by Willow Aster
Ava: You’re gonna be in such deep shit with me if you die. And you’re already in deep shit for this message…although I’m really glad you let us know what’s going on. I’m right upstairs so…I guess we’ve officially become one of those families who only stare at their phones. I LOVE YOU. COME BACK TO US. And bring that girl with you. We need to see if I approve or not.
Eden: What Ava said, only more. Because she got to see you this morning and I didn’t, so I’m already missing you. Love you, Jadon. We need you…don’t you dare let anything bad happen.
Luka: Watch your back. I wish I’d known in time to be there with you. Love you, brother.
Gentry: Wait! Are you still here? TAKE ME WITH YOU.
I lean my head back and smile…and hope to God that I can bring Delilah back to my family with both of us in one piece.
Chapter Thirty-Seven
Jadon
Before we land, I put on one of the bulletproof vests kept on the plane for emergency situations. A few of my most trusted soldiers who flew with me do the same. We’ve talked strategy as much as possible with as little as we know of the area. We’ve studied maps and scrolled through the feed, doing our best to get familiar with the terrain, but some of it will take being on the ground to really know.
It takes an hour to reach the house, and we circle it, keeping watch for about twenty minutes before invading. The soldiers go in before me and when they come out holding onto a woman who is trembling, I tell them to let her go.
“Thank you.” She’s crying so hard she clutches her stomach. “The king is not here. I tried to tell the soldiers, but they did not believe me. He left maybe three hours ago.”
“Do you know where he was going? Was he alone?”
“No, the king threw me out of the house—he didn’t want a woman here. I only came back once they were gone to clean the house.”
I shake my head and kick at the dirt around me.
“There was a woman with him.”
My nose flares as I stop breathing for a few seconds.
“I am worried for the woman. She is not safe with him. He shot one of the staff here, a new guy—I didn’t find out his name. There is still some blood left.”
I turn and stalk toward her and she looks terrified. “I won’t hurt you, I swear it.” I hold my hands up and don’t get too close. “There was a woman with him? Was it Princess Delilah?”
“I think so. She looked different than the pictures I have seen of her. Very weak.”
“Did she look wounded in any way?”
“No, just so tired.”
She’s alive. I rub a hand over my face, feeling the relief drain through my body like water running through a desert.
When the soldiers come out of the house, I direct my attention to them. “Did you find anything?”
“They weren’t here long and didn’t leave anything behind, but the blood splatters from that kill she was talking about. Most of it’s cleaned up.”
“Where is he taking her?” I turn to the woman. “Do you know of any other safe houses? Do you work at those too?”
“No, I only clean this one. I don’t know…”
“Who else was here?”
“I can take you to them, if you’d like.”
I send a team to go with her and step inside the safe house, hoping to find something they missed.
Half an hour later, I’m still looking, but there is nothing. No sign Delilah was even here.
The soldiers come back and confirm from the men they spoke with that it was Delilah. No word about where they were heading next.
When I board the plane, I’m defeated but still feeling better than when I got here. She’s alive. There’s still hope.
When I arrive back in Farrow, I think I’ll go crazy if I have to sit for another minute, but I position myself in front of the screens, watching for any sign of Delilah and her father at their other safe houses. Quincie hasn’t found another, so it seems to just be the four locations.
“Why don’t you take a break, Quincie…get some rest?”
“You need it more than I do,” he says. He points at Star, who hasn’t left my side since I got home. “At least take her for a walk. She’s antsy.”
I don’t say anything. Star’s head is on my feet and she seems content to me.
Ava and Gentry knock on the office door, and Ava runs over, hugging me hard.
“Good thing you listened,” she says. “Next time, you’ll have the girl.”
“She’s alive,” I whisper. “So at least we know that now.”
Gentry puts his arm on my shoulder and squeezes. “You look exhausted.”
“Yeah, it’s been a while since I really slept.”
“You should go to bed,” Ava says. “So you’ll be ready to take off at the drop of a hat the next time word comes in.”
“I know you’re right, but…” I scratch my arm and frown. “Where’s Basile?”
“Funny story.” Ava grins.
“I could use a funny story.”
I pull out a bottle of scotch and pour us each a glass.
“Chelsea showed up here after you left today. You’d have thought you were watching an old soap opera. He stared at her, and she ran and jumped into his arms, sobbing.”
“He was able to hold her up?” I ask, shocked. Basile isn’t the tallest man in the world and I’ve heard Chelsea makes up for his lack.
“Like a champ,” Ava beams. “And she’s bawling the whole time telling him that she’s sorry she was so mad at him for leaving.”
“Hold up, where are they now?”
Gentry scrunches up his face. “If you listen really closely, you can probably tell.”
Ava shudders. “It’s like I’m in Niaps catching them in the kitchen all over again.” She makes a face and I snort. “Anyway, I think we’ll have a new resident in Farrow…for at least as long as Basile stays.”
“I’m looking forward to meeting this woman. Any friend of Basile’s is a friend of mine.”
I pick up the glass and swirl the liquid, watching it in the candlelight.
