* * *
Also yours,
Princess Myka
To Myka, who thankfully signs her letters “also yours,”
* * *
Thank you for your concern about my sleeping habits. I have not been sleeping well over the past three months. The last time I actually slept well was when I slept next to you. Do you think there is a correlation? Or were my peaceful sleeping habits because of the uncomfortable cots in that shack? I would love your opinion on the matter. Perhaps I should consider sleeping next to you for the rest of my life. For the sake of a good night’s rest, of course.
* * *
Forever yours,
Drake
37
Drake
Winter 2260
“What about Commander Stoddard?” Drake asked Trev. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the circular table in the High Rulers’ room after their afternoon meeting. All the other men had long since gone. “Do we just let him get away?”
“He’s not our responsibility,” Trev said.
Drake scoffed. “Not our responsibility?”
“No.” Trev shook his head. “He isn’t from our kingdom, and he’s done nothing against Albion to warrant us chasing after him. Tolsten will find him. They are using their resources to search for him.”
“Fine.” Drake let out a frustrated breath. There was something wrong with Commander Stoddard. He could feel it in his gut, but right now, he couldn’t prove anything. And the other man in the vehicle, the one they said was the Tolsten House doctor—Drake tried to remember where he had seen him before, but he couldn’t place him. Maybe he hadn’t seen him. It had been dark that night, and he’d only gotten a glimpse of the man.
“Hey, can I interrupt?” Renna said, popping her head through the door.
Trev smiled back at her. “Of course. Come in.” He stood, pulling out a chair for her.
She waved a letter in the air out in front of her. “We received a letter from Tolsten about the election.”
“From Myka?” Drake lunged forward across the table, grabbing the letter out of her hand.
Renna shook her head, giving up the envelope. “No, from the royal secretary.”
“Whoa!” Trev said with a smile. “Someone’s excited.”
Drake didn’t care if he looked like an idiot. He’d been nervous for days, waiting for this letter. He tore the envelope open, reading the lines as fast as he could.
“Well?” Renna asked. “What does it say?”
Drake looked up. “She won. Myka won the election.” He tossed the letter onto the desk in front of him and leaned back into his chair, rubbing his hands down his face. He didn’t know why he’d been so nervous. It wasn’t like he was the one campaigning, but he wanted this for Myka. She deserved it.
“An elected queen,” Renna exclaimed. “It’s about time.” She picked up the letter and began reading. “It says that we are invited to her coronation and election party to be held in four weeks.”
Trev groaned. “Three weeks isn’t going to work for us,” he said, looking at Renna. “We won’t be able to attend.”
Renna nodded. “You’re right.”
“Why?” The lines on Drake’s forehead creased as he looked back at them. “You don’t have anything going on in three weeks.”
“If only there was someone who could go in our place,” Trev said, still looking at Renna.
“Oh, brother!” Drake threw his hands up in the air. “I know what you guys are doing. You’re trying to get me to go to Tolsten to see Myka, but I don’t need your help, and she doesn’t need to be worried about me right now.” Drake was worried enough for the both of them. Myka Adler ran circles around his mind every day. All he could think about was her. What was she doing? Who was she tormenting with her crazy personality? Who was she smiling at? “Besides, I’m not one hundred percent recovered yet.”
“Yes, you are,” Trev said. “Don’t even try to use that as an excuse.”
He was trying to use that as an excuse. The letters that he and Myka had exchanged back and forth were a good start to opening the door to forgiveness, but was that really enough? Would Myka ever forgive him and trust him with her heart?
“Don’t be like Trev,” Renna snapped. “Don’t wait months and months to go after her. It’s clear you love her.”
Drake reared his head back. “How is it clear that I love her?”
Renna raised her eyebrows. “Are you serious? You’ve been moping around the palace ever since you woke up from your coma and—”
“I have not been moping!” he groaned.
Trev nodded. “Serious moping.”
“And,” Renna continued, “you’ve been badgering the servants every week asking if a new letter has come for you from Tolsten.”
“I have not been badgering the servants.” Drake scratched the back of his head. “I mean, there was that one time that I knocked on the bathroom door over and over again while that servant was using the restroom. But who takes the mail into the bathroom with them? That’s disgusting.”
Renna shrugged. “I probably would.”
Drake stood abruptly, scooting his chair back. He gestured to Renna with his hand. “Well, you sit on the bathroom floor. So you’re disgusting.”
“She does do that.” Trev nodded.
“Drake, if I remember correctly, you sat on the floor with me,” Renna said, folding her arms over her chest as she leaned back into her chair.
“I was trying to be nice.”
“You were nice.” Renna’s eyes softened. “Do you remember what you told me?”
Drake shook his head.
“I remember,” Renna said. “You said that if Trev were to me, you didn’t think he would ever be truly happy again. I think if you lose Myka, you won’t be happy again.”
“That’s not true.” Drake huffed. “I have my job as commander that I can focus on.”
That was not what he wanted to focus on anymore. He didn’t want to end up like Portlend Ricks. He wanted to mess up all of his plans just to be with her.
