“Zayden—”
I put my finger up to her mouth to stop her. “Shh. Just leave it and we’ll deal with it when the time comes like I said we would.”
Adele lowered her head with an even lower voice. “I’m not right for you.”
It was almost sweet how she could be so stubborn. I smiled and lifted her chin so her eyes met mine again. “Why don’t you let me be the one to decide that? This couldn’t be more right for me.”
I brought my lips down into hers just to prove how much I meant it and hoped that she would finally get it and end this.
Chapter 33
Jaylyn
No. I didn’t want to listen but she was right, wasn’t she? They could never really come with us. We’d be in enough trouble as it is when we got home. We would already be lying to the Queen so we don’t get killed but someone would find out anyway unless the Great Seni Fighters laid low and made everyone in Kalu really think they were dead but it would be difficult. Word gets around all too quickly. It always does and if they came with us, well, that would just make things even more difficult.
I was dying inside with what could happen. I didn’t want to lose Troy at all but keeping him seemed to be just as hard. I didn’t know what to do.
I clung tight to him as we rode back to the palace but I never said a word. In fact, no one said a word like if we had, it wouldn’t have been happy and no one wanted that. I most certainly didn’t and even when we got back, it was silent in the stables until Zayden came into view.
“So, that’s what took so long.” Darius said. “You walked?”
Zayden was walking his horse with Adele riding.
“What are you still doing in here?”
Troy laughed for the first time in a while like something had truly been funny. “I’m surprised you asked. Remember what happened the last time we came home without you? Father went ballistic.”
“Guess you could say we’ve learned our lesson.” Darius smiled.
“Humph.” Zayden muttered. “That does shock me.” He reached his horse’s stall and helped Adele down.
“You okay?” I asked her, ready to just get this conversation over with.
She looked to Zayden and he raised an eyebrow before turning away to remove the horse’s gear. “Yeah.” Adele tried to sound as if nothing was wrong but I could tell. “I’m fine.”
“Well, great!” Ruby smiled, obviously trying to change the mood. “Now I’d like to put an end to this day. Do you even know how late it is?”
“You could have done that already.”
Darius shook his head. “Oh, no. We’d regret that for sure. It be worse this time knowing father knew Zayden would have been out with you.”
Zayden laughed while he locked up the stall door. “What? Worse?”
“Yes, worse. We don’t need to talk about why.”
“Because of me.” Adele whispered.
“I don’t care about what he thinks.”
“Well, you should.”
Adele reached to her head to take off the crown so it could be safely brought back inside but Zayden surprisingly stopped her from touching it by lowering her hands for her. “Leave it.”
“But Zayden—”
“I said I don’t care and I’m proving it. Let’s go inside.” He took her arm while showing his charming smile and Adele could only stare at it as she was being pulled along. It was like his smile alone could make her do anything even something as dangerous as this. It was nice to see the softer side of her where she actually cared about something. I knew she cared about Zayden and that’s why she listened.
“There you are!” The King’s loud booming voice filled the main hall the moment we stepped inside. “Where have you been?! You’ve been gone for four hours!”
“We went to a show. You wanted us to be kept busy, remember?”
“Indeed.” Izin’s eyes were narrowing on Adele standing next to his son and the gold shining from atop her head. I clenched Troy’s arm, hoping he wasn’t going to lash out.
“Is the council still here or have they left?” Zayden asked, trying to get his father to keep talking.
“Came and went.”
I instantly shared a curious look with Troy. They were gone already? Without us? It only made me want to know what they decided since we obviously didn’t leave with them like they said.
“And?”
“And I need to speak with the ladies.”
I saw Adele shift and start to let go of Zayden.
“Not you. At least not yet. For now I’d like to speak with your lovely companions.” I became fearful but curious when he turned and started walking back towards the conference room.
Why did he want to talk to us separately? I looked up at Zayden and he appeared to not know either. It only made me want to know more and I went with Darius and Troy who walked us after the King.
“Inside.” Izin said as he turned. “You two can wait out here.”
“No!” Troy snatched, grabbing me and making sure I was held tightly to him like he was worried and needed to protect me even from the man he calls father.
“Troy—”
“Father, I’m not—”
“Making a discussion of this. You will wait out here. No harm will come to them.” Izin took my other arm gently and slowly pulled me away from Troy, not to startle him and make him act. He just stood still. His eyes were on me and he couldn’t even seem to blink like when he found out I had curls.
“I’ll be fine.” I assured him. I walked inside the room with Ruby and Izin closed the door.
“That’s exactly what we need to talk about.”
“What is, your majesty?”
We followed him to the table and waited for him to sit down on the other side before we did. “The effect you have made on my boys. I have never seen them this way before.”
“Sorry.” Ruby muttered.
Izin smiled. “No. No. I actually am grateful. They’ve had it pretty hard in the past and I’ve never thought I would see them happy in this way.” Ruby looked at me and we were both wondering where he was going with this. “There’s something specific I wanted to discuss with you. Something that would surely change things.”