“You’ll get your happy ending too, Jadon. I know you will.” Ava clanks her glass to mine and Gentry joins in.
“At this point, I just need to know she’s safe.”
“No, don’t settle for safe. Settle for her being by your side forever,” Ava sings.
I roll my eyes. “Since when are you the romantic?”
“Since I got my own love story…try it, you’ll like it.”
I groan and shake my head at Gentry. “What have you done to my sister? She’s such a sap now.”
He chuckles and I drain my glass, pouring another.
Ava and Gentry exchange a look and I scowl at both of them. I don’t need their pity right now or ever.
“I have a bit of paperwork to go through.” I get up and walk to my desk. Quincie walks back in and I point at him. “Quincie was just going to bed too.”
Quincie’s eyes narrow and he shrugs. “The night watch is due in five minutes. I’ll leave then.”
“Good.” I dismiss everyone, at least in my mind, and pretty soon, it’s just me and the night watch. It feels like old times, when I was a guard trying to prove to my father that I was capable of running an army, should he ever need my help.
I wonder, not for the first time, what my father would’ve done if Kathryn were being held against her will and cringe when I realize that’s exactly what is happening. Tomorrow, I tell myself, tomorrow I will free her and let the chips fall where they may.
I let the last drops of liquid rest on my tongue for a few extra seconds before swallowing and put the cap on the decanter. I need to have a clear mind tomorrow.
My phone vibrates, shaking so hard it nearly falls off my desk. It’s one o’clock in the morning, so I don’t hesitate to answer it.
“Yes?”
“This is Commander Moss, reporting from Alidonia.”
“Hello, Commander. Anything new to report?”
“Yes, King. They’ve returned,” he says. “The king and his daughter are back in Alidonia. Their plane landed a few minutes ago on the castle grounds. I confirmed it was them before calling you.”
“Thank you. I will be there with our men as soon as I can. Don’t do anything until I get there…unless they attempt to flee, and then do everything in your power to save Delilah. No shots fired near her, am I understood?”
“Yes, King. You have my word.”
“Thank you, Commander. I’ll be on my way shortly.”
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Delilah
I throw up in a bag that I found on the plane, not quite to my bedroom yet. I threw up on the plane and knew I probably wasn’t done for the night. The nausea has just started over the past couple of days. I’m hoping it’s a good sign that I’m feeling this awful. I wipe my mouth with the back of my hand and lean against the wall.
I think of my mother and wish I had her with me right now. For so many reasons. I don’t think my father ever would’ve stooped to this level if it wasn’t for losing her and then my brother. But I’d also love to talk to her about Jadon…about my feelings for him, and about this baby. I’d give anything for her to tell me it’s all going to be all right.
I slide down the wall when I feel another wave of nausea hit and lean over the bag, but nothing comes.
Exhaustion like I’ve never known washes over me and I’m not certain I can even get up to reach my bed.
We’ve been moving around so quickly, my father paranoid by every sound and fearful of every employee. He’s lost what little sanity he had left and went on a rampage at the safe house, shooting the man who dared try to talk sense into him. That was the first wave of nausea I had, when I saw the man’s jaw busted wide open, a hole left gaping in his face, and the blood flying everywhere while he lay in a growing puddle of it.
I don’t think my father intended on us coming back to the castle so soon, but he seemed shaken by what he’d done, clutching his heart and talking faster and faster. I pretended to be asleep on the plane in hopes that he’d forget I existed for a while, but when I had to throw up, my father started ranting about the pregnancy and how I’ve disgraced him.
I couldn’t get here fast enough then, anything to have a little distance from him. I don’t know what to expect out of him.
He yells down the hall and I don’t look back to see if he sees me.
“Where is everyone? We’ve been robbed! We can’t even trust our staff anymore—they’ve taken the computers and left…” I hear his footsteps getting farther away. “I’m sure every valuable is gone…”
I force myself to get up so I won’t be here when he comes back. If our staff is gone, I should be able to escape…
But then I hear someone talking with my father. It must be one of the guards because it doesn’t sound like any of our house staff.
I’ll figure a way out tomorrow, I promise myself, as I make it to my feet and shuffle the rest of the way to my room.
I take a shower and feel somewhat human again, especially after brushing my teeth. When I crawl into my bed, I look at the window and remember the joy I felt seeing Jadon climbing over the balcony railing. If he could do it before…there’s hope he can do it again. I fall asleep, comforted that he’s been in this bed with me before. He’s loved me and held me and slept with me here. And he visits me in my dreams too, his kiss on my forehead feeling almost real.
I feel much better after a good night’s rest. I can’t believe I was able to sleep after everything that’s happened, but I’m grateful I had a reprieve from my father and woke up feeling human again. I take another quick shower and get dressed slowly, afraid of what I’ll find when I leave my bedroom. My stomach is not taking no for an answer though—food is calling.
I don’t hear anything until I’m close to the dining room and then it sounds like my father talking to our chef. I’m tempted to turn around and go back to my room, but no, I’m afraid I’ll start throwing up again if I don’t eat something.
