’t catch it, but Xang is holding—wait, he just threw it down!” Quincie tries to zoom in on whatever he dropped, but I’m too busy watching Xang’s face. He looks enraged.
“Oh shit, what is she doing?” I say under my breath.
I hear her then, as clear as day, when she says, “The baby’s not Xang’s.” All the blood rushes to my head and I lean in watching her as close as I can get. And when I hear her say my name, I nearly fall to my knees.
“I’m carrying Jadon Safrin’s baby, and therefore, I will not be marrying Xang Avaban today or ever.”
Everything else is a blur. I see her gown collapse and watch her take off running, but I’m out the door, stumbling toward the castle before I see anything else.
I watch for her along the way, knowing in the back of my mind she probably couldn’t meet me this fast, but when I reach the edge of the Farthing grounds and still haven’t seen her, I’m surprised. I climb over the gate and am surrounded instantly.
A dozen guards are on me, pulling me up to my feet and knocking me down in the next second. I’m punched in the face and in the stomach, the knees, over and over until everything is a big ache and I’m not even sure where they’re hitting because everything hurts. I don’t stop punching and kicking, although I’m stalled a bit when I’m repeatedly stabbed. I manage to knock at least six to the ground but more keep coming. I’m dragged in the grass and behind the castle, my eyes barely open enough to make out where we’re going, but I feel when the grass changes to stone and I’m taken underground, down steep stairs, where it feels damp and cold, the water seeping through the stone and chilling the air. Stone turns to dirt and the clanging of metal makes me jump before I’m dumped into a cell and the bars lock me in.
I lean over and struggle to stay alert, the vision of Delilah running out of that chapel in white, the last thing I see.
I rise and fall into consciousness like a wave I can’t quite catch. One minute I feel myself surfacing above water, only to sink to the bottom for an indeterminable time. I gasp for air and I try to swim to the light, but when I open my eyes, there is only darkness.
It’s quiet except for the chatter of rats close-by, and I pound my hand on the dirt when one gets too close. Delilah was running to me, I know she was. I hope to God she got out of there safely. I pace the floor, dripping blood all over the dirt, and rattle the bars, yelling until I’m hoarse. I have a knife wound in my lower back and a couple in my legs. I rip up my shirt to make a tourniquet, focusing on the wound bleeding the most.
I pass out again and dream that she’s forced to marry Avaban anyway. It’s the rattle of the cage that wakes me up and I try to keep my eyes open long enough to see who stands over me, on the other side of the bars.
“It’s me, boss,” Quincie whispers. “It’s the middle of the night and the night guard took a break. I knocked out the second one. I’ll figure out a way to get you out of here. I’m not sure we can trust any of the guards. Paquin has disappeared…Avaban and Caulder have been arrested, but the guards are on you nonstop. I’m not sure what to think.”
“Stay on Delilah,” I croak. I lean over and cough up blood.
“I’m so sorry, King. I let you down.”
“Does Luka know what’s happened?”
“He’s on his way.”
“Watch Delilah…don’t worry about me. I’m afraid for her.”
“Yes, sir. I swear I will.”
“Quincie?”
“Yes, sir?”
“If something happens to me, make sure Delilah is taken to Farrow…make sure she’s taken care of…her and the baby.”
“Nothing’s going to happen to you,” he says, his voice breaking.
I sit up, trying to keep my wits together and stay awake. I have to come up with a plan. I crawl to the edge of the bars and rattle them until my fists feel twice their size. Sleep comes again as hard as I try to fight it, and this time when I see Delilah, she’s screaming and bloody and I thrash around on the ground, banging into the walls and getting dirt in my wounds. I’m a raw, exposed nerve and the pain is so great that I don’t know whether I’m alive or if I’ve already died.
Chapter Thirty-One
Jadon
“He’s still alive?”
“I think so. He yelled for most of the night and then quieted down the past hour or so. He’s still talking in his sleep. I think he’s dreaming of the princess. He keeps yelling her name.”
“Don’t let the king hear you say that. He’s torn apart the first floor of the castle, all on his own.”
“Has he lost it? I thought he was sick again.”
“Apparently he was being poisoned by the nephew. Bastard can’t keep any of his family members happy.” The guard laughs and it sounds like he’s slapped hard. “Ow, what was that for?”
“Don’t be talking about the king like that if you want to stay alive. What are you thinking? There are ears everywhere around here, man!”
“Okay, okay. I like a little drama, but this is a bit much for me, know what I’m saying? I like to get home to the missus, have a little port before bed…staying up all night watching a dungeon is not my idea of a good—”
“Did I not say to shut up?”
