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Zlata scoffed in my direction before she marched out the doors and down the steps. As soon as she was out of sight, I breathed deeply at the fear that had risen in my chest. I could play coy all I wanted, but if she found out my past, I would be the next face all over the tabloids. I reached down and pressed my hand against my stomach, thinking about the repercussions that could bring to my future child’s life. I immediately took off for my chambers, grabbing one of the servants and letting them know I needed a private audience with the Queen immediately. After I had packed a bag, knowing I had to get away from the palace, I wrote Milos a letter and sealed it in an envelope.
The Queen’s guards arrived almost immediately to take me to the Queen’s chambers, where I explained that my mother had fallen ill, and I had to leave immediately. Part of me felt like the Queen had seen right through the excuse, but at that moment, I didn’t care. I just needed to get out. I handed her the envelope and asked her to give it to Milos whenever he returned. She shook her head as I turned to leave. I stopped as I felt the Queen’s hand on my shoulder.
I turned around to face her, bowing my head in reverence. She stepped forward, kissed me kindly on the cheek, and nodded knowingly. She might have assumed my rush from the kingdom was due to Milos and his latest escapades, but it was more for my own sanity than anything else. I had to get away from Silesia, from the palace, and especially from Milos, if I was going to work out what to do with this child. I knew I couldn’t raise a baby in a marriage that was a sham, with a man that couldn’t stop flaunting himself all over the country. But what were my choices?
Within the hour, I was on the plane and airborne. A feeling of relief washed over me, getting stronger with every mile I put in between me and Silesia. I sat and gazed out over the earth below me as I made my way toward Liverpool. I knew that one decision would change everything, but I didn’t know what to do.
I needed space and air, and the last thing I wanted was Milos dangling the contract over my head. There was no way he was going to welcome this baby into his life, not after his true colors had surfaced. I refused to live a life holed up in the castle, watching as my husband destroyed the beautiful history of a country and taught our child to do the same. This may be the heir to the Silesian throne, but it was also a child, and it deserved so much better than Milos, even if that meant a flat in Liverpool with a half sober grandmother and a single mother. At least I felt comfortable, knowing my child wouldn’t end up like Milos, cold, angry, and incapable of love.
Chapter 16: Milos
“Wake up you idiot,” Brat said as he kicked my chair on the plane. “We have landed. Let’s get inside before your mother sees you.”
“That’s no way to talk to a prince,” I said with slurred words.
“When you decide to be a prince, I will start treating you as one,” Brat replied.
I always liked how Brat was straightforward with no bullshit. He and Adriana were similar in that regard, not letting my royal status bother them in the least.
I grabbed my bag and wobbled down the stairs, glad to see there was a car to drive us to the palace. Brat could be harsh, and I half expected to have to walk back. When we were inside the car, Brat took his gloves off and set his hands on his lap, obviously deciding that he was going to get to the bottom of everything. He cleared his throat and looked back out the window.
“What was it this time? Your father? Your mother? Or did you just feel like getting completely wasted, embarrassing our kingdom further, and leaving everyone in suspense?”
“It was nothing, just something with Adriana,” I mumbled.
“Milos,” Brat said. He leaned forward a bit. “You are letting down your mother, your country, and your pretty little bride.”
“It’s a fake marriage, or did you forget, too?”
“Too? Who else forgot? Adriana, a young girl swept up in a fairy tale by a toad that only half resembles a prince? Or perhaps you, who figured out she is more than what she seems?”
“A little bit of both, I suppose,” I said.
“Milos, it’s okay to care for this woman,” Brat replied. “You need to go to her and make this all right.”
“I know,” I sighed, my head spinning.
The car pulled up out front, and Brat helped me into the castle and to my wing without many people noticing. The servants weren’t expecting to see me, so my wing was usually pretty empty. When we got inside, Brat sat me down in a chair and started ordering everything he could to get me sobered up. I just sat there and stared out the window, trying to get my vision to focus, but feeling too swamped by alcohol to function properly.
“Bring him coffee and some food,” Brat told the servants. “Not just any food, a good hearty meal that will soak up some of that liquor. And keep the coffee coming.”
They all bowed to Brat’s req
uests, making me realize what a good king he would have been, had he been born into my place. A week ago, I would have fought this tooth and nail, but at that moment, I was tired of fighting it. I knew I had to make things right with this girl, and I knew I had to step up. First, however, I needed to get sober.
After the meal and the hot coffee, I was feeling much better, and my mind had cleared. I jumped in the shower to wash the stench of a week’s worth of booze and strippers from my body, before I dressed. I hoped that I hadn’t gone so far off that Adriana could never forgive me, even though I understood there may be no way for her ever to trust me again. I realized that it wasn’t about the contract. I really did care for this girl, more than anything. When I was done and dressed, I pushed down my nerves and made my way to Adriana’s wing to grovel and attempt to get her back.
However, when I got there, there was no one around. I thought it strange that the guards weren’t on duty at her doors like normal. I pushed through into the sitting area and back to her room. She was nowhere to be found, and her things were no longer in her cabinet. Her bed had been made and looked as if no one had slept there for days.
I picked up the wedding picture my mother had given Adriana from the nightstand and stared down at our happy faces. I realized I actually looked happy in that picture, and not just for the audience. The horses were out for their normal runs and exercise with the trainers, and I could see Adriana’s horse trotting alone through the field. I thought she might have gone out to the house in the country for some rest and peace, so I walked from the room and toward the stables. As I turned the corner, I found my mother standing in the hallway looking at the flowers.
“There you are,” she said wearily. “I have been looking all over for you.”
“Mother, have you seen Adriana? I have something important to speak to her about.” I wanted to get to the stables.
“She isn’t here. Her mother fell ill and she headed to Liverpool. Here, she left this for you.”
I looked down at the letter my mother had pulled from her pocket, and I knew this wasn’t going to be a fairy tale ending. I smiled and bowed my head as my mother moved through the hall and out the doors to the gardens. She patted me on the shoulder as she passed, obviously seeing the distraught look I was wearing. I walked slowly and smiled at the nobles lingering in the halls, before bolting from the area and running all the way to my room. I sat down at the table and opened the letter.
