by S. E. Rose
I feel like everything moves in fast-forward as the flight crew readies the plane. And then, we’re airborne. I’m sitting next to Shannon. Auggie and Logan sit across from us. Mia and Chris sit with Paolo and Pete and the rest of our security detail sits behind us.
A flight attendant offers us food, but not a single person accepts it. The adrenaline rush has people tapping their legs, drumming their fingers on the tables, and staring out into the clouds. When I finally feel my body lose its energy, I fall fast asleep.
Chapter 18
Arriving home is not in the least bit peaceful. Thirty minutes before landing, I hear a murmur from our security team. I turn around, and they are all on their phones. I look at my brothers who are also taking in the sudden uptake in action behind us.
“What’s going on?” Chris asks.
It’s Cain that comes forward to speak with us.
“There’s a situation. We’ll need to transport you all immediately to the summer palace when we arrive. The king will be meeting us there as will your aunt and uncle,” Cain says.
I feel the color drain from my face because the last time our entire family was whisked away to the summer palace, my mother had been killed in a car accident. Cain sees my face and touches my arm to soothe me.
“It’s alright, Your Highness. No one has been killed. Your uncle’s plane, the one we were meant to take home today, exploded on the runway a little while ago. Local authorities are still at the scene, but it appears that explosives were used,” Cain explains. Something about his American accent makes his news seem less official, less horrendous. It takes a few seconds for his words to sink in, but when they do my eyes go wide.
“Oh, god!” I exclaim. “That could have been us!” I am overcome by profound guilt at the thought that I may have caused this.
“I know. That’s why everyone is going to the summer palace. We’ll have your staff bring over any belongings that you’ll need for the foreseeable future. I’m warning you now, security will be very tight. The normal shenanigans”—Cain pauses and looks between Auggie and me—“will not be condoned.”
Auggie nods his understanding, as do I.
“I’ll debrief you further once we land, but right now our team has work to do,” he says as he turns and walks back to the rest of our security team.
We all stare at each other for a moment as we contemplate the information thrust upon us moments ago. Chris is the first to turn his cell phone back on. I hear the pings of messages popping up on it. Then it rings. Chris picks up immediately.
“Yes. Yes, Father. I understand. Cain alerted us. No, we were all sleeping. I don’t think anyone had turned their phones back on. Yes. Right. We’ll see you shortly then,” Chris says as I hear the one side of his conversation with our father, the king.
“Apparently our father was a bit concerned,” Chris says with a huff.
“Oops, forgot to turn my phone on,” Auggie says.
“No shit, numb nuts,” Chris swears at him.
Auggie glares back.
“Oh, for the love of god, this is not the time for a brotherly pissing match. Pull yourselves together, you idiots! This is serious,” I say to them.
They turn, slightly shocked that I’ve yelled at them, I think. Then, I get knowing looks that tell me we are about to go to the back room on this plane. I stand.
“Your Highness, please stay seated,” Pete says to me.
I roll my eyes and look at my brother before sitting again.
“We will talk at the palace,” I say to them.
“Fuck yes, we’ll be talking at the palace,” Chris says in a low menacing tone that has me tensing.
I seldom see Chris angry, but he is absolutely seething. I shrink in my seat, hoping I can disappear because, right now, I feel like I’m the bad omen that’s been cast upon every person on this plane. I struggle to wrap my head around how M could have known about us or the plane. Or if it was M that blew up the plane. The mystery that I thought was straight forward just got a hundred times more complicated.
I don’t have too much time to contemplate this as we begin landing. As soon as the plane is on the runway, our security team goes into overdrive. As is standard royal protocol in our country, we are each escorted under heavy guard to a separate car. The cars have tinted bulletproof glass. I no sooner slide in when the door opens on the other side, and Logan also gets in next to me.
I look at him, surprised he’s with me.
“Pete said to get in this car,” he explains. Clearly, the look of shock on my face has prompted his explanation.