“You’re pissy tonight.”
“It’s been a long time since we’ve had anyone in the dungeon. It makes me anxious.”
“Fair enough.”
“Hey, did you hear that?”
I rattle the bars and listen as the guards pause and step closer. One of them comes around the corner and shines a light in my face. I put my hand over my eyes and he lowers the light.
“Could I have some water?” I ask.
“Uh, we don’t have any water for you. Sorry,” the one who’s ready for his daily port says.
“Would you mind getting some? I won’t trouble you for anything else,” I add.
“What’s he saying?” the other one asks.
“He wants water,” the first one whispers.
“He doesn’t get anything out of us. Nothing. Don’t go near him. We’re to stay as far from him as possible. King says he’s not to be trusted.”
They walk away and I strain to hear what they’ll say, but they’re quiet, and they don’t come back.
The hours stretch, perhaps feeling more prolonged because every cell in me is aching to get out and find Delilah, but the injuries are also distracting and making every second an agony.
I don’t hear any soldiers talking, no guards gossiping outside the door. Everything is still, too still.
My stomach gave up growling a while ago, the gnarling sounds a mere flutter now. If I tried to eat, it would just come up anyway. I tell myself to shove the hunger away.
I dream and wake and it all feels the same, each hell is as bad as the next, except in the dreams, sometimes I see Delilah’s face and that is mostly better…until I see her father dragging her away from me, hear her screams, see Caulder squeezing her throat until his handprints are huge red marks on her neck. In those moments, I pray to wake, and when I do, I pray that none of this is real. That she got away and is safe from the evil clutches of her family. I don’t know who to blame for this, if it was Caulder who caught me before I could get to Delilah, or if it was Vance. It doesn’t really matter, I think they both wanted me dead. Where is Delilah, and who is she with?
“Jadon, wake up.” My cheeks are slapped, lightly at first and then harder. “Wake up!”
I feel something wet on my face and I reach out blindly, grabbing a wrist.
“There you are. Come on. Let’s get you out of here. Star, back up, girl. Let him breathe.”
Star’s tail thumps loudly against the bar.
“Luka?”
He flashes a light over me and cringes when he gets a better look.
“Yep, it’s me, brother. You look half-dead. You still in there?” He taps my head and grins, already giving me a hard time.
“You’re not going to let me live this down, are you?” I groan, laughing and then coughing as he helps me sit up. I wince, rubbing my ribs.
“And why should I? Even the great Jadon Safrin needs a knight in shining armor to save him now and then…”
“It would be you,” I mutter. He helps me stand and one of his guards gets on the other side, helping me balance. “Thank you. I’m really glad to see all of you.”
They help me up the stone steps and when the sunlight hits my face, I duck, the brightness shooting pain directly behind my eyes. Star walks as close to me as she can get, which is difficult since Luka is already doing the same.
“Watch your step,” Luka says, as we step over two bodies. “These guys weren’t so lucky.”
“Where’s Delilah?”
“Uh,” he starts and then falters. The dread builds in my gut.
“Tell me.”
“Vance took her. We haven’t been able to find her yet, but I have people searching the castle for information. Everyone cleared out of there after the wedding and whoever didn’t, we took care of…they’ll find something.”
I sag into Luka and he carries most of my weight the rest of the way. A helicopter is on the Farthing grounds, propeller whirling.
“How long was I down there?”
“Three days.”
His answer hits me like a hard slap to the face.
“Fuck. Delilah could be anywhere by now.”
We fly to one of the Safrin safe houses where my wounds are tended by one of our family doctors. I start out with broth and work my way up to toast by later in the evening. The next day, we fly back to Farrow.
I argue with our family doctor about taking meds. He’s waiting for me when I get off the plane and insists I go straight to bed. My ribs are bandaged and I got stitches in my chest at the safe house. He looks over my other bruises and frowns.
“I’d like you to take something tonight. Mainly so you can sleep through the night. Knowing you, you haven’t slept a straight night through in months now.”
I look at him sheepishly. “I could use the rest, but it’s not good timing. There’s someone I have to find.”
“You’re not going to find anyone if you’re dead.” His mouth is a flat line of disapproval.
“True,” I chuckle, “I guess one night of sleep can only help.”
The rest does help and when I wake up the next morning, feeling better than I’ve felt in weeks despite being banged up, I think about calling my doctor to thank him for forcing me to rest.
But the sight that greets me in the dining room makes me forget everything for the moment.
