Waking up the next morning, I felt light as air and heavy as bricks all at once. I stretched, yawned, and rolled out of bed. Getting up and ready felt like a haze as if I were still dreaming.They had managed to get the repairs done to the dining hall while we were gone for the weekend. I was impressed with how seamless everything looked when Aurora and I got to the dining hall."Thank goodness they got this done so quickly. Imagine how embarrassing it would be to have the wedding and still have chunks of the ceiling missing," Aurora giggled as she walked to make herself a plate.That sounded so out of place for her. When we had first arrived, she had been fairly quiet, but she had seemed like she really cared about people. The more she came out of her shell, the more I started to dislike what I was seeing.Once, as a teenager, I had been in a relationship with an older man. I didn't exactly have anyone around to warn me what a terrible idea it was, and I had gotten in over my
I hated being noticed. I had practically made a career out of staying in the background. Rowan was really pushing my buttons by making me do this. He even had Tony bring me a dress which he bought for me so that I had something new to wear for the occasion.Rowan assigned several of his own guards to watch over Aurora. It was supposed to help relieve me of my duties for the evening, but I had the feeling they were also supposed to keep an eye on her to prevent her from trying to kill him again."I should be thanking you for saving him. I don't know where I'd be if something happened to him," Aurora said as we walked to the dining hall."No problem. It's my job to keep people safe. I guess keeping him safe is an extension of keeping you safe," I dismissed. The seam along my ribs was itching. This dress was stunning, and it fit like a glove, but my nerves were making my skin crawl.It was a surprising choice, a style that I didn't realize Rowan was familiar with. It was made with
*Rowan*I'd been with lots of women. Too many, really. I was embarrassed that I had been so frivolous with so many people's emotions. With Genevieve, I knew I had been wasting my time, that I could never have shown love to someone the way I could for her.She deserved it. She deserved every lovely thing I could give her. Not only was she brilliant and strong, but she had saved me. I owed her my life.I had done nothing to earn her attention. I didn't deserve her love and affection, but she continued to shower me with it. I wanted to do the same for her.Her kiss was intoxicating. I was thirsty for more of her, drinking her in like water after a drought. Her lips moved against mine, passionate and hungry.Genevieve stroked her tongue along the roof of my mouth, sending sparks down my spine. I was coming alive at her touch, like nothing I'd ever felt before.I slid my hands under her sweatshirt. I wanted to take it off her, but I was afraid of hurting her arm. Instead, I sett
*Genevieve*There was another note on my pillow the next morning. I snatched it up, hoping for something sweet from Rowan. I was getting used to his thoughtful little gestures.'They're going to try to have me shot at the parade this weekend. Help.'That was all. The handwriting wasn't his usual beautiful script. It was still neat, lovely handwriting, but it was clearly written in a much more hurried manner. There were a few letters with wavy lines, indicating that his hand had been shaking when he wrote it.Poor Rowan. I wouldn't let anything happen to him. Budge and Tony would help us figure a way out of this as well. It had to be torture though, to live every day knowing that people around you wanted you dead.I had to find this third person. We had to determine who it was and make sure they were held responsible too. We had to hurry. There had been enough back and forth, enough risk. The wedding was quickly approaching, and I feared that if we didn't find them soon, they
*Aurora*I sat staring at my reflection for far too long. I wasn't trying to be vain. I just wanted to look perfect. Jonah had stressed to me over and over again that being royal meant appearing perfect. It was the reason he spent so much money getting his look fine-tuned, so he could present himself to the world exactly as he wanted to be seen.I hadn't yet spent the money on the surgeries and procedures that Jonah had. But when I was queen, I would. When I was queen, I would get an entirely new wardrobe. I had believed that the exorbitant spending of the king and queen was just frivolous waste, but Jonah explained it all had a purpose.Jonah helped lead me through every decision I needed to make since coming here. Ever since meeting him by chance in that meeting during negotiations, I had felt so much more relaxed. I had someone who could help me navigate every potential pitfall in this situation.It felt like so much pressure. I was having to rely on Jonah more and more, loo
*Genevieve*"Are you ready for your fitting?" I asked. I'd had enough of the verbal two steps. I didn't want to have to second-guess everything I was saying."Yes. I can't wait for you to see the dress. Rowan's guards just don't get excited enough," Aurora answered.I walked with her down to the room they set aside for her dress. It was practically a seamstress shop at this point, with all of the sewing machines and bolts of fabric everywhere. There were several people rushing around the room when we arrived, all of whom I recognized from other parts of the wedding planning process."Aurora, darling, you're late again. At this point, you'll be late for your own wedding." The coordinator laughed. It was a performative laugh, not a genuine one, and it rankled me."They'll wait for me," Aurora dismissed.I knew why she didn't bother with being on time. I knew why she wasn't worried about any of the logistics of this wedding. It was never going to happen.I'd grown more and m
*Rowan*As I left Genevieve in the nook, my mind was racing. I tried to play it cool around her. She had enough to worry about already. I couldn't stop thinking about that first line in her note.'Aurora is suspicious.'Over and over and over again. It played like a warning message. I couldn't shake the thought free. If Aurora was suspicious of Genevieve, then we were living on borrowed time. I had to get Genevieve out of danger.I could send her away. I could have her removed from her post and sent home. I could send her on a mission. It might be a diplomatic nightmare, but I could find a way to send Genevieve out of harm's way. I wanted to come up with any excuse to get her as far away from here as possible, but I knew Genevieve.Wherever there was a fight, she was running headlong into it. The woman took a bullet for me, of course, she would want to stay and be a part of whatever happened next. I would never be able to stop her.That was something I loved about her. She
I hurried down to the hut. I wasn't supposed to be meeting Genevieve here until late tonight, but I was anxious to get out of the palace. Things only seemed to get more cramped and crowded every time I had to answer another question about the wedding plans.Thinking about the wedding made me sweaty. I knew it wasn't happening. I knew it was nothing but an expensive distraction at this point. I hated it. The constant hemorrhage of money was making my head hurt. I didn't know how to call it all off without raising suspicions, so I just watched the treasury bleed out.The hut stood like a lone soldier keeping watch over a glassy sea. It was becoming a sanctuary, a place where Genevieve and I could be together without fear of discovery or judgment."You're early," Genevieve said, flinching as I entered the hut."So are you," I noted. "Did I scare you?""Yeah, sorry." She laughed. "I thought I'd be alone for a while.""Want to tell me why you're hiding out here?" I asked, lookin