Pete and Lucas get in next. We drive off with a car in front and behind us. I notice my brothers’ cars all go in opposite directions. The security is not taking any chances of the three of us being together on the road.
I’m silent as I listen to Lucas talking into his earpiece. My mind is running in circles. I don’t notice my leg is tapping until I feel Logan’s warm hand on my thigh. I still and look up at him.
“It’s going to be OK, Anna,” he says in a low voice. Something about the soothing tone of his words brings tears to my eyes. In a flash, he unbuckles his seatbelt and slides across the seats until he’s next to me. He pulls me into his arms and begins to stroke my back.
“It’s OK,” he repeats. I nod against his chest, feeling overwhelmed by the events of the last twenty-four hours.
I don’t want to admit that I’m scared. I don’t want him to see me like this. I want him to think of me as strong and independent. I muster all my strength and pull back from him.
“Are you alright?” he asks, cupping my face.
I nod and bite my lip.
“I’m fine,” I say, taking a deep breath. “I’m just tired. It’s been a long twenty-four hours.”
“Yes, it has,” he agrees. “You should rest when you get home.”
I want to explain that the summer palace isn’t my home. It’s more like a vacation property, but I keep my mouth shut and turn to look out the window. We take the back-country route onto the estate. There are four different ways to get there. The main palace has a wall around it, dating back into the sixteen hundreds. The grounds surrounding it are mostly fields, some forests, and a few small gardens. There’s one entrance with a gatehouse and second entrance with guest quarters. The other two roads in look more like glorified trails. We take the one through the fields. It’s a ten-minute drive up to the wall of the palace. There are ruins of a few old buildings out in the field, but otherwise, it’s just tulips as far as the eye can see.
“This is beautiful,” Logan murmurs as he stares out at the bright colors of the flowers.
“This is the summer palace,” I reply.
“Where?” he asks, looking around.
I point to where a cluster of trees hides the large manor house. He squints.
“You’ll see it in a moment,” I say as the car weaves around the fields and begins driving through the small cluster of trees.
We pop out at the base of the wall and hug it as we drive around to the front gate. A guard stands at the gate, he presses some buttons inside his guard stand before the doors open, giving Logan his first view of the summer palace. I’ve never considered it impressive. It seems quaint compared to the royal palace but seeing it through his eyes gives its grandeur new meaning.
“Holy hell,” he whispers.
“It’ll do,” I say with a small forced smile.
“You live here?” he asks, finally turning his gaze to me.
I laugh. “No. We spend a few months here during the year, but we live in the royal palace in the city,” I explain.
He frowns. “You have more than one home?” he asks.
I nod. “My family has several homes and apartments,” I explain.
“So, this is how the other half lives,” he quips.
I roll my eyes. “It’s not exactly like you’re living in squalor,” I say.
He shrugs. “True, but it’s not like this,” he says with a whistle as we stop
, and our doors are opened by the footmen. I nod to the staff and make my way up the stairs.
I see my brothers’ cars pulling in the front gate before I turn back and nearly run straight into my father. I step back, and he grabs my arm to keep me from falling.
I launch myself into his arms, and he grips me tightly, laying small kisses on my hair and forehead. I squeeze his waist, and he squeezes back.
I pull away and look up at him. I swear there’s a hint of tears in his eyes, but it quickly fades.
“We’re OK,” I assure him.
“I know. I’ve been fully debriefed. I’m just very thankful that you weren’t on that plane,” he says as he swallows.
“Me too,” I agree.
My father looks past me, and I see that he has noticed Logan. Chris and Auggie, however, distract him as they walk up to him. He takes each into an embrace, foregoing all formalities. At this moment, he’s a father, worried about his children. After a moment, he pulls back from Auggie and looks at Logan again.
“Father, this is Logan Winters,” Auggie says.
