Charles crossed the small room and gripped my hands. “This is not the way I wanted to announce our engagement. I wanted to do it when the focus could be on you and our upcoming nuptials. I don’t want our union to be a sideshow to everything else that you’ve been accomplishing.”“That’s sweet,” I soothed. “But I’m okay with this. Anyway, you look at it, the public will be celebrating what’s going on in my…our lives. Besides, the sudden announcement might not be a bad thing on a personal level either.”I turned to David and Theo. “Do you think it would help my case with the king if I were
“But probably the hardest thing for me to believe is the whole scent thing.” This time, my laugh was more honest and less nerves. “How stupid is that? The only people who could love me the most smell me?”Charles let out a growl. “How can you doubt the goddess?” He scowled. “If you weren’t going to take anything she said seriously, then why even go there and get her advice? You wanted her to give you information. Then you got it, and now you don’t believe it.”“And you do?” I arched an eyebrow at him and crossed my arms. “That’s so ridiculous. How can a smell bring peace to everybo
A few minutes later, the door opened, and Charles came into the hotel suite’s bedroom. I hadn’t opened my eyes, but I could smell his vetiver.He shut the door behind him, and the bed jiggled when he sat on the corner of it. “Are you all right, Elena?”I nodded but didn’t open my eyes.He lay down next to me and pressed a kiss to the side of my head. “Are you sure you’re all right?”“I haven’t figured anything out yet. If that’s what yo
We returned to our apartment in Packhaven uneventfully. I’d have expected someone from the palace to be waiting at the airport to bring me home, but then again, I hadn’t told them I’d be back yet. So, in order to find me, they’d have to be tracking my flights.I only needed a short time at the house, just long enough to figure out where the stalker lived, and then I would be on another plane out of there. I had done what the mousy little man from the palace had asked and checked in the two days previous.I was positive they were tracking that phone, so they knew exactly where I was at. I assumed that if I wasn’t being bothered, I must
When we arrived, the three of them stayed in the car, allowing me to approach the house on my own. They thought perhaps a woman with three men in tow might scare off anyone who would speak to me.But I didn’t miss the flash of Theo’s weapon as he kept it just below the edge of the window inside the car. If anybody tried to harm me, they’d be dead before they realized what happened.The house in question was a seaside cottage with shake siding and big dormer windows overlooking a neighborhood lined with stately oaks. I pushed open the little gate on the path and made my way to the door, raising my hand and knocking apprehensively.
“I can’t imagine that King James wants to show his face much in front of the goddess,” I said. “So Doctor Milton hiding under her protection doesn’t surprise me.”“Not to mention, living as a monk in that northern temple seems like punishment on its own,” Charles threw in.“It’s not if you’re devout,” I countered. “But I suppose for a doctor, it might be punishing. He probably lived quite the life of luxury before all of this happened.”Mabel nodded. “Not that he deserved to be punished. My son
I woke in the morning with my head feeling like it weighed at least twice what it usually did. This jet lag was really catching up with me.When I sat up, the room swam a bit, and I had to sit still for a moment, blinking until everything had righted itself.“Is everything all right?” Charles asked.I nodded. “Just jet lag,” I said. “All of this trouble we’ve been dealing with... It’s caught up with me.”He kissed my forehead. “I just wanted to mak
I left my shoes at the entrance to the temple’s interior and traded them for some of the reed sandals offered to guests. Then, I followed the monk deep into the inner recesses of the moon temple grounds.They had small gardens, still bare because of the elevation. Spring wasn’t even close to on its way here, but at least it was ice-free. When we reached the moon pool, a man with silver hair tied back in a ponytail at the back of his head cleaned debris from the water with a skimmer.The monk who led me up there cleared his throat. “Monk Blythe,” he said. “You have a visitor.”