“You can’t build your entire life on that,” Renna said. “Do you love her?”
Drake rubbed his eyes, letting out a drawn-out sigh. Did he love Myka? He hadn’t known her that long, but he felt like he knew every part of her.
“Look at that face,” Trev said. “He definitely loves her.”
“You know,” Drake said, turning to them, “I don’t feel like I was this annoying when I was giving you two relationship advice.”
She shook her head, completely ignoring him. “If you love Myka, go after her. Don’t be like Trev.” Renna turned to her husband and scowled. “It doesn’t go over well.”
“I told him to write to you—to not wait,” Drake said.
Renna smiled. “Right! Now follow your own advice and go after Myka.”
Drake rubbed the back of his neck. He did love Myka, but he was scared she would push him away. Her letters implied that she didn’t think he was a jerk anymore, but this was Mykaleen Adler he was dealing with. She could change her mind for no reason whatsoever. He might show up in Tolsten and be greeted with a slap on the face. Then what? He’d have to come back to Albion heartbroken.
“Really, you don’t have a choice,” Trev said. “I’m sending you to Tolsten in my place whether you like it or not.”
“Why can’t you go?”
Trev looked at Renna.
“I’m three months pregnant,” she announced.
Drake smiled. “What? That’s great news. You should have led with that, not with my boring love life.”
“We’ve been having the worst cravings,” Trev said.
Renna’s eyes narrowed. “I...I’ve been having the worst cravings. Not you.”
“Is it a boy or a girl?”
“We don’t know yet,” Renna said.
Drake smiled. “This is the best news.”
“It is,” Trev said. “And that is why we can’t go to Tolsten.”
Drak
e looked at them both. “Pregnant people can still travel.”
“Nope!” Trev said, standing. He reached his hand out to Renna, pulling her up. “So pack your bags. Your king is sending you to Tolsten.”
Drake stepped forward, looking at his best friend. “Trev, if I go to Tolsten, I might not come back.”
The two of them had been together since they were boys. They had trained together, fought together, and had planned an entire future together as king and commander. How could Drake turn his back on that?
“I know.” Trev nodded. “I hate it, but I understand.” He looked back at Renna. “I want you to be happy.” His eyes met Drake’s. “You should go get your girl.”
38
Myka
Myka peeked out the window as the crowd gathered in front of Tolsten House. She looked over her shoulder at her maid, Pennie, letting the gold curtain fall back to its place.
“There are so many people here,” she said, running her sweaty palms down the front of her fitted purple gown.
Pennie fidgeted with her hair one last time. It was pulled up into an elegant twist on top of her head—something very queenly. “It’s your coronation day, and everyone in Tolsten is excited.” Pennie walked away. “I think we’re ready for the crown.”
Myka looked back at her maid as Pennie picked up her mother’s crown from off of the stand on her dresser. A large red ruby stood out in the center of the crown, leading up to an oval-shaped crystal that shone at the top of the highest peak. Smaller crystals and rubies circled around the rest of the piece. She straightened as Pennie placed the crown on top of her head. Then her maid put a round hand mirror in her hands.
“You look beautiful, Your Majesty.”
Myka glanced down at her reflection in the mirror. Her hair wasn’t as dark, and her eyes were blue like her father’s, not brown, but still, she could see her mother staring back at her. Her eyes glossed over. Myka would give anything to have her mother here with her, but she finally understood why she’d had to leave. She had left to tell the Council about the weapons. She had put her kingdom before herself and had died trying to let everyone know about the weapons. She had been a good queen, and Myka planned to follow in her footsteps.
“Are you ready?” Arco asked behind them, knocking on the open door.
Pennie stepped aside. “Yes, she’s all set.”
Myka didn’t know if she felt ready. She probably would never feel like a queen, but she took in a breath and nodded to Arco.
Her new commander led her down the hall to the double doors that opened up to the west wing’s grand balcony. Two guards on the outside opened the doors as the herald's deep voice yelled out to the crowd. “Introducing, Her Royal Majesty, Queen Mykaleen—”
Myka grimaced. Her full name rhymed with queen…she was like Queen Renna Trevenna over in Albion. She’d have to tell the herald from now on to announce her as Queen Myka. She couldn’t have any of that rhyming stuff.
All eyes looked at her. She must’ve missed the rest of her introduction. She swallowed, throwing back her shoulders, and stepped out onto the stone balcony. The crowd thirty feet below cheered as she made her way to the railing. Her eyes scanned over the people, and her heart swelled. She loved them. She didn’t even know all of them, but she loved them anyway. They were her family, her purpose. She may not have anyone else on her side, but she had the people of Tolsten, and she promised herself she wouldn’t let them down.
She glanced at the acres of blackness to her left where the explosions had gone off. Patches of white snow covered the burned ground, but nothing could cover up the charred area completely. It was such a contrast to the West Woods on her right. The snow glistened off of barren branches and blanketed the forest's dirt floor, sparkling in the sunlight. The entire scene reminded her of her own life. Her past had burned her soul, scarred her life, but it hadn’t ruined everything. Her future was still bright and sparkly like the west side of the grounds.