My father is sitting in his usual spot at the table with an array of breakfast food surrounding him. He looks up from sipping his coffee and smiles warmly at me.
“Come sit. David will bring your food out right away.”
My brain hurts from the mental whiplash.
I sit down and David is back within minutes, lifting the lid off of a prepared plate. I stare at it for a long time and my father sighs.
“What’s wrong?”
“After finding out you were poisoned and knew it, I don’t trust any food that I don’t see prepared.”
He scowls at me and takes a bite of the eggs on his plate then hands me the plate. “Here, eat mine if you’re so untrusting.”
My eyes narrow on him as I watch him chew. “How about you take a bite of this first and then I’ll eat it?”
He sets down his plate and takes a large bite off of my plate, chewing with exaggerated motions. I watch him for a few minutes and nothing seems to happen, so I take a few bites myself. And then I’m too hungry to be cautious and eat everything.
“You need to put on your best dress. We have reporters coming soon.” He reaches out and pats my hand and it catches me off guard. Nothing feels normal right now, but his sweetness after not experiencing it in so long throws me off most. “I’ve decided to make the most of this baby,” he says, his voice low. “That can all change, depending on you and the way you handle yourself with the reporters. If you don’t do exactly as I say, there will be consequences. If you cooperate, I’ll let you and the baby live and you’ll raise the child as a Farthing.” He smiles and nods. “First, you’ll have to take back your statement about Safrin being the father, but that shouldn’t be hard to do.” He waves his hand. “You just follow my lead.” He chuckles. “I couldn’t have planned all of this better myself, really. It’s like you’ve set me up to be even more believable, despite your best attempts to do the worst by me.”
I swallow hard and my hands fist the napkin in my lap.
“Are you clear on what I’m asking you to do?”
“Yes, Papa.”
“Good. Now, go put on a nicer dress, and put some makeup on. You look like death warmed over.”
When I walk out of my room again, with a beautiful gown that flows to my ankles and my face fully made up, I try to steady my hands. I shake my arms for a few seconds and rub my hands together. I’ve only taken a few steps when the doorbell rings and the house seems to fill instantly. I’m shocked when I reach the end of the hall and the foyer is full of cameras and people milling about. My father directs them to the living room and they all follow like sheep.
I wait until some of the setting up is done and see my father looking for me. He motions for me to step inside and I do, moving until I’m by his side. He looks excited, like he’s shed a few years just in the past hour. I didn’t realize how much it charges him to pull off the ultimate scheme.
Before I know it, we’re ready to start and my father and I move to the table that’s been set up for us. I sink into the seat, grateful that I don’t have to stand for this. My father clears his throat and the room silences instantly; it must be nice to have that much authority.
“Thank you for coming today. I know you have a lot of questions, so we’ll get started. We only have an hour, so let’s not waste any time,” my father says. “I’d like to start out by thanking my daughter, who saved my life. If it weren’t for her, I’d be dead by now, poisoned by my nephew, Caulder Farthing and the former King Avaban. I know all of you heard her announcement at the would-be wedding, that she’s pregnant, but as she’ll tell you herself, she was grasping for anything to get her out of marrying Avaban.” His expression is grave even while chuckling and the rest of the room titters in response.
I feel a wave of nausea and close my eyes, trying to will it away. I jump when I feel his hand on mine and open my eyes.
“It will take time to get over the transgressions against us, but let me assure you, we ar
e ready to rebuild and make this kingdom better than it’s ever been. I’ve been sick—or poisoned, should I say—for so long, that I feel like a man awakening with a new purpose in life. I might even take a new wife!”
My eyes widen as he hits his fist on the table and beams. A new wife? What is he doing?
“I will let Delilah answer any questions you might have, but go easy on her, she’s been through quite a traumatic experience…”
I turn and look at him. Are you done yet? My hands are shaking and I pull them into my lap, knocking off my father’s hand in the process.
The questions start flying and one rings out over the others. “Why did you claim to be pregnant with Jadon Safrin’s baby?”
I stare at the reporter in the back, a man with owl eyes behind black glasses. Swallowing hard, I try to formulate a sentence in my head before saying it out loud. Everyone in the room stares at me. My father puts his hand on my back and squeezes my shoulder.
“It’s okay,” he says for the benefit of the room.
“What better way to stop a wedding than to claim to be pregnant with my father’s enemy?”
The room fills to a dull roar as the questions come in earnest now.
“But why claim to be pregnant at all?”
“When did you realize your father was being poisoned?”
I put a hand over my chest and take a deep breath.
“I wasn’t sure my father would want to believe the truth about the poisoning at first. My cousin was his most trusted confidante, and it was a hard blow for both of us to realize Caulder was capable of such an atrocity. I was afraid I’d still have to marry Avaban, even though I suspected he was in on the poisoning…”
That seems to appease them for a second.
There’s a shuffling in the back of the room when the doors open and someone walks in.
“Why did your father flee with you and lock me in the Farthing dungeon?”
