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When he releases me, I move over to Greyson. His eyes bulge with hesitation, but he allows me to embrace him just the same.
There’s a warmth about him when he finally pulls me into him. And I relish in the moment.
This may be frowned upon, but it’s what I need right now. They’re all I have left in this world.
Worry digs its way inside of me, not knowing what danger awaits them outside the castle walls.
“Please be safe. Get what you need and come back to me. Your place is by my side, don’t forget that.” My voice breaks with sadness. I can’t bear to lose another person I care about.
Chapter
Eleven
Robyn
We leave my chambers with a plan in motion. Callum and Greyson say their goodbye’s, heading off toward the guard chambers.
My heart skips a beat watching them walk away. Closing my eyes, I say a quick prayer for their safety.
Please let them return to me unharmed.
The warmth of Tristan’s breath takes me by surprise. His lips are dangerously close to my skin. “Don’t worry about them, little bird. They can take care of themselves.”
My body reacts to his closeness. I sidestep him before I make a fool of myself.
It would be so easy to lean into his touch.
To let him take away the pain in my heart. But I know better. So I put distance between us instead.
“I know that, but it doesn’t make it any easier seeing them leave.”
We walk through the castle in silence. Lost in thought and trying to block out my fear simultaneously.
The halls are bustling with people carrying things from one room to the next as if they are making preparations for something. I can’t shake the irritation creeping over me.
The only thing that needs to be happening right now is mourning and preparing for the king’s funeral.
We reach the king’s chambers to find the doors already open. The bed where my father once laid is empty. The maids rush about cleaning without paying us any attention.
“Where is my father’s body?” I shout with fury. Everyone stops and stares at me with worry written on their faces.
Tradition is to prepare the body in their chambers.
There’s no body, and they are busy removing all of his things, ridding his very existence from this room.
After a few seconds pass and no one bothers to answer me, I yell out, “I won’t ask again! Where. Is. The. King!”
One maiden moves to my side, speaking with a hushed voice like she’s scared someone will overhear us. Her eyes move fromside to side before landing on an older lady in the corner of the room who gives her a slight nod.
“Your Majesty, the queen dowager had his body removed. She instructed us to prepare these chambers for Prince Ramiro—I’m sorry, King Ramiro, at once. We are only doing what we were told, My Lady. We didn’t mean any disrespect to you.” She crumples before my eyes, shoulders hunched, her chin trembling. She’s on the verge of tears.
She’s scared.
“Please forgive us,” she weeps, tears now falling from her eyes.
As I look around the room, I see them all nervously moving about, glancing to one another discreetly. Knowing looks without any words leaving their lips. Every maiden in this room is scared for their lives. But why? What has made them all so shook?
Guilt seeps in over my actions until the moment one of them walks over to my father’s bed, ripping the sheets away.
