by Jillian Dodd
The Prime Minister’s mouth drops open.
The queen pats the bottom of her chin and gives him the eye.
He quickly shuts his mouth.
Since I seem to have stunned the room into silence, I figure I might as well keep going. “I should add that the board meeting is tomorrow morning, and, if possible, I would like to have actual contracts to present to them, but I guess, if anyone can make it happen, the people in this room can. I also want to be transparent in the fact that I alone hold voting power on the majority of the shares, as per my father’s will. I have the ability to gift this technology to you, but I don’t want to risk a mutiny in the company my father built. I’m only asking for enough to appease them.”
Intrepid comes to stand behind me, putting his hands on my shoulders.
“Would you like to be knighted, too, my dear?” the queen asks me.
“No, thank you, Your Highness. I was knighted by the King of Montrovia after I rescued him from the kidnappers who were planning to assassinate him.”
“Very well. I think I will adjourn to my room since the hour is getting late. Gentlemen, I hope you will figure out a way to get this impressive young woman exactly what she asked for.”
As soon as she leaves the room, the British Defense Minister and the Prime Minister start talking about containment. The Prime Minister then makes a single call from the phone on the queen’s desk to a barrister he trusts to draw up the documents.
Intrepid’s boss, however, comes to stand in front of me. “Whom do you work for, Miss Von Allister?”
I shake my head. “No one.”
“All these things you’ve been taking credit for—” he says to Intrepid.
“I asked him to,” I state. “Before I found out I was Ares Von Allister’s daughter, I was training to be something other than a socialite.”
“You don’t work for the CIA?”
“I definitely do not. And I pray that you won’t tell anyone about my … special skills.”
“Can I hire you?”
“I don’t exactly need the money.” That gets a laugh from Intrepid. “But I would love to borrow a secure phone.”
When one is brought in for me, I call three people I know in the United States and repeat my story, leaving out the part about my special skills.
After the night’s festivities, I have Intrepid drop me off at Lorenzo’s London home. I know Chauncey will be asleep, but he’ll be surprised to see me sitting at the breakfast table in the morning.
I place my hand on the palm reader, which unlocks the door, allowing me entrance.
I expect to be greeted by someone on his staff.
What I don’t expect is to see him.
I don’t even think. I just rush into his arms and hug him. “What are you doing here?”
“I was supposed to attend a knighting ceremony, but my flight was delayed due to weather. You look beautiful,” he whispers, his eyes wandering down my body like a warm caress. “And you’re always welcome in my home.”
“I don’t think that’s appropriate now. I wanted to surprise Chauncey in the morning, but I’ll go back to the Prescotts’.”
“We were supposed to go to the British Grand Prix together,” Lorenzo says with a sigh. “I had hoped it would be our first public engagement after announcing our courtship.”
“You look stressed.” I glide the back of my curled fingers across his handsome cheek.
He grabs my hand, scrutinizing the engagement ring on it. “Reason number one why I’m stressed.”
“Even more than what’s going to start in Montrovia?”
He gazes into my eyes, holding them before finally replying, “In most seafaring cultures, they say the captain should go down with his ship. I love my country, but I fear it’s sinking, and it will take me under.”
“It would help my investigation if you were honest with me,” I chastise, although it’s hard for me to be angry when I’m finally back in his arms.
“I have been so honest with you, Huntley; I’m practically transparent.”
“You’re telling me you didn’t know a TerraSphere would house the Olympic athletes? That it’s being unveiled for all the world to see in Montrovia?”
“No, I didn’t.” He looks genuinely concerned.
“How can that be? Have you not toured the areas where the events will be held?”
“Actually, not yet, but it’s on my schedule next week. I will be traveling the country to each event location. A final inspection, if you will. You must come with me.”
“Okay.”
“Really?” he asks, taken aback.
“Lorenzo, is there a vault filled with gold at your castle? A doomsday vault?”
“Yes, most governments have such living facilities in case of nuclear war. Even if we weren’t directly attacked, we would worry about fallout. Although larger, the one in Montrovia is very similar to the one here.”
“What if your country were attacked in a different way?” I ask.
“Have you figured it out? What’s going to start in my country?”
“Yes, and no.”
“Give me the yes,” he says, taking my hand and leading me to the couch in the parlor where we sit down.
“The great culling is going to start in Montrovia and has to do with the food supply, possibly grain specifically.”
“The great culling?” he asks.
“A systematic and purposeful reduction of the population. We’re talking ninety-three percent dead. What’s left of the world will be called Arcadia. The same name on the currency we found.”
“I’m sorry, but that’s ridiculous,” he scoffs. “No one could pull something like that off. Unless we’re talking nuclear war.”
“Well, the good news is, somehow, you and I are supposed to survive.”
“How do you know that? They have tried to kill me on numerous occasions. If it wasn’t for you, I’d be dead.”
