I missed my morning workout. I missed Rowan. I missed our morning banter. For two days now, I'd done everything in my power to avoid him. I hated having to do it.The truth was that I felt like if things were different, if Aurora wasn't part of the picture, if he wasn't a prince, maybe we could live some sort of happily ever after. If we had met at some beach bar on one of our islands, struck up a casual conversation, there would be an opportunity to let this go somewhere. Of course, if wishes were horses, I'd have a remuda.And I'm a damn fool. I keep believing that Rowan would actually want something to do with me. I know his type. They have a personality like a chameleon, blending to match whoever they're talking to, to chase down whatever they want. Once he got what he wanted from me, he'd probably never look my way again.I was right to ignore him. I was wrong for kissing him, but it just solidified my need to ignore him, to stop thinking about him, to quit worrying about hi

The palace was a flurry of activity. Once again, florals dripped throughout the halls and most of the rooms. Gold silk was draped from rafters, and the dining room was temporarily closed for decoration. Dodging the huge influx of people to the palace had me feeling drained.That wasn't exactly fair. Jonah's arrival was what truly had me feeling drained, but all of this activity was definitely contributing to it. I kept having to dodge people carrying vases and boxes and pushing carts of food. I was just trying to get to my daily meetings, and yet the hallways were crowded with extra housekeepers and servers and all sorts of people who did things I couldn't even name.The whole day went that way, me trying to dodge out of the way of strangers, and attempting to maintain a polite demeanor. It wasn't their fault that they'd been hired to get this done. They were all just people trying to take home a paycheck. It was my parents that I was truly frustrated with.Throwing a huge welcom

"You seem lost," Sergeant Duvall announced as he walked down the hall.He looked dashing in his military uniform. His black shoes were so polished I could practically see my reflection in them. He had a thick black mustache that made him look older than he was, but when I studied his face, I realized he couldn't be more than a year or two older than me."No, just restless," I answered. I’d just left Aurora’s room but found I didn’t want to go back to my own yet."Ah, I've been there a time or two. Anything in particular keeping you up?" he asked as I paced closer."Nothing I want to talk about," I confessed."I've been there too." Sergeant Duvall nodded. "Would you like some company?"I considered for a fraction of a second. "I think so."Sergeant Duvall moved from where he was leaning against the wall to join me in walking down the hall. "Was the party any good?" he asked casually."It was fine. I'm not big on partying though. I never was," I admitted."Me neither. I

*Genevieve*I still couldn't sleep. Even after the exhausting conversation down at the beach, my mind wouldn't settle. I knew it was because of the conversation at the beach. I was sick of Rowan swirling through my mind, taking up more real estate than he deserved. He shouldn't get to monopolize my train of thought.It was a relief to know that he genuinely cared about me. I could spend my whole life wondering if he truly meant what he said, but the truth was that it didn't matter. When he kissed me, it felt like he meant it, and that was all the proof I needed. I couldn't do anything with that information, so the whole point was moot.Changing into some leggings and a T-shirt, I got ready to go for a walk around the palace. I wouldn't go back down to the beach, but I could pace a little while in the hallway. I needed to clear my head again, and the walls in my room felt like they were crushing me.The palace was quiet, and the halls were dim. At some point in the middle of the

*Jonah*There was a Shakespeare quote that seemed to plague my mind these days. 'All the world's a stage and all the men and women are merely players.' Maybe it was a beautiful way of looking at things if you're a playwright, but for me, it was pitiful. I decided from the moment that I'd heard the quote that I wouldn't be just a player. I didn't know if I considered myself a director or not, but I certainly wasn't just a bystander.I might be something of a playwright myself.It took a lot of work to orchestrate something like this. Convincing Aurora to get on board with my plan had been the most time-intensive thing I'd done in a very long time. I was used to making deals and twisting people to my will. But she was smarter than most.Aurora truly had a heart of gold. That was the most complicated part of the entire plan. She didn't want anyone hurt. She cared about making sure the people of our countries got the help she thought she could offer them. She wanted to be a f