by Willow Aster
“I cut off my dreads so I’d be less recognizable.” She pulls off her long black wig and her hair is trimmed close to her scalp.
I gasp. “Princess Solvang!”
She lowers her head.
We’ve never met, but I should’ve recognized her beautiful face even without her usual elaborate braids. She looks beautiful either way, but I’m sad if she did anything to alter her appearance for me.
“Why did you put yourself at risk?” I ask. “I’m so sorry about your father. I can’t tell—”
She freezes and the look she gives me—I’m not sure if she’s here to help or here to kill me.
“I had to know for myself.” That’s all she says and I wait for her to elaborate, but she doesn’t.
The longer she stares at me, the more uncomfortable we both get.
“Shall I show you the dresses?” she finally asks.
“I really don’t care what I wear to this wedding. The uglier, the better, honestly.”
She grins at that. “I didn’t bring anything ugly, but we can work on that.”
“Why are you really here?”
“Do you love him?” she asks. She steps closer and she’s so tall, I have to crane my neck to look up at her when we’re standing like this.
“Who?” But somehow, I know who she’s talking about. I flush even as I say it, and then notice the pink in her cheeks too. “Do you love him?”
“It’s impossible not to love him,” she says. “But he doesn’t love me. My father tried many times to make my wishes come true, to marry us off…there’s nothing I’ve wanted more since meeting him as a teenager.”
“There’s something about him,” I whisper. “He’s perfect, isn’t he. And it isn’t just that he’s the most beautiful man I’ve ever seen—he’s that for sure—but it’s more than that. It’s the depth behind his eyes, his relentless pursuit to do the right thing, his bravery in the face of danger…”
She smiles and it’s welcoming, it’s impossible to resist smiling back. “So yes, then.”
I laugh and sit down on the edge of the tub, glad that the running water can drown out the pounding of my heart. “It’s too soon for love. And crazy. I barely know him.”
“Well, he loves you.”
My mouth drops open. “How do you know?”
“He’s willing to risk everything for you.”
“I came here because I do love him,” I whisper. “If I leave, he could be killed.”
“If you stay, everyone who matters will be killed, you included. Get out now, while you can.”
“It’s not that easy. I’m not willing to risk Jadon’s life.” I grin. “That is who we’re talking about, isn’t it?”
She laughs and it’s the prettiest sound. I reach out and take her hand, tears forming in my eyes. She sobers and squeezes my hand.
“I don’t know you, but I know you must love him a lot to come all this way. Especially after what happened to your father.” A tear drips down my nose and into my mouth. “Jadon deserves someone like you. He’ll forget about me. You should go to him, tell him I’m fine, and find a way to make him happy.”
She sits next to me and sighs, her arm going around my shoulder. “I don’t think that’s going to work.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
Jadon
I haven’t heard from Solvang since I saw her in Caninsula. One of my guards has confirmed she’s in Alidonia. She’s ignoring my calls and hasn’t responded to a single text. Shua is furious that she’s gone and calls me every day, threatening to go there himself. I manage to convince him that we have to bide our time. The moment will present itself and we will act swiftly when it does.
I see pictures here and there of Delilah and I study them like a man starving. She looks okay, besides the dark shadows under her eyes. When Solvang has been there a week and there’s still no word, I reach the end of my patience.
It takes negotiations and a lot of planning, but I leave Basile with instructions on a few upcoming meetings, and I take off for the border of Alidonia with a dozen guards. The army at home is instructed not to breathe a word about me being anywhere but Farrow. There’s a small town on the outskirts of Alidonia, a little too close for comfort if I can’t stay hidden, but close enough that I rest a little easier at night, knowing I can reach Delilah in far less time than from Farrow. I talk to the team I have watching her, but they don’t know as much as I’d like. Her wedding is in two weeks, best I can tell, and if I have to stay here until then, I will.
She will not be marrying Xang Avaban. Not as long as I’m breathing.
I’m also here to prepare for what is sure to be a war once I take Delilah. I hope to God she comes willingly. I don’t let myself think otherwise. I didn’t misread the look in her eyes on that plane. I know she went back as a sacrifice and I can’t let her do that for me or anyone else.
I stay in a secluded area, in an old furnished house that Basile was able to rent for me. Quincie deals with the owner and I’m able to move in with a few clothes and little else. Well, except for Star. The dog and I are so attached at the hip, I couldn’t bear to leave her, not knowing how long I’d be gone. She’s trained exceptionally well in a short amount of time, so at least I know someone has my back should I run into trouble.
With the help of a few of the guards, we set up the security feed, the cameras filling an entire room. Those who aren’t working with me here, go into Alidonia and are able to get closer to the castle. We’ve been working with Alex from Yuman and Luka, they’ve sent several troops as well, and as far as I know, the Farthings aren’t aware of it…yet.
After I’ve slept a few hours—a full night’s rest a distant memory pretty much since I met Delilah—I try calling Solvang again. Instead of letting it go, I call her three times in a row and when she answers the third time, I stutter my hello.
“I didn’t expect you to answer.”
“Is that why you’ve called incessantly?”