“Change things?” I had a tiny sign of worry showing through on my innocent voice and that fear came back to me but only for a moment.
“Not in a bad way. I brought you in here without an audience so that I may offer you a new life.”
“What kind of a new life?” Ruby asked, seeming extremely skeptical already.
“Here. With us. Or more so them.”
My eyes widened in disbelief, my heart raced for the truth. “What? You mean you’re actually offering us a place here? My brother was okay with that?”
“Of course. He just wants to see you happy. I pleaded Troy’s case for him and things took a dramatic turn.”
“How is this even happening?”
“Well, I’ve seen how attached they have become of you and I know how you feel about your lives in Kalu. You wouldn’t be imprisoned if you chose to make Seni your home.”
Ruby and I looked at each other again and I could see that she wanted to take the offer. I did too. I remember saying I would do anything to have Troy but there was still something that was stopping me from taking this. Ruby knew it too.
“Your kindness is unexpected, your majesty. Seni is lucky to have such a King as you but—” Ruby glanced over at me and we took each other’s hand with our decision. “We can’t accept.”
“Why ever not?”
“We know you called us in here without Adele because you’re not going to offer her the same thing.” I said.
Izin paused for a moment and let out a long breath. “I cannot. The circumstances are different. It’s not because of who her father is. It’s because of who Zayden is.”
“We understand but even if you were going to let her stay, Adele never would and we go where she goes. Her Fate is our own.”
“Very well but un
derstand the danger you’re about to put them in.”
“What do you mean?” Ruby asked. I already knew and waited for him to say it.
“I’m not blind. Whether I wished against it or not, I know they would follow you and surely you know that too. I’m sad that this couldn’t work out. I would have liked to see it.”
“We are sorry.” I said, truly meaning it. “But Adele’s family no matter how much we want this.”
“So be it. You are free to settle for the night and please, send her in. It’s time I speak with her.” We nodded and rose to our feet to get Adele.
The others remained waiting out in the main hall and came right over when the door opened.
“Are you all right?” Troy asked, taking me in his arms.
“Of course. We just talked.”
“About what?” Adele asked, narrowing her eyes at us.
“Ah—”
“About you!” Ruby cut in with a big smile so I wouldn’t give anything away. “And now it’s your turn.”
“Great.” Adele sighed. “Take this.” She reached to the crown on her head and handed it to Zayden.
“Please try not to make it worse. He doesn’t tolerate attitude very well.”
“Says someone from experience?” Adele smiled.
Zayden sighed. “Yes and from that experience, just tell him what he wants to know and that’s it.”
“Okay.” Adele took a deep breath and walked passed us to the conference room.
I feared for her. I knew Izin was probably going to tell her that he wants her gone and that she can’t have Zayden, mentioning something about his prior engagement. That would surely put her in one of the worst moods but I was having a hard time in hiding mine.
Troy kept looking at me like he wanted to ask but waited until I said something first. I never did. I didn’t want to actually. I didn’t want him to think I didn’t want him because I rejected the King’s proposal and so I said nothing, just waiting until we would see Adele again.
Chapter 34
Adele
My nerves were constricting around my heart like a snake. I dreaded anything he had to say to me but I had to face it. I closed the door behind me and approached the King at the table.
It was quiet. I remained on my feet with my eyes on him and it was like we were waiting for the other to speak first.
“Sit.” Izin said. His voice was mellow but with a sense of anger and I did what he said. “So, Adele, where do you think we should go from here?”
“Wherever you wish.”
“Not so. Zayden would be very—disgruntled had I do with you what I should.”
“And that is a reason to not?”
He laughed. “Don’t play me as a fool, Adele. Neither of us are. He cares about you. We both know it. We’ve both seen it but only one of us is going to do something about it.”
I swallowed the knot in my throat and knew exactly what he was telling me. “And I’m just going to guess that someone is going to be me.”
“Exactly.”
“I can’t! I mean—he won’t listen. I’ve tried. He just makes up some reason why I’m wrong.”
He smiled proudly with a nod. “That sounds like my son all right.”
“What do you want me to do? I—I can’t hurt him.”
“He’ll get over it.”
No. I stood up from the table and turned away to hide my coming tears. My arms were held around my body and I began to shake.
“You need to hide whatever it is you’re feeling.” Izin said, following by getting up to his feet behind me. “Face facts, you’re not good enough for my son. I want you out. I’m not going to end it the way I should. You’re going to walk out of here freely.”
I turned around. “I am?”
“This is my offer to you. I leave in the morning. I have some business to attend to in Ledia. You leave before I come back, in precisely four days and I’ll forget that any of this ever happened. If you’re still here, well, just hope you’re not.”
“I—I understand, your majesty.”
“And be sure to tell the others of this plan when you get the stuff you polluted my son’s room with out and put into your own.”
I sighed, already picturing that not going well. “Can’t you tell him that?”