Ava and Gentry are sitting at the table, eating breakfast. When Ava sees me walk into the room, she jumps up and runs to me, hugging me and then apologizing when she remembers I’m hurt.
Eden and Luka walk in and they hug me too and Gentry gets up to join the fun. Star growls when she can’t get to me and Gentry laughs, backing up enough to let her in.
“Am I dead? What is going on here? What are you all doing here? Any word?” I ask Luka.
He shakes his head and I feel myself deflate.
“We were so worried about you!” Ava says, helping me to a chair like I’m an invalid.
I kiss her forehead and laugh when she stares into my eyes like she’s trying to read my mind. “What are you doing?”
“Just making sure you’re of sound mind,” she says. “Do you feel like you were drugged?”
“Not until I got home. What—”
“Well, you know what happened to me and Mother…just making sure you’re not dealing with the same. You might not even be aware of it.” She shrugs.
“I was mostly left alone in the cell. I don’t think they knew what to do with me. It wasn’t as high tech as your whole ordeal was…but you’ve made a good point. I should do a scan today to make sure.”
“How’s Mother?” Ava asks quietly.
“We had an interesting conversation before I left. She apologized.”
Both Eden and Ava stare at me in shock. I take a few spoonfuls of scrambled eggs and slather my toast with peanut butter, honey, and gheirdan. When the flavors hit my taste buds, I groan, my eyes closing.
“I missed food.”
“Tell us about the apology,” Ava says.
“It was…surprising. She might just be desperate to get out of that house, but she apologized for everything…said she should’ve accepted me long ago.”
“Wow.” Ava lets out a shaky breath. “That must have been—are you okay?”
I grin at her and pat her hand. “I’m fine. I learned a long time ago not to get my hopes up about Kathryn. Time will tell if she meant what she said. With all the conflict with the Farthings, I don’t really have time to get to the bottom of it. I have to find Delilah.”
“Eden said you fell for her.” Ava grins and she and Eden share a look.
I frown at Eden and she just smiles. “I never said that…well, except to her.” Everyone laughs and I start coughing when I laugh too.
“She must feel something for you too, since she’s having your baby!” Ava yells the last three words, throwing her hands up and pumping her fist. “It is about time I’m an auntie!”
“Oh, you heard about that.” I beam at her and then quickly sober, the realization of where everything stands too dire to be happy about anything. “I have to make sure she’s okay. Her father—I don’t know what he’ll do to her…and honestly—there’s no way to know it’s true until we find her. She could’ve been doing all of that for show. It was a good one,” I add. “I need to know if it’s true, but more importantly, we need to get her out of her father’s control. I believe he’s capable of anything.”
“I thought it was more the cousin…Caulder? What about Titus?” Gentry frowns.
“All I know is Caulder and Titus are both in prison and she’s still missing…I’ve never trusted her father. But who knows? Noth
ing would surprise me now. I need to find her so we can get to the bottom of all of this.”
Gentry nods. “We’ll find her.” He looks half asleep, and Ava reaches out and brushes his hair back with her fingers. He smiles at her with adoration.
“Love looks good on the two of you,” I tell them.
Ava grins. “It’ll look good on you too. Get well and we’ll figure out where your girl is.”
“I’m still not positive we can trust her,” Eden says. “But I really like her.”
“Why don’t we pay Mother a visit and ask her about Caulder—or if she remembers anything else.” Ava frowns at me. “Did you already?”
“I haven’t lately, no.”
“Okay, finish eating and then we’ll go ask her a few things.”
“Yes, ma’am,” I tease Ava, poking her in the side.
She shrugs. “I figure I have bossing rights until the day I die…I don’t see anyone else telling you what to do.”
We all laugh and I have the thought that everything would be right in the world…if Delilah were here. My house is full of the people I love. She should be here too.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Delilah
I was so close to freedom.
So close to getting back to Jadon.
The justice, seeing the color drain out of Caulder’s face when he heard his sins exposed on live television, the triumph, seeing the look on my father’s face when he heard I was pregnant with Jadon’s child.
I thought I’d covered all the bases.
I should’ve known it couldn’t be that easy.
I didn’t believe it myself when I realized I was pregnant; Solvang was the first to mention it when I kept saying how tired I was.
“You’re acting like my cousin did when she was first with child,” she said, laughing. “Good thing you’re getting married soon, you can still cover it up if you are.”
I hadn’t responded to that, although I did stare at her in shock and hoped she just thought it was because I wasn’t used to talking so freely about sex with a stranger.