“So you are getting my calls…”
She laughs. “I’ve been busy.”
“Okay. Any word about Delilah? Were you able to see her? Did anyone suspect it was you?”
“I’ve seen Delilah every day for the past week. She’s asked me to stay on until the wedding.”
I rub my hand over my mouth and sit down. “What?”
“I stepped on the balcony to take your call.”
“You’re at the Farthing castle right now?”
“Yes.”
“What the fuck!” I yell into the phone and then pull the phone back. “How the hell have you managed to stay hidden?”
“I’m disguised fairly well, and I haven’t left Delilah’s quarters since I came. She eats in her room and hasn’t been able to ke—” She clears her throat and pauses.
“What? She hasn’t been able to what?”
“Jadon,” she whispers into the phone, “I should go. But listen to me, you have to get her out of here. She’s insisting on marrying Avaban because she doesn’t want anyone else to get hurt, but from what my brother is telling me, this war is happening with or without her. Get her out, but don’t do it until you have a fail-safe plan. There’s more at stake in this than you realize. Be very sure before you strike.”
“What do you me—” The words are barely out and the line goes dead. “Solvang!” I stare at it to see if I’m imagining it, but she’s gone. “Fuck!”
A few minutes later, she texts.
Solvang: Next time I’ll call you. It’s safer this way.
Very little is accomplished. I stare at the screens, sometimes twenty hours at a time. A new camera is installed on the periphery of the Farthing grounds, the side that is closest to Delilah’s bedroom. When she walks out onto the balcony, my heart collapses inside my chest. I search my mind to think of a plan, anything to get her out of here. Short of storming through the castle with an army behind me, I’m coming up short.
Alex calls me on day four of my stakeout. Luka knows him better than I do, but
he’s always seemed like a likable guy. There’s the family history with him and Gentry being brothers, but since they’ve put it aside, it hasn’t been a problem for me.
“I used to date a girl in Alidonia.” This is the way he starts the conversation.
“Okay…”
“She got in touch with me recently. She says her brother is one of the guards in the palace and no one is happy with the way Farthing is running his kingdom. Rumor has it he’s under Caulder’s thumb, poor health and all that. Her brother has wondered if—well, he’s more than wondered…I’d say he’s fairly certain…”
“Spit it out,” I try to laugh to sound less impatient, but I don’t fool Alex.
He laughs and groans. “I’m sorry. I’ll be out with it. He thinks the king’s sick again and that maybe Caulder has something to do with this relapse.”
“Shit…”
“Yeah. Luka and I have been talking about all of this—and he told me about you guys seeing Caulder at the prison. I want you to know you have my support whenever you choose to invade. We’re ready here. But…he also mentioned your...attachment to the princess…”
“You could say that…” I’ve given up trying to pretend otherwise.
“Well, I just wanted to offer my services. Yuman has always stayed out of most of the kingdoms’ problems. I’d wager a guess that I am nowhere on the Farthings’ radar. I could go meet with the guard who works there, see if he can help me get to Delilah…”
“And then what?”
“You be ready to hit Alidonia hard…once we know she’s out of there.”
“I really only want to get the person responsible for any harm that’s coming to Delilah. You think Caulder is the brains behind all of this?”
“From what I’m gathering, back in the day, Vance was a lot more aggressive in his risks, but no one believes he’s capable of that now. His mind isn’t what it used to be, and from the sounds of it, his health is failing every day.”
I freeze, seeing Delilah on one of the screens, her hair blowing in the breeze. I can’t see her expression from here, I can only make out that it’s her. I wonder if she realizes the danger she’s in.
“Find out about Caulder. There needs to be no doubt whatsoever. Just to be clear, I don’t want a war.”
“Got it. I think you’ll need to talk King Shua out of it though. He’s also a friend of mine and he’s not thinking clearly.”
I curse into my fist and watch as Solvang walks out onto the balcony next to Delilah. Fear grips its vines around my mind as I stare at the two of them. I knew Shua wasn’t quite thinking clearly already, but what are Solvang’s intentions?
Chapter Twenty-Five
Jadon
Two days later, Alex sends me a recording of his conversation with the guard. At the end, the guard says something so chilling, I break out into a sweat despite the crisp night air.
“I found the poison Caulder is using on the king.”
“How do you know it’s Caulder?” Alex asks.
“I’ve been keeping a closer eye on him like you asked. Saw him pour something into his food and then take the tray in to the king. When he came out, he went to his room and had a garbage bag that he took to the dumpster on the far end of the grounds. I emptied the contents when he left, and there was quite a cocktail of poison in there. It’s surprising Vance isn’t in a coma already…but I suspect he’s going to up the doses each day…or less often maybe. Just enough to make it a gradual slide.”
Alex stops the recording and I stop pacing.
“We have to take it to the authorities,” I tell him. “Caulder needs to be arrested—”
“You’ve seen how this shit plays out when royalty is involved. I think we have enough proof, but I also can see loopholes. I don’t want Caulder to get away with this.”