“When their plan with Ophelia didn’t work, I think they decided they’d use you.”
“Use me how?” he asks incredulously.
“Because you were dating me.”
“What does that have to do with it?”
“Because that’s what Lorenzo the Magnificent wanted, sort of. And what Ares wanted for Arcadia. The ring is in your vault. Has anyone approached you about it yet?”
“I’m still stuck on the part where they tried to have me killed.”
“They tried six years ago with Alessandro and then again recently with Ophelia. Dupree told me that they decided you and I would be the new Arcadian royalty of whatever is left of the world. His exact words were this: ‘You were destined to marry Lorenzo and become the Queen of Arcadia while your brother took his rightful place at our table.’”
“And you really believe they have a plan to kill off over ninety percent of the world’s population?”
“It doesn’t really matter what I believe, Lorenzo. My mother believed it, and it got her killed. Did your grandfather ever mention a special key?”
“Funny you should ask that. As you know, I’m building a public space to house much of Montrovian history in honor of my father. Since I haven’t been sleeping well—”
“I can see it under your eyes,” I say softly, interrupting and knowing I still love him.
He holds my gaze for a moment, making me feel like he knows exactly what I just thought, before continuing, “I have been going through boxes of memorabilia at night, and I found my grandfather’s journals.”
“You already told me about the building that will allow you to close the palace to the public to keep your future children safe.” I can’t hide the venom in my heart when I think about him and Lizzie together in that way.
“That’s correct,” he says simply, not wanting to get into all that right now.
“The children you will have with Lizzie. Are the two of you, um, working to, uh, fulfill that part of her contract?” I find myself stuttering out even though I don’t want to know the answer
.
“I will not sleep with Lizzie until after we are married,” Lorenzo states emphatically.
“Is that in the contract, too?” I snap back.
“No, my mother would like her pregnant before the wedding, but I—”
I watch as his expression softens, and I see my own feeling on the subject reflected in his face.
“Just can’t?” I ask.
He nods his head. “Not when I am so incredibly in love with you, which brings us back to the ring,”
“Yes, the ring, the key to—”
“I mean, this ring, Huntley,” he says as I realize he’s still holding my hand.
“And I mean, this ring,” I say, holding up the other.
“Why is it, every time we are about to have a serious conversation about us getting married, this stupid ring comes up?” he asks in a frustrated tone.
“Because I need to know, Lorenzo. Why, out of all the jewels in the vault, did you choose that one?”
“I already told you. I loved Alberto and Serafina’s love story and hoped we would be blessed with a long, happy life and many children.”
“Did you go back further in history? Like, way back?”
“I took a brief look, mostly to make sure nothing bad had ever happened to a wearer of the ring. But, no, I didn’t read the full history of the ring in detail, only the first and the last entry.”
“Humor me, Lorenzo. Please tell me exactly how you chose it.”
He lets out a little huff. “Fine. Tradition dictates that the future bride wear the tiara from the suite of jewels the engagement ring is chosen from. Now, many in history have broken this tradition, rather choosing a tiara to match their dress or having a piece custom-made, but I first considered whole suites of jewels, narrowing it down to four. Then I compared each engagement ring. The first was a large Burmese ruby set in gold and ringed in diamonds. It is part of the suite of jewels you wore to the Queen’s Ball.
“The second was a pear-shaped diamond ring that I liked simply due to its utter extravagance and its being the largest ring in the vault. The third, a beautiful blue diamond the color of the sea, reminded me of our dinner in the turret.
“It was a difficult decision, and I agonized over it for days, but in the end, I knew I had to follow my heart, which is why I chose the fourth—the flaming heart ring. The ring and the tiara are as delicate as are you, but the jewels were also the first set even given to a Montrovian queen.” His eyes get misty, and he tightly squeezes my hand. “That means they are part of the foundation on which our country was built. You are that to me, and you make my heart flame.”
“You had no idea it’s known as the Arcadian suite of jewels?”
“I don’t recall seeing that name,” he says. “But I was also enamored with thoughts of you wearing that tiara on our wedding day.”
I let out a chuckle. “Well, we ruined that vision. I didn’t wear a crown when we got married.”
“Do you still consider us to be married?” He pats my chest just above my heart. “In here?”
“Yes,” I reply, the truth pouring out of me every time I’m near him.
“That is why I cannot sleep with Lizzie, let alone kiss her. You should know that she is devastated by your engagement to Daniel.”
“And what about you?” I say softly.
“I find myself spending a lot of time in our turret, praying you will come home to me.”
“Even if I did, sounds like it won’t be the same since Lizzie is renovating the entire castle.”
“I called it off because they wanted to change things that remind me of you.”
We’re interrupted by the sound of Lorenzo’s briefcase buzzing loudly.
“What’s that?”
“An alert,” he says, picking up the phone all members of The Society carry.
“What does it say?”