She smiled down at the spectators. “Thank you to everyone who has come here today. I am honored to be your queen, and I hope that I can be the kind of queen that you’re proud of. Your trust is a big deal to me. The fact that you took a chance on King Adler’s daughter, despite all the mistakes my father made, means a lot. I’m sure there are some people out there who doubt me or think that I will rule this kingdom like my father did. He lost sight of his role, but I won’t. I’ll work every day for the next thirty years to build up this kingdom. You are a resilient people. You have suffered a lot under King Adler’s reign and yet, you are still strong. I hope to be strong like you. Some of you have gone hungry, lost your homes, your jobs, and even your loved ones during my father’s reign. But I want you to know that you have a lot to live for—the hope of a future where every man and woman is essential to this kingdom no matter what class he or she comes from.
“I’m young and you might think what I’m saying sounds like a dream. Maybe it is.” She shrugged. “Maybe I’m dreaming out loud. But I believe the people of Tolsten are good. Tolsten isn’t as bad as the world paints us to be. If we remove the hate from our kingdom, the love will begin to grow, and I think the other six kingdoms and the Council of Essentials will see that. I’m proud to be your queen, and I will do my best to serve you.”
The crowd burst into claps and cheers. Some of the people even had tears streaming down their faces. Their emotion surprised her. She hadn’t planned what she would say, and she couldn’t believe her ramblings had touched them so much. She’d seen her father give a few speeches over her lifetime. Mostly in front of newswriters or small groups of soldiers. At the time, Myka had thought her father was the best king and the best leader she’d ever seen, but standing here on the balcony in the cold, Myka knew in her heart she could be a better leader than her father.
She stood tall.
Taller than she’d ever stood in her whole life.
Her eyes glanced over the crowd, and a familiar face took her breath away.
Drake.
His broad shoulders and handsome face stood out to her. His feet were spread wide and his hands moved slowly, clapping together. Her pink scarf was tied around the sleeve of his black jacket, and although it was just a silly scarf, her heart expanded inside her chest at the sight of it. Drake’s expression was unreadable, but she could tell his brown eyes were fixed on her. Myka wished she was closer so she could glean hints from his stare. Was this a business trip or a personal visit? She hoped it was personal.
Her lips lifted into a small smile, and she nodded down at him before exiting the balcony.
For the next hour, Myka sat on her throne greeting prestigious guests who had come to congratulate her on winning the election. Every time the door to the small gathering room opened, she moved her neck to see if it was Drake. But it never was.
“That’s all the visitors,” said Sharlette, her newly appointed secretary.
Myka straightened, scratching the back of her neck. “That’s it?”
“Yes,” Sharlette nodded.
Myka tried to hide her disappointment. “Are you sure there isn’t anyone else?”
Sharlette shook her head. “There’s no one.”
Myka’s eyes dropped.
“There is a letter, though,” Sharlette said, pulling it out of the pocket of her skirt.
Myka jumped out of her throne, grabbing the letter. She looked around at all of the guards and servants, staring at her. She nodded back at the room.
“That will be all. Thank you.”
She watched as the room emptied, and once the door was shut, she collapsed back into the soft gold cushion of the throne.
She sucked in a deep breath, then tore the envelope open. It was thick, like there was more than just paper inside. She unfolded the creased letter and a single pine nut rolled out into the palm of her hand. Myka smiled as she held the nut in between her fingers. She glanced down at the paper. It was blank.
Did Drake have to be so vague?
Then she flipped
the paper over. There was a single sentence.
Don’t shoot.
Her smile widened.
Myka stood.
She needed to find her pants and t-shirt.
39
Myka
Myka steered Bronze down the dirt path that led to Rommel and Joett’s house. A rush of emotion spilled through her the way it always did when she visited their cottage. She sucked in a deep breath. They would have been happy for her today—happy that she wasn’t alone. She dismounted her horse and tied him up to the post in front of the house. She saw Drake’s personal transporter pulled off to the side and blood rushed to her cheeks. She was excited to see him…and nervous. It had been three and half months since they had seen each other. And although they had exchanged letters, there were still a lot of unknowns. Myka wiped her palms on her pants and peeked around the side of the house, half-expecting to find him shirtless and pumping water like he had been the day they had met, but he wasn’t there.
She walked to the front door, pausing before she twisted the door knob. She sucked in a deep breath, trying to tamp down her nerves.
What she needed was a pep talk.
Drake came all this way. He obviously likes you a little bit or else he wouldn’t have come. And you’re a queen, so you’re pretty much the most powerful woman in Tolsten right now. If that isn’t impressive, then I don’t know what is.
The pep talk helped.
She exhaled and twisted the handle, pushing the door open.
Drake sat on the kitchen table. He was dressed in his signature black, holding a bag of pine nuts. As she stepped inside, he popped a single pine nut in his mouth, raising an eyebrow. He looked unnecessarily sexy as he sat there, confidence hanging off of him like a cape.
The Stolen Princess: A YA Dystopian Romance (Desolation Book 3) Page 30