“I don’t either, but Vance’s life is on the line. Listen, are you able to get to Delilah? Tell her what you’ve discovered…let her know we’ll help both her and her father get out of there.”
“You really want to help Vance? After all he’s done to your family?”
“I can’t exactly fight a man who’s being poisoned…what kind of fight is that?”
“You’re a better man than me. If Vance has done half the things I’ve heard, he doesn’t deserve your grace.”
“No man deserves to die that way.” I think about Catano in his prison cell and wouldn’t mind seeing Vance in prison, but not being slowly poisoned to death. “What do you know about Avaban?”
“Not much. He rarely leaves the estate and he and Caulder are thick as thieves. That’s about all I know.”
“Okay, let me know when you’ve talked to Delilah. When are you leaving?”
“I’ll go tomorrow. Just wanted to talk it over with you first.”
“Thank you. Make sure to take enough guards.”
“Will do.”
The next time I call Solvang, she answers on the first ring.
“I said I’d call you,” she sputters.
“If you’re looking out for Delilah and no one else knows you’re there, what does it matter if she knows I’m calling?”
There’s a long pause.
“Let me talk to her, dammit.”
“Now is not a good time.”
“Tell me why I should trust you, Solvang. Give me one good reason.”
“Because I’m here with the woman you love, and you’re not. I wouldn’t mess with me if I were you.” Her voice sends a chill down my spine.
“You so much as hurt a hair on her head and I will make you pay. Do you understand me?”
“It’s nice to know how little I matter to you.” She sounds like a different person. “I hear you loud and clear. But who’s to say you’ll ever catch me?”
She hangs up and I’m left to imagine the worst possible scenarios. I’m packing a bag when Quincie comes in.
“We’re going to Alidonia,” I tell him. “I can’t wait to see who might come through for me. If we’re going to get Delilah out, it’ll have to be me.”
“But King Alex might get her out tomorrow without anyone being the wiser,” he argues.
“Tomorrow could be too late.”
I make several phone calls. Basile first, then Luka…and I call Alex when we’re in the air, just a few minutes from landing. Everyone has tried to talk me out of it so far, but I won’t get peace until I see for myself that she’s okay.
“Something’s come up. I’m about to land in Alidonia and I’m going in tonight.”
“Are you sure that’s a good idea?
“It’s a terrible idea, but I’m going anyway.”
“Well, I’m actually already here. I decided to get here early to visit my friend.” I hear giggling in the background and roll my eyes. Alex is a notorious ladies’ man. “She won’t mind if I head out unexpectedly. Let me go instead.”
“It’s almost nine o’clock at night—what will your excuse be for knocking on the door?”
“I won’t knock on the door. I have my climbing gear with me.” He laughs and I groan. “Well, do you have a better idea?” he demands.
“No, I don’t.” I roll my neck, and it makes a foreboding crack. “Just don’t get caught.”
He doesn’t say anything.
“Alex!”
“Sorry, I was just getting a goodbye kiss. You think I’d get caught? You really don’t know me well, do you?” He laughs again. “I’ll call you as soon as I know more.”
“Get them out of there,” I yell, but he’s already gone.
I toss the phone across the plane and put my head in my hands. This has got to be the craziest thing I’ve ever done.
We go to my guards’ headquarters, a dingy building not far from the Farthing estate. It sits next to a business complex and the surrounding parking lots are empty, save a few cars in front of the building.
Quincie unlocks the door and we go in, not bothering to knock when we enter the last door at the end of the hall. Two guards jump up and then dou
ble over with relief when they see that it’s us.
“You nearly made me shit a brick!” Sal says, pounding Quincie on the back. “King, beg pardon.”
Palza, the other guard, doesn’t say a word, just holds his hand to his chest and smiles weakly before nodding his acknowledgment and sitting back down to face the screens.
I laugh and reach out to shake Sal’s hand. “I’m sorry we didn’t give you any warning. This wasn’t a planned visit.” I point to the screen that faces the window and tap it. “We’ll be seeing a guy scaling this wall sometime tonight if everything goes as expected.”
Sal’s eyes widen. “Anyone we know?”
“Only the king of Yuman,” I mutter.
I’m still not sure how he expects to get around the guards, but he seemed quite sure of himself.
Two hours later, I see a shadow on the wall and lean in closer.
“It’s him,” Quincie says.
Alex flings something on the wall and in the next minute is scaling the wall in record time.
“Fucking show-off,” I laugh. “What the hell is he anyway?”
“If he gets the princess, he’s a fucking superhero.”
I’d prefer to be the one saving Delilah, but I don’t give a shit which of us gets her out of there. Alex reaches the balcony and swings a leg over before jumping down. It takes him a few minutes, but he finally gets the door open and disappears inside.
One minute.
Two.
Five.
When we hit the ten-minute mark, I am about to explode. Where the fuck are they?
Approximately twelve minutes and thirty seconds after going into Delilah’s room, he steps out, holding…
“That’s not her,” I say softly. “That’s not her! What the fuck is he doing?”
He has Princess Solvang in a fierce grip, a rope holding the two of them together, and he scales down the wall nearly as fast holding her as he did alone.