“Yes, I know. Chris sent word. A pleasure to make your acquaintance, Logan. I’m sorry you were forced to come with my children here. I had instructed everyone be taken here immediately upon arrival. I’m sure my staff can sort out arrangements for your stay later,” my father says. It’s not a royal custom to shake hands. It’s in this moment that I realize this is Logan’s first time meeting a royal in a formal setting. He has no idea what to do. I see him nod and look to me. Fortunately, my father picks up on the cues faster than I do. He stretches out a hand, and Logan shakes it. I want to laugh as the whole thing is so painfully inelegant.
“A pleasure to meet you, Your Highness. I’ll be more than happy to stay wherever you see fit,” Logan says, taking his cue from when he first met us.
“Father, I’d like to be debriefed immediately. As for Logan, he is our guest, and if it’s alright, I’d prefer he stay here with us,” Chris says to my father.
“I suppose that will do for now,” my father says before nodding at Marcus who ushers us all inside.
We’re shown to my father’s study. Marcus pulls up a screen and turns on a computer. The images bring everyone to silence. It’s my uncle’s plane completely engulfed in flames. It appears the back end is nearly completely missing.
“The plane is a total loss, obviously. We’ve been in touch with Hans and Lara. They were at their estate in France for the weekend. They will, of course, come to join us later today. We have investigators starting to go through the crime scene as well as local authorities and Interpol. We don’t have details yet, but I’ve been told that our first full report can be expected tomorrow. Security has asked everyone to stay within the walls of the palace until a new security plan can be implemented. Mr. Winters is welcome to stay here if he chooses. Otherwise, we can arrange hotel and security measures for him,” Marcus says to us.
My father raises a hand at that. “Mr. Winters is a welcomed guest of my children. He can remain here with us. As for Lara and Hans, please keep me posted on their arrival status,” my father says.
“Of course, Your Majesty. I do believe you have a call with the prime minister in five minutes,” he adds.
And that’s our cue to leave. Other than jaw-dropping video footage, I feel like we’ve learned nothing new. I want to speak with my father, but I know now is not the time.
“I’ll show Mr. Winters to his quarters, Your Highness,” Shannon says to me.
“Yes, please, thank you,” I reply. Logan gives me a tight smile and nod before following Shannon up the steps to the guest wing.
“Well, I’ll be a monkey’s uncle! Look who it is!” I hear a voice exclaim behind me. This makes me smile for the first time in hours. I turn to see Tessa standing with her hands on her hips, a giant grin on her face. She opens her arms, and I go into them, giving her a strong squeeze.
“Your room is all set. I’m making your favorite meal for dinner. Go get settled, and then you must come catch me up on your recent trip,” Tessa says.
“Absolutely,” I reply. She lets me go, and I see a flash of worry in her eyes but the smile stays firmly planted on her face. She nods and heads back toward the kitchen.
Tessa has worked here for years. She’s originally from somewhere in the southern part of the United States. She was a nanny for us when we were very young, but as we grew, we needed tutors more than nannies. She ended up helping in the kitchen at the royal palace. It wasn’t long before her cooking abilities were clear to my father. He asked her to stay on but to help run the kitchens at the summer palace. She took the job and has been here ever since. Next to Helga and my aunt, I’d say she’s the closest thing I’ve had to a mother since my mom’s death. She was still my nanny then, and she smothered me with love during the two years after the accident. My father was reluctant to remove her from her duties, but I think Auntie Lara talked him into it. Having her in the kitchens of the royal palace helped me with her transition from being in my daily life, since I could still visit with her. Tessa has one sister and two nieces who still live in the States. She goes on a vacation once a year for a month when we aren’t here so that she can see them. I remember asking her why she never married, and she told me that she was in love with her soul mate, and he was killed while serving in the military. I guess she never got over it.
I’m deep in thought as I look around my room and find that everything has already been put away. I grab a shower and walk into the sprawling closet. My clothes from the royal palace are hanging neatly as though I’ve been here for days. I roll my eyes. I wouldn’t have thought twice about it except for this last week, doing things for myself, no staff waiting on me, it’s been…liberating in a way.
