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“Stay out of my dreams, too,” I order as I shut my eyes, tears streaming out of them.
21
ALEXIS
“Of course, everyone, myself included, assumed that he didn’t mean me. I mean, blood is still blood.”
“You are his blood.”
“Yes, but his nephew. That’s different. But when I was sent here, he told me that if I got you to come see him, he would consider me for succession.”
Lily stares at the wall, unable to look at me. "So you need me to help you become King."
I sigh. "Yes. But honestly, that doesn't matter to me right now. If that's the only reason I came here, I'd have already left to spend what could be my uncle’s last days with him. But seeing my uncle happy is even more important. He's not just my King. He's my family. And I want to honor him."
She bites her lip and fidgets with her sleeves. "God, his final days. I can’t believe that. We were so young. We felt like we had all the time ahead of us. And now look at us."
She looks down at her hands. She looks young for her age, in her late fifties or early sixties, I’m guessing. But time inevitably leaves its marks. On hands and hearts.
I sit down next to her. "I don't know how many more days there will be. I hope it’s a good many more than they think. I do know he wants to spend some of that time with you. Could you please come and see him, even if only for a few moments?"
Lily is shaking but holds in her emotions. She avoids making eye contact. Finally, she replies. "Can you give me some time to think about it? How about until tomorrow morning?"
"Of course," I say. I stand up from the couch. "If you say no, I promise I will respect your decision. But I hope you’ll say yes."
I look down the hallway. It's dark and empty. No sign of Isabella.
Every time things start looking like they are going well with her, something pushes us right back to square one. The way she kisses makes the slow pace worth it.
Stopping in the front yard, I can see a light somewhere on the second floor. That must be Bella’s room. It would be too awkward to walk back in.
There's some stonework on the wall. I could probably scale that, I think. Or go back to the old country ways and toss a few pebbles at her window. I just want to see her face.
But my duties take priority. Thoughts of love are a luxury I can't afford. This whole trip has been a huge undertaking, but it finally ends tomorrow. One way or another.
I return to my own house and try to push the events of the day from my mind. Some sleep will do me good. As I pull my shirt over my head, I get a faint trace of her fragrance. I try to stop myself from breathing it in before depositing the shirt into the hamper.
As I brush my teeth, I try to push thoughts of Isabella out of my mind. I turn off the lights and climb into bed.
Alone in the darkness, I find my mind wandering back to her. But I catch myself, sternly reminding myself to focus. With a deep, steadying breath, I close my eyes, encouraging my mind to embrace the silence.
The loud buzz of my phone stirs me awake. I’d set up keyword and sender alerts for emails regarding royal duties, especially pertaining to the King. I sigh as I read the subject line.Urgent: Regarding Your Return to Solvaria.
Opening the email, I find the contents cryptic, to throw off any other potential readers. But its message is clear. If Lily is to return with me, she must assume an entirely different identity.
The message implies that the last time Lily was in Solvaria, she sparked a royal scandal. It will be difficult to fulfill the King’s wish discreetly if every tabloid in the country has her face plastered over it.
The email ends with a chilling coded message.
"Don't set your crown on the edge of the table."
I pinch the bridge of my nose as I sit back in my chair. Another complication to deal with. What kind of person could I bring with me to Solvaria to deflect suspicion? I start thinking about the possibilities.
Maybe an academic coming to do research on ancient Solvarian history? It would justify spending time with the royal family. But that would require a lot of specialized knowledge, and I'm already asking so much of her.
I could simply say she was an expert rancher, coming to consult on the construction of a new stable. But then there would be questions about her qualifications and additional scrutiny.
Any idea I can think of would draw attention, defeating the entire purpose of the clandestine approach.