“Another failure upon us?”
“Most likely.”
“All right then but you are not to intervene. Don’t even look at him when he objects. Eyes on the floor. You’ll have to be placed somewhere where I can keep an eye on you till I leave.”
I lowered my head and a tear fell to the floor. “As you wish.”
“Come.” Izin walked passed me and I followed him nervously to the door.
The main hall seemed empty. No one was insight but light chatter was coming over by the throne. Izin put his hand on my lower back and had to guide me in that direction. I wasn’t ready for this.
“Zayden.” Izin turned into view from behind the throne and Zayden was slouching in it with one foot resting on one of the arms.
He sat right up straight to the distinction of his father’s voice. “Yes?” He looked at me but I did what I was told and put my eyes down on the floor.
“Everything is settled.” Izin said.
“Is it?”
“Yes, I will explain what will happen as I just did for Adele. I leave in the morning.”
“You’re leaving?”
“Not because of this. I’ve been called to Ledia for something.”
“Oh.”
“And I’m going to be giving our guests the time I am gone to leave themselves. You understand what could happen if I come back and they’re still here?”
There was a pause but I didn’t look up. It was hard not to and I stayed exactly how I was.
“Yes, father. We understand completely.”
“Excellent.” Izin turned towards me and yelled loudly. “Kathryn!” She came swiftly to the King’s side like she had been there the whole time. “Do take this young one and gather her things from the Prince’s room.” Izin took my wrist and guided me to Kathryn. It was like I was frozen and went with it with no emotion.
“Father.” I heard Zayden rise and began to close the gap as if he tried coming to me.
“She will no longer be staying there.”
Kathryn bowed her head and took me under her arm. My eyes lifted and I found Zayden’s look of dismay. Why did I do it? My eyes instantly swelled with more tears, not knowing if this was the last time I would ever see him. I didn’t want it to be. His face reminded me of the past. He wasn’t happy and that’s not how I wanted to remember it. My shoulders were turned by Kathryn and my eyes had no choice but to follow.
I lost it. I couldn’t hold in my sobbing cries and they were definitely heard as I was being walked away.
“What did you do?!” Zayden’s voice was loud enough for even me to hear and the voice that came after it was just as disapproved.
“She is no longer your concern and you are to stay away from her.”
“Father, you can’t—”
“I can and I will! You’ve disobeyed me for the last time! The girl stays with me! Any attempts to see her and you’ll only be hurting her more!”
I didn’t hear anything after that. I was led too far away to hear anyone speak in a normal voice. I was gone from him now, being guided away to a room somewhere downstairs.
“Come sit.” Kathryn’s gentle voice led me to a sofa and she even had to lower me down on it. “It’ll be all right. You’ll see.”
I wanted to believe her but somehow that seemed very hard to do and I just sat there lost in my own tears.
I heard the door open and heavy feet shuffle passed me. “Now. Now. No need for that. It’s what had to be done.”
“Izin, please.” Kathryn begged. “Don’t—”
“Silence! There is no changing this! Draw her a bath and get her out of those clothes.”
Kathryn got up and walked away from me.
“A
dele.” I didn’t answer. I remained hugging my knees and crying. “Here. This will help.”
I looked up and Izin had sat next to me and was holding a glass in his hand. I was desperate for anything to actually help and I took the glass a little shaky and tried taking a drink through my crying.
“It will be better for everyone if you stop. This is something I had to do.”
“You don’t even know what this is doing to me. Like you care but I never even wanted to be here!”
“Well, you are and that was no fault of mine. Don’t worry, you’ll be out soon.”
“I didn’t want it to end this way.”
I looked up at Izin but he didn’t look back. He kept his eyes forward. “Whether you wanted it to end any way or not, this had to be it. Zayden is going to be moving on when his bride arrives. You’ll be gone by then and I advise that you do the same. Forget about him.”
My eyes were lost in his last words. I was staring straight but it was like my eyes were closed. I wasn’t looking at anything while my heart began breaking.
Forget about Zayden? Impossible, especially for me; especially now. Zayden’s always been there in my mind whether I really wanted to believe it or not. Who he was didn’t seem to matter. I was able to look passed it just in time to have to forget? It made things harder now and how Zayden was handling this only made me think about him more.
“It’s ready.” Kathryn came back but I didn’t look up. I was still lost in my mind over Izin’s words and was paralyzed to respond though I could hear their voices still.
“Thank you. You may have to take her.”
Kathryn brought me to my feet. It was like I didn’t even notice but my feet moved forward and Kathryn brought me inside a bathhouse. She began removing my dress for me and tried to get me into the tub. “Come on, Adele. This may help.”
My feet lifted to step in but I still didn’t reply or take my eyes off the nothingness in front of me. Kathryn even had to lower me down and make sure I wouldn’t sink under.
“That will do, Kathryn. You may go. I need to teach this one some manners.”
“She’s just a child.”
Deciding Skies (Fate's Intent Book 2) Page 18