I throw on an oversized, lightweight sweater and some leggings. Since I can’t leave the palace, I may as well take advantage of it and wear something comfortable. I head downstairs using the staff entrance. It’s a small stairwell hidden in the wall at the end of the wing. It leads straight down to a hallway where the laundry is done and then into the kitchen. I waltz inside and see Tessa is busy at the counter. She must sense me there because she pulls out her famous cookie jar and whips around, placing it in front of me. She grins and lifts the lid, and I breathe in the aroma of her famous oatmeal raisin cookies. The woman can bake, and she makes all kinds of amazing desserts, but these cookies are my absolute favorite in the whole wide world.
“Go on now, Anna,” she urges as she shoves the jar closer to me. I laugh and take two out of it.
“That’s more like it,” she says with a grin as she goes back to her cooking. I’m inundated with smells, fabulous mouth-watering smells.
I take a bite of the first cookie and close my eyes. I moan as my taste buds savor the perfect combination of spices.
“I’ll have what she’s having,” Logan’s voice comes from behind me, and I jump, nearly choking on the cookie.
He claps me on the back. “You alright?” he asks.
I cough and nod. “Fine,” I say hoarsely as I dislodge a piece of cookie from my throat. I swallow it, and before I can ask, Tessa sets a glass of apple juice down in front of me. I drink it all.
“That’s my girl. Now, who is your friend?” she asks, eyeing Logan up and down.
“Oh, uh, this is Logan Winters,” I say to her. “Logan, this is Tessa Higgins.”
“Well, nice to meet you. Have a cookie,” she says, pushing the jar over in front of the seat next to me. He sits and takes a cookie.
I watch as his eyes close, and he moans. It does strange things to me. I imagine what those moans would sound like if we were…my mind suddenly flies back to the present as Tessa stands staring at me while I stare at Logan.
“I’m sorry, what’d you say?” I ask her.
She gives me one of her knowing looks. “I asked how you two met,” she repeats with a raised eyebrow. Shit. I know that there’ll be a Spanish Inquisition later from her.
“Logan was the captai
n on the cruise we took in the Bahamas,” I explain. “Chris is working on a business endeavor and asked Logan to join us here to discuss it. Things sort of got a little crazy because of Uncle Hans’s plane, and well, here we are.”
Her eyes go cold when I mention the plane. “Well, I’m just glad none of y’all were on it,” she says.
“These are amazing, Ms. Higgins,” Logan says after finishing one cookie and going for another.
“Thank you, Logan. Please call me Tessa,” she says to him.
“So, Tessa, what special meal do you have planned?” I ask, intentionally changing the subject.
“Lobster mac and cheese, tomato soup, blackened chicken salad, and corn muffins,” she says.
I grin. When we were having a bad day, even when she was our nanny, she’d go to the kitchen and whip us up what she called “comfort food.” It usually revolved around mac and cheese. As we grew older, she experimented with all kinds of mac and cheese. Lobster is our agreed upon favorite, although personally, I love the classic plain mac and cheese.
“American food?” Logan says with surprise in his voice.
“Sugar, where do you think I’m from?” she says with a laugh.
“No…well, yeah. I just mean I didn’t expect to eat Southern comfort foods here at the palace,” he stammers.
She laughs and turns back to the soup. “Well, I raised those kids to love good Southern cooking, so naturally when I get them all here together, I tend to spoil them a bit. His Majesty doesn’t mind. Secretly, I think he loves my cooking,” she says.
I take one last cookie and stand up. “I’m going to see if Daddy’s done with his phone call,” I say to her as I practically skip over and give her another hug. She kisses my cheek.
“I’m glad you’re here, sweet pea,” she says using the nickname that only she and my father use.
“It’s nice to be home,” I say to her. And what I really mean is that being with Tessa is home, not the summer palace, but those are things royals don’t say out loud. We’re taught at a young age to lock our emotions away. My father is probably more tolerant of us showing them than most kings, but still, there’s a formality expected, especially with the staff, no matter how we feel about them. Only when I’m alone with Tessa, do I completely let down my guard.
