AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Everything became a blur of darkness and speed after that smile. Tristan would’ve teased he didn’t know a Kawasaki could move that fast, but nobody would’ve heard him over the roar of the engine. His dad pushed the Teryx to its highest RPMs. The usually twenty-minute drive to Curt and Aliya’s seemed to last moments, but they were vicious and uncomfortable moments as the forest and trail rushed past them and cold wind whipped their hair and stung their eyes. The lights of the other vehicle barely kept pace with them.
His dad loved fast vehicles, as evidenced by the eight million dollars he’d recently spent on his new Lamborghini. The king was a fabulous driver in whatever vehicle he chose, but Jennifer and Philippe were white-knuckling the safety bars and had to uncurl their grip when they finally stopped at the clearing in front of Curt and Aliya’s large cabin, where light spilled from the huge windows. Dawn was approaching, the sky tinged bluish pink and the trees and surroundings visible now, but the sun’s full appearance through those trees was at least an hour away.
“I forgot about the king’s insane driving ability,” Jennifer muttered.
“Is ‘ability’ the word you meant to use?” Tristan asked.
“Okay, you got me. Insane driving.”
His dad only laughed. He knew they were teasing and he was one of the best drivers Tristan had ever ridden with.
“I quite enjoyed the ride, sir,” Philippe lied.
Tristan had to hide his smile now. Philippe was a dedicated leader in their military, but quite the kiss-up with the king and Ray.
Curt and Aliya walked onto their porch. Aliya clapped her hands together. “Oh, yay! T’s lost love has come home and soon I’ll have another fabulous sister-in-law.”
Everybody’s eyebrows shot up. “Hold your horses,” Tristan teased Aliya. “You’re puttin’ the cart before the horse.”
Aliya giggled at that. “I’m rubbin’ off on you like the rust of a redneck’s truck bumper onto your favorite white blouse.”
“What language are you both speaking?” Jennifer asked him in an undertone.
He grinned.
“Don’t unload,” Curt said. “We’ll take the side-by-sides to the Austrian side of the mountain and hike from there.”
Jennifer gripped the bar again and murmured, “Please, I’d prefer the extra miles hiking.”
The king smiled knowingly. “Curt will have to lead the way, so it will be a more sedate pace.”
“Prayers answered,” Jennifer said.
They all laughed.
Curt kept a decent pace, but they thankfully didn’t hurtle through the trees. With the sky getting lighter, they could actually look at the beautiful multi-colored leaves and talk. Jennifer asked questions about the curse and the cure and Philippe eagerly shared about the numerous queens in the past who had drowned in the lake, supposedly a suicide curse. He wisely said nothing about Tristan’s mum having committed suicide. Tristan hated that theory and knew his dad did as well. Horrifically, no murderer had been found in eight months. Unless William had masterfully killed his mum and hid the evidence, Tristan had no idea who could’ve done it. Maybe she had committed suicide. Maybe it was simply a horrific accident they’d never have any answers for.
Even Philippe admitted that nobody had any idea what the cure might be. Was it a token that protected the royals, a blessed chalice that could make water holy, an herb that healed a royal female body and soul? Philippe became more animated as he talked. It was obvious he believed in the curse and the cure and had every expectation that they would find it today.
Tristan had never believed in any of it and didn’t think his father did either, but it was telling that they’d both come on the adventure on this cool fall morning, especially with William and Naomi kidnapping Henry only two days ago.
Had his dad only agreed to indulge Philippe, Curt, and Aliya, or did he hold some hope that the cure might be real? The fabled cure could no longer save his wife, but his dad loved each of his daughters-in-law. If Jennifer became queen, maybe it could protect her. That thought changed this outing from a mild curiosity and chance to hike with Jennifer to an interest in what they might find.
They passed a patrol of Ray’s guards in a Polaris Razor. The men saluted and slowed, but the king waved them on and didn’t stop.
Twenty minutes later, they parked the side-by-sides off the trail as best they could. Everyone but Tristan strapped on small backpacks and they set off to the Austrian side of the mountains.
“What do you have in the backpack?” he asked Jennifer.
“Oh, you know, just some fruit snacks, water bottles, a knife or two, bear spray.” She smiled sweetly up at him as they navigated the steep trail.
His brows shot up. “Fruit snacks. Very practical.”
“Thank you.”
“I wasn’t aware we had a bear problem in Augustine.”
Her eyes darkened. “I’m hoping to meet up with a rat sometime soon and give him a face full of it.”