“There was a terrorist attack in Berlin. Details are still sketchy, but apparently, some car bombs went off at and near the airport. They advise we avoid the area.”
“Like those severe weather alerts, telling you if your area is impacted?”
“I guess. I’ve only gotten a few since I joined,” he says and then gets back to the subject at hand. “Lorenzo the Magnificent’s marriage wasn’t arranged, and it’s written that, when Lorenzo first saw her, his heart caught fire in a way it never had before. He believed he’d met his soul mate and set out to win her affection.”
What he says and what he’s been saying is so incredibly sweet and romantic, but I can’t allow myself the luxury of getting wrapped up in it again. “Back to your grandfather’s journal, did he mention the emerald ring?”
“No, but he did speak of a group of men dedicated to the betterment of the world, and a key needed to enter.”
“What exactly did it say?”
“I knew you would ask me that.” He shows me a photo he took of the words written in the journal.
All who enter
Must bear the key
And keep it secret
For all eternity.
“Not much to go by,” he says, pulling my left hand up in front of his face again. “I hate this ring. It looks incorrect on your hand. Foreign. It does not belong. We must end this charade, Huntley. I love you. We must tell the world of our love.”
“Not yet.”
“Why ever not?”
“I need the anonymity of not being engaged to you.”
“And being engaged to the president’s son gives you that?” he says, exasperated.
“As far as Montrovia is concerned, yes. Lizzie has been on the cover of magazines around the world already. She’s done numerous interviews. There’s a royal baby bump watch already, for goodness’ sake!”
“I know we were caught up in the moment, Lee, but I consider us to be married, and I will not break the vows I spoke to you. I cherish every word we said because they were real and raw and from our hearts. They weren’t written by the church and repeated as a formality.”
My heart melts at his declaration, but I can’t. “Lorenzo, something bad is going to start at the Olympics, and people are going to die. Lots of people. Over three-quarters of the population.”
“Not that many people come to the Olympics.”
“I don’t know how it works, but I assume the poisoned grain will go out all over the world. It will make people sick, and then they will die.”
“If we don’t eat grain, we’ll be fine? Just cut out some carbs?” he says with a laugh.
“It’s not that easy, Lorenzo. There are grain products everywhere and in everything, even in the supposedly healthy toothpaste you use.”
“Toothpaste?”
“Yes, sorbitol is made of corn.” I sigh. “But I don’t understand it either. Does that mean all the people who don’t eat grains will survive? So, my goal is to work the other side of the equation. I’m going to figure out who else has a ring like this one.”
“You’re very brave, Lee,” Lorenzo says softly. “I’ve realized that great love takes faith and bravery. Have you ever felt like this before? Tell me it’s mutual.”
I chuckle. “I’m taking on the world for you, my love. Does that answer your question?”
“You haven’t been in my arms since the yacht. It was the best morning of my life, followed by the worst day ever.” He looks at the engagement ring on my finger again. “I’m a fan of diamonds, but this is the most hideous ring I have ever seen in my life.”
“It’s very patriotic.” I laugh. “People in America are loving it, I’m told. Knockoffs are already hitting stores.”
“I had to do what I did,” he says, his voice quavering. “But you … you didn’t. I love and adore you, and this is killing me.”
I smile, trying to hold back tears. “I know.”
“I was speaking to you in the press conference.” Lorenzo glides his thumb under my jawline. “Did you get my message?”
“Yes, I did. I’m sorry I left. I was hurt and was overreacting, but I al
so knew I couldn’t save your country while being your future bride.”
“Does that mean you are here on a mission?”
“Actually, I quit.”
“But if—”
I see the hurt look on his face.
“I just quit Black X. I didn’t stop trying to discover the truth about their plan.”
“I figured, since you went to Iraq where you were in a gunfight and nearly died.”
I give him a grin. “I’m good with guns.”
“Have you and Daniel—” His eyes get watery, and he tilts his head, swallowing a lump in his throat.
We lock gazes and hold them, tears filling my eyes.
I slowly shake my head. “Not even a kiss.”
“The only thing that has given me hope through all this is that you’re still wearing the necklace. You were holding it during the proposal.”
“That means you got my message,” I say with a grin. “Daniel did it to make Lizzie jealous. Please don’t tell her.”
“I won’t, but I heard that you’re set to marry Daniel. Right after the Olympics.”
“Your wedding is set for December. Ours needed to be before that.”
“Would you go through with it? What if Lizzie doesn’t stop it?” he asks.
“I’m more worried about the Olympics. I’ll make you a deal. If we get through the Olympics alive, we will revisit the status of our relationship.”
“That status of our relationship is that we are married,” he replies with a cocky grin.
“Not legally.”
He takes my hands in his. “I meant every word I said.”
“As did I.”
“I know.” He smiles softly as he pulls a chess piece with my ring on it out of his breast pocket. “This goes with me everywhere, staying close to my heart. My queen and her